Downtown Jersey City Filipino restaurant Meryendang Pinoy, located at 283 Newark Ave., has started a GoFundMe page after a fire destroyed their restaurant.

By Dan Israel/Hudson County View

“Last night, a fire tore through my sister’s small, family-run restaurant, Meryendang Pinoy, and changed everything in an instant. Walls were broken to stop the flames, the heat is gone, and the space is not safe or presentable to operate. Right now, they have no way to open their doors and no income coming in,” Ericka Maullion wrote in the GoFundMe page description.

“While they are working hard to make repairs and hoping to reopen, we don’t know when the walls will be fixed or when heat will be restored. Until then, they are facing a lot of uncertainty. We’re asking for help to cover their rent and basic expenses while they try to recover and take things one day at a time.”

Due to the damages, the restaurant cannot reopen until the major repairs are complete, with no timeline for completion as of this writing.

Owners Josan and Jhonacel Gonzales Candelaria say the restaurant is their livelihood, having built up the space over years of hard work.

“Any donation, no matter the size, gives us hope and helps us keep going. If you can’t give, sharing this means just as much. Thank you for standing with a small business when it needs it most,” Maullion added.

Since they have no way to generate revenue until the restaurant is reopened, the Narra Collective – a Filipino-owned coworking space at 333 Washington St., Floor 3 – has helped spread the word of the fundraiser.

Jhonacel also used to work with Narra Collective before stepping away as she prepares to give birth to another baby this April.

“We are asking the community to stand with them during this critical moment,” Shy Burmistrova and the Narra Collective team said in a statement on social media.

Donations will go toward covering rent and essential operating expenses while they rebuild. For those unable to donate, Burmistrova asked the public to spread the word of the GoFundMe to others.

“Meryendang Pinoy has fed, welcomed, and cared for countless people. Now it’s our turn to show up for them,” Burmistrova added.

The page has set a goal of $15,000 and has raised $6,190 from 113 donors since this morning as of 6:53 p.m. Tuesday evening.