How Restaurant Workers Are Majorly Benefiting From Taylor Swift Concert Tickets
What do die-hard Swifties and restaurant workers in need have in common? Well, they both could benefit from the latest fundraising effort from an Atlanta, Georgia-based nonprofit organization. Giving Kitchen, whose mission is to "provide emergency assistance to food service workers through financial support and a network of community resources," is auctioning off two tickets to Taylor Swift's sold-out show at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on April 29.
At the time of writing, bidding is up to $6,200 for the pair of Taylor Swift Eras tour tickets. These tickets are for floor seats in section F, row 2, seats 15 and 16, located just to the right of the B-stage. On third-party websites, the lowest-priced comparable tickets are selling for around $1,500, but most are more than $2,000. Of course, purchasing those tickets won't have the impact that bidding on the Giving Kitchen fundraiser will have. Bidding will close at 5 p.m. EST on Wednesday, April 26.
What does Giving Kitchen do?
Giving Kitchen was co-founded by Jen Hidinger-Kendrick and her late husband Ryan Hidinger. Ryan, a well-known chef, received a heartbreaking terminal cancer diagnosis, but the restaurant community rallied around the couple raising more than $300,000 to support his treatment. The organization grew from a desire to provide support to others in the restaurant world in times of crisis.
Those in need can apply for grants to cover living expenses when illness, injury, a death in the family, or a natural disaster makes it challenging to make ends meet. The organization also helps connect food industry workers to important services around housing, health, and substance misuse. Giving Kitchen received the 2019 Humanitarian of the Year award from the James Beard Foundation.
The organization accepts donations large and small, partners with restaurants and culinary product producers, and even hosts interesting ticketed events like a chef-made burger competition inspired by "The Menu." A Taylor Swift ticket auction is just one of the many creative ways Giving Kitchen is raising money to support its mission of helping people in the service industry. For fans of Swift, it should be a night to remember.