WASHINGTON, April 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The National
Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) announced
today the launch of "Restaurants Advance," a national
fundraising campaign to help current and future restaurant workers
access the education and training they need to put their job or
career back on track. Constellation Brands, a leading
beverage alcohol company, has committed $1.75M to support the NRAEF and its
Restaurants Advance initiative as the industry continues to
rebuild and reopen after COVID-19.
Since March 2020, over two million
workers have lost their jobs, salaries, and opportunities to
advance. The National Restaurant Association reports that 110,000
or 17% of restaurants have closed permanently and or long-term, the
vast majority of permanently closed restaurants were
well-established businesses and fixtures in their
communities.
Working alongside its partner organization, the Multicultural
Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA), the NRAEF's
Restaurants Advance campaign focuses on three key support
areas benefitting both restaurant workers and operators:
- Restaurants Advance Futures – programs to attract,
empower and advance diverse talent pursuing a future in the
restaurant, foodservice and hospitality industry.
- Restaurants Advance Communities – helping employers and
communities create opportunities through first job skills training,
apprenticeships and professional development.
- Restaurants Advance Entrepreneurship – putting
people from all backgrounds on a pathway to restaurant ownership
and/or an executive level leadership position.
100% of every dollar donated supports the NRAEF's mission
to empower and advance today's and tomorrow's restaurant workers.
The work of the NRAEF includes preparing high-school students for
restaurant jobs and careers; offering scholarships to anyone
building a future in restaurants; helping our military transition
into the industry; providing apprenticeships and building pathways
to independence for justice-involved youth through job skills
training and mentoring.
"While the pandemic has caused historic pain for restaurants and
restaurant workers, it has raised the public consciousness for just
how important this industry is to the health and well-being of our
society," said Rob Gifford,
President of the NRAEF. "What we do now will shape the
industry's future and the lives of millions of people for years to
come. We are grateful for the strong support of Constellation
Brands as we kick-off Restaurants Advance and lead this
vital industry and its workforce into a new era of hope and
opportunity."
"Many of our retail partners, particularly local restaurants and
their employees, have been significantly impacted by this terrible
virus," said Bill Newlands,
Constellation Brands' president and chief executive officer. "We
are proud to partner with the NRAEF and play a role in helping to
rebuild the industry, and we believe that starts with the people
who serve as its backbone. Our hope is to not only help rebuild the
industry's workforce with talented and diverse individuals to
position it for future growth, but also to help bring financial
security through enhanced employment opportunities to the thousands
who have been impacted financially by the pandemic."
Donations to Restaurants Advance can be made online at
ChooseRestaurants.org/Advance. To learn more about the NRAEF
and its work to empower and advance restaurant workers everywhere,
visit ChooseRestaurants.org.
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About the National Restaurant Association Educational
Foundation – NRAEF
The National Restaurant Association
Educational Foundation's 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 and justice-involved individuals 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 Hospitality Sector Registered Apprenticeship project – a
partnership with the American Hotel & Lodging Association
providing a hospitality apprenticeship program for the
industry. To learn more about the NRAEF and its work,
visit ChooseRestaurants.org.
About Constellation Brands
At Constellation Brands
(NYSE: STZ and STZ.B), our mission is to build brands that people
love because we believe sharing a toast, unwinding after a day,
celebrating milestones, and helping people connect, are Worth
Reaching For. It's worth our dedication, hard work, and the bold
calculated risks we take to deliver more for our consumers, trade
partners, shareholders, and communities in which we live and work.
It's what has made us one of the fastest-growing large CPG
companies in the U.S. at retail, and it drives our pursuit to
deliver what's next.
Today, we are a leading international producer and marketer of
beer, wine, and spirits with operations in the U.S., Mexico, New
Zealand, and Italy. Every
day, people reach for our high-end, iconic imported beer brands
such as Corona Extra, Corona Light,
Corona Premier, Modelo Especial, Modelo Negra, and Pacifico, and
our high-quality premium wine and spirits brands, including the
Robert Mondavi brand family, Kim
Crawford, Meiomi, The Prisoner brand family, SVEDKA Vodka,
Casa Noble Tequila, and High West Whiskey.
But we won't stop here. Our visionary leadership team and
passionate employees from barrel room to boardroom are reaching for
the next level, to explore the boundaries of the beverage alcohol
industry and beyond. Join us in discovering what's Worth Reaching
For.
To learn more, follow us on Twitter @cbrands and visit
www.cbrands.com.
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SOURCE National Restaurant Association Educational
Foundation