A Recognition Day That’s Officially Ours, and Yours.
From neighborhood cafés to national brands, school cafeterias to James Beard kitchens, food service fans across the country came together for Giving Kitchen’s Second Annual National Food Service Worker Day, filling the feeds with gratitude for the people behind the pass, the bar, and the counter.
And wow, did you show up!
Nearly two-thirds of people in the U.S. have worked in food service at some point.
A food service worker reaches out to Giving Kitchen for help every 44 minutes.
Giving Kitchen has provided over $17 million in emergency assistance, and provided over 100,000+ Stability Network resources to help prevent eviction, hunger, and homelessness when a food service worker experiences a crisis.
National Food Service Worker Day is more than a one-day thank you — it’s a call to action to dine with gratitude, raise awareness about Giving Kitchen, and ensure no worker faces a crisis alone.
A big thank you to Mike Jordan (@mikejordanatl) for helping us spread the word about Forkside Seats and why supporting food service workers matters!
Seats are filling up quickly! Join @GivingKitchen and the @ATLHawks on Sunday, November 1, to dine on the floor of State Farm Arena, enjoy bites from dozens of True to Atlanta chefs, and support the food service workers who make our community special.
Reserve your seat or table now: GivingKitchen.org/forksideseats
#ForksideSeats #forksidefriday
Behind every number Giving Kitchen reports is a person. They’re the people behind the pass, behind the bar, and behind some of your favorite meals. They’re parents, partners, siblings and neighbors who spend their days taking care of others. And sometimes, they need someone to show up for them.
A crisis rarely touches just one part of life. A breast cancer diagnosis can mean time away from work and unexpected expenses. An unsafe home can mean needing legal support, a court order or a safe place to land. And an unexpected expense can put housing, utilities and other essentials at risk.
That’s why Giving Kitchen’s Stability Network connects food service workers with free and low-cost community resources, including:
▪️ Housing and utilities
▪️ Dental and vision care
▪️ Family and social services
▪️ Health and wellness
▪️ Legal and immigration support
▪️ Mental health
▪️ Employment
▪️ Support for women and LGBTQ+ individuals
This October, we’re recognizing both Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month. These observances are a reminder that people face many different challenges, and everyone deserves access to support when they need it. Whether someone is facing a health diagnosis or an unsafe situation at home, our team is here to help them find resources and take the next step.
If you work in food service and need support, or know someone who does, visit the link in our bio to complete the Ask For Help form.
Together, we are Giving Kitchen. 💙🧡
❣️Big love to @MagicCityKitchen for supporting Giving Kitchen’s mission AND bringing their famous wings to Giving Kitchen’s Sports Bar at Forkside Seats! They’re helping us show up for the food service workers who make Atlanta’s food scene so special, all while making sure our Sports Bar is serving up something delicious alongside dozens of other True to Atlanta culinary teams.
That’s what being True to Atlanta is all about: showing up for the people who show up for us.
🏀 Join us November 1 at @statefarmarena for Atlanta’s biggest restaurant, fueled by @georgianaturalgas
🎟️ VIP is SOLD OUT, but Reserved Seats are still available. Grab yours through the link in bio!
#ForksideSeats #TrueToAtlanta #GivingKitchen
@atlhawks Forkside Seats 2026 | A one-of-a-kind dinner that’s True to Atlanta, cooked by 12 of its best. 🍽️ Meet the Forkside Seats chefs, serving Nov. 1 on the @statefarmarena floor to help support Giving Kitchen.
▫️ Chef Matthew Basford, Canoe
▫️ Chef Terry Koval, The Deer and The Dove
▫️ Chef Josue Peña, The Iberian Pig
▫️ Chefs Carlo Gan and Mia Orino, Kamayan ATL
▫️ Chef Jimbo Irvin, Local Three Kitchen & Bar
▫️ Chef Yoshi Kinjo, Nakato Japanese Restaurant
▫️ Chef Sade, Paschal’s Restaurant
▫️ Chef Chris Gillis, Ruth’s Chris
▫️ Chef Robert Butts, Station 11 / Argile
▫️ Chef Woody Back, Table & Main
▫️ Chef Deborah Van Trece, Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours
▫️ Chef Chris McCord, Bovino After Dark
Here’s the fun part: every table is paired with one of these chefs, but you won’t know which until you sit down to dine Forkside. 🍽️ Before dinner, settle into cocktail hour in exclusive State Farm Arena spaces with drinks, wine and tastings from 20+ Food and Beverage Partners including @themckitchen, @creaturecomfortsbeer, @minhwaspirits and more.
