TOTCF grants $75,000 in support of three organizations that are making strides in bartender welfare and wellbeing
NEW ORLEANS, LA (September 24, 2024) — Tales of the Cocktail Foundation® (TOTCF) is proud to announce the 2024 Grant Recipients—three outstanding organizations chosen by the Foundation’s Philanthropy & Development Committee through a thoughtful and meticulous process that recognizes those making significant contributions to bartender welfare and wellbeing. 2024 grant recipients include Another Round, Another Rally (Phoenix, Arizona), Focus on Health (USA), and Safe Bars (Washington D.C.). Presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation and supported by Cointreau, $75,000 will be distributed amongst the grant recipients. To date, TOTCF has granted more than $525,000 in awards to those who are actively improving the global hospitality landscape.
Selected from a pool of individuals, organizations, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits dedicated to enhancing the lives of bartenders and hospitality workers, the grant recipients are chosen each year by TOTCF’s Philanthropy & Development Committee. This committee–comprised of industry leaders–shares a commitment to uplifting and advancing the hospitality community. Applicants were thoroughly reviewed, and recipients were invited to present at the Grant Finalist Showcase during the 2024 Tales of the Cocktail conference in New Orleans, where they discussed their grant proposal with Tales of the Cocktail attendees.
“It has been a privilege to acknowledge and support these remarkable organizations through our 2024 Philanthropy & Development initiatives,” said Eileen Wayner, Chief Executive Officer of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. “Another Round, Another Rally, Focus on Health, and Safe Bars are making meaningful contributions that directly uplift our hospitality industry, and they exemplify the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s mission to educate, advance, and support our communities.”
2024 TOTCF Grant Recipients
- Another Round, Another Rally ($30,000 grant awarded)
- Another Round Another Rally is a nonprofit financial and educational resource for the hospitality industry. They provide reimbursement grants and immersive educational scholarships to further the education of historically excluded voices in the community and supply emergency assistance to those employed in restaurants, bars, and hotels who have fallen on unexpected hardship. The TOTCF Grant will go towards expanding their mentorship program, Skylight, to include a version of the program for Spanish-speaking members of the hospitality industry. Skylight is a six-week hospitality mentorship and education program for women, femmes, and non-binary industry professionals, which offers an opportunity to learn firsthand from the very best.
- Focus on Health ($27,500 grant awarded)
- Focus on Health serves up wellness with a side of hospitality flair. Born amidst the chaos of COVID-19, they’ve crafted a haven for those in the food and beverage industry, because they know that taking care of others starts with taking care of yourself. At Focus on Health, the mission is clear: to enrich the lives of those who dedicate themselves to taking care of others. Whether you’re a bartender, a server, a chef, or anyone in between, Focus on Health is here to support you on your journey to a healthier, happier you. The TOTCF grant will be used for the creation of their Harm Reduction training module to destigmatize discussions and provide resources and tools around drug use.
- Safe Bars ($15,000 grant awarded)
- Safe Bars Inc. was founded in 2013 with the mission to create safe, equitable, and inclusive alcohol-serving spaces by empowering staff with the tools to recognize and intervene in problematic situations. Run by and for hospitality professionals, they’ve grown from training staff at D.C. bars to teams and establishments nationally and internationally on bystander intervention, de-escalation, and allyship. Safe Bars Inc. is the leader in gender-based violence prevention for the hospitality community, and their goal is to reach more people, more venues, and more communities to end sexual violence and change the culture of our industry. The TOTCF Grant will go towards providing bystander intervention and de-escalation training to industry members to empower more establishments with the knowledge and skills necessary to foster safer and more welcoming alcohol-serving spaces, without financial barriers to access.
- An additional $2,500 was granted to Jess Morales of Puerto Rico. This grant was used towards a scholarship for Morales to attend Tales of the Cocktail for continued education, networking opportunities, and to connect with the Philanthropy & Development Committee members for mentorship and workshopping of her project “From Behind the Bar to Owning the Bar: An Empowering Workshop for Female Bartenders”.
TOTCF Philanthropy & Development Initiative
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s grant-giving program supports emerging and existing organizations and individuals demonstrating a vision, determination, and ability to make meaningful change in the global hospitality industry, across a spectrum of focus areas. To date, TOTCF has granted more than $525,000 in awards to those who are actively improving the global hospitality landscape.
Looking ahead, the 2025 Tales of the Cocktail Grant Submission Period will open on December 3, 2024. Interested applicants are invited to view the Philanthropy & Development page on the Tales of the Cocktail website for important information, key dates, details on the application process, and much more.
Philanthropy & Development Committee
2024 Philanthropy & Development Committee Co-Chairs:
- Eric Bennett, Owner of Continental Drift and Drift Kitchen; Birmingham, Alabama
- Kellie Thorn, Lead Mixologist for the Global Headquarters, Beam Suntory
Committee Members:
- Tiffanie Barriere, The Drinking Coach; Atlanta, Georgia
- Chris Cabrera, Culture Brand Consultant; New York, New York
- Claudia Cabrera, Bar Manager and Co-founder, Kaito del Valle and Brand Ambassador, Fratelli Branca; Mexico City, Mexico
- Nandini Khaund, Spirit Guide and Consultant; Chicago, Illinois
- Yisell Muxo, Director of Brand Advocacy, Don Q Rum; San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Lisa Nguyen, Director of Service Operations, CureCo; New Orleans, Louisiana
- Chris Patino, Owner Raised by Wolves, Founder Simple Serve, Organizer Bartenders Weekend; San Diego, California
- Vivian Pei, Co-Founder, Snacky Mini Mart, F&B Specialist; Iowa City, Iowa
- Kelsey Ramage, Co-founder, Black Lagoon Pop-Ups and Trash Collective; Toronto, Canada
To learn more about the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation Policy Initiative, please follow along via the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation website, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
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ABOUT TALES OF THE COCKTAIL FOUNDATION:
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a non-profit organization that educates, advances, and supports the global hospitality industry and creates lasting impact in our host communities. Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is the global leader in spirits education and a platform to tackle issues facing the industry. The pillars of the Foundation are to Educate, Advance, and Support the hospitality industry through programs that benefit individuals and organizations in the community and to make a lasting impact in communities that host our events.
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