The BC Hospitality Foundation

The British Columbia Hospitality Foundation (BCHF) was founded in 2006 by a group of friends who came together to help a friend in need. From this humble beginning, the foundation has grown to support hundreds of hospitality workers who find themselves in financial crisis due to a health condition.

Every day, individuals in BC’s hospitality industry serve the public. They are your baristas, concierges, hotel staff, cooks, winery and brewery workers, waiters, bartenders and wine salespeople, whose job it is to provide outstanding service.

While providing hospitality can be rewarding, most jobs in the industry come with minimal extended benefits. Each year hundreds of hospitality workers across BC face financial challenges due to health conditions. They have exhausted their own resources and support from friends, family, and co-workers and have nowhere else to turn.

When this happens, the BCHF is there to lend a hand and provide recipients with funds to pay for critical items such as rent, food and medicine. Our support helps people get back on their feet and return to the jobs and careers that they love.

The BCHF raises funds through the generous support of leaders in our community. A volunteer board and hundreds of volunteers come together to help stage events, golf tournaments, and other activities to meet the funding needs of the organization. Business owners and trade associations of all sizes contribute, knowing full well that the BCHF will be there to support dedicated people in our industry that need a hand up.

But that’s not all the BCHF does. The foundation offers scholarship programs to foster the development of the next generation of workers and industry leaders. These scholarships are awarded to students enrolled in hospitality, culinary, sommelier, beverage, and other hospitality-related programs in BC. They make a significant difference and allow people to work and attend school at the same time.

Consider how you can help the BCHF fulfill its mission. Whether you can give a lot or a little, there are many ways to support the work that the BCHF does and even more reasons to do so. From scholarship and event sponsorship to monthly giving and payroll deductions, or to give your time, every bit of support makes a substantial difference. The reward is immense as foundation supporters play an active role in helping people regain their health and return to the jobs they love.

The Founding Planning Committee

Friends and colleagues of Michael Willingham: