The Giving Kitchen began with one story and has spawned thousands. Literally, thousands: 21,000 people have been served as of their July reporting. That figure doesn’t even include their families, over 50% of whom include at least two children. The impact has been hugely felt and publicized in the eleven and a half years since the organization’s inception. Awards have been won, partnerships forged, and the ripple effect has shone a spotlight on the deep kinship and unity of the food service industry as a whole. The ripple effect Jen Hidinger-Kendrick, Founder, pours the most energy into is the one that makes its way into everyday families’ living rooms.
This organization works tirelessly to support every food service individual who qualifies. Financial and mental health crisis aid are the pillars of The Giving Kitchen’s offerings. Stability Network (their resource referral program) began as a back-of-napkin service and grew from there. The entire team is trained in Question Persuade Refer, one of the nation’s leading suicide prevention programs, on the best ways to spot someone at risk of harming themselves and to redirect them to the best possible resources. Their interpretation service is equipped to translate within 5 seconds to over 180 languages, ensuring no barriers exist to receiving the help and care anyone might need - and it’s all accomplished over a phone call.
Food service is vital to every community and is the second largest industry in The United States, right behind the U.S. government. In cultures worldwide, sharing a meal represents community and camaraderie. In celebration and mourning, in sadness and joy, food binds us. Developing bonds with your favorite bartender or server is a universal experience. These relationships imbue our nights out with a communal sense of familiarity and friendship. Jen is particularly fond of the power of a lone bar seat; the opportunity to strike up a conversation with a stranger, and hear previously unheard stories and perspectives.
Growing up with a Spanish mother, Jen developed a passion for food during their annual summer holidays in Spain. At the age of seventeen, she met her late husband, Ryan Hidinger, whose cancer diagnosis and its accompanying community response spawned the organization’s inception. It was love at first sight, and he was already an accomplished chef in Atlanta. Jen has truly been surrounded by the power of food her entire life. She married John Wayne Kendrick in 2017, who previously served as a bartender at the Decatur staple Kimball House; food really is the ultimate connector.
The Giving Kitchen is dedicated to serving 100,000 workers and their families by 2030. Spreading awareness of their mission is the best way to contribute. Taking place this month, “Dining with Gratitude” is their largest national campaign. It offers restaurant partners an opportunity to educate their staff and patrons on the organization and its resources. On givingkitchen.com/dwg you can see all participating restaurants across the country. Give them your business throughout October, and while you’re there, ask your server if they’ve heard of The Giving Kitchen. It might be the exact lifeline they’re looking for.
“That’s why Giving Kitchen was born: tremendous trust in community, empathy-led, that created this North Star.”