Serve hope to restaurant workers in crisis.
Big Table is honored to be the featured beneficiary of Restaurant Week.
NEED HIDDEN BEHIND SMILES
Hidden behind the smiles of those working in restaurants and hotels is the highest concentration of need in our nation. And the same is true right here in Spokane and the Palouse.
Since 2009, Big Table has cared for hospitality workers in crisis.
Make a Donation to Big Table
All Inlander Restaurant Week 2024 donations to Big Table
(up to $10,000) will be generously matched by Avista Foundation.
While restaurant and hospitality workers make up one of the largest industries in the nation, unfortunately, they are also the lowest rung on the employment ladder. The industry includes the highest concentration of the most vulnerable demographics in our community: single parents, at-risk teens, immigrants, income-insecure seniors, and those rebuilding their lives after incarceration.
Nearly all of the top 10 lowest paid jobs are in this industry, so it isn’t surprising that nearly half of those working in restaurants live barely above the official poverty line. This reality also brings with it some of the highest levels of addiction, chronic stress, pervasive mental health struggles, and broken relationships. And because industry workers wear a smile every day as a part of their uniform, their challenges often remain hidden.
“What we really do is serve hope,” says Kevin Finch, the executive director and founder of Big Table. “We respond quickly with triage crisis care and then provide ongoing relational support and mentoring.”
Make a Donation to Big Table
All Inlander Restaurant Week 2024 donations to Big Table
(up to $10,000) will be generously matched by Avista Foundation.
NAZZY'S STORY OF HOPE
“I never realized how people could change me for the better. I could not have done this without Big Table and if so, it would have taken another lifetime.”
– NAZZY, Care Recipient
WHAT HOPE LOOKS LIKE
Think rent to keep a family from being evicted, groceries to keep a family fed, support to see a therapist, help with medical bills, a bus pass, or car repair to keep someone from losing their job. It looks different for each care recipient. Learn more about Big Table’s unique care model HERE.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
You can support the restaurant industry right now. “Enjoying an incredible meal during Restaurant Week is one of them,” Finch says. “Showing kindness and generosity… even a smile and a genuine thank you… goes a long way.”
Make a Donation to Big Table
All Inlander Restaurant Week 2024 donations to Big Table
(up to $10,000) will be generously matched by Avista Foundation.
ANASTASIOS’ STORY OF HOPE
“I am so grateful and happy right now to be sitting in a dentist chair with the knowledge that it is not just to pull teeth, but to make it so that I don’t have to hide behind a mask every day out of shame. Soon, I can smile without fear that people will see my teeth. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!”
– ANASTASIOS, Care Recipient
Check out creative ideas on How to Care While Eating and Sleeping on Big Table’s website. You can donate directly to Big Table and bring critical care to local restaurant and hospitality workers in crisis.
Learn more about Big Table by visiting www.bigtable.org.
Make a Donation to Big Table
All Inlander Restaurant Week 2024 donations to Big Table
(up to $10,000) will be generously matched by Avista Foundation.