Apply For Assistance
At Family Meal Hospitality Trust, we understand that life's challenges can affect anyone, including the hardworking individuals who form the backbone of the hospitality industry. We are here to offer a helping hand when you need it most. If you are a hospitality worker facing financial, emotional, or health-related difficulties, our assistance programs are designed to provide the support you need. Your well-being matters, and we are committed to making a positive impact in your life. Learn more about how to apply for assistance and take the first step towards a brighter future.
Grants
We welcome grant applications on a rolling basis, ensuring that hospitality workers in need can access support at any time throughout the year.
Annual Medical Grant
Our annual medical-based grant is tailored to provide crucial support to hospitality workers facing health-related challenges. Applicants are invited to submit pay stubs and disclose their current employment status, ensuring the grants are awarded based on individual needs and circumstances.
Scholarships
Family Meal is an opportunity to give back to the industry that we all love so much and has given so much to us. Our mission is to assist those in need through financial, medical, or rental assistance through a grant or scholarship. Our primary source of aid is A Cook’s Tour, an annual gala hosted at Kleinhans Music Hall in honor of Anthony Bourdain, but we are also proud to offer the following scholarships.
Dan Ole Agricultural Scholarship
The Dan Ole Agricultural Scholarship is named after a faithful steward of our local farming community. Through their CSAs and distribution to restaurants, the Ole Family Farm has been pivotal in implementing Farm-to-table dining in WNY. The untimely passing of Dan was a shock and heartbreak to the local community. Still, much to our luck, his family has continued pushing boundaries and offering some of the finest local produce available. This scholarship is reserved for someone in the agricultural industry who exemplifies the moral compass displayed by Dan and his family farm while also pushing the boundaries of what we know about agriculture today.
Billy Logue Hospitality Scholarship
The Billy Logue Hospitality Scholarship is awarded to someone in the front-of-house whose commitment to hospitality is unparalleled and whose career focus remains within the industry. Billy was a well-known face throughout the Buffalo hospitality scene, illuminating every dining room or floor he worked in. A career industry veteran, Billy dedicated his life to our industry, and the recipient of this award should mirror those same values.
Dan Borelli Culinary Scholarship
Few chefs were so well known and loved throughout the culinary community as Dan Borelli. Constantly attempting to learn more and pushing the boundaries of what a kitchen in Buffalo, NY, can do, Dan was both professional and lovable, with unsurpassed talent and commitment to the hospitality industry. Dan's untimely passing has left a hole in the local community we can only hope to one day fill. The recipient of this award should have an understanding and passion for the culinary arts and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of what we have come to "expect" from our region.
Join Us in Making a Difference
Whether you're a hospitality professional in need or someone passionate about supporting the backbone of our community, there are many ways to get involved. Your contribution, big or small, can help us continue our mission of providing a lifeline to hospitality industry employees.
