SERVING OUR COMMUNITY

Serving Our Community combines the resources of the Hospitality Training Academy (HTA), a nationally recognized training organization, UNITE HERE Local 11, and its major hospitality and food service employer-partners. Together, these organizations can connect county and municipal governments in Southern California with the capacity to safely and efficiently prepare and deliver large-scale, healthy and high-quality meals to populations affected by the COVID-19 healthcare crisis. The HTA was granted a regional master service contract by the State of California to deliver high-quality food, safely prepared and delivered to the doors of the state’s neediest citizens.

“Serving Our Community” Recognized with Prestigious National Workforce Award

The Hospitality Training Academy will be presented with W.O Lawton Award this June by the National Association of Workforce Boards in Washington, DC

Los Angeles, CA: May 28, 2021—The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) recently announced Serving Our Community Program as the winner of the prestigious W.O. Lawton Award. The award will be presented at NAWB’s upcoming Forum 2021 in Washington, D.C.

UNITE HERE Local 11 and HTA’s “Serving Our Community” program has prepared and delivered over 3.75 million meals. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the program has provided 1,100 jobs to recently laid-off union and non-union workers and served 10,000 homebound seniors, people experiencing homelessness, survivors of domestic violence and
slavery & trafficking, and low-income families.

“Thank you to the National Association of Workforce Boards for this amazing honor. We are so proud to have brought back so many workers to provide meals for those in need and also help reenergize the economy.” said Adine Forman, HTA Executive Director.“The Serving our Community Program shows what we can accomplish together – when labor, employers, and elected officials come together to innovatively and safely provide vital resources to our community,” said Susan Minato Co-President of UNITE HERE Local and Chair of the Board of Trustees for the HTA.

“Over the past year, workforce development boards, leaders and industry partners have gone above and beyond to provide essential services in a time of national crisis,” said Ron Painter, President and CEO of NAWB. “NAWB could not be more honored to recognize each of these award recipients. Workforce Development Boards are a critical piece of our country’s infrastructure, and we are thrilled to take a moment to recognize them at our annual event.” The “Serving Our Community” Program was selected out of a large pool of nominations for W.O. Lawton Award, which recognizes businesses and business organizations that have made the commitment of time, money, and leadership to make their community’s workforce and
economy more vibrant. To learn more about all of the award winners and NAWB’s annual event The Forum, please
visit: https://forum.nawb.org/.

3 MILLION MEALS SERVED

Susan Minato, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11 and Chair of the Hospitality Training Academy Board of Trustees

“The Serving our Community Program shows what we can accomplish together – when labor, employers, their labor-management partnership training arm, and elected officials come together to innovatively and safely provide vital resources to our community.”

Julie Su, Serving our Community

Julie Su, Secretary, California Labor and Workforce Development Agency

“The incredible efforts of UNITE HERE Local 11, its members, the Hospitality Training Academy, the Los Angeles Convention Center and the hotels demonstrate what we mean when we say California is the leader in innovation. This project not only served 3 million meals so people could stay home and stay fed during COVID, it also kept over 1000 working people in good jobs. The state of California is proud to be a partner.”

 

Three Million Meals Prepared by “Serving Our Community” Free Meal Program

UNITE HERE Local 11 and Hospitality Training Academy Provide 1,100 Jobs

LOS ANGELES (March 3, 2021) — UNITE HERE Local 11 and Hospitality Training Academy’s “Serving Our Community” program prepared and delivered its three-millionth meal today. The milestone was celebrated at the LA Convention Center with City, County and State officials and representatives from UNITE HERE Local 11, Levy Restaurants, LA Convention Center, participating hotels, and the taxi and airport shuttle industry.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the program has employed 1,100 union and non-union workers in the hospitality, food service and taxi industries who were laid off due to the pandemic. With funding primarily from the City of Los Angeles and County of Los Angeles, the three million meals have served 10,000 homebound seniors, people experiencing homelessness and low-income families.

These meals are cooked in the industrial kitchens at Levy Restaurants at the Los Angeles Convention Center, JW Marriott LA LIVE, The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort, Pomona College, Sheraton Grand LA and The Beverly Hilton, and then delivered by taxi cabs and airport shuttles.

Eric Garcetti, Mayor of the City of Los Angeles

“COVID-19 has posed unprecedented and unpredictable challenges across our communities, but it’s also shown us the true meaning of the Angeleno spirit — a collection of compassionate, generous, determined individuals ready to step up and support our seniors and our neighbors in need. Progress is made through partnerships, and the City is proud to work hand-in-hand with UNITE HERE, the Hospitality Training Academy, and the Serving Our Community program to create jobs for our hospitality workforce and deliver high-quality meals to our hardest-hit residents throughout this pandemic.” 

Alice Stanford on Serving Our Community

Fritz Ormita – Serving Our Community

Cesar de Aquino – Serving Our Community

Serving Our Community Video

SERVING OUR COMMUNITY

 

Serving Our Community delivers safe, healthy, high-quality meals to Southern Californians affected by the COVID-19 crisis; helps reinvigorate one of our region’s largest industries – hospitality/leisure/tourism/ food service; and ensures that thousands of workers are back doing what they love, while earning a living wage and full family health care benefits critical in this public health crisis.

Experienced food service workers at leading Southern California hospitality employers can create meals for any budget, scale, and dietary preference. The HTA is ready to train the workers for the highest level of safety and sanitation so they can prepare and distribute healthy, high-quality meals to those affected by the pandemic.

Procuring relief meals through the Serving Our Community program ensures that meals are safely prepared by experienced professionals in large industrial kitchens that allow for compliance with CDC and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health guidelines regarding physical distancing, disinfection, and cleanliness. At the same time, the program helps reinvigorate one of our region’s largest industries.