Care Package Program FAQ
Who is eligible to receive care packages?
Pittsburgh Restaurant Workers Aid was created to assist restaurant workers who are experiencing financial, food, housing, healthcare, and other forms of insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While we are in a continued state of crisis, both within the restaurant industry and beyond, we are providing our care package and resource sharing services to anyone who needs them. We do not require anyone to be a current/former restaurant industry worker to receive support from us.
That being said, many of the resources found in our Resource Guide, as well as our advocacy projects, are geared specifically towards restaurant and hospitality industry workers. As a group of current and former restaurant industry workers ourselves, we recognize that workers in this industry face unique challenges when it comes to workplace protections, benefits, and other rights and resources.
Our Organizers and board members are informed on issues relevant to restaurant industry work, and we can provide resources and support based on our own industry-specific knowledge. If you do not work in the restaurant industry and need support right now, feel free to still contact our Advocacy Organizer at larisa@pghrwa.org, who can refer you to local community organizations that may be able to help.
I signed up for care package delivery but I did not receive the care package that I was expecting. What happened?
We do our best to ensure that every care package is dropped off in the right location and that recipients are promptly informed that they’ve received their package. However, sometimes recipients do not get the care packages they’re expecting. There are a couple of potential reasons why this may happen:
The address and/or phone number we have on file is incorrect and a volunteer has brought it to the wrong location or was not able to contact the recipient
The package was stolen from outside of the recipient’s home before it could be taken inside
The delivery schedule has changed or the package is being delivered later than the recipient expects it, and it will be delivered within the next few days
If your package does not arrive as expected, please reach out to our Distribution Organizer at 412-423-8717 with any information that you have. We will look over our back end and reach out to the volunteer who delivered your package to determine the cause of the issue and prevent it from happening again. **If your care package is misplaced, lost, or stolen we cannot guarantee delivery of a replacement box. We will go over solutions such as connecting you with resources and/or sending a larger box for the following delivery.**
I requested a specific item but I didn’t receive it with my package. What happened?
We depend on donated items to fill our care packages, so our stock varies based on donations. We cannot guarantee that we are able to provide every item that is requested.
We monitor all requests, so if an item you’ve requested isn’t available, it’s safe to assume that is because we don’t have it in stock. If you have additional questions about requested items, please contact our Advocacy Organizer at 412-532-8389 or by emailing larisa@pghrwa.org.
I signed up for care package delivery but I haven’t heard from a staff member or volunteer via email or phone. What should I do?
Right after you’ve filled out the registration form, you should receive an email confirming that your form has been submitted. If you do not receive this email, your email address was likely inputted into the form incorrectly. You can resubmit the form with your correct email address.
If you aren’t receiving email updates from us and/or are not receiving calls/texts from volunteers, we most likely do not have the correct contact information from you. Please reach out to our Advocacy Organizer at 412-532-8389 or by emailing larisa@pghrwa.org to confirm your correct contact information with us.
When will I receive my care package?
Care packages are delivered Wednesdays through Saturdays between noon and 6pm. We will occasionally make deliveries on Sundays depending on volunteer capacity and weather-related delays. Unfortunately, due to capacity constraints and the nature of our operations, we are not able to provide an exact time and day of delivery. The best way to know when your package will arrive is to keep an eye out for a call and/or text from the volunteer who will deliver it.
What specific items should I expect in my care package?
Through our partners, we are able to consistently source donations of:
Grocery items, including produce, bread/pastries, non-perishable foods, kids’ snacks, and dairy products (specific foods vary week by week)
Diapers (sizes newborn-6), baby/hygienic wipes, and menstrual products (pads and tampons)
Pet food (wet and dry dog and cat food) (pet food availability fluctuates as demand is higher than what our donation partners can provide)
We receive occasional community donations of:
Meat
Cleaning and household products
Paper products
Personal hygiene products (including soap, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, etc.)
Winter coats, clothing and shoes (seasonal)
Each care package includes a variety of grocery items by default. We won’t include additional items in your package unless you request them. If you request an item on the “occasional” list, please note that we will send it when we have it available.
Is Pittsburgh Restaurant Workers Aid a charity?
Pittsburgh Restaurant Workers Aid is a 501c (3) registered non-profit organization. We reject the dominant model of charity, which relies on gatekeeping of resources and reinforces power dynamics that force people into poverty. We provide support to anyone who asks for it, without asking for proof of income, documentation of need, or any identifying information beyond what is necessary for us to contact people and deliver care packages.
Our programming, from our care package distribution to resource sharing to advocacy projects, is informed by speaking directly and often with local restaurant workers. Our organization was founded on the principles of mutual aid and community support, and these values are central to how we carry out our projects.
Mutual aid works best when all community members are active participants in both giving and receiving. We are all accountable to creating a community space that is welcoming and genuinely supports community members in times of need. We would love to hear from you about how we can better embody these values and grow a stronger network of mutual support!
Learn more about mutual aid here: