A Nonprofit For Restaurant and Hospitality Workers

CHOW is a nonprofit that supports the mental wellness of restaurant and hospitality workers in Colorado by creating opportunities for the industry to connect, discuss struggles, and celebrate successes.

CHOW’s mission is is to return the favor. They care for the people who take such good care of others. They provide a place for restaurant staff to feel supported, heard, and appreciated. they also facilitate gatherings where we can build meaningful connections with folks who “get it.”

OFM had the chance to connect with Jasmin Parks-Papadopoulos who is the head of community at CHOW.

What is CHOW?

CHOW stands for Culinary Hospitality Outreach Wellness. Our mission is to improve the lives of food/beverage/hospitality workers through shared stories, skills and resources. We are a nonprofit offering support and resources for mental health, wellness, and recovery.

When was CHOW founded?

CHOW started in 2018 in Denver.

How does CHOW help the community in Colorado?

CHOW supports the food/beverage/hospitality community in Denver with free CHOW discussion meetings where you can come share your successes and struggles. You can meet us in person or online, and meet folks from the industry who want to de stigmatize conversations around mental health, wellness, and recovery. We also have developed education centered around those topics with vocationally specific resources in our Mental Health Amuse’ course. We also have resources available (Workplace Wellness Toolkit, Recipes for Wellness Workbook, Scripts for Difficult Conversations) that are meant to support folks in the industry and their communities.

We believe in lifting the barrier to access for food/beverage/hospitality workers.

Does CHOW have a goal for 2024?

We want to continue to grow and meet the needs of our community. We are building a sustainable workforce and hoping to keep folks in the food/beverage/hospitality industry with support and wellness.

What are some ways people can support the work that you are doing?

Come to a meeting, follow us on socials for mental health/wellness tips and initiatives, share our resource with folks who may benefit. CHOW is a movement and the more folks talk about it, the more conversations around mental health, recovery, and wellness become normalized. To us, mental health IS health, and deserves care, attention, and support the way physical health does.

Photo courtesy of CHOW