The LEE Initiative

UPDATE: We were able to raise $25,000 for the Lee Initiative in one week of fundraising from 12/18-12/24. Thank you to our friends, community, and team for coming together to support Kentucky relief efforts! The fundraiser has now closed. 

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#COTEforKY
Organizing Solidarity, Support, & Steaks for our friends in Kentucky, the “Old Fashioned”-way.

COTE stands in solidarity with the good people of Kentucky, who lost everything overnight in last weekend’s series of terrorizing tornadoes. Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones and homes, in a holiday season that is supposed to be filled with love and happy moments no less. 

To our friends in Kentucky — WE support YOU.
To our friends at COTE — Let’s do something about this. 

We believe in the power of food + compassion to heal the body and soul. In partnership with Chef Edward Lee and The Lee Initiative , COTE and its proprietor Simon Kim have set out to raise $50,000 to help those in need. Edward and his amazing team at the Lee Initiative have made a 6-month commitment to organizing relief meals and long term support to the victims of the tornadoes. Their initiatives include an effort to organize festive holiday steak dinners across the community to raise the spirits of Kentucky. We salute all the heroes on the ground feeding the people of Western Kentucky. 

For the week of 12/18/21 - 12/24/21: COTE will be donate $10 for every ‘COTE Fashioned’ cocktail purchased at both COTE New York City and COTE Miami to The Lee Initiative, and match an additional $10 for every sale. Our goal is to hit $25K of our overall $50K goal.

We are also hosting this GoFundMe for diners and supporters who want to leave an additional donation - Our goal is to hit the additional $25K needed to bring us to our overall $50K goal.
 
COTE is proud to serve Old Grand Dad  Kentucky bourbon in our COTE Fashioned - a stalwart in our cocktail program since Day One of opening, and a favorite amongst our team and customers. Let’s raise a glass in support of the good people of Kentucky and the heroes on the frontline, because this drink is for them!
 
#KentuckyStrong #COTEFashioned

Eagles,

Due to Covid-19, we have been unable to fulfill our dedication to an in-person VTO as a team, but there are still ways we can help. We're fortunate to work in a resilient industry and for a company who lives on the bleeding edge of social responsibility. As a result, each of us is enjoying guaranteed commission this week during a time of economic uncertainty, and it's up to us to help those in much more vulnerable situations.

Restaurant workers are among those most vulnerable right now; many of them rely on tips and below-minimum wage hourly pay, which makes unemployment extra difficult. The food and beverage community employs nearly 16% of the American workforce. These businesses support local economies and, according to some studies, restaurants pump as much as 60% of their money back into their local communities. At Salesforce, in normal times, we are actively participating in this community through team lunches, customer dinners, QBR's and happy hours. Let's make sure the places we love are still open when things get back to normal, and have a safe and healthy staff.

I've chosen the Lee Initiative's Restaurant Workers Relief Program as a charity that could really use our help. Read more below, and thank you for your support! I will be requesting Salesforce matching once this has been up for a week.


Lee Initiative's Restaurant Workers Relief Program

Due to the closure of restaurants across America, thousands of restaurant workers have an urgent need for assistance. Independent restaurants are at the center of the vibrant growth in America.  For the past decade, we have relied on the convivial and dynamic hospitality of the independent restaurant scene to make this a city that we are incredibly proud of.  Restaurant workers need your help more than ever.  It is vital that we offer relief to those in need, so after this crisis restaurants can return to their full vibrancy. 

In partnership with @makersmark and @leeinitiative @chefedwardlee we have turned restaurants across the country into relief centers with local chefs for any restaurant worker who has been laid off or has had a significant reduction in hours and/or pay.  We are offering help for those in need of food and supplies.  Each night, we will pack hundreds of to-go meals that people can come to pick up and take home.