The foundation of The Gathering is to refill the hope of these unemployed men and women, which will ultimately carry them into being able to find jobs in the hospitality industry. In order to get to the point of job-seeking, these workers will be thoroughly trained in all aspects of the restaurant business with an in-depth emphasis on culinary skills and food-handling. This process will ensure exemplary dishes on the community’s tables, and once the individuals have completed these programs, The Gathering will be the key into a restaurant’s door which will begin an entirely new adventure for them; leaving behind the addictions and troubles that kept them from ever moving forward into the workforce. Chef Alex Reethof, co-founder of The Gathering, has been in the culinary/hospitality industry for over thirty years. He has taken management opportunities as well as hosted his own cooking show “Back to the Table.” By his side is Chef Lake Dawson who has been academically and socially equipped in business management as well as administration. With their expertise in both business and the culinary arts, while also being heavily moved by the homeless communities in Atlanta, Reethof and Dawson are capable and ready to give more than enough knowledge to fully skill and prepare the incoming workers as they journey through their second chance. Therefore, the benefit of The Gathering’s community is the individual’s success. This success will not only exemplify the true splendor of serving others, but it will also raise awareness and spark more lost hearts in Atlanta into seeking that same sense of bettering their life’s circumstances. In a city that is full of fast-paced living, The Gathering believes that through this business, the changing of the workers’ lives will be so evident, that it will also benefit the people of Atlanta by causing them to pause and rest in the importance of opportunity, community, and love. One person working alone can start a movement, but the gathering can change lives. Let’s sit down, have a meal, and make a difference.
