In 2020, the global pandemic devastated the hospitality industry,  leaving millions of hotel, food service, and event center workers in financial ruin. Since then, the cost of living for these workers, especially for housing, has compounded the problem. In metropolitan Phoenix, specifically, rents have nearly doubled since 2016. 

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A recent study of living conditions for 1,200 food and beverage workers at the Sky Harbor Airport, conducted by Worker Power Institute in partnership with the Grand Canyon Institute, confirmed the grim reality, revealing that many of these workers have low or very low food security. Despite having full-time jobs at a city-owned facility, they lacked the money to meet basic expenses such as rent, food, and utility bills.

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At the beginning of the pandemic, Worker Power created a hardship fund for hotel, food service, and event center workers in Phoenix who needed help paying for food or housing expenses. Today, we continue to reach out to these vulnerable community members who work hard every day in one of Arizona’s most important industries.

 

Our Hardship Fund now offers food assistance and emergency cash grants to hospitality workers struggling to pay rent or utilities.

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Worker Power Institute is now accepting applications to the Hospitality Workers Hardship Fund for food and housing assistance. All hospitality workers struggling to put food on the table and pay essential housing bills in Phoenix are welcome to apply.

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If you would like to donate to Worker Power Institute’s Hospitality Workers Hardship Fund, please follow the link below. 

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