The Hospitality Heroes Fund’s mission is to lend a helping hand to local hospitality employees and their families who are impacted by a medical hardship.

How it began….

A local bartender at Red’s Ice House, Kevin Stapleton, and his family have experienced one of the worst tragedies any family can endure—losing a child.  One of their twin boys, Tanner, passed away shortly after birth, and their surviving son Cooper was hospitalized for nearly three months for being premature.   Then Cooper was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis, a life-long illness requiring multiple doctor visits and medical testing. 

The employees and friends of Red’s immediately jumped into action to help Kevin and his family in their greatest moment of grief.  Knowing making ends meet would be difficult for the Stapleton family due to lost wages and mounting medical bills, the staff and friends at Red’s Ice House on Shem Creek pulled together generous donations to help cover some of the medical and funeral expenses.  The Stapleton’s situation, not uncommon, is why Red’s Ice House helped launch the Tanner Foundation and established the Hospitality Heroes Fund to assist local people in the food and beverage industry to overcome such hurdles in their life.

Why it’s important….

Going through a medical crisis is tough in and of itself.  But for nearly 30,000 individuals who work in the hospitality industry in the tri-county area, it can be even tougher as most don’t have health insurance.    The Hospitality Heroes Fund has stepped forward to address this ever-growing issue and help alleviate some of the financial burden brought on by unfortunate medical tragedies within the hospitality community. 

Many folks working in the local food and beverage industry as bartenders, servers, hostesses and cooks help make Charleston the thriving culinary hot spot that it is today.  When a serious injury or accident happens, or when they or one of their children experience a prolonged hospital stay, the hospitality industry continues to thrive, but in many instances, it is tremendously difficult for the employee to continue living their lives as they knew it. 

The loss of income can seriously jeopardize the welfare of hospitality employees and their families living right here in our local community. The hospitality and tourism industry relies on individual performance and when part of this community is experiencing hardship, the Tanner Foundation set up a Hospitality Heroes Fund to serve as that safety net or helping hand to get them back on their feet. 

To download a

Medical Hardship Assistance Application

To learn more on how you can become involved and to donate

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

(843) 270-4700

or

For more information: