Dear Living Wage Supporter,

During this time of labor shortages and soaring inflation, we’re very proud that Orange County Living Wage (OCLW) is adding new employers to our roster at a record pace. Over 250 certified living wage employers appear on our roster, up from 220 in 2021. They represent 8,800 workers – roughly 10% of all workers in Orange County.

As our living wage community grows, wages climb. Our 2022 living wage is $15.85 per hour, or $14.35 per hour if the employer pays at least half the cost of health insurance. Since OCLW’s launch in 2015, our certified employers have raised wages by a combined $2.8 million to meet our annually adjusted living wage threshold. That extra money makes it possible for lower-wage workers to pay for rent, food, and transportation, with the dollars often spent right here in Orange County.

Will you help OCLW grow our living wage movement by making an end-of-year donation?
▪ For $1,000, sponsor two networking events for our 250 certified living wage employers, creating opportunities for cost-saving collaborations and synergies.
▪ For $250, help us maintain our Job Board, connecting employers to skilled workers and workers to good-paying jobs.
▪ For $150, help us fund publicity for our living wage employers through social media, a bimonthly newsletter, our blog, opportunities to engage with the media, and printed pieces such as brochures.
▪ For $100, supply framed certificates and breakroom posters for 10 certified living wage employers.
▪ For $50, purchase OCLW storefront decals for 10 employers.
▪ For $7.25, remind yourself and others of the unacceptable 13-year-old minimum wage for workers in Orange County.

Make your tax-deductible gift today. Mail a check payable to OCLW at P.O. Box 1502, Carrboro, NC 27510. Or visit our website at orangecountylivingwage.org/donate/. You can also head to our website to view our growing roster of living wage employers – all would appreciate your support this holiday season.

Thank you for doing your part to sustain living wages and create a more equitable economy for everyone in Orange County!

BY ANDREA CASH

When St. Thomas More Catholic Parish of Chapel Hill became certified by Orange County Living Wage in July, there was much rejoicing, as a long-term goal had been reached. Behind the scenes, the process had been underway for more than five years.

The effort began with advocacy from the outreach committee of about 16 people, which is centered around the idea of treating others fairly. The committee works on initiatives like blood drives, weekly food drives, collecting and donating clothing and household items for community members in need, and the CROP Hunger Walk.

Susan Romaine, a founder at OCLW, is also a parishioner at St. Thomas More. She presented to the committee about OCLW’s mission years ago. Outreach committee member Carol Prokop was particularly moved. “It didn’t occur to me that some people at the church may not be getting paid living wages,” she says. “It’s an issue that is very important to me. And now and then, I would check back with the parish leaders to see how things were going – and then report back to the committee.”

Carlos Lima

“It’s just the way the work of the church happens and the way we function,” says Carlos Lima, St. Thomas More’s director of operations and finance. “People bring in concerns and initiatives, and we respond in the best way we can.”

Walking the Walk

Prokop says becoming living wage certified sets an example as followers of Christ.

“As a church, we need to walk the walk, not just talk the talk,” she says. “If we are telling people that we need to be compassionate and empathetic and support fairness and justice  … we must support people’s basic rights. People need a fair wage for their work in order to get those basic rights met.”

Lima says the parish could have been certified a couple of years ago, except the wages of some part-time workers weren’t where they needed to be. OCLW’S living wage for 2022 is $15.85 per hour, or $14.35 per hour if the employer pays at least half the cost of health insurance. The church’s leaders took a strategic approach to ensure that they could support this goal in the long term. But they informed parishioners – about 2,800 families representing about 8,000 individuals – that this was something they were working toward.

“Even before we started the offertory appeal, we let folks know that this is a goal we have. We shared that we weren’t there yet and explained why,” says the Rev. Scott E. McCue.

In October 2021, living wages were announced as a key component of the parish’s annual increased offertory appeal; parishioners are annually asked to think strategically about their financial gifts to the parish. In short, leaders made the case that as the cost of living increases, so, too, must wages. Would parishioners help fund the wage increase?

McCue with parishioners at a recent international fair.

McCue recalls that parishioners immediately understood that “the reason we are able to be successful in our mission – to Pray, Serve, and Spread the Gospel with Joy – is because we have the employees we have who do the work that they do.”

