When special event professionals are in need, SEARCH Foundation is there to help. When SEARCH Foundation needs staff for its special events, Qwick is there to help.
At a glance
SEARCH Foundation names Qwick as its official staffing partner
Every non-profit understands the importance of fundraising events, but the logistics of hosting such events intermittently throughout the year can be tricky to navigate. SEARCH Foundation has partnered with Qwick to staff its largest annual fundraising event every year with over 500 attendees. The best part? Peace of mind knowing they can rely on the skillset of Qwick professionals while saving time and money that would’ve otherwise been spent on recruiting, interviewing, and hiring.
About SEARCH Foundation
A national non-profit organization that provides financial grants to special events professionals in crisis
Since 1997, SEARCH Foundation has provided over $1 million to individuals in crisis within the events, catering, and meetings industry. (SEARCH stands for Special Events Assistance, Relief, + Crisis Help.) SEARCH Foundation exists to lend support to catering and events industry workers impacted by natural disasters, life-threatening illnesses, and other catastrophic occurrences. In fact, they’ve assisted 100% of the qualified requests that cross their desk.
The challenge
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How does a foundation find talented staff for an annual signature fundraising event?
When SEARCH was planning its first event back from the Covid-19 pandemic for Catersource + The Special Event 2021, the team didn’t know how to best acquire the 30+ staff needed just for one night. For an annual event, hiring full-time wasn’t an option, and finding qualified staff from temp agencies wasn’t guaranteed.
A Qwick solution
Calling on the Qwick crew to staff special events
SEARCH’s partnership with Qwick began in 2021 when Thomas Whelan, SEARCH board member and Director of Operations at Levy Restaurants Group and Convention Center, had personally tapped Qwick’s network of talent for staffing and was happy with the results.
Thomas connected Kate Patay, Chairwoman of SEARCH, with his contact at Qwick. Eager to get involved and support a mission so well aligned to Qwick’s own, the Qwick team got to work. Within hours, all the staff needed for the fundraising event was secured. Since then, Qwick has been SEARCH’s go-to official staffing partner, providing anything from bartenders and servers to catering and event setup.
“Each year at our annual signature event, Qwick provides all of the staffing,” Kate shares. “So whether that’s the catering or the bartending staff for the general event or the VIP booths, Qwick always saves the day for SEARCH. It is the most professional staff; we get comments from all our attendees on just how fantastic the Qwick professionals are.”
Qwick always saves the day for SEARCH. It is the most professional staff; we get comments from all our attendees on just how fantastic the Qwick professionals are.
The heart of hospitality
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Beyond staffing, Qwick supports SEARCH by providing donation grants to those in crisis.
As the leading staffing platform for the hospitality industry, Qwick strives to serve those who serve us. It was an easy decision to continue to support SEARCH through a long-term partnership. Qwick has been a Diamond Sponsor for the past few years, contributing everything from staff on the house to monthly donations that cover nearly 3 full grants for individuals in need.
In a full-circle moment, one of the Qwick bartenders working the foundation’s 2021 annual signature event had previously received a grant from SEARCH. He was in a motorcycle accident that left him in a coma with major injuries. He and his family were in a tight spot and needed financial support during his recovery. Luckily, a member of the Qwick team learned about the situation, applied to SEARCH on the bartender’s behalf, and his family was given funding from the foundation.
The bartender was so excited to share his story, be back to working with the Qwick crew, and have his very first shift since the accident be with SEARCH. “Without SEARCH, we would’ve been evicted. This is my first job back from the accident. What a full circle.”
In need of assistance?
There are resources to help.
You don’t need to be a brick-and-mortar business to be eligible to use Qwick. If you have an event coming up and need a few (or hundreds of) extra hands, we’ve got you covered. Post shifts for free on the Qwick platform in a few easy steps.
If you know someone in the special events industry that’s in need, we highly encourage you to refer them to SEARCH Foundation.
