SERVICE! TO LAUNCH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, INCUBATOR KITCHEN
Operating out of the County Courthouse, Cafe Overlook will double as a social enterprise.
Columbus, OH (Sunday, December 19, 2021)—To continue to advance its mission of eliminating income insecurity among those working in the service industry, Service! is launching the Service Culinary Hub of Columbus, a social enterprise with a goal to help support food service workers and entrepreneurs.
The Culinary Hub will be home to a cafe space that doubles as an education and training program for service-industry workers, as well as an incubator kitchen space to support new culinary businesses. The project will be funded in part by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners.
Located on the 16th floor of the Franklin County Courthouse, Cafe Overlook will serve breakfast and lunch service on weekdays to county employees and visitors of the courthouse. The cafe is set to open in March 2021.
The cafe will also serve as a workforce development program for participants, who will earn a living wage while mastering kitchen skills along with learning job readiness skills during an apprenticeship before being placed into stable, well-paying positions throughout the restaurant industry. Employees will have access to wraparound services that include job coaching, mental health services, childcare, and transportation support.
The cafe space will eventually house an incubator kitchen, The Hub, part of an economic development effort developed with ECDI and dedicated to supporting small businesses owned by female, Black, Hispanic and/or Latinx individuals. The incubator program will help entrepreneurs overcome barriers, launch and grow a food business, and increase their chances for success.
The Hub will incubate three independent food businesses at a time, giving them resources including mentorship from seasoned restaurateurs, tools to increase their success, and the ability to showcase their creations to a captive audience at the courthouse. Incubator kitchen participants will be chosen through an application process to ensure their commitment to the program.
Service! launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic with a mission to eliminate hunger among unemployed service-industry workers. The organization’s mission has since expanded to include eliminating financial insecurity among service-industry professionals. Ongoing Service! programs include providing critical grants, free boxed meals, and educational opportunities.
Local restaurants, caterers and hotels interested in partnering with Service! can reach out here to get involved.
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