Supporters Like You
Bill Ray
The entire US Foods family quickly embraced Giving Kitchen’s cause during the first Team Hidi. We realized our responsibility to help our industry because the very nature of our business provides a unique opportunity to speak to food service workers every week.
Our relationship with GK is one of the most important and valued partnerships we have at US Foods, so we were proud to become the first company to participate in GK’s Hope Distributors program. Educating our customers about how GK can help them aligns perfectly with our company’s We Help You Make It strategy and core values.
The need for Giving Kitchen is real and immediate, and GK’s team is highly skilled at quickly offering the correct resources to make a lasting difference in thousands of food service workers’ lives.
I believe supporting GK encompasses what the hospitality industry is known for: sincere, caring individuals committed to taking care of our own. The reality is that those who contribute to this cause get far more out of it than those receiving support.
My wife Lindi and I have developed a very deep and personal relationship with the entire GK community. Their work, passion, humility and commitment to serve is an inspiration for my entire family. It is quite simply the most important work of my career!
Sean Hyslop
When I heard about Giving Kitchen in early 2016 – how the organization was born to help people in the hospitality industry – I immediately thought, “I want to be a part of that.” The ability to support those who support our industry has become a powerful motivator for myself and my team at Sysco.
The servers, bartenders, cooks, dishwashers, hosts – they have all inspired me. The unexpected happens to everyone, and there are so many stories about GK stepping in to keep a bad situation from getting worse or to be that little push that moves things in the right direction again.
I believe strongly in “lifting people up.” It’s the most human thing we can do to be there when someone needs help, from the shoulder to cry on to friendship to financial assistance. Everyone needs help now and then. We don’t always have the resources to get over an unexpected event in our lives, leading us down an even tougher road. If GK can step in to assist food service workers so that tougher road isn’t traveled, the community as a whole benefits. I feel blessed to be a part of that, to pay it forward in hopes that others will do the same. We should all have a goal to add value to our human capital.
When I think about the happiest times of my life, they usually happened around food. We celebrate marriages, anniversaries and birthdays by bringing people together in restaurants or catering halls. Who helped you celebrate those events? The people working in those hospitality venues, that’s who. Why wouldn’t we support those who support us during the times we most enjoy?
“The reality is that those who contribute to this cause get far more out of it than those receiving support.”
—Bill Ray, US Foods Mid South Area President
Maya and Michael Sunshine
When we heard Maya and Michael Sunshine’s story, we wanted to get involved with Giving Kitchen. One life has impacted so many, and we are very fortunate to support charity work through our Sunshine Family Foundation.
We are big believers in living our lives by example and want to teach our children how important it is to give back to our community – both through giving money and time. Matching donations are a big part of how we like to give because it allows us to stretch our foundation dollars by encouraging others to raise money and donate through campaigns like GIVE Atlanta.
Sponsoring events like Pop-Up Doc, which is such a dynamic feeder for GK, furthers our vision of impacting local communities. There are so many food service workers who may not know that GK exists, and Pop-Up Doc is a great introduction to the organization for them. We also believe basic medical care should be available to everyone, so we want to help make that happen!
We have been very impressed with GK’s work – you can truly save the life of someone dedicated to serving others. We’ve been involved with many charities over the years, but Giving Kitchen has truly made us feel like family.
Nancy & Mark Oswald
I became involved with Giving Kitchen after being introduced to Ryan Turner and Chris Hall in 2013. I was unaware of Ryan and Jen Hidinger’s story but was instantly captivated and touched by the Unsukay partners’ acts of compassion on behalf of their team member and friend. During that meeting, Ryan and Chris asked me to join the GK board. I said, “Yes!” without hesitation.
A month later, I met Ryan and Jen Hidinger for the first time over lunch at Ruth’s Chris Centennial Park. Ryan was going through treatment, and I remember his total amusement by the one tuft of grey hair he had acquired during his chemotherapy. His selfless grace and sense of humor amidst all he was facing were illuminating… and positively beguiling. They had such excitement and passion about Staplehouse and their plans for the restaurant, which wouldn’t open until two years later. My desire to be a part of their mission was cemented.
Read more of their story
For a hospitality community that hungers to serve others, supporting GK gives a sense of belonging that is indeed rare. Introducing restaurant workers to GK and helping them feel connected to the industry at large is a particular goal of mine. I hope to do that through my involvement at both the board and restaurant levels.
One of our core values at Ruth’s Chris is that “we will be good civic citizens.” We celebrate that tradition in all of our restaurants today. Our involvement with GK, including our participation in Multiply Joy (GK’s employee-giving program), not only echoes our founder’s commitment to community, but it brings authenticity to our culture. It helps emphasize the fact that community is built by caring and connection. For some of our team members, donating to GK through a payroll deduction is their first taste of personal philanthropy. We also have team members that were grant recipients who now donate through Multiply Joy – it’s their way of showing gratitude for what the organization did for them in their time of need.
Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” An organization built on the best of intentions, GK has allowed us to be better as individuals and better as an industry, and it’s strengthened the fabric of our community in ways never imagined.
“I want people in our food family to know there is an organization with resources and people who care about you and are here to support you.”
—Sean Palani, GK Volunteer and Pass the Hat Donor
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Together we can do so much.
Join a community of people who share your passion for supporting food service workers in times of crisis, by becoming a member of one of our giving societies.