HelpHER Hand
HelpHER Hand supports restaurants in Los Angeles who provide free & essential food services to the community beyond the POS.
Project Description
- What is the mission of your company or project? Hotville Chicken is a fast casual restaurant providing food services beyond the point-of-sale. Hotville Chicken utilizes its brick-and-mortar space to feed, reach, teach, and be a beacon of hope for the greater good of its neighbors through much needed community-based food services and activities.
- Describe the problem you are solving: Hotville Chicken opened in December 2019 after trekking all over Los Angeles as a popup restaurant. Three months later, COVID-19 restrictions shuttered our indoor-dining space and literally almost closed the business. To survive the changes, we pivoted to a number of activities that included adding delivery services, reducing our hours of operations, and losing some labor resources. Determined to remain open, and with the support of community-based organizations, we prepared meals for programs that fed homebound senior-citizens, young elementary aged students, and the homeless. COVID-19 revealed that our business had to remain open; not just as a for-profit entity, but to meet the essential needs of people in our community. Problem: People are struggling to adjust to the pandemic's adverse effects on jobs, homes, and their livelihoods. Problem: Requests for donations and meals began pouring into our restaurant, that we struggled to meet because our sales had come to a trickle. We could not turn the ask for help away, but rather sought the support of our restaurant colleagues, chefs, local churches, schools, and businesses to assist.
- Here's an example of a need met head on by the Hotville Chicken team: Summer 2020, a blind emails hits our owner's inbox, asking if we can provide 200 meals to elementary-aged students at a nearby school. Our owner, Chef Kim Prince can't say no to the kids, after learning that these youngsters are barely eating 2 meals a day now that schools were closed and students were attending class virtually. We had no idea that children in our own neighborhood were getting the most fulfilling meal at school ONLY. Many of their parents were laid-off due to COVID-19. Incomes were strained and pantries bare. The need was greater than what we could provide, but Hotville Chicken did not say no. We enlisted a network of friends, industry colleagues, and community-based organizations to aid in meeting the need. We started providing discounted, and sometimes free meals. When soon learned that many restaurants were doing the same on a much wider-scale than before COVID. We've adopted like practice and maintain a healthy relationship with our community partners to continue to provide meals to those in need.
- What is your company/product about and how does it solve the problem? Hotville Chicken is a restaurant serving authentic Nashville-Style Hot Chicken and Southern Comfort Fare. But, we have a heart for the community we work in as well. Therefore, we engage in community service endeavors that feed those most in need.
- Why are you seeking funding and how will you spend the funding? Hotville Chicken and owner, Chef Kim Prince, want to provide support to woman-owned restauranteurs struggling to keep their community-service endeavors active. Funding through the HelpHER Hand campaign will spawn volunteerism projects, procure essential ingredients and food supplies, and rally women in the food space to continue serving their communities without turning anyone in need away.
- Who is on your team? Hotville Chicken's owner, Chef Kim Prince is a founding member of one of Los Angeles most active, progressive, and new non-profit organizations: www.regardingherfood.com. Regarding Her Food (Re:HER) is a non-profit organization comprised of women restaurant owners who in response to COVID-19, formed a network of support, financial resources, and advocacy specifically targeting the needs of women in the food industry, particularly restaurants. Re:HER is comprised of over 200 active members ready to roll up their sleeves and feed the most vulnerable in their communities.
- Our way of saying THANK YOU! For every donation of $75 or more, we will send the donor a custom swag bag filled with items from each woman-owned restaurant involved. These restaurants have branded gift-cards, t-shirts/sweatshirts, food pantry goodies, and volunteer opportunities for you to roll-up your sleeves and help provide meals as well. Each community service event/activity is unique to the woman-owned restaurant. We will tailor these experiences for you, should you express an interest in helping Chef Kim - Help HER Hand out a blessing to those who need meals the most.
Updates
The Campaign FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions:
- How can I participate in a scheduled community service event?
- A: Upon receiving your Funded amount, you will be contacted by Chef Kim Prince. Calendared events will be proposed, allowing you an opportunity to sign up for a future event. Event reminders will be sent via email/google calendar/iCalendar/etc. with details and instructions to follow.
- How soon after funding a reward level for this campaign can I expect to receive my reward swag bag or other products?
- A: After August 1, 2021, each funder is contacted within 7 business days to arrange customized shipping.
Just Because I Care
For every donation of $75, we will send the donor a custom swag bag with 3-to-5 items from each woman-owned restaurant involved. These restaurants have branded gift-cards, t-shirts/sweatshirts, food pantry goodies, cookbooks, etc.
Value of this Roll Up HER Sleeve Bag: $100
Your contribution of $150.00 Lends HER a Hand, through an in-person volunteer event. Your reward includes a Roll-up HER Sleeves Swag Bag, and invites you to participate in a community service event/activity uniquely assigned to a LA based woman-owned restaurant. We will tailor these experiences for you, should you express an interest in helping Chef Kim - Help HER Hand out a blessing to those who need meals the most.
Social Media: Tagged acknowledgement with your permission *May include image or appearance at the scheduled community service event.
Valuable experiences and memories are priceless, but your heart will be filled and arm weighed down with some goods worth: $200
Your contribution of $500.00 helps get the job done through an in-person volunteer event. Your reward includes a Roll-up HER Sleeves Swag Bag, a Lend HER a Hand community service event/activity uniquely assigned to a LA based woman-owned restaurant. We will tailor these experiences for you, should you express an interest in helping Chef Kim - Help HER Hand out a blessing to those who need meals the most. Lastly, the restaurant owner will prepare a thank-you meal kit or dining experience for you and another guest. The meal kit or dining menu will be customized and date scheduled for pick-up or a reservation made.
Social Media: Tagged acknowledgement with your permission *May include image or appearance at the scheduled community service event.
Valuable experiences and memories are priceless, but your heart will be filled, arm weighed down with that swag bag, and a custom made meal-kit or dining experience for two (2 adults) worth more than $700.
Rewards
Just Because I Care
For every donation of $75, we will send the donor a custom swag bag with 3-to-5 items from each woman-owned restaurant involved. These restaurants have branded gift-cards, t-shirts/sweatshirts, food pantry goodies, cookbooks, etc.
Value of this Roll Up HER Sleeve Bag: $100
Your contribution of $150.00 Lends HER a Hand, through an in-person volunteer event. Your reward includes a Roll-up HER Sleeves Swag Bag, and invites you to participate in a community service event/activity uniquely assigned to a LA based woman-owned restaurant. We will tailor these experiences for you, should you express an interest in helping Chef Kim - Help HER Hand out a blessing to those who need meals the most.
Social Media: Tagged acknowledgement with your permission *May include image or appearance at the scheduled community service event.
Valuable experiences and memories are priceless, but your heart will be filled and arm weighed down with some goods worth: $200
Your contribution of $500.00 helps get the job done through an in-person volunteer event. Your reward includes a Roll-up HER Sleeves Swag Bag, a Lend HER a Hand community service event/activity uniquely assigned to a LA based woman-owned restaurant. We will tailor these experiences for you, should you express an interest in helping Chef Kim - Help HER Hand out a blessing to those who need meals the most. Lastly, the restaurant owner will prepare a thank-you meal kit or dining experience for you and another guest. The meal kit or dining menu will be customized and date scheduled for pick-up or a reservation made.
Social Media: Tagged acknowledgement with your permission *May include image or appearance at the scheduled community service event.
Valuable experiences and memories are priceless, but your heart will be filled, arm weighed down with that swag bag, and a custom made meal-kit or dining experience for two (2 adults) worth more than $700.