VIP is sold out, but Reserved Seats are still available, and you can grab a full table of 10 for your crew. Tickets at GivingKitchen.org/ForksideSeats 💙🧡
Thank you, @GeorgiaNaturalGas, for fueling 2026 Atlanta Hawks Forkside Seats!
#ForksideSeats #ForksideFriday #TrueToAtlanta
We’re counting 18 million reasons to be grateful. 💙🧡
Giving Kitchen has reached an incredible milestone: $18 million in financial assistance provided to food service workers in crisis.
Behind that number are real people, families, and moments when a little support made a big difference. And behind every bit of that support are the people who make this work possible. Our team, donors, partners, and community show up for food service workers every day, and this milestone belongs to our entire food service community, especially, the brave 42,000+ food service workers who have asked for help.
We’re SO grateful to be part of a community that believes in showing up for one another. Here’s to the impact we’ve made together and the people we’ll continue to support.
Together, we are Giving Kitchen.
A stronger food service community starts with showing up for one another. 💙🧡
Thank you to Giving Kitchen’s 2026 Corporate Partners for standing alongside the food service workers who make our industry so special. Your partnership helps us provide stability for workers facing crisis and reminds us what’s possible when we come together to support the people behind our industry.
We hope you’ll join us in recognizing and supporting the companies that invest in our food service community. Together, we’re building an industry where food service workers have a community to turn to when crisis hits, and where every crisis is met with compassion and care.
Meet the companies helping make this possible: https://bit.ly/4cqei5k
Food service workers spend their days taking care of others. But who takes care of them when they need it most? Asking for help is a powerful first step toward healing, and no one should have to face a crisis alone. 💙🧡
“This summer, I went through a life-threatening mental health crisis that left me recovering from severe seizures. I’m now home, focusing on healing, but I’m unable to return to work in the kitchen yet. My wife and I are taking things one day at a time.”
Healing takes time, and getting the support you need can make a difference along the way. When a health crisis keeps a food service worker from working, Giving Kitchen is here to help.
Through financial assistance and our Stability Network, we help food service workers navigate crises, connect with resources, and find support so they can focus on what matters most: their health and well-being.
This #WorldMentalHealthDay, we’re reminding our food service community that mental health is health. Checking in with yourself, reaching out to someone you trust, and asking for help when you need it are all important steps toward caring for yourself.
Visit givingkitchen.org/help to learn more.
TRUE TO ATLANTA, ONE BITE & SIP AT A TIME. 🍴🔥
Where else can you enjoy bites from Magic City Kitchen (@themckitchen), Ruki’s (@rukiskitchenatl), Chef Robert Butts (@chefrobertbutts) of Station 11 (@station11atl), and Bankhead Seafood (@bankheadseafood), alongside culinary bites and sips from some of Atlanta’s favorite restaurants and beverage partners? Only at @atlhawks Forkside Seats fueled by @GeorgiaNaturalGas on Sunday, November 1st.
From Paschal’s (@paschalsrestaurant) and Busy Bee Cafe (@thebusybeeatl) to Canoe (@canoe_atl), The Deer and The Dove (@thedeerandthedove), Bomb Biscuits (@bombbiscuitatl), and so many more, Atlanta’s food scene is coming together for one unforgettable night. Start with bites & sips in Giving Kitchen`s Sports Bar, then head to the arena floor for dinner, a live auction, and music.
VIP is officially SOLD OUT, but Reserved Seat tickets are still available!
Join us Sunday, November 1, at @statefarmarena for a True to Atlanta experience that supports Giving Kitchen’s work helping food service workers through crisis.
