SERVING THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
- ABOUT THE BARTENDERS BENEVOLENT FUND
Created in 2013, the Bartenders Benevolent Fund is a nationally registered non-profit and financial resource for hospitality professionals in Canada. We are a volunteer based organization which provides support and resources to hospitality professionals across the country. We provide funding for those who have fallen under serious financial hardship, and programming to elevate our industry and those within it.
The Bartenders Benevolent Fund’s mandate is to offer support to the hospitality industry, by the hospitality industry: our funds are awarded anonymously by local hospitality professionals from each market.
CORE VALUES
Our core values are deeply rooted in Selfless SERVICE:
- Supporting one another during troubled times
- Empathy to your situation
- Recovery assistance
- Value the bartending community at large
- Inclusion - Offering an inclusive application process to those in need
- Community minded non-profit, serving those who serve us all
- Earnest - The Bartenders Benevolent Fund works in earnest to support our hospitality community at large during times of hardship
A MESSAGE FROM OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Considering the current impact of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry, we are continuously working with community members and organizations to develop inclusive and empowering programming, while continuing to update organizational policies, funding criteria and code of conduct.
The Bartenders Benevolent Fund, its directors, staff members and associates pledge to:
- Understand, support, and promote the Core Values of the Bartenders Benevolent Fund.
- Conduct ourselves with honesty, integrity
and fairness. - Ensure a diverse, inclusive and intersectional staff at all levels of our organization.
- Respect the dignity and rights of clients, partners, vendors, associates, and peers regardless of race, creed, religion, gender, physical disability, or sexual orientation.
- Not engage in sexual harassment, disrespectful or abusive behaviour in connection with professional duties.
- Conduct business and professional activities in a reputable manner so as to reflect honourably upon the Fund.
- Engage with working bartenders, servers, and FOH and BOH support staff to learn new and innovative ways to improve how we may best serve the industry.
ANNE CAYER
(SHE / HER)
With a resume packed full of experience in Communications and Digital Marketing, and a penchant for working with some wonderful nonprofits along the way, Anne was the ideal candidate for us when recruiting a Director of Communications. Currently residing in Mexico and assisting us from afar, Anne has already proved to be an invaluable asset and a phenomenal addition to the team: As Director of Communications, Anne makes sure our messaging is effective and impactful, ensuring we are providing you with the most relevant information as our landscape continues to evolve.
CHRISTOPHER CHO
(HE / HIM)
Christopher Cho joined us at the start of the pandemic as our Disbursement Panel representative in the prairies. Splitting his time between Saskatoon and Regina, he has worked tirelessly to spread word of our Fund to his hospitality network across the often underrepresented province of Saskatchewan on several social and news channels. Chris recently joined our Board as Fundraising Director, which sees him working on conceiving and activating regional and national initiatives such as our #EveryLoonieHelps National Tip Jar program in retail outlets across Canada.
JON GRAY
(HE / HIM)
Jon Gray is a former bar manager and brand ambassador, and current tequila enthusiast, who has spent the last few years building advocacy for new-to-market spirits across Canada through his consultancy company Drink Tank. Jon was just the third person to join the Fund back in 2013, when it was a fledgling Toronto- and Bartender-focused concept. Jon has been instrumental in turning a city wide organization into a an incorporated national entity, playing an integral role in building the systems and process which turned the Bartenders Benevolent Fund into the registered non profit it is today. As Executive Director he is now running day-to-day operations and working with our volunteers from across the country in overseeing the continuing development of the fund.
ALANA NOGUEDA
(SHE / HER)
Alana Nogueda is originally from Las Vegas Nevada, but has lived in Toronto for over a decade. Alana is a lifelong alumni of the hospitality industry and her passion for people is real and easy to see and feel. Following learning her trade at some of the best bars, and with some of the best bartenders, in the city, Alana opened her own spot The Shameful Tiki in 2015, which has gone on to become the definition of Tiki in Eastern Canada today. Alana was one of the first additional directors to join the panel at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, and played a huge role in setting up the original systems which led to the fund being what it is today.