Parishioners met the moment by increasing their financial gifts between the fall of 2021 and July 1, 2022, making it possible for wages to be lifted and the living wage goal to be met. The parish has 28 employees. On average, wages were increased by $2 per hour – signifying an annual wage increase of $126,760. The parish’s work force falls into four main categories: pastoral staff (including two priests, a deacon, and a lay minister)); faith development staff focusing on the education of adults, children and youth; administrative staff, including an office manager and support staff; and the maintenance department. On average, staffers have been with the parish for eight years.

“I think the staff was very much appreciative that we were looking at this in a very intentional way to make sure that we were keeping up with the cost of living and being mindful of the needs that they have and the responsibilities they have,” McCue says. “The fact that we took on the initiative to be certified I think says something given our presence in and impact on the community. … For us as faith leaders, we speak often about that need to look out for those who are most in need in our midst. … Part of this has to be to make sure we are looking out for those who are entrusted in our care.”

St. Thomas More team members at work (clockwise from top left): Julie, James, Willie, Claudina, and Jennifer.

Lima says the certification is an example of putting “your resources where your message is, where your heart is.”

“It’s important that people know that this is faith-based initiative,” says Pastoral Associate Mary Ellen McGuire. “This all stems from Jesus Christ, who was a model of justice for us – and fairness and compassion. That’s what drove this.”

‘The Right Thing to Do’

McGuire adds that she is hopeful that parishioners who either own businesses or have the ability to influence their workplace will spread the word about OCLW, leading to more wage increases in the county.

“People feel it’s important and feel gratified that the money they put in the coffers is going toward this,” she says. “People work hard, and the staff is extremely grateful. There is rejoicing, and the sentiment is that it’s the right thing to do.”

All photography – with the exception of the collage of staff photos at the end of the article – by Tom Simon. 

 

To commemorate Labor Day, WCHL’s Aaron Keck hosted a panel discussion featuring local workers whose employers are certified with us. Tammy Price from Chapel Hill Transit, Alaina Plauche from Meantime Coffee, and Ben Sellers from Ten Mothers Farm reflected on what it means to be paid a living wage. OCLW’s Susan Romaine and Andrea Cash spoke about our organization’s history and mission. Listen to the audio clips via WCHL’s website. 

And don’t forget to take part in our social media campaign this Labor Day weekend.  In a separate segment, Aaron and his husband Brad talked about their date night plans that will include stops at living wage employers like Belltree, Lantern, Epilogue, and more.

Carrboro Farmers’ Market

Between Sept. 1 and Labor Day on Sept. 5, we encourage you to show some love for Orange County’s living wage employers! Thank them for helping to create a more just and sustainable local economy that works for all! Check out our directory and make plans to spend some of your dollars with one or more businesses/organizations on our roster. Then, post to social media using our hashtag – #OrangeCountyNCLivingWage – between Sept. 1 and Sept. 5. And be sure to tag Orange County Living Wage and the employer you’re featuring!

A bit of background: While the federal minimum wage hasn’t budged from $7.25 per hour in more than 13 years, Orange County

Living Wage’s 2022 living wage is $15.85 per hour, or $14.35 per hour if the employer pays at least half the cost of health insurance. We commend the approximately 250 living wage employers currently on our roster – more than 8,500 employees work for them.

Since our nonprofit was founded in 2015, OCLW living wage employers have collectively raised wages by $2.7 million – money that is often spent right here in our backyard!

Thank you for showing your appreciation for these positive change makers in our local economy!

Meantime Coffee

 

BY ANDREA CASH 

Beau Bennett during one of his many ‘Beau Shows.’ Photo by Heba Salama Photography

When Chef Beau Bennett of Beau Catering suddenly died of an intracranial brain hemorrhage on a Friday in October of last year, his staff had to simultaneously process their devastating loss and successfully pull off three large catering events that same weekend.

“The show must go on,” says Lauren Erickson Bennett, Beau’s wife. “There is still an event, and people are looking to you. … As the caterer, you’re the backbone of the event. … You have to keep it moving along.”

Lauren gives the team credit for wanting to do well for their colleagues, for the business’ reputation, and for their clients. The team had never executed an event without Beau at the helm. She also recognizes that, through their dedication and steadfastness, they exhibited “pure love for Beau.”

Most of the staff has come on board since the onset of Covid. Lauren says that’s even more of a testament to how much they care about their work – they were relatively new to their company environment but chose to stay as the business weathered the storm.