🎟️ Get your tickets at the link in bio: GivingKitchen.org/ForksideSeats
📸 : @cbwportraits
A September moment of gratitude, with a whole lot of impact. 💙🧡
Because of your support, Giving Kitchen reached some meaningful milestones this year:
• Over 4,000 food service workers served
• $1 million+ awarded in financial assistance
• Our 31,000th food service worker connected to Stability Network resources
• Our 2,000th QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide training completion
And in September, that support showed up for food service workers in 40 states + DC. Giving Kitchen awarded $183,465 to food service workers in crisis and provided 1,969 referrals for housing, health care, employment, mental health and more during their time of need.
Behind every number is a person, a family and a moment when a food service worker needed a support.
Thank you for helping us be there when food service workers Ask For Help. We’re so grateful you’re part of this community. 💙🧡
givingkitchen.org/help
WE’RE DOING IT AGAIN.🍴🔥
Join @GivingKitchen and the @AtlHawks for Forkside Seats, fueled by Georgia Natural Gas, on Sunday, November 1 at @StateFarmArena.
A True to Atlanta culinary experience featuring 30+ chefs, restaurants and beverage partners, dinner on the arena floor, a live auction and music, all supporting food service workers in crisis.
Dine Forkside and support Giving Kitchen’s vital work of offering stability and dignity to food service workers in crisis. Since 2013, Giving Kitchen has helped more than 41,000 food service workers — including more than 8,000 children in their households — and awarded more than $17 million in financial assistance, with support now reaching workers in all 50 states.
🎟️ Get your tickets at the link in bio: GivingKitchen.org/ForksideSeats
From the line to the dish pit to the bar, food service workers pour their hearts into serving our communities. 🧡
When life hands them a crisis, Giving Kitchen is here with financial assistance and connections to Stability Network resources, so no one in our industry has to face hard times alone.
The bravest thing you can do is Ask For Help. Click the link in our bio to get started: GivingKitchen.org/help.
Know someone in food service who might need this? Share this post with them. You never know who`s quietly going through something.
For a food service worker in crisis, knowing where to turn for help matters. And language should never be a barrier.
Giving Kitchen’s bilingual case managers and support system help us communicate with food service workers in 180+ languages, so more people can access the support and resources available to them.
Know a food service worker who could use support? Ask For Help at the link in our bio.
Help us spread the word: Giving Kitchen is here to help food service workers.
Food service workers are a part of life’s most ordinary and extraordinary moments, whether it’s remembering a daily coffee order or helping to make sure a birthday celebration is unforgettable.
On September 25th, social feeds filled with photos old and new, virtual thank-you notes were sent, and team shout-outs were acknowledged. From group selfies in kitchens to family meals shared after service, the collective message was clear: we see you, we appreciate you, and we’ve got your back.
Thank you for celebrating food service workers with us!
Explore coverage & outreach from Nation’s Restaurant News, Telemundo’s Poder en Ti, Cherry Bombe Podcast, and Atlanta Fox5’s Support of Taqueria Del Sol’s “Giving Taco.”
Look back at special videos from Board Member Chef Andrew Zimmern, Proof of the Pudding’s Chief People Officer LaTosha Marks, Inspire Brands‘s leadership team including Co-founder and CEO, Paul Brown, and 300+ supporters who took the time to thank our industry members.
Here’s how you can keep supporting food-service workers every day:
Say thank you—and mean it. A genuine acknowledgment can brighten someone’s entire shift.
Tip generously. It’s a small act that creates a huge ripple of appreciation.
Support restaurants that support their teams. Dine out at participating Giving Kitchen’s Dining With Gratitude locations.
Share kindness online. Post about great service where you shared Giving Kitchen’s mission and tag @GivingKitchen to help spread awareness.
Educate and advocate. Encourage your favorite restaurants to share Giving Kitchen’s resources with their staff.
Every meal, every shift, every interaction is a chance to make someone feel valued — because gratitude, like good food, should be served daily.
Save the Date: National Food Service Worker Day — September 25, 2027
Thank you to everyone who showed up, shared, and celebrated with us for National Food Service Worker Day 2026. Let’s do it again in 2027!
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