CORE: Children of Restaurant Employees

What CORE: Children of Restaurant Employees does

CORE: Children of Restaurant Employees (operating as CORE Gives) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2004 and headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee. The organization provides financial relief grants to families of food and beverage service employees who are navigating a qualifying crisis, including medical crisis (84% of grants), injury, death, or natural disaster. Grants cover essential expenses such as rent or mortgage, utilities, prescriptions, medical equipment, childcare, funeral costs, and basic necessities. According to the organization, 55% of grants are awarded to single mothers, and the program serves all 50 U.S. states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.

CORE's product portfolio comprises three grant programs (Crisis Stabilization Grant, Caring for the Classroom, Groceries with Gratitude), the CORE MSO (Management Services Organization) employer partnership offering, the annual Serving Up Hope campaign, and the CORE Ambassador volunteer program. The organization accepts applications through a HIPAA-compliant Submittable platform with cycle-based intake windows and processes donations through Givebutter. Spanish-language support is available.

CORE is funded through a tiered corporate partnership program (DIAMOND, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) and individual donations, with named industry partners including DTF (Drink the Fleet), Tito's Vodka, IMI, Sysco, Boston Beer Company, and others, along with strategic and media partners across the food and beverage industry. The organization operates with a small staff (1-10 employees) and does not sell products or services.

Name

CORE: Children of Restaurant Employees

Legal name

Children of Restaurant Employees Ltd

Website

https://coregives.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CORE: Children of Restaurant Employees (CORE Gives) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides financial crisis grants to families of U.S. food and beverage service employees. Founded in 2004 and operating across all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico, it is funded through a tiered corporate partner program and individual donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Charitable Financial Assistance

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Income Support & Cash Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAE), Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF), Community Health & Prevention Program Funding (HLAJALAF), Cash & Voucher Assistance (CVA) and Emergency Livelihood Support (BPAGAAAJ)

Keywords

• Crisis financial grants
• Nonprofit charitable services
• Food service industry support
• Employee assistance programs
• Humanitarian aid services

Headquarters

HQ city

Brentwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: CORE is a non-profit organization that generates support through donations from corporate partners, sponsors, and individual donors. The organization provides financial grants to eligible food and beverage service families in crisis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CORE provides financial relief grants to families of food and beverage service employees who are navigating a qualifying crisis such as medical crisis, injury, death, or natural disaster. Grants cover essential expenses including rent/mortgage, utilities, prescriptions, medical equipment, childcare, funeral expenses, and basic necessities. The organization operates nationally across all 50 U.S. states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico, and is funded entirely through donations and corporate partnerships.

Product overview

CORE (Children of Restaurant Employees) is a national non-profit organization founded in 2004 that provides financial relief to food and beverage service families navigating a crisis. The organization operates through a core grant program (Crisis Stabilization Grant) that provides one-time financial assistance to families where an employee, spouse, domestic partner, or child faces medical crisis, injury, death, or natural disaster. CORE's product portfolio includes three distinct grant programs: the Crisis Stabilization Grant (available January-June and September-October), the Caring for the Classroom Grant (supporting educational expenses, July-August), and the Groceries with Gratitude Grant (holiday food assistance, November-December). The organization also offers the CORE MSO service providing partnership and employee engagement solutions for employers, the Serving Up Hope annual fundraising campaign, and the CORE Ambassador volunteer program. CORE serves all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico, with 84% of grants awarded due to medical crisis and 55% awarded to single-mother families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Crisis Stabilization Grant: Financial grant program for food and beverage service employees facing medical crisis, injury, death, or natural disaster.
• Caring for the Classroom
• Groceries with Gratitude
• Serving Up Hope

Products and services

• Crisis Stabilization Grant Financial grant awarded to food and beverage service employees with dependent children under 18 (or medically dependent children living in the home) when the employee, spouse/domestic partner, or child faces a medical crisis, injury, death, or natural disaster. Grants cover rent/mortgage, utilities, prescriptions, medical equipment, childcare, funeral expenses, and basic necessities. 84% of CORE grants are awarded due to medical crisis. Limited to one lifetime grant per family.
• Caring for the Classroom Grant Grant program supporting educational expenses for children of food and beverage service families. Applications accepted July 1 through August 31 annually.
• Groceries with Gratitude Grant Grant program providing food assistance to qualifying food and beverage service families during the holiday season. Applications accepted November 1 through December 31 annually.
• CORE MSO (Management Services Organization) Service offering for employers and industry partners that provides partnership opportunities, employee engagement initiatives, and industry-focused resources to help operators support their teams during times of need.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55% of grants awarded to Single Mothers
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, supporting and regional.

