RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Richmond’s recent water crisis left businesses and residents facing significant challenges. After a malfunction at the city’s water plant disrupted supply, many businesses were forced to shut down, losing revenue and leaving employees without work. In the aftermath, local restaurant Philly Vegan is stepping up to support the community by offering a "pay-what-you-can" menu all week. “Philly Vegan is considered the community's restaurant, so it feels good to be able to be here for the community; that is our dream come true,” said co-owner Samuel Veney. The initiative has been a success, with customers streaming in daily. Normally a once-a-month program, the Southside Richmond restaurant extended it for a full week, aiming to help families still recovering from the water crisis. The plant-based restaurant serves favorites like Philly fries, cheesesteaks and nachos, making it accessible for anyone to enjoy a fresh meal. ALL COVERAGE: Richmond Area Water Crisis “People need some assistance, so we gonna be there for them," Veney said. "That's what we're about." The water outage, which affected Richmond and surrounding counties, had wide-reaching effects. Like many other businesses, Philly Vegan had to close temporarily, losing days of income. But Veney says the focus isn’t on the money — it’s on helping his neighbors. “You know, we lost a lot of money because of that, but it's not always about the money -- it's about what we can do together as a community," Veney said. "And right now, we're doing what we can to make sure all of the families are fed, not just ours." For Veney, a Southside native, giving back to the city is deeply personal. “Everything we do is going to always come back to us," he said. "You get what you give." Regular customers like Ronnie Whitehead have taken notice of Philly Vegan’s generosity. “In these times, everything's going up, everything seems crazy," Whitehead said. "So, they're helping out at the perfect time. And it's a blessing to be a blessing." While Philly Vegan has been doing its part to lift the community, Veney believes the city could improve its crisis response, particularly for small businesses. He said talking to these businesses to find out exactly what they need to bounce back could make a huge difference.