irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2021
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $478KEMPLOYER EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT CHOW graduates and job placements. In 2021, 300 worker members graduated from ROC United CHOW Institute, and an overwhelming 80 percent of these workers had job placements. Restructuring CHOW classes helped ROC exceed our goal and keep our students attention. In 2021, ROC MI held 5 classes, as compared to 1 in 2020. Remarkably, 60 of all MI graduates placed in new or upgraded positions that provide a living wage. ROC MS added 60 new members last year. In partnership with Youth Build, an organization serving workers ages 16-24, ROC MS held its first MS CHOW class with 15 participants in November 2021. More than 100 graduated from CHOW NY last year. About 95 percent of these graduates earned job placements within three months after their graduation.
- #2 $695KMINIMUM WAGE INCREASE FOR RESTAURANT WORKERS Wage-theft settlements. Restaurant workers in Tennessee, California and Minnesota won nearly 2 million in unpaid wages one of the biggest wage settlements in ROC United history. On March 9, 2021, ROC TN members won a class-action lawsuit on wage theft. Strategic Hospitality agreed to pay 427,000, including 247,400 in back wages and damages to 261 workers many of whom are ROC TN members. More than 200 restaurant workers in Minneapolis won a big victory the Bartmann Companies settled to pay these workers more than 230,000 in back wages, overtime and damages. ROC MN conducted a press conference. ROC CA organized its members at Baja Fresh across the state. In 2021, CA state fined a Baja Fresh franchise in the form of seven separate affiliated corporations for wage theft of 188 workers, who will now receive 375,806 in unpaid wages. Some of the media coverage, among others, on wage-theft settlements include Tennessee Tribune, EATER LA, Star Tribune, Minnesota Public Radio, and Minnesota Press Conference with Workers
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Beat the Heat
Advocacy campaign calling for a national heat standard to protect restaurant workers from heat-related illness and unsafe working conditions.
CHOW Institute
Free professional workforce development training in front- and back-of-house restaurant skills, preparing workers for living-wage jobs in fine dining, serving, bartending, and management.
End GBVH
Campaign to end gender-based violence and harassment in the restaurant industry through education, enforcement, and survivor support.
RAISE
National association of employers promoting fair wages, better benefits, and racial and gender equity; created by ROC United to professionalize restaurant work and improve industry standards.
Racial Equity Menu
Campaign providing restaurant owners and managers with a toolkit to assess and implement racial equity practices in hiring, promotion, and workplace culture.
Restaurant Workers Bill of Rights
Policy campaign advocating for five pillars: thriving wages, healing and rest, safe work environments, universal healthcare, and participation in governance; includes public education and legislative advocacy.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Worker Rights Advocacy & Wage Protection 4 activities
- Advocating for improved wages and working conditions through policy and campaignsOrganizes and advocates for better wages, benefits, and working conditions for restaurant workers through education, policy work, community organizing, and direct legal advocacy, including securing wage-theft settlements for hundreds of workers across multiple states.
- Operating RAISE employer association to promote fair labor practicesOperates RAISE, a nationwide association of over 900 high-road employers that commit to fair wages, benefits, and racial and gender equity in the restaurant industry.
- Organizing restaurant workers to build worker power and voiceOrganizes restaurant workers through policy and workplace advocacy to build collective power and amplify worker voice, with a focus on improving wages, working conditions, and governance participation.
- Training worker leaders to advocate for systemic changeTrains and develops leadership among its membership of 65,000 restaurant workers to advocate for systemic workplace and policy change.
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Culinary Workforce Training Programs 3 activities
- Delivering training and support services to member restaurantsProvides free fine dining and bartending training, job placement for graduates, food safety certifications, and marketing technology support to member restaurants.
- Providing career advancement and job quality improvements for Chicago restaurant workersProvides career advancement opportunities and works to improve job quality for restaurant workers in Chicago through training, advocacy, and employer engagement.
- Providing workforce training and job placement through the CHOW InstituteOffers free professional training in front- and back-of-house restaurant skills through the CHOW Institute, preparing workers for living-wage jobs in fine dining and securing job placements for graduates; in 2021, over 400 workers graduated across New York, Michigan, and Mississippi, with placement rates between 80% and 95%.
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Workplace DEI Research and Training 1 activity
- Advancing racial equity in the restaurant industry through campaigns and toolkitsLeads national campaigns and develops practical resources such as the Racial Equity Toolkit and Racial Equity Menu to support restaurant employers in implementing racial equity practices.
