Restaurant Week 2018: through local partnerships, nonprofit Giving Kitchen provides emergency assistance to restaurant workers in times of crisis

Juliana Cowart was working in the service industry when she learned she needed surgery. What she could not predict was how the doctors, when they went in for exploratory surgery, would need to correct a hernia and remove her appendix. Abdominal surgery is complicated and often dangerous. Juliana’s situation, unfortunately, is not uncommon. Her full recovery time was supposed to be six weeks, but there were complications. The complications were not medical. First, to prepare for missing work ahead of surgery, Juliana took extra shifts, straining an already precarious medical situation. Second, Juliana could not survive without working; she returned to work after two weeks. For many restaurant workers, bills hang in the day-to-day balance of customer’s whimsy—to tip or not to tip, and then how much, is often the difference between a server’s ability to pay rent or utilities on time or not. Even for those like Juliana who go above and beyond to provide for herself in this grueling business, just a few days out of work can mean very quickly finding one’s self out of home, too.

Ask anyone who has spent time working in restaurants. They know tragic stories of respected coworkers experience medical problems, or even domestic abuse, who have no choice but to miss work. More often than not, these stories have unhappy endings. One  nonprofit, however, is working hard to turn these tragic tales around.

In Dec. 2012, Chef Ryan Hidinger—beloved in the Atlanta restaurant community for his work at Bacchanalia, Floataway Café, Muss & Turners and the supper club he operated with his wife, Jen, called Prelude to Staplehouse—was diagnosed with stage- IV cancer. The diagnosis was devastating, but the restaurant industry and larger community rallied to Ryan and Jen. The outpouring of love and financial support helped cover expenses not covered by insurance, a response Jen believes extended Ryan’s life by six months. Through the continued leadership of the Hidinger family, donors, partners, staff and board, the Giving Kitchen has awarded more than 11000 Crisis Grants to restaurant workers in need of emergency assistance. Until 2016,  Giving Kitchen operated only in the Greater Atlanta area; Juliana is the first of many grantees Bryan Schroeder, Executive Director, hopes to help in the Columbus area by paying restaurant workers’ basic living expenses and matching funds raised by their restaurant family during times of crisis.

Bryan calls Yalla “world-class partners.” Yalla, a Columbus public relations firm founded by Stephanie Woodham and Katie Bishop, organized the first Restaurant Week in 2016. Responding to our area’s booming restaurant scene, Katie explains she and Stephanie wanted to find ways to promote and celebrate that scene. Presented by partner US Foods, Restaurant Week 2018 (July 23 through 29) highlights locally-owned and operated restaurants with a full week of affordable and delicious culinary events. Participating restaurants will showcase some of their best dishes with prix fixe menus for locals and visitors alike. This year, revenue from Restaurant Week, in addition to promoting participating restaurants across multiple platforms, will also go to supportinge Giving Kitchen’s vital work.

“No one in Columbus knew [Giving Kitchen] existed,” Juliana said. Except, it seems, her sister, who suggested Juliana apply for the grant. “I was looking at medical bills; it was evident I wouldn’t be able to work,” Juliana said, so following the chance conversation with her sister, she read up about the Giving Kitchen. “They saw this major gap,” Juliana said, “and filled it.” Paying for the surgery would be an enormous burden, and as abdominal surgery complications can often mean a second surgery which Juliana knew she could not afford, so receiving a Giving Kitchen granth helping with her with rent and utilities was the difference between being homeless and not.

“We know the need is there,” said Bryan. “We need to get the word out about services.” Being new to the area may present obstacles, but Yalla’s decision to highlight Giving Kitchen during Restaurant Week, which will connect thousands of people to restaurants and the nonprofit, is exactly the sort of partnership Bryan says is vital to GK’s mission. “We want to get the right amount of mone, to the right people at the right time,” Bryan said. In the first year servicing the Columbus community, Bryan hopes to help between six and 10 restaurant workers.

The average grant awarded by Giving Kitchen is $1,800, which shows just how precarious the life of a service industry worker can be. For Juliana, who received a little less than the average grant, the difference was crucial to her stability as her health hung in the balance. By bringing together Giving Kitchen with local restaurants, Yalla’s work with Restaurant Week—and your support of the many excellent events—will have a direct, dramatic and positive impact on the lives of local, hardworking individuals and families.

Among the many Restaurant Week events this year, a new kick-off party at Trevioli Italian Kitchen (7466 Blackmon Road) will connect service industry workers from all over the Columbus area with Giving Kitchen staff like Bryan. The kick-off event will, Katie says, “help build the camaraderie in Columbus that Giving Kitchen has helped build in Atlanta.” Katie explained, “this year’s focus is all about the service industry workers.”

Jen Hidinger, who now serves as spokesperson for Giving Kitchen, will be on-hand this year to help build the vital bridges between workers, owners and the nonprofit that have made Giving Kitchen such a success in Atlanta. Everyone can be ready to help by participating in any of Restaurant Week’s events.

This year, Katie was excited to tell us to expect brunch and lunch events in addition to dinners. Participating restaurants have seen a 60% sales increase in past years, and with this year’s charitable focus, we hope the return is even more astounding. Look forward to a Young Professionals-sponsored “3 Fix Mafia” cocktail crawl on Thursday, where participants can enjoy three specialty cocktails for $3 each. In all, Katie expects as many as 30 restaurants to participate. We will print the full list as it stands at time of print, but there is still time for your restaurant to join the week’s festivities and help support the hardworking individuals of the restaurant industry.

“If you’ve never worked in the service industry,” Juliana said, “you won’t understand how demanding it is.” When we asked her what she would say to a restaurant worker who found themselves in her shoes, Juliana laughed—we found her in high spirits, determined, a profound spokesperson both for service industry workers and Giving Kitchen. “Call Giving Kitchen,” she said. Duh! “Awareness is so important.”

Getting involved with Giving Kitchen is easy; just pick up the phone—(404) 254-1227 or follow @givingkitchen to see ways you can spread the word about GK at your fingertips. On their website, givingkitchen.org, you will find many ways to pitch in under the “Support” menu tab, including volunteering, partnership opportunities, donations and more.

For restaurant workers who may need help, start with their Assistance Inquiry form at bit.ly/apply2gk. It’s that simple. If you need help completing the form, please call (404) 254-1227.

For Restaurant Week updates, check visitcolumbusga.com/restaurantweek.

We want to thank Katie Bishop and Stephanie Woodham of Yalla for connecting everyone;, Bryan Schoeder and all of Giving Kitchen staff for their phenomenal work; and most of all Juliana Cowart for her bravery and grit through hardship and for telling her story. Ya’ll are the real MVPs; we are just so grateful to tell the story.