Since Beau died at the age of 45, the business – which was launched in 2009 and is based out of the Piedmont Food Processing Center in Hillsborough – has been busier than ever. “This was a hard spring because this is the first time since Covid that it was a regular, busy wedding season plus all the things we set up during Covid – the marketplace, the drop-off meals. … We actually have sort of tripled the business,” Lauren says.

Lauren co-owns and operates a financial planning and investment management firm – working with a lot of small business owners – but wanted to keep Beau Catering open because there are 20 to 30 people at any given time relying on it for all or part of their income. “I felt like we had to give it the best we could and not shut it down,” Lauren says.

It’s also “the one place I can say Beau’s name without feeling kind of awkward,” she says. They were together for 22 years and married for 10, having met as restaurant co-workers.

Sometimes, in a given day, the staff will hold three to five tastings for clients who are planning events, and they catered two to three events each week through the busy spring wedding season, which will happen again in the fall season.

It’s no secret that the food industry is challenging, and catering brings unique obstacles as the team must set up in unfamiliar spaces and for unfamiliar audiences – during high-pressure events that often represent some of the most important hours of a client’s life. The team can only function well if everyone shows mutual respect. “In general, it’s really important to keep positivity – but not in a cheesy way,” says Lauren. “And honesty. Honesty breeds positivity. You have to hear people when they have an issue or a complaint on how something could be done differently. You have to listen and respond.”

“Everybody is expected to do anything – and they do,” Lauren says of the Beau Catering team. “And that’s why the living wage is so important.”

Payroll has consistently been the catering business’ largest expense. Lauren says it was always Beau’s goal to pay people not just a living wage but a thriving wage. (The business became an Orange County Living Wage employer in March 2019.) Staffers start at $16 per hour – 15 cents more than Orange County Living Wage’s 2022 living wage – during a probationary period. Their hourly rate quickly increases if they do well. Most on the team make $18 to $25 per hour, plus tips.

“If someone is consistently worried about money and bills and paying for the kids or whatever the personal thing is, and then you add in that you are asking them to do really challenging work, you are not going to get substantial work out of them,” Lauren says. “And they aren’t going to be positive. The morale is really important.”

Feel the Love Friday – a social media initiative – came about within a month of Beau’s death because Beau passed away on a Friday and by that Saturday, there were rumors on the Internet saying that the business had closed. Their social media team came up with the idea to keep Beau’s presence front and center in an upbeat way. Every Friday brings a positive post: about staffers preparing meals to uplift a nonprofit, about a special memory of Beau, about a team member. “It’s a way to keep Beau as part of things without being too sappy and weird,” Lauren says.

Beau, a native of Washington, North Carolina, first worked in a restaurant in his hometown, but got his first kitchen job at Crook’s Corner after taking on odd jobs, including working in the construction industry. He was trained under renowned Crook’s Corner Chef Bill Smith.

A styled shoot at Lavender Oaks Farm. Photo by Arika Jordan Photography

Lauren says that Beau thrived in chaos and loved working with his hands. His cooking philosophy centered on using as few ingredients as possible – Beau believed that the best food was also the simplest.

Beau Catering launched in 2009. The Beau Show – where Beau would speak to event crowds and describe the food as it came out – was a signature of Beau’s business and an extension of his effervescent personality. But, Lauren says, “the Beau Show was a real show, all the time.”

“Beau was the kind of person you root for twice as hard because you know he is rooting so hard for everyone else,” Hillsborough Mayor Jenn Weaver wrote in The News of Orange following Beau’s death last year. “He was the kind of person who finds genuine happiness in other people experiencing their own successes and life milestones. … This one person touched so many people’s lives in a purely positive way.”

The chef was known for his larger-than-life presence and friendly nature. And that, in so many ways, is his real legacy.

“There’s no real reason to keep the business going if it’s not going to have the same emotions and feelings and fun that was there before,” Lauren says. “There’s no reason to do it if the team isn’t making money and enjoying themselves and feeling empowered.”

Photo by John Simpson Photography

BY ROXANA BOYD | PHOTOS BY TOM SIMON

Now in its 10th year, the Morningside School has officially joined Orange County Living Wage’s roster, raising the number of child care organizations on the list to 15. Sadie Bauer (pictured above) started the preschool as a four-day program in 2012 with six children enrolled, adding extra space to her home in Carrboro to accommodate the school. Today, the school enrolls 12 children each academic year for a five-day program and has expanded further with a summer camp.