• DTF (Drink the Fleet)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerDIAMOND level partner. National corporate partner supporting food and beverage service families during times of crisis.
• IMIcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum level partner. IMI Agency is a strategic partner in the hospitality industry.
• Tito's VodkacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum level partner. Tito's Vodka supports CORE through Love Tito's initiative.
• AllianceHCMcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold level partner. Human Capital Management company supporting CORE mission.
• SyscocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold level partner. Major food service distributor supporting CORE.
• Boston Beer CompanysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver level partner. Brewing company supporting CORE mission.
• Cubra LibresupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver level partner and Hero of Hope sponsor. Restaurant group supporting CORE.
• Mark AnthonysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver level partner. Wine and spirits company supporting CORE mission.
• MONINsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver level partner. Beverage flavoring company supporting CORE.
• OTGsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver level partner. Food service operator supporting CORE.
• QuestexsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver level partner. Hospitality industry event and media company.
• Bar & Restaurant ExpocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner. Industry event organization for bar and restaurant professionals.
• Flavor ExperiencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner. Industry event showcasing food and beverage trends.
• FRLA (Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner. State restaurant association in Florida.
• Hospitality TennesseeregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner. Tennessee hospitality industry association.
• Vibe ConferencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner. Industry conference for food and beverage executives.
• Restaurant Leadership ConferencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner. Major industry conference for restaurant leadership.
• Texas Restaurant AssociationregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner. State restaurant association in Texas.
• FastCasual.comsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner. Online publication covering fast casual restaurant industry.
• Nations Restaurant NewssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner. Major trade publication for restaurant industry.
• QSR MagazinesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner. Trade publication focused on quick service restaurants.
• Restaurant HospitalitysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner. Trade publication for restaurant hospitality industry.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The LEE Initiative: Founded by chef Edward Lee, the LEE Initiative supports food and beverage workers through grants, mental health programs, and industry recovery efforts. Directly comparable in mission focus on F&B worker welfare and crisis support.
• Southern Smoke Foundation: National nonprofit founded by chef Chris Shepherd that provides emergency relief grants to food and beverage industry workers in crisis. Closest direct peer to CORE, with an overlapping beneficiary base and similar crisis-stabilization grant model.
• Behind You Inc: Nonprofit that provides emergency financial assistance and support to hospitality industry workers in crisis. Direct peer in target demographic and grant-based relief model.
• Restaurant Workers Relief Fund: Nonprofit providing direct financial assistance to restaurant workers facing hardship, including medical crises and disasters. Operates in the same beneficiary space as CORE with overlapping use cases.

Emerging players

• Burnt Orange Project: Nonprofit focused on mental health and crisis support for hospitality industry workers. Comparable in serving F&B workers but with a narrower focus on mental health rather than broad crisis stabilization.
• Off the Strip: Las Vegas-based nonprofit supporting hospitality and service industry workers with emergency assistance and wellness programs. Comparable niche focus on service-worker welfare but at a smaller geographic scale than CORE.

Others

• One Fair Wage: Advocacy organization focused on eliminating the sub-minimum wage for tipped workers in the restaurant industry. Thematically adjacent—same worker base—but focused on policy/advocacy rather than direct cash relief.
• ROC United (Restaurant Opportunities Centers): Restaurant worker advocacy and support organization addressing wage theft, workplace conditions, and worker rights in the restaurant industry. Adjacent mission supporting the same beneficiary population through advocacy rather than direct grants.

Broad incumbents

• American Beverage Association: National trade association for the non-alcoholic beverage industry. While not a direct grantmaker, it is part of the same corporate-ecosystem that funds CORE and represents a potential industry-overlap peer at the sector level.
• National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation: The 501(c)(3) arm of the National Restaurant Association, providing scholarships, workforce development, and career resources across the broader restaurant industry. A larger incumbent with overlapping industry focus but a fundamentally different (education/workforce) mission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/COREGives
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/children-of-restaurant-employees-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/coregives

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CORE: Children of Restaurant Employees