The Atlanta Braves and FOX Sports South surprised Staplehouse restaurant co-founder, Jen Hidinger, with a "Community Hero Award" Monday at a celebration featuring red, white and blue balloons, a marching band and the arrival of Atlanta Braves players.
Hidinger is the one of the founders of The Giving Kitchen, an Atlanta non-profit which provides assistance to restaurant and hospitality workers facing catastrophic illness.
On Monday afternoon, The Giving Kitchen received assistance from Atlanta Braves players and FOX Sports South broadcasters at the "Helpful Hotdog Stand" near the Beltline at Ponce City Market. Atlanta Braves players first baseman Freddie Freeman, catcher Kurt Suzuki, along with Chip Caray, Brian Jordan and others congratulated an emotional Hidinger and helped serve hot dogs.
“Jen’s story really resonated with me,” said Freeman, carrying a platter of hot dogs. “What she has done, the way she has persevered, really says a lot about her.”
Jen and her husband, Ryan had been working on opening a restaurant but their dream took a turn after Ryan was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Since her husband's passing, Jen has been the face of the organization, helping build it into a well-established part of the community that has given out more than 700 grants to Atlanta restaurant workers in need, totaling more than $1 million. Here's how it works: all of the profits from the restaurant Staplehouse, one of Atlanta's most celebrated restaurants ( Bon Appetit magazine declared Staplehouse America's Best New Restaurant of 2016 ) flow into the nonprofit entity, which then provides assistances to restaurant and hospitality workers. Traditionally, restaurant workers are among the most under-insured employees in the country and the most likely to suffer from lost wages.
The Atlanta Braves and FOX Sports South also gave Hidinger a $5,000 check for The Giving Kitchen Monday and treated her to a VIP Braves experience Monday which included watching batting practice and dozens of of tickets to a Braves game for Hidinger, family and friends, employees along with a special bus to bring everyone to the game.
“I am shaking like a leaf,” Hidinger said shortly after being surprised by a parade of Braves players and receiving a Community Heroes T-shirt. “It’s hard to surprise me, but this did it. . .I am honored to be able to shed light on The Giving Kitchen. This is super powerful.”
Jen was nominated by her friend Brad Kaplan, who is serving as the interim marketing director for The Giving Kitchen.
Kaplan said the following in nominating Hidinger:
When I think of Jen, I think of a smile. The ability to turn a moment that is fraught into one that is full of hope.
Five years ago, Jen and her husband, Ryan Hidinger, had been working on opening a restaurant. Their restaurant. But their dream took a turn after Ryan was diagnosed with a terminal case of gallbladder cancer. What happened next, though, showed not only the power of friends to rally around one of their own, but how that could multiply a hundred times over.
When the Atlanta restaurant community came to Ryan's side by raising money for his care, the spark for something called The Giving Kitchen was lit - the idea that the restaurant community could and should be there for each other in the form of a non-profit.
Jen was instrumental in the formation of The Giving Kitchen, a non-profit that serves peace of mind to workers in the Atlanta restaurant community who are facing unanticipated crises. . .
And the restaurant Ryan and Jen had dreamed of has come to fruition. . . Jen serves as manager and host at Staplehouse - the person that greets everyone with a smile as they walk into the restaurant. She works alongside Ryan's sister Kara (as well as Kara's husband, chef Ryan Smith). And she continues to speak out on behalf of the Atlanta restaurant community and the power of overcoming hardship, in Ted talks, on panels, and to the diners who experience Staplehouse.
And she keeps on smiling a radiant smile? all the while.
Here’s a look at the other community heroes honored:
Tanner's father was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Stage IV, as a result of seeing what his father went through, Tanner wanted to make kids with cancer smile. Tanner created Tanner's Totes by filling tote bags with various toys and items that would bring joy to kids. Tanner started his organization at the age of 12, he is now 27 and an assistant basketball coach at UNC Charlotte. Tanner was nominated by Susan Ruiz, a family friend. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta – Scottish Rite was one of the first hospitals Tanner delivered totes to 15 years ago. With the help of Tanner's mother, Kathy, the Braves surprised Tanner as he visited the "Zone" at Scottish Rite to deliver totes to preteens and teens. Braves players and FOX broadcasters surprised Tanner in the "Zone" and help him deliver totes to the youth in the Zone. The players and broadcasters then stayed to play games with the kids (air hockey, video games, arts & crafts)
Tim and Becky O’Mara, Bearings Bike Shop
Tim and Becky founded Bearings Bike Shop after noticing a girl in their neighborhood wasn’t able to ride bikes with her friends because she needed new tires. They invited her to earn the tires by doing chores and community service.
The O’Maras began mentoring neighborhood kids and opened three bike shops across two of the most underserved zip codes in Atlanta. At Bearings Bike Shop, kids earn bikes by working and continue their vocational learning. As they work and are mentored by coaches, they learn skills to repair their bikes and the character strengths shown to produce successful, well-adjusted adults.
Tim and Becky were nominated by a member of their staff, Claire Dozier.
The players and broadcasters surprised the O’Maras and neighborhood kids at the bike shop during a workshop. They helped the kids to change tires, add chains, seats, etc. and refurbish the bikes.
Piper joined the Army Reserves in 1990; after receiving her bachelor’s degree with a double major from Louisiana State University, she went on active duty as an officer in 1995, following in the footsteps of her father, Col. Victor Hill. Subsequently, Piper was forced on the Army’s Temporarily Disabled Retirement List, or TDRL, due to a debilitating neurological illness, just before she was scheduled to deploy to Iraq, where she would have commanded a petroleum company in the Army’s 49th Quartermaster Group and overseen fuel distribution. Now, Piper is a retired Army captain with PTSD. She started her own nonprofit, Healing 4 Heroes, to rescue dogs from high-kill animal shelters, foster/train them, and donate them to other veterans who need service animals. Piper was nominated by Mike Perry, a volunteer, fellow veteran and recipient of a Healing4Heroes service dog. Piper came to SunTrust Park under the impression she would be part of a segment that the Braves were producing on military nonprofits in the area. She was surprised first by her friends, fellow veterans with the dogs she helped them get and then by Braves players. Finally, her parents joined her all the way from Louisiana. The group had lunch together and learned all about the special dogs and how they help and impact the veterans.
Anna Patton, Buddy Baseball Anna coordinates the Buddy Baseball Program at Buckhead Baseball. The program includes kids with disabilities (autism, down syndrome, mental retardation, cystic fibrosis, dwarfism, etc.) to be paired with a 12-year-old Buddy to help play the game of baseball. Anna recruits special needs youth and young adults. She created a capstone program for 12-year-old players.
She is the mother of 3 kids, one son who has down syndrome and plays on the buddy baseball team and she is a huge Braves fan.
Anna was nominated by Walt Deriso, a Buddy Baseball coach and parent of a Buddy Baseball player. The Braves players and FOX broadcasters surprised Anna at the major league field at Frankie Allen Park. Afterwards the players/coaches/broadcaster joined kids for a clinic/Buddy baseball game with the Buddies and the special needs players.
About the Atlanta Braves Community Heroes Week: This is a week-long celebration of inspiring individuals who have made a difference in their community. On each day of Community Heroes Week, the Braves will recognize a different Honoree by surprising them with a day of VIP treatment. From the surprise to meeting Braves players and FOX Sports South on-air talent to a game at SunTrust Park that evening, every Honoree's day will be filled with unforgettable elements. Each Honoree's story will also be shared during the game and in the FOX Sports South broadcast in an effort to celebrate the individual and bring awareness to their cause or organization.
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