Sadie heard about Orange County Living Wage and its certification process by word of mouth. She already paid her co-teacher and assistant teacher a living wage but decided to become certified after she saw a sticker in the window of a local ophthalmologist office. 

“I just thought it would be a cool way to help further the knowledge about it,” says Sadie. “There must be lots of other people in a similar situation that maybe just need one more push or one more sign to encourage them to be aware of it.” 

The certification stickers around town also stand out to Zuzana Love, whose 4-year-old son attends The Morningside School. 

“I’ve loved living in Carrboro and Chapel Hill and seeing the living wage sticker around the businesses,” she says. “Orange County Living Wage’s work makes it more visible by highlighting the businesses that do pay a living wage.”

Sadie wants the people she works with “to be able to afford the food that works for their body, a comfortable place to live and the health care they need.” She believes a living wage reflects the humanity of the people doing the work and wants her employees to feel respected, worthy, and valued.  

‘A Magical Place’
Sadie founded The Morningside School with a focus on emergent curriculum and nature- and inquiry-based learning. This unique philosophy continues to draw her to the work today. One of the ways she and her staff kick off the school year is by diving into what their students are curious to learn.

“We work emergently with them as they become interested in bugs or friendship or animals – one year it was coffee machines,” Sadie says with a laugh. 

The teachers develop prompts, questions, and queries around the children’s interest, sparking them to learn more. Then, they add in the important skills they want to teach – communication, pre-literacy, pre-math, social skills, and the ability to cooperate and think creatively. 

Ariel Durrant, one of the teachers at Morningside, with a student.

“It’s unique in that the kids really have a lot of ownership over their own experience and their own education, and that in and of itself leads them to be more invested and more engaged,” says Sadie.

She hopes their experience at The Morningside School will lead them to be problem solvers and to understand that learning can be fun and interesting.

The school’s nature-based learning has grown over the years, particularly during the pandemic. Sadie says the children not only spend time outside but also learn how nature affects wildlife and our own experiences – our moods and our choices of activities.

“It’s a magical place,” says Zuzana. Her son was unsure about school at first after being at home for two years during the pandemic, but that hesitancy disappeared after just two days at The Morningside School. 

“I think that speaks volumes about how much he loves it,” she says. “He just blossomed into this social and curious and imaginative guy.”

Her favorite aspect of the school is the way the teachers nourish the students’ imaginations. She also notes that children are taught how to make decisions and to consider how they affect other people. 

“The teachers are just the kindest, most patient, sweetest human beings,” says Zuzana.

To learn more about The Morningside School, head to its website. 

 

Chapel Hill, NC, Aug. 1, 2022 – In recent weeks, Orange County Living Wage (OCLW) has recertified the Town of Carrboro and Town of Chapel Hill as living wage employers, and 337 workers will share a total annual wage increase of $500,000 as a result.

Carrboro’s recertification represents a total annual wage increase of $450,000 for 226 employees, while Chapel Hill’s points to a total wage increase of $50,000 for 111 employees. Both towns first became certified as living wage employers in 2016. When a business or organization is certified as a living wage employer, their certification is good for two years and then they can re-apply.

“As economic inequality worsens, we need an even stronger commitment to broadly shared economic prosperity. I’m proud to say that, by recertifying as a living wage employer, the Town of Carrboro is continuing to act according to the community’s values, set an example for other employers, and most importantly, invest in the well-being of all our employees,” said Carrboro Mayor Damon Seils.

The Town of Hillsborough, Orange County Government, and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools are also certified as living wage employers.

OCLW’s 2022 living wage for hourly workers is $15.85 an hour, or $14.35 for employers who pay at least half of employees’ health insurance costs. The nonprofit adjusts the living wage annually to keep pace with rising rents.

OCLW determines its living wage by using the widely accepted Universal Living Wage Formula based on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) standard that no more than 30% of a worker’s gross income should be devoted to housing. To calculate the wage, OCLW uses the average cost of a one-bed apartment in a four-county area including Alamance, Chatham, Durham, and Orange counties.

The 243 employers on OCLW’s current roster employ more than 8,500 employees in Orange County.

“It is important to the Town of Chapel Hill that our staff members are able to thrive both professionally and personally,” said Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger. “Providing a living wage is one way that we, as an employer, can help support the well-being of our employees and their families. It also demonstrates that we value and appreciate the jobs that our dedicated workers do for our community.”

