The Future of Hospitality Depends On Your Help

We are Dedicated to Changing Lives and Uplifting Communities.

The Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF) empowers people from all backgrounds with the training and education they need to secure a better future. We do this through vast opportunities offered in the restaurant, food service, and hospitality industries. OHF supports this industry with a mission to meet the workforce, educational, training, and philanthropic needs of Oregon’s restaurant and lodging industry. Without help from industry members like you, we won’t be able to overcome the challenges that are being faced.

Get involved and make a difference in our future workforce. There are many ways that your participation could make a difference in our youth’s future careers, including direct involvement with Oregon’s ProStart® program. ProStart is a nationwide career technical education (CTE) two-year program supported by the Oregon Hospitality Foundation. It involves approximately 4,000 Oregon high school students from 40 schools around the state who learn from an industry-derived, competency-based curriculum that teaches culinary techniques and restaurant management skills, coupled with real-life restaurant sector experiences.

The opportunities are endless when it comes to molding youth into future workforce hires, but we need your help. Consider participating in one or more of these opportunities: mentor a class, coach a team, be a guest speaker, invite students to your location for a special industry field trip, sponsor a classroom, sponsor a team, sponsor an educator, directly hire students/ graduates, donate to the Oregon Hospitality Foundation, Share Your Story on our website, or start a scholarship to support the future. While contributions help fund and sustain our programs, we also need volunteers to engage in the program. You can support our efforts by donating to the Foundation (cash or inkind) or volunteering your time and expertise. Please save March 13, 2023, for the Oregon ProStart Championships and contact me at CSmith@OregonRLA.org to find out how you can get involved.

Volunteer as a Judge and join industry peers, chefs, and partners to judge the competitions at the Oregon Hospitality Foundation ProStart Championships. High school ProStart teams from across Oregon gather to compete in two distinct events: the Culinary Competition and the Management Competition. We need lots of industry volunteers on hand.

Donate to ProStart and support opportunities that connect future employees with leaders of our industry. Your support of the ProStart program benefits a regional network of students and instructors, chef mentors, and volunteers. Your donation to ProStart may benefit you through the following:

• Industry-wide acknowledgment of your support of ProStart • Media exposure at ProStart competitions and events • Recognition in printed collateral and marketing materials • Enhanced awareness of your business’s commitment to education • Access to a well-trained and motivated student workforce

Become a Partner and find great employees with local ProStart students. ProStart is an excellent career starter for high school students, an exciting teaching opportunity for educators, a chance to share practical knowledge with mentors, and a smart investment in the future of Oregon's hospitality industry. ProStart students have essential front and back-of-house skills:

• Customer service and communication • Food storage, safety, and sanitation practices • Knife skills, preparation, and cooking methods • Cost and inventory control

OREGON PROSTART CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 13, 2023 • Salem Convention Center

Support high school teams from across Oregon as they compete in the state culinary and management competitions!

EXPERIENCE HOW OREGON PROSTART CHANGES LIVES.

ATTEND the annual state championships with both management and culinary competitions and experience students in action!

VOLUNTEER to spend a few hours supporting our industry’s stars of tomorrow.

JUDGE culinary and management skills and provide constructive feedback.

MENTOR your local high school students and lend a hand.

DONATE to the Oregon ProStart program and support our future culinary workforce.

SPONSOR the competition or a school team by contacting Marla McColly at MMcColly@OregonRLA.org

For more info, contact Courtney Smith, 503.682.4422 | CSmith@OregonRLA.org

Presenting Sponsor: Champion Sponsor: Major Sponsor: Supporters:

McDonald Wholesale DoorDash

Become a ProStart Mentor and embrace many roles, from teacher to role model. Mentors provide overall support for ProStart students and help students make a real-world connection to their goals and the future. Support from local hospitality leaders results in educated, motivated, and professional hospitality industry employees. By mentoring, you will:

• Create a high-quality labor pool for the hospitality industry • Learn by teaching • Groom potential employees • Gain fresh perspectives and ideas • Improve self-confidence and focus on students' lives

Share Your Story with ORLA and the Oregon Hospitality Foundation via a new tool to record your authentic hospitality story in 90 seconds or less; find the link on the ORLA website under the Foundation tab. As we try to collectively tackle our workforce development issues across all regions of Oregon, your story in your voice matters most to our elected leaders and other partners throughout the state, and we want to share it. This combined effort will influence and inspire our youth, which will make a difference in the long run for the industry’s future.

Now, more than ever, we are calling out to you with the need for help to make a change and overcome the struggles our industry is facing. Please support us financially or donate your time to the Oregon Hospitality Foundation. Schools in Oregon are still feeling the effects of Covid-19 with teacher and budget shortfalls. Your generosity, time, and talents will be more of a benefit than anyone could ever imagine. As you saw above, there are many ways to be involved in supporting ProStart and the Oregon Hospitality Foundation. The time is now to support the future of our industry. For more information, email me at the Oregon Hospitality Foundation at CSmith@OregonRLA.org or call 971.224.1505.  COURTNEY SMITH,

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