Food Media Leaders Unite to Raise $25k for Food Service Workers In Crisis
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Atlanta, GA (April 28, 2020) – Atlanta Eats TV, a local, Emmy-award winning television show and media company, plus a coalition of Atlanta leaders including companies, food bloggers, media personalities, and lifestyle influencers, came together to support the launch of a social media fundraiser to benefit the awe-inspiring and local nonprofit, Giving Kitchen (GK). In just a few short days, this strong team of leaders who share a love for our city’s culinary community, raised $25,000 from hundreds of donors. A portion of the funds raised included a donation of $2,500 from Gas South.
<“Our initial goal was to raise $5,000, but we far surpassed that thanks to a generous gift match from Gas South and the volunteer work of our team of fundraisers. None of which could have been done without the generosity of Atlanta Eats fans,” said Atlanta Eats Founder and Host, Steak Shapiro. “This fundraiser was Phase 1 of what will be an ongoing effort to assist some of the most vulnerable workers in our restaurant community.”
Gas South and Gas South President & CEO, Kevin Greiner, were proud to support the effort as a major corporate donor. The $2,500 match gift was shared on the last day of the fundraiser effort to further incentivize donations. “The Giving Kitchen does incredible work – providing emergency assistance for restaurant workers and their families,” Greiner said. “The work that nonprofits like GK are doing to support our neighbors is inspirational.” This donation is just a portion of the more than $1 million Gas South has pledged to aid families in our communities impacted by COVID-19.
Atlanta Eats, Gas South, and their coalition of media leaders raised funds to support Giving Kitchen, a local nonprofit providing emergency financial assistance to food service workers in Georgia who are experiencing emergency crises like illness (including COVID-19), death of an immediate family member, injury, or housing disaster like flood or fire. Giving Kitchen also has a robust referral program called the Stability Network, a great resource that aids food services workers in receiving needed social services.
Giving Kitchen has already given $203,288 in financial assistance to 138 food service workers during COVID-19 who have experienced hardship such as illness from COVID-19, emergency deliveries with a premature baby in NICU, multiple strokes, a lymphoma diagnosis, and broken bones due to surviving domestic assault.
“Any food service worker in Georgia diagnosed with COVID-19 or under medical mandatory quarantine should immediately apply for financial assistance through the Giving Kitchen. Full stop. We have their backs,” says Giving Kitchen Executive Director Bryan Schroeder.
Participating fundraisers include Atlanta notables such as Kevin Greiner, President & CEO of Gas South; Valerie Failla, Founder of Via Failla PR & Events; local Atlantan Mark Cuevas from #1 hit Netflix reality television show, “Love is Blind;” Mara Davis, media personality and Atlanta Eats co-host; Alyssa Fagien, popular food blogger from “Atlanta Bucketlist;” Lindsay Greene, popular food blogger of “The Hunger Diaries;” Candy Hom, home cook and popular food blogger of “Soupbelly ATL;” Julie Smith, Atlanta Eats co-host and lifestyle and entertainment media reporter; Nichole Wolf, lifestyle blogger of “ATL Adventurer;” Sam Nadolski, food blogger of “Eating Through Atlanta;” and Olivia Arnold, popular food blogger of “FoodIsta Girl.” Approximately twenty popular food bloggers and lifestyle influencers in total have signed onto the effort–full list listed here. These fundraisers used their personal networks and digital platforms in order to drive donations.
Mark Cuevas, certified fitness trainer and breakout star of Netflix’s Love is Blind, said of the effort, “I feel so blessed to bring more awareness to Giving Kitchen during this challenging time. We need organizations like this who are driving support to those who need it.”
This round of fundraising was just the first step in Atlanta Eats and friends’ efforts to help support Atlanta however they can during the crisis. To sign up to be a part of ongoing efforts, please fill out this interest form and join their cause and use the hashtags #ATLRestaurantsUnite and #TooSmallToFail when sharing on social. Donations to Giving Kitchen are additionally still being accepted via their GoFundMe page.
About Atlanta Eats
Atlanta Eats TV is a local, Emmy-award winning television show and media production company highlighting the best of food and dining in Atlanta. In addition to their daily TV programming, Atlanta Eats also has a robust digital audience of passionate foodies across YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and their own Atlanta Eats app. Atlanta Eats was founded by Food Network personality and host, Steak Shapiro, and the television program airs 7 days a week on Peachtree TV.
About Giving Kitchen
Giving Kitchen (GK) is a nonprofit organization that provides emergency assistance to food service workers through financial support and a network of community resources in order to create a community where crisis is met with compassion and care. Since its inception, GK has served over 4,000 food service workers in Georgia. GK’s shift starts when theirs can’t. For more about Giving Kitchen, visit givingkitchen.org, follow @givingkitchen and download the GK app (available on iOS and Android).
Media Contacts
Atlanta Eats | Trisha Pintavorn | [email protected] | 404-694-0507
Giving Kitchen | Amanda Newsom |[email protected]