When a business or organization certifies as a living wage employer, OCLW calculates the total amount they raised wages to meet the living wage threshold. Since 2015, that totals $2.7 million – money that is often spent in Orange County.

See Orange County Living Wage’s full directory of certified living wage employers, view postings on its living wage jobs board, or apply to become a certified living wage employer at orangecountylivingwage.org.

Our thanks to 97.9 FM WCHL for spreading the word about our recently certified living wage employers. Have a listen the short clips below to learn more about these businesses and organizations – and please support them as you can!

Spotted Dog Restaurant and Bar 

Franklin Motors Hospitality

Soltys Place

Simple Air Solutions 

Rasberry Maintenance Services 

Quantum Eye Care

B3 Coffee

Krave Kava

Pee Wee Homes

Yep Roc Records

Carrboro Farmers’ Market

Humane Homes Wildlife Removal & Prevention

Clarion Associates

Belltree Cocktail Club

SECU Family House

My Muses Card Shop

Efland Trash Services

The Morningside School 

StThomas More Catholic Parish

Notch Design

Child Care Services Association

Community School for People under Six 

H3 Plumbing & Mechanical 

Piedmont Electric Membership Cooperative

Deli Edison

Little House Playschool

The Water Specialist

Preschool of the Warm Heart

Big Spoon Roasters

Hill Country Woodworks 

Neat Freak Professional Organizing 

Strowd Roses 

New South Law Firm

Rumors

emma delon LLC

Family Reading Partners

Sonark Media 

Golden Fig Books 

Club Nova

St. Thomas More Catholic School 

Breakaway Carrboro

Swim for Charlie

Orange County Living Wage recently appeared in The Local Reporter on two occasions.

On July 1, ‘Pioneering the Living Wage in Orange County: Vimala’s Has Championed Restaurant Workers Since 1994’ was published.

An excerpt: “[Vimala] Rajendran pays her restaurant employees $20 to $25 per hour, which is on the high end of service industry salaries. However, Vimala is quick to point that everything is relative.

‘I still think it’s not enough money,’ Rajendran said. ‘That’s the point I want to make. What we call a livable wage is only possible because we also take tips.’

… For the past seven years, a local nonprofit — Orange County Living Wage (OCLW) — has been certifying and promoting employers in the county who compensate their full and part-time employees with a living wage of at least $15.85 an hour ($14.35 with employer-provided healthcare), according to the nonprofit’s website. Orange County Living Wage has certified more than 300 local employers since its inception in 2015, including Vimala’s Curryblossom Café.” 

On July 7, ‘Local Nonprofit Addresses Income Inequality by Supporting Workers’ Rights’ was published.

An excerpt: “‘Orange County Living Wage was an opportunity that offered Crystal Clear Cleaning a chance to be seen in a very professional way, as well as balancing my values and my core beliefs about work and humanity and valuing everybody’s contribution,’ said Jane Meadows, the proprietor of Crystal Clear Cleaning. ‘I wanted to be part of this organization because they elevated my business to a respectful place and gave me a chance to honor the hard-working people that are working with Crystal Cleaning.'” 

On July 7, The News & Observer published an opinion piece by Nicholas Stroud, partner at Belltree Cocktail Club in Carrboro, which became certified as one of our living wage employers in June.

Here’s an excerpt:

“For too long, service jobs have been seen as transitory or ‘less than.’ These are some of the hardest working people, tackling some of the most customer service-oriented jobs out there. It is time we paid them what they deserve for helping to make our businesses profitable. Within the service industry of Orange and Chatham counties, a tipped living wage has always been easy to earn by restaurant and bar workers because we live and work in a relatively wealthy area. But a living wage is just that: Living. It doesn’t necessarily mean you are thriving. Nor does it mean you are saving money for emergencies or future goals, especially when you factor our area’s cost of living. So, while many employers in food and beverage average out the old formula of $2.13/hour plus tips to determine whether their employees are making a living wage, we at Belltree Cocktail Club in Carrboro do not. We now pay our employees the requisite $15.85 per hour plus their tips. We do not hold back any of their tips. We hope that other food and beverage businesses will do the same.”

We appreciate the Belltree team’s desire to spread the word about the importance of paying a living wage!

Read the full piece on The N&O’s website.