Giving Kitchen cofounder shares lessons that inspired non-profit

Giving Kitchen cofounder Ryan Turner shares the mindsets he learned from the chef whose assessment led to the nonprofit s formation Photo by Bob Pepalis Metro Atlanta restaurateur Ryan Turner shared stories with the Greater Perimeter Chamber about the Giving Kitchen a nonprofit he co-founded after a friend chef Ryan Hildebrandt was diagnosed with terminal cancer Turner the co-founder and partner of Unsukay Concepts spoke at the chamber s Signature Luncheon on Aug Unsukay Concepts is the parent company for the restaurants Muss Turner s Eleanor s Local Three Kitchen Bar Warhorse Investments Seahorse Advisors Roshambo and MTH Pizza in metro Atlanta Turner shared with the luncheon attendees that he realized over the years how Hildebrandt s mindset was his true gift Even in the face of death he exhibited dignity Turner communicated the crowd Hildebrandt exhibited three essential mindsets Related stories Giving Kitchen celebrates record-breaking impact in third quarter Giving Kitchen celebrates years and new COO Giving Kitchen ramps up aid as pandemic rocks food arrangement industry Staplehouse will offer delicious food advocacy for those in need The first mindset was acceptance Hildebrandt never fought his assessment accepting it and focusing on what he could control The second mindset was vulnerability Hildebrandt let people in admitting he was scared uncertain and in pain By receiving them he gave others purpose The third mindset was agency He refused victimhood and despair He stayed engaged in life dreaming building and showing up through the pain His journey coincided with the beginning of the Giving Kitchen in December when Hildebrandt received a determination of stage four gall bladder cancer which had spread throughout his body The day after Christmas Turner met with Hildebrandt and his wife Jen to ask if he and others could help The Hildebrandts accepted the help leading Turner to call friends at restaurants That led to the first Organization Hidi event a month later with people attending to raise money for the couple Turner commented something in Hildebrandt changed that night at the benefit He took the stage that night and you could hear a pin drop There wasn t a dry eye in the audience Turner revealed This man who a month previously had been recounted that he had a five percent chance of living stood in front of this audience and declared his determination of cancer a gift In four weeks the restaurant industry had raised for Ryan and Jen Turner convinced Hildebrandt him they needed to open his dream restaurant Staplehouse Turner suggested that Hildebrandt s restaurant might give back to the society that had lifted them up in their time of need At the same time the Hildebrandts realized they had more money than they needed so they started giving chosen of it to restaurant workers in the society who needed help With Turner s help a c nonprofit was formed Giving Kitchen was officially formed on June Crowdfunding and a bank loan guaranteed by eight individuals enabled the restaurant to move forward Turner was able to show Hildebrandt a commitment letter from the bank for the loan during their last visit in January shortly before Hildebrandt died The Giving Kitchen gives more than million annually to what Turner called great causes We help food utility workers We help them through hardship unanticipated hardship or dilemma We help restaurant workers food truck workers the folks that are helping us here in the current era cafeteria workers concession workers anyone in food facility Turner mentioned If someone has an illness injury housing mishap or death of a family member they qualify Turner noted the average grant is approximately As the majority people in the industry aren t on salaries if they don t work they don t get paid Turner announced one situation can put them into a negative spiral from which they might not recover Since Giving Kitchen has served more than people and awarded more than million to restaurant workers The post Giving Kitchen cofounder shares lessons that inspired non-profit appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta