Good Work Austin Receives Impact Austin Grant

Good Work Austin Receives Impact Austin Grant to Expand Culinary Training and Improve Jobs in the Food Industry

Good Work Austin is proud to announce it has received a grant from Impact Austin, a women’s collective giving organization that funds Central Texas nonprofits serving Bastrop, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties. This investment will allow Good Work Austin to expand its Culinary Workforce Training program and grow its support for food and beverage workers across the region.

Good Work Austin is the only organization in Central Texas dedicated to better jobs and fair treatment for food and beverage workers. Its mission is to foster healthy careers in the local food industry through professional development and advocacy for more equitable practices. 

In Travis County alone, 65,000 food workers help power a $9.6 billion local hospitality economy and make Austin a national culinary destination. Yet, in a 2023 City of Austin survey, half of food workers said their wages and benefits weren’t enough to live here. Despite their vital contributions, food workers remain the lowest-paid occupational group in the city. The tipped minimum wage is still just $2.13 per hour.

Good Work Austin’s Culinary Workforce Training program helps address these challenges by offering paid, hands-on training with top chefs, restaurant tours, internships, and mentorship. Since its launch, 28 trainees—80% of whom have secured living-wage jobs—have used the program to launch careers in an industry that often excludes those facing barriers to employment.

“Our goal is to make sure everyone has a chance to build a healthy, lasting career in Austin’s food scene,” said Kara Hanaoka, Executive Director of Good Work Austin. “This generous support from Impact Austin will allow us to grow the number of trainees by 50% each year, expand job readiness and life skills curriculum, and better support participants’ mental health and disability-related needs.”

Good Work Austin’s efforts go beyond training. Its Healthy Workplaces program helps food businesses implement workplace practices that support both workers and owners. Member restaurants that pay a living wage are eligible to participate in Good Work Austin’s Community Kitchen program, which has served over 2 million meals to food-insecure Austinites since 2019 and returned more than $10 million to local restaurants.

“We’re honored to partner with Impact Austin to build a stronger, more sustainable food industry,” said Hanaoka. “Together, we can ensure the people who make Austin’s restaurants thrive are supported, respected, and able to thrive themselves.”