After giving back to their communities for nearly 30 years, Sterling Hospitality —the parent company of Marlow’s Tavern, the Woodall, and Sterling Culinary Management — has created the Sterling Futures Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to do even more

“Since our inception, raising money for each neighborhood we’re a part of has been a priority,” says Sterling Hospitality CEO, co-founder, and executive chef John C. Metz. “Creating a nonprofit arm of Sterling Hospitality is something we wanted to do for years, but we lacked the know-how. At the end of last year, we said, ‘Let’s take the time to figure this out.’ The Sterling Futures Foundation is the result.

The new nonprofit will oversee the work of the annual Sterling Hospitality Golf Classic, which raised nearly $97,000 this October and has raised more than $1.9 million over the years for Special Olympics Georgia, as well as the company’s long history of hyperlocal charitable giving. Among those initiatives are Marlow’s Tavern spirit nights, which bring the community together to raise money for neighborhood-specific projects, including school sports and clubs; Habitat for Humanity builds; local 5K races; and families of patients at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. While the company searches for a full-time foundation director, the nonprofit’s work will be overseen by Metz and Sterling Hospitality co-founder Tom DiGiorgio.

“We work with local PTAs, parents, and coaches to raise much-needed money for each of the tavern neighborhoods,” says Kaffee Hopkins, vice-president of marketing and administrative officer. “We’re the neighborhood corner bar. When neighbors come together for a fundraiser at Marlow’s, everybody knows each other. It’s one big party. Wherever there’s a need, we want to help support the neighbors that have so faithfully supported us now and for many years to come.” For Hopkins, the creation of the new nonprofit is just another reason she loves coming to work. “Charitable giving is hardwired into our company culture. We love being based here and want to make sure we’re giving back as much as we receive from our guests,” she says.

The formation of the Sterling Futures Foundation will also provide an opportunity to give back to people in the hospitality community, including Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry programs in Georgia and Florida, and Atlanta’s Giving Kitchen, which provides financial lifelines to front- and back-of-the-house staffers in need. For Metz, a proud graduate of the distinguished Culinary Institute of America, the new nonprofit also means helping the next generation of chefs find their passion in the kitchen.

As the son of Metz Culinary Management John C. Metz Sr., a pioneer in the hospitality industry, whose culinary contributions include franchising the first TGI Friday’s restaurants across America, giving back is a family tradition. John Sr. and his wife, Mary, were leaders in their community and had a decades-long legacy of charitable giving through scholarships and nonprofit grants.

“Growing up in this industry, working for my father and working in kitchens, I was inspired early,” says Metz. “My father’s passion and energy for this industry helped me discover my calling. With the Sterling Futures Foundation, we want to encourage and facilitate that same passion for the next generation. We need more passionate folks in this industry and want to create a clear path and a guiding light to help them be successful. It’s a way to not only help others but also to continue my dad’s legacy.”