Caring For Restaurant And
Hospitality Workers in Crisis

The highest concentration of need in the nation is hidden behind the smiles of those working in restaurants and hotels. We care for them.

Current Big Table Locations

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Taste of a Southern Summer
Riverside Soiree
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Our Care Model Billboard2
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caring for those most in need

Hidden behind the smiles of those working in the restaurants and hotels is the highest concentration of need in the nation. Our industry is full of amazing and gifted people and hires people no other industry will. These hard-working people have significantly increased risk for financial and emotional crisis as compared to other industries. In fact, EVERY one of the ten lowest-paid jobs in the country is in our industry based on 2020 statistics. Yet because hospitality workers are naturally required to keep smiles on their faces, their needs are virtually invisible to the world. Their job is to serve and take care of others – Big Table’s mission is to walk alongside and help take care of them when they need it most.

1 in 6

restaurant workers are below the official poverty line – DOUBLE any other working population

43%

make less than economists say is needed just to make ends meet

“It is more of a family than a non-profit. Big Table is like a port in the storm. It has reaffirmed my faith in people.“
david | care recipient

hope is always on the menu

Big Table was born out of a need. A server who couldn't afford medical care. A hotel housekeeper who was on the verge of eviction. A busboy who needed a car repair so he could make his shift. Every story is different. But the pain is the same - hardworking people just struggling to get by. Thanks to our selfless donors and our network of generous partners, including doctors, dentists, therapists, auto mechanics, and lawyers, we are able to meet each of these people at their exact moment of need with exactly the help they need.

We are able to catch them before they fall, building intentional relationships, and offering direction and hope. Won't you join us?

IN HER OWN WORDS

The Big Table team are loving people who are there for people and care for them. I love them.

Jodie was promoted to front desk manager after eight years of working hard for a local hotel. Little did this single mother know after being a recipient of a Big Table hotel care blitz in the spring of 2023 that she would need a referral for care later that year. Jodie had hit a financial crisis as she tried to juggle everyday expenses in addition to covering college tuition for her son and bills from her unexpected health issues. Here is Jodie’s story in her own words:

“Last year Big Table helped me out. I was introduced to a beautiful lady named Brooke. I got to meet with her over coffee, hear her story, and how she came to work with Big Table. Last year, I was seeing a lot of doctors due to health issues and working a lot of hours at the hotel. I got behind on my car payment at one point and they would take my car from me if I didn’t pay for it. I was lost. If I didn’t have my car, I would lose my income, the roof over my head, and the food on my table. Brooke was able to work with my car place and they worked with me, so I could get caught up on my car payment. I love how they work with people that need help. Big Table is a good resource.” 

Jodie
Colorado Springs

relationships start around the table

how it works

a personal referral

Big Table works on a referral model, not a “hotline” model. We build a network of managers, owners, and employees across the industry and when they see someone in crisis, they submit a personal referral.

immediate crisis care

We respond directly and personally – seeking to meet an immediate crisis need as quickly as possible with the goal of keeping a family or individual from falling off the ledge.

ongoing relationships

Where we see lives truly change is when we are able to shift from triage care to investing in longer term coaching and mentoring with a care recipient. Once the crisis has passed we continue to walk alongside individuals – offering accountability and encouragement.

our mission

Big Table exists to see the lives of those working in the restaurant and hospitality industry transformed by building community and caring for those who are in crisis, transition, or falling through the cracks.