​In the fast-paced world of restaurants and hospitality, finding well-trained, motivated employees can be a challenge. At Stone Soup PDX, we’re addressing this need while also creating powerful opportunities for people who are often overlooked in the workforce.

Stone Soup PDX is a nonprofit culinary training program based in Portland, Oregon. Our mission is to empower individuals facing employment barriers—such as housing instability, past incarceration, and recovery from addiction—through hands-on training in a supportive, real-world kitchen environment. We help participants build not only the technical skills they need to succeed in a foodservice career, but also the confidence, professionalism, and community connections that lead to long-term employment.

Since launching in 2018, we’ve trained over 200 participants and served more than 250,000 meals to our community. Our new café, which opened in Montavilla in June 2025, serves as a public-facing training ground where participants can apply their skills in baking, barista service, front-of-house operations, and café management. The café also provides an opportunity for neighbors to get to know our mission—one pastry or coffee at a time.

Why It Matters to ORLA Members
Our graduates are job-ready and eager to work. They’ve completed a rigorous 12-week training program that includes:

• Knife skills, food safety, line cooking, baking, and barista training
• Resume development, mock interviews, and job readiness coaching
• Real-world experience in a high-volume production kitchen and public café
• Soft skills training with an emphasis on reliability, communication, and teamwork

Every participant receives a weekly stipend, wraparound support from case managers, and individualized employment placement services. This investment pays off: over 75% of our graduates secure employment or paid internships upon graduation.

But here’s where you come in: We’re always looking to partner with local employers who are willing to give our graduates a shot.

What We Hear from Employers
Employers who have hired Stone Soup PDX graduates often comment on their strong work ethic, eagerness to learn, and ability to thrive in team settings. Many have experienced firsthand the benefits of hiring someone who’s deeply motivated to succeed and grateful for the opportunity.

One of our employer partners recently shared, “Hiring a Stone Soup graduate was one of the best staffing decisions we’ve made. They came in ready to work and eager to contribute. It’s clear they were set up for success.”

How to Get Involved
We’d love to connect with ORLA members interested in being part of this community-centered solution to Oregon’s hospitality workforce challenges. Here are a few ways to engage:

• Hire a Graduate: Our Support Services Coordinator will work with you to match your open positions with a graduate whose skills and goals align with your needs.
• Host a Paid Internship: Some graduates are ready to build additional experience through short-term, paid placements before moving into permanent roles.
• Visit Our Café: Come by our Montavilla location to see our training program in action—and grab a house-made pastry or lunch item while you're at it.
• Spread the Word: Share our mission with your networks. The more opportunities we can provide to our graduates, the stronger our whole hospitality community becomes.

If you’re interested in learning more, please reach out to us at [email protected] or visit www.stonesouppdx.org.

Together, we can help people build careers—and help Oregon’s restaurants and lodging businesses find the dependable, skilled team members they need to thrive.

Section 1: Situational Awareness and Planning Ahead
The best way to manage disruption is to anticipate it early. That begins with building situational awareness into your routine.

1. Plug into Local Information Channels
Stay informed through a combination of official alerts and community-based updates. Useful sources include:

• Your city or county’s emergency alert system (usually available by text or email).
• Neighborhood or regional public access media channels  
• Social media platforms used by organizers, media outlets, and community groups.

Increasingly, platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter/X are where protest plans, crowd movements, and road closures are posted in real time. These updates can help you anticipate if and how your block might be affected.

You don’t need a dedicated team member to monitor these feeds constantly—but it helps to have a manager or trusted employee who knows what to watch for and can pass along key updates to leadership.

2. Know Your Geography of Risk
Understanding where you are in relation to likely gathering spots will help you gauge your level of exposure. Consider whether your business is near:

• Government buildings, police precincts, or courthouses
• Public parks or squares commonly used for rallies
• College campuses or large event venues
• High-traffic intersections or transportation hubs

Some areas are more likely than others to see large demonstrations—and knowing that in advance helps tailor your response plan accordingly.

3. Build a Simple Risk Matrix
Even a basic internal framework can help teams make calm, informed decisions. For example:

​This May, the Oregon Hospitality Foundation was very busy on the coast inspiring students to start a career in our industry. Over the past month, we traveled to Neah-kah-nie, Tillamook, and Nestucca High Schools, speaking to student groups about all that the industry has to offer.

Though each school had a wonderful audience, Nestucca’s group belonged to the very first cohort of their new High School Hospitality and Tourism Management Program (HTMP). This pilot course combines in-class instruction with hands-on learning at local businesses in a unique and effective way. The Schooner, one of the participating businesses, not only gave the students a stellar in-class presentation about the restaurant industry on the Oregon coast but also allowed them to work in their restaurant. Serving as employees for the day, they got a real taste of the business by greeting guests, serving tables, and washing dishes on-site. Over the term, the class was filled with experiences like this one spanning many different branches of the tourism industry.

As we speak to different schools across the state, we hope to teach students about the hospitality industry in the same incredible way that Nestucca is. After seeing all that HTMP has to offer at Nestucca High School it is clear why continued support of this program is important. We at OHF hope to see and support the establishment of more courses just like this one all over Oregon.

Want to learn more about how to get involved with our workforce development initiatives? Shoot me an email. | Ella Sturdevant, Oregon Hospitality Foundation