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Nonprofit Sector Research & Data Analysis 1 activity
- Conducting and publishing research on inequality in the restaurant industryConducts and publishes research on occupational segregation, racial and gender inequity, and workplace conditions in the restaurant industry, including national and city-specific reports such as “The Great Service Divide” and “Ending Jim Crow in America’s Restaurants.”
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$4.08M
Contributions & grants$3.81M93%
Program service revenue$228K6%
Investment income$280%
Other revenue$37K
expenses
Total expenses$4.98M
Program expenses83%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$3.47M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$7.13M
Cash$202K
Investments$3.01M
Liabilities$1.44M
Net assets$5.69M
Liquid reserves7.7 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue -23.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEKOU SIBY | FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 60 | $188K |
| ALICIA RENEE FARRIS | CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER | 60 | $129K |
| AMI ELAINE AWAD | DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR | 40 | $124K |
| TEOFILO REYES | INTERIM PRESIDENT/CEO | 60 | $109K |
board members · 9
- CHRIS MELODY FIGUEREDO — SECRETARY
- FELICIA GRIFFIN — DIRECTOR
- JOSE OLIVA — DIRECTOR
- KATHLEEN MULLIGAN — DIRECTOR
- LILIAN TRAVIS — DIRECTOR
- MARGARITA CRESPO — DIRECTOR
- MARIA FIGUEROA — CHAIRPERSON
- REV REGINALD BRANTLEY — TREASURER
- TRAVIS MILEY — DIRECTOR
relationships · 15
Who they work with
- Center for Third World Organizing Partner — DjeRae Lucas joined ROC the Bay as an intern through the Center for Third World Organizing’s Movement Activist Apprenticeship Program (MAAP).
- Facebook Partner — Followed for social media outreach
- Instagram Partner — Followed for social media outreach
- Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights Partner — Collaborated to secure a settlement for unpaid wages on behalf of workers at Blaze Pizza in Stadium Village.
- NotMe Solutions Partner — Partnered to provide the #NotMe app for safe, anonymous reporting of workplace harassment, discrimination, and safety issues.
- OSHA Government — Calls on OSHA to implement a national heat standard for worker protection.
- ROC United Network — Linked as the donation recipient organization, indicating an affiliation or network relationship.
- ROC United Network — ROC-Chicago is a chapter of the ROC United nonprofit organization.
- ROC United Network — Restaurant Opportunities Center of LA is a chapter of the ROC United non-profit organization.
- ROC United Partner — ROC the Bay is a chapter of the ROC United non-profit.
- TikTok Partner — Followed for social media outreach
- Twitter Partner — Followed for social media outreach
- U.S. House of Representatives Government — ROC United is advocating for members of the U.S. House to co-sponsor a resolution to establish a restaurant workers bill of rights.
- YouTube Partner — Used for video content distribution
- Youth Build Partner — Partnered with Youth Build to conduct the first MS CHOW class for workers ages 16–24 in November 2021.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Integrated Training and Advocacy Modelmethodology: integrated-training-and-advocacyBy combining workforce development training with advocacy for fair wages and equitable workplace practices, we improve job quality and advancement opportunities, because linking skill development to systemic change increases both individual mobility and industry transformation.
- Policy Advocacy Centered on Worker Dignitymethodology: policy-advocacy-centered-on-worker-dignityBy advocating for a federal restaurant workers bill of rights that enshrines dignity, health, safety, and democratic participation, we drive national industry reform, because systemic change requires institutional recognition of worker rights as foundational to equitable employment.
- Systematic Implementation of Racial Equity in Restaurantsmethodology: systematic equity implementationBy providing restaurant management with a practical toolkit to assess and implement racial equity measures, we advance structural change in the industry, because systemic racism is best addressed through structured, actionable frameworks adopted at the management level.
- Technology-Assisted Worker Protectionmethodology: technology-assisted worker protectionBy enabling safe, anonymous reporting of workplace misconduct through technology, we improve psychological and physical safety for restaurant workers, because accessible reporting mechanisms increase accountability and reduce fear of retaliation.
- Worker Power Building through Organizing and Advocacymethodology: worker_power_buildingBy uniting restaurant workers across diverse backgrounds through organizing, rights education, and leadership development, we build collective power that drives systemic change in industry standards, because empowered workers are more effective at advancing political representation and workplace reform.