KELSEY RAMAGE
(SHE / HER)
Kelsey Ramage knows the challenges faced by hospitality professionals as much as anyone. As a globally renowned bartender who has run some of the best bar programs in the world, won global cocktail competitions and was just voted Best International Bartender of the Year by Tales of the Cocktail, Kelsey lives and breathes our industry. Currently leading the way in high end cocktail delivery with @dollytrolleydrinks, Kelsey joined the Bartenders Benevolent Fund as Program Director in summer 2020, and is behind much of the content we are producing towards hospitality growth, awareness and leadership.
DR. ANDREW TOPLACK
(HE / HIM)
Andrew is one of the most encouraging and nurturing bar flies you’d ever have the good fortune to have visit your bar. A medical doctor and psychotherapist by day, Andrew can be found hosting Toplack Tuesdays by night; a series professional talks that give bartenders a platform to teach each other. He is also able to boast to being the first to import the then niche — now global — brands El Tesoro Tequila and Del Maguey Mezcal into Canada. His passion for sharing incredible new spirits with bartenders, and his impulse to engage with and develop the hospitality community is what led him here: as the co-founder of the Bartenders Benevolent Fund alongside Jonathan Humphrey back in 2013.
BEV WOODING
(SHE / HER)
Bev represents the other side of the bar, the beloved guest (the bartender sympathizer) whose presence makes a shift that much easier. Bev works at Moneris (those hand held card machines you pay your bill on) which means that her job hasn’t been affected by the recurring shutdowns, but that of the vast majority of her network has, leading to “survivors guilt”, and the desire to support the industry she loves so much: “Volunteering with the BBF is my tiny way of returning that care.” Bev has worked tirelessly since joining the Fund in March 2020, playing an integral role in building our application and reporting systems, and implementing processes to make sure we can get the awards out to successful applicants.
- POLICIES
The Bartenders Benevolent Fund actively works to maintain inclusive and empowering organizational policies, funding criteria and code of conduct. In addition, we treat applicant privacy with the highest regard, through responsible management, use and protection of personal data.
CODE OF CONDUCT
The Bartenders Benevolent Fund, its directors, staff members and associates pledge to:
- Understand, support, and promote the Core Values of the Bartenders Benevolent Fund
- Conduct ourselves with honesty, integrity and fairness
- Ensure a diverse, inclusive and intersectional staff at all levels of our organization
- Respect the dignity and rights of clients, partners, vendors, associates, and peers regardless of race, creed, religion, gender, physical disability, or sexual orientation
- Not engage in sexual harassment, disrespectful or abusive behaviour in connection with professional duties
- Conduct business and professional activities in a reputable manner so as to reflect honourably upon the Fund
- Engage with working bartenders, servers and FOH support staff to learn new and innovative ways to improve how we may best serve the industry
PRIVACY POLICY
Additionally, we take privacy extremely seriously. As such, the Bartenders Benevolent Fund pledges to:
- Comply with all applicable laws and regulations concerning our non-profit and partners
- Conduct business and make funding decisions in a fair and ethical manner
- Strive to provide confidential and objective evaluations of all funding applications
- Be alert to situations that might cause, or have the appearance of, a conflict of interest and provide full disclosure when a real or potential conflict of interest arises
- Not knowingly misappropriate, divert or use monies, personnel, property, or equipment belonging to others for personal gain or advantage
- FOR THE COMMUNITY. BY THE COMMUNITY.Stay up to date on the Bartenders Benevolent Fund news and follow us on our social channels. For any and all questions please feel free to reach out to our team by email.
Please note the Bartenders Benevolent Fund is a volunteer run organization; please allow us some time to respond to all enquiries.
ABOUT THE BBF
Created in 2013, the Bartenders Benevolent Fund is a nationally registered, volunteer powered, non-profit financial resource for hospitality professionals in Canada.
The Bartenders Benevolent Fund is a nationally registered non-profit - Registration #921977-3.
