Culinary Hospitality Outreach and Wellness Inc

86 the Stigma

Support CHOW for Colorado Gives Day and help us end 2025 strong.

Recent feedback from our ExPOS (Experienced Peers Offering Support) described how one group member is benefiting from CHOW’s services, “ This individual shared that she has been to several substance use-related meetings in her life and never felt comfortable enough to return to a meeting or share her story. She said that the environment created at the CHOW Women's Meeting was such that she came last week, and then returned today and shared her struggles, and even was willing to ask for help and resources.” It’s these stories that remind our team of our impact in the lives of food/beverage/hospitality workers.

The Food/Beverage/Hospitality industry keeps Coloradans connected. Every cup poured, meal plated, and room prepared is made by people who care. CHOW (Culinary Hospitality Outreach & Wellness) is here to care for those who care for us by making mental health and recovery support easy, safe, welcoming, and free.

Why this matters now

Turnover is still high: Restaurant turnover averaged ~74% in 2023 (lowest since 2017 but still steep), which strains teams and well-being. 

Leisure & hospitality workers quit more often than other sectors: in April 2024 the sector’s quit rate was ~4% about double the all-industry average. 

Shift work affects mental health: Long, late, and rotating shifts are linked with higher risks of depressive symptoms, especially for women. 

Across the U.S., need is rising: In 2024, SAMHSA reported that 16.8% of people 12+ had a past-year substance use disorder (SUD) underscoring the importance of accessible, stigma-free support. 

The food, beverage, and hospitality community keeps our world connected: feeding us, welcoming us, and creating moments of joy. Yet behind the service, this workforce faces some of the highest rates of mental health challenges, substance use, suicide and burnout in the nation. Long hours, financial insecurity, and workplace stress are everyday realities, and for too many, stigma and lack of access keep them from reaching out for help.

CHOW (Culinary Hospitality Outreach & Wellness) exists to change that. We are a Colorado-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting the mental health and recovery of those who make this industry possible. CHOW fills the gap between workers and clinical care, offering free, peer-led recovery meetings, harm reduction tools, and mental health education designed as vocationally specific tools for the food/beverage/hospitality industry. 

Our theme this season  “86 the Stigma”  calls for ending the silence surrounding mental health and substance use in kitchens, bars, dining rooms and anywhere service workers are. Together, we can replace stigma with understanding, shame with compassion, and exhaustion with support.

You can help us reach our $4,500 End of Year Goal with a one time or recurring gift. Before you donate, let's learn more about how your donation impacts CHOW’s mission.

What CHOW does (and your gift powers)

Up to 10 free peer-support meetings each week: in person and virtual, built around food/beverage/hospitality schedules.

Specialized spaces including Women’s, Men’s, LGBTQIA+, and Spanish-language groups.

Harm reduction + recovery-friendly tools, plus plain-language education that meets people where they are.

Warm handoffs to resources when a higher level of care is needed, without judgment or barriers.

CHOW Green Rooms: Dedicated spaces at food centric events for food/beverage/hospitality workers to relax, receive refreshments, and resources: we listened and now go out to meet the community where they are at. 

Amuse’ Mental Health Course: for industry workers. This four-hour training course is backed by scientific research and offers tangible tools for self-assessment. The Amuse’ Course centers on resources for issues affecting workplace wellness.

Real change, one conversation at a time

CHOW is a place where showing up counts. People return because it’s industry-specific, welcoming, and practical, a bridge between tough days and better ones. With your help, more workers find community, reduce harm, build recovery, and stay in the careers they love.

Our Goal: $4,500 by December 31, 2025.

Every gift helps us “86 the stigma” in Colorado’s kitchens, bars, hotels, cafés, warehouses, farms, and venues.