Restaurant Workers Community Foundation Inc

TO GROW THE POWER OF WORKERS IN PUBLIC DISCOURSE AND WORKPLACE POLICIES ON WAGES, EQUITY, AND HEALTH.

THE ORGANIZATION'S PRIMARY PROGRAM IS TO RAISE AND DISTRIBUTE FUNDS TO HELP WORKERS GET MORE ENGAGED IN THE ISSUES THAT AFFECT THEIR DAILY LIVES BY: CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKERS TO COME TOGETHER AND SPEAK OUT; MAKING GRANTS TO AND BUILDING THE NETWORK OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SERVING RESTAURANT WORKERS; AND INVESTING CAPITAL TO SUPPORT AND GROW RESTAURANT BUSINESSES THAT ARE IMPROVING CONDITIONS FOR WORKERS.-GENERAL GRANTMAKING TO NONPROFITS SERVING RESTAURANT WORKERS IN OUR FOUR PROGRAM AREAS: *WAGES & CAREER LADDERS*GENDER EQUITY & SEXUAL VIOLENCE PREVENTION*RACIAL EQUITY & SUPPORT FOR IMMIGRANT WORKERS*MENTAL HEALTH & SUBSTANCE MISUSE-COMMUNITY-BUILDING AND ADVOCACY *RESTAURANT MANAGERS NETWORK*POLICY COMMITTEE WORK*COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE WORK INCLUDING NEWSLETTERS, PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS, SOCIAL MEDIA, #RWCFTALKS, ETC. -IMPACT INVESTING*DEVELOPING INVESTMENT STRATEGIES THAT DIRECT RESOURCES TO PRO-LABOR BUSINESS THAT CAN POSITIVELY SHAPE THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY

-RESTAURANT WORKERS COVID-19 CRISIS RELIEF FUND, WHICH HAD THREE MAIN COMPONENTS WITH THREE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT POPULATIONS, BUT ALL ULTIMATELY SERVING THE INTERESTS OF RESTAURANT WORKERS. MOST DONORS DESIGNATED FUNDS TO ALL THREE COMPONENTS OF THE CRISIS FUND (WITH EXPLICIT UNDERSTANDING THAT 10% OF ANY DONATION OVER $10,000 WOULD BE DIRECTED TO GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT FOR RWCF'S CORE OPERATIONS:* DIRECT FINANCIAL RELIEF FOR RESTAURANT WORKERS, WITH OUR CASE MANAGEMENT PARTNER SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION, RWCF DIRECTED 50% OF ALL FUNDS RAISED FOR THE CRISIS RELIEF FUND IN THIS AREA. A SMALL PORTION OF DONORS REQUESTED THAT THEIR FUNDS GO ONLY TO THIS PORTION OF THE CRISIS FUND, WHICH OUR ACCOUNTING SYSTEM TRACKED. *GRANTS TO NONPROFITS PROVIDING WORKERS EMERGENCY SERVICES, WITH CRISIS SERVICES PROVIDED INCLUDING THINGS LIKE PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES, FOOD ASSISTANCE, EMPLOYMENT DISTRIBUTING FOOD TO OTHER POPULATIONS, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE MISUSE HELP, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HELP, ETC. NO FUNDERS DIRECTED THEIR DONATIONS ONLY TO THIS PORTION OF THE FUND. *RESTAURANT FUTURES LOAN PROGRAM, WITH OUR CDFI PARTNER ASCENDUS (FORMERLY ACCION EAST), 25% OF THE CRISIS FUND GOES TO THIS ZERO-INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM TO HELP SMALL RESTAURANT BUSINESSES THAT ARE WILLING TO EXAMINE THEIR LABOR PRACTICES, WITH THE GOAL OF CREATING A GREATER NUMBER OF PRO-WORKER BUSINESSES AND A PORTFOLIO OF SUCCESS STORIES TO COMMUNICATE TO THE PUBLIC. A SMALL PORTION OF DONORS TO THE CRISIS FUND SAID THAT THEIR FUNDS COULDN'T SUPPORT THIS AREA OF THE FUND, WHICH OUR ACCOUNTING SYSTEM TRACKED.

-RESTAURANT WORKERS RACIAL JUSTICE FUND (DEVELOPED IN 2020 BUT PUBLICLY LAUNCHED IN 2021).*THIS INITIATIVE WILL RAISE FUNDS AND DISTRIBUTE GRANTS TO SUPPORT NONPROFITS WHERE LEADERS ARE ADVOCATING FOR RACIAL JUSTICE WITHIN THE RESTAURANT, FOOD MEDIA AND RELATED HOSPITALITY AREAS. RWCF DID NOT START RAISING FUNDS OR BUDGET ITS OWN OPERATING FUNDS TO THIS INITIATIVE UNTIL 2021.