This Giving Tuesday, Join Our Journey to Help Restaurant Workers Advance Their Careers and Futures
Washington, D.C. – November 28, 2022 – The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) is feeding dreams and building futures for restaurant workers across the nation. On Giving Tuesday, November 29, please help us serve them!
100% of every dollar donated directly supports the NRAEF and its programs. For the past 35 years, the NRAEF has provided the training, support, and resources to help current and future restaurant workers pursue opportunities in the restaurant, foodservice, and hospitality industry.
Demand for talent is high with restaurant employment 4.5 percent below pre-pandemic levels. In fact, the National Restaurant Association reports that 65 percent of restaurant operators say they do not have enough staff to meet customer demand, indicating an immediate need to build a sustainable restaurant workforce.
The NRAEF offers a variety of programs to empower and advance restaurant workers and attract people from all backgrounds to the industry. Programs include:
- ProStart® – A high-school career and technical education program
- Restaurant Ready/HOPES – Partnering with community-based organizations to provide people with skills training and job opportunities
- Scholarships – Financial assistance for students pursuing restaurant, foodservice, and hospitality degrees
- Restaurant & Hospitality Leadership Center – Accredited apprenticeship programs designed to build the careers of service professionals
- Military – Helping military servicemen and women transition their skills to restaurant and foodservice careers
“Restaurants and restaurant workers are the heart and soul of our communities,” said Rob Gifford, president of the NRAEF. “We are a unique industry where anyone from anywhere can build a future, pursue their dreams, and through their success create opportunities for others. With the help of our many supporters, we are changing lives, developing our industry’s future leaders, and improving the communities where we work and live.”
Learn more about the NRAEF at ChooseRestaurants.org, and go to Restaurants Advance to make a tax-deductible contribution.
About the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation:
As the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s (NRAEF) mission of service to the public is dedicated to enhancing the industry’s training and education, career development and community engagement efforts. The NRAEF and its programs work to Attract, Empower and Advance today’s and tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice workforce. NRAEF programs include: ProStart® – a high-school career and technical education program; Restaurant Ready – partnering with community based organizations to provide “opportunity youth” with skills training and job opportunities; Military – helping military servicemen and women transition their skills to restaurant and foodservice careers; Scholarships – financial assistance for students pursuing restaurant, foodservice and hospitality degrees; and the Restaurant & Hospitality Leadership Center (RHLC) – accredited apprenticeship programs designed to build the careers of service professionals. For more information on the NRAEF, visit ChooseRestaurants.org.
Click here for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s 2021 Annual Impact Report.
CONTACT:
Hannah Oliver
NRAEF
holiver@nraef.org
Latest News
Nominate a Restaurant Trailblazer: 2025 Restaurants Advance Leadership Awards Now Open to Honor Industry Visionaries
Submit nominations for awards in leadership, community engagement, and lifetime achievement by visiting ChooseRestaurants.org.
Honoring Excellence: Military Foodservice Units Celebrated for Culinary Service and Dedication
News Center : ReleasesLeading foodservice teams from America’s Armed Forces recognized in Chicago during 2025 Military Foodservice Awards Chicago, IL – May 19, 2025 – The military’s top foodservice units were honored Friday evening in Chicago at the 2025 Military...
National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Launches JumpStart Initiative, Bringing Louisiana High School Students to Chicago for Immersive Experience at the National Restaurant Association Show
ProStart students from W.D. & Mary Baker Smith Career Center selected for a weekend of restaurant-focused learning and interaction through the first-ever JumpStart Grant
Maryland Teacher Phillip Cropper Named ProStart Teacher of the Year by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
Cropper named 2025 James H. Maynard Teacher of the Year during National ProStart Invitational, in Baltimore, MD
San Dimas High School and Chalmette High School Capture National Honors in High School Culinary and Restaurant Management Competition
Teams outshine competition from 47 states and the District of Columbia to win the National ProStart Invitational