Grace Dickinson for Back of House:
Last fall, bartender Alex Howard faced a serious hand injury after an unexpected accident with his dog. The recovery time required a three-and-a-half month leave from work, leaving Howard at a loss for how he’d pay his bills.
“There really isn't a lot of security in any of the careers in this industry,” says Howard. “This accident showed me you can lose everything in a split second. Your health is what determines if you can make money or not, and if you can’t, there’s little assistance.”
Fortunately, however, Howard did find assistance – not through his job, but through Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit that provides emergency financial support to food service workers, along with a network of community resources. Soon after his injury, Howard filled out an application for financial aid, and within 24 hours he was connected to a case manager. Giving Kitchen went on to pay Howard’s rent and utility bills for the entirety of the time he couldn’t work.