Drive Change

Mental health in restaurants, let's talk about it. 💚

Restaurant work can be physically and emotionally demanding. Long hours, high-pressure environments, and the intensity of service can take a real toll. According to The Burnt Chef Project, 80% of hospitality workers have experienced mental health challenges related to their role.

At Drive Change, we work at the intersection of reentry and hospitality, supporting justice-impacted young people, many of whom are already navigating trauma, anxiety, and depression. This is why our team is trained in Healing-Centered Engagement, and mental health support is woven throughout both our kitchen and classroom programming. We’re also proud to partner with NYC Affirmative Psychotherapy to provide our fellows and alumni with access to counselors who specialize in supporting historically marginalized communities.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re reminding our community that care, support, and healing are essential ingredients for a successful career in hospitality. 👨🏾‍🍳✨

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This new report from The Sentencing Project highlights what it really looks like to come home after decades of incarceration. Returning citizens have to navigate a world that has completely changed, often without basic resources, structural support, or a clear path forward.

In 2023, more than 450,000 people returned home from prison, and immediately faced barriers to employment, housing, and technology, making stability near impossible.

At Drive Change, we work to address barriers to employment, but the needs of any returning citizen extend beyond any one organization.

One's reentry journey shouldn't fall solely on their shoulders. It's on all of us to ensure support systems are built in at the institutional and community levels.

🔗 Read the full report: https://www.sentencingproject.org/reports/learning-life-all-over-again-reentry-after-long-term-imprisonment/

Learning life all over again: Reentry after long-term imprisonment – The Sentencing Project Reentry report highlights the experiences and challenges of 33 formerly incarcerated people released after decades of imprisonment.