Community Outreach Through Giving

There is nothing quite as inspiring or motivating as discovering a successful and thriving organization that was created in order to serve local interests. In Atlanta, Georgia, something emerged from the local restaurant community that perfectly captures the spirit and purpose of helping one another out in times of need or crisis. Although fairly new on the scene, The Giving Kitchen has made its mark by raising funds through the support many of the local restaurants and a variety of efforts, such as fundraisers, feasts, and beer festivals.
The Giving Kitchen focuses on giving direct assistance to people who work in the restaurant industry in the greater Atlanta area and have encountered medical problems, either through illness or accident. These people find themselves facing medical bills and unable to work while they are dealing with treatments or recovery, and to have a group like this appear and offer its help through direct contributions must often feel like an unbelievable miracle to the recipient of their generosity.
This organization continues to raise awareness and much needed funds for its nonstop efforts to help their colleagues and friends, all of whom are very much like a huge extended family. It is particularly inspiring to see that their direct involvement made a difference and helped another person to get back into participating in and contributing to society.
Equally inspiring is the enthusiastic participation of so many other local restaurants who understand what it means to serve their own community with love and support. In many different fashions, other restaurants have promoted and sponsored the good work of The Giving Kitchen, either through fundraisers, food and drink celebrations and festivals, or direct donations from sales.
The bottom line that measures the success of this organization is the amount of money that has been placed in the hands of people in need, and that sum is indeed worth noting. To date, more than $500,000 has directly helped over 325 people who have faced medical crises or are seeking treatments and recovery.
Those numbers clearly show The Giving Kitchen to be a success that everyone hopes will be around for many more years to come.

The Power of Benevolence

In these times of both bad and scary news, we all seek out “feel good” stories to give us hope for the human race. There is nothing that makes us cheer more readily or happily than when we come across a story showing the power of benevolence and how local groups can still make a difference for their friends and neighbors. So get ready to cheer happily…

The Giving Kitchen was founded a few years ago in Atlanta, Georgia with the express purpose of offering aid and support to workers in the local restaurant community. Specifically, their focus is to directly aid anyone afflicted with a medical problem, from accidents to life threatening illnesses. To date, they have helped hundreds of people with grants in excess of $500,000, often becoming the difference between these workers losing everything they have worked for due to medical problems. 

The Giving Kitchen helps by paying rent, covering additional medical expenses, and even travel costs for family members to come and assist in their recovery. It is funded in part through the local restaurant industry, who have held numerous also proud to be part of this positive and important effort. In addition, Staplehouse, a local and popular Atlanta eatery, donates 100% of its profits into The Giving Kitchen. 

This mission initially grew from the hearts of Ryan and Jen Hidinger, a local couple that had been part of the Atlanta restaurant community for years. In late 2012, Ryan was discovered to be in a late stage of cancer. Facing treatments, health costs, and emotional trials, the community came together and raised funds to help them in Ryan’s final months of life. In return, Ryan and Jen gave birth to The Giving Kitchen which has shown tremendous growth and enthusiasm since its inception. 

This is perhaps one of the best tales of how the generous and unselfish act of benevolence can empower friends, colleagues, and even strangers to step up and offer a helping hand to another human being in need.

An Extraordinary Support System

Susan Rachele has worked in the restaurant industry for most of her adult life, and is currently a general manager at a leading restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia. While the restaurant and food service industry is known for being close knit, what has happened in Georgia over the past few years is nothing short of phenomenal.

Susan Rachele recently had the honor and pleasure of working with The Giving Kitchen, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting people working in the restaurant industry in Atlanta in times of need or crisis. It was founded and started after a spur-of-the-moment response to the needs of Ryan and Jen Hidinger, a couple that are well-known in the Atlanta area for their contributions and creativity to the culinary world. Recently, Ryan was diagnosed with fourth stage cancer, without any previous clue as to any possible problems.

As might be expected, this changed their world dramatically, forcing them to focus on their immediate medical needs. Much to their astonishment and great appreciation, word quickly spread throughout the Atlanta restaurant neighborhood and there was an immediate and generous outpouring of support that helped Ryan through his final months, including raising significant funds to cover medical costs in excess of his insurance coverage.

The Hidingers were so moved by this response that, in dedication and thanks to the friends who helped them in an important time of need, they formed The Giving Kitchen as a resource for others who might find themselves in need of medical care without the ability to cover living costs, travel expenses, and funeral charges. Since its opening, they have been able to respond to the needs of other workers within the Atlanta restaurant world who have suffered an illness or accident which has left them financially challenged and unstable.

Their efforts to sustain and support their own community continues to expand to include helping those who have lost their jobs due to business closures or other events beyond their control. Susan Rachele recently had the opportunity to help over a 1,000 displaced restaurant workers to find new positions after the sudden and unannounced closure of a string of restaurants, as well as offering foods and meals in the interim.

The Giving Kitchen serves as an excellent standard of behavior that is always inspiring to see amongst colleagues and friends. As might be expected, the needs never end, so if you wish to be of assistance, offering either time, resources, or money, please contact The Giving Kitchen to learn more.

A Family Promise Story

Being a part of Family Promise has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. There is no doubt in my mind that the problem of homeless families can be solved, but it requires the participation of the community and the resources each community has available.

I was originally introduced to Family Promise through the temple that I have attended for most of my life. It was encouraging to discover that not only my temple, but many other religious organizations have committed themselves to helping the less fortunate in our community: the homeless families that have faced adversity and loss but never gave up. I will admit that before my temple got involved, I felt helpless and incapable of making a difference in the life of any homeless person or family.

When I learned that Family Promise had a national program operating that provided something more than comforting words and prayers of hope, I was more than interested. Yes, I was a little hesitant, wondering what type of people I might encounter during such a project. But you know what? What I learned was that every one of these homeless families were just like me: they had dreams, desires, and a will to overcome the problems that left them homeless.

I also learned that I should feel fortunate, not proud, that I have a job and a home, and that I also have something else I can give: my time and my love for all human beings. Since I have become involved, I have shared my experience and excitement with others in my community, who are themselves now getting involved. In fact, my employer owns a restaurant and this past Halloween, they provided meals for all of the families that were staying at our temple, along with Trick or Treat bags for all of the kids. I have also found a friend who has a hairstyling business and is now offering free haircuts for moms and kids.

We live in rich times, yet most of us struggle, so we can relate to the trials and obstacles that homeless families face on a daily basis. There is nothing quite as satisfying as playing a board game with some kids, helping them get prepared for school, and showing them how to learn more self-sufficiency and independence, even when the going is rough.

If the idea of homelessness is equally upsetting to you, there is a real and direct solution called Family Promise. Share the good word and news with your neighbors, family, and friends, and let us all work in unison to wipe out homelessness in this generation!