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
Humane Homes Wildlife Removal & Prevention
St. Thomas More Catholic Parish
Child Care Services Association
Community School for People under Six
Piedmont Electric Membership Cooperative
Neat Freak Professional Organizing
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.
Rebecca Scothorn (Market Ambassador), Nandini Singh (UNC MPH Practicum Student), Maggie Funkhouser (Market Manager), Laura Perez (Market Assistant Manager). Photo by Tom Simon.
BY ROXANA BOYD
Kellogg’s Breakfast, Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, and Super Sweet 100. On Saturday, July 9, from 8:30 a.m. and until noon, these tomato varieties and dozens more will be on full display during the Carrboro Farmers’ Market Tomato Day. The annual event returns to Carrboro Town Commons for the first time since 2019, after pausing for safety reasons during the pandemic.
Tomato Day draws upward of 6,000 people, making it the Market’s biggest day of the year.
“Tomatoes are a big deal around here,” says Maggie Funkhouser, the Market’s manager, with a laugh. “They’re big enough for us to have a day dedicated to them.”
This year, in addition to the traditional tastings, visitors can taste tomato flights to sample the many varieties. The event will also feature live music, recipes, and special merchandise like Tomato Day shirts and posters. Ricky Moore of Durham’s Saltbox Seafood Joint – who won the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast just a few weeks ago – will serve tasting portions of chilled yellow tomato soup with summer garden garnishes. “This is sort a homecoming for me,” he recently posted on social media, “because when I move here 14 years [ago] I worked in Carrboro and I spent a lot of time at the market and bonded with many of the farmers during that time.”
The farmers not only sell their tomatoes but share their knowledge and recommendations with customers, whether they have a recipe in mind or are searching for inspiration.
“It’s really beautiful in that way,” says Maggie. “It’s a wonderful chance to learn about this special fruit, special vegetable, and the farmers that just adore it and really put a lot of love into growing them every year.”
The farmer-customer relationship sets Carrboro Farmers’ Market apart, even on normal market days. Owners must be present during market hours for a certain number of weeks, giving customers a great sense of respect and trust when it comes to the products and where they come from, Maggie says.
“It’s a point of pride to be able to offer it, but it also is an expression of gratitude,” says Maggie. “It’s a way to appreciate staff members who work really hard and are really good at what they do.”
She and two other part-time staff members work as a team and rely on support from interns, students, the Market’s Board, volunteers, and the community at large.
“We have a really small team, but we do really big things, and we all wear a lot of hats,” she says. Managing the market, communicating with vendors, posting to social media, and writing grants – they do it all.
Maggie learned about the Orange County Living Wage certification program through living wage employers in the community – market vendors, restaurants, and others, including the Town of Carrboro.
“We have a really wonderful relationship [with the Town of Carrboro], and there’s a lot of mutual support,” she says. “Certainly, them being living wage certified is a hugely impactful thing, and it affected me.”
Two of the Market’s vendors are living wage certified – Chapel Hill Creamery and Short Winter Soups.
Flo Hawley of Chapel Hill Creamery. Photo by Tom Simon.
Flo Hawley, owner of Chapel Hill Creamery, wants her employees to be happy. “We want to be fair. We know that things in this area are good for sales, but it’s also expensive to live here, and housing is always an issue,” she says.
“[A living wage] means I can hold down just one job,” says Allana Frost, who works for Short Winter Soups. “I live with a partner, and together we can afford a mortgage and food and take care of ourselves.”
A living wage helps recruit and retain employees during a time when staffing seems to be difficult for everyone, says Flo. She believes her employees stick around because they enjoy local food and working with their hands.
Alanna Frost, kitchen manager at Short Winter Soups, helps customers at a recent market. Photo by Tom Simon.
The importance of local food came into clear view in the last few years, when the pandemic exposed a fragile food system and supply chain, Maggie says.
“We all acknowledge that we need to work together towards a stronger, more resilient local food system,” she says.
Shoppers found empty shelves at grocery stores, but the Carrboro Farmers’ Market could offer those products every single week, Maggie says.
“There’s a real symbiosis in Carrboro,” she says. “We have such a wonderful robust farmers’ market, and we have restaurants that are really interested in featuring local food.”
Justin Ellis, School of Rock general manager/music director. (Photo by Tom Simon)
BY ROXANA BOYD
This month, School of Rock in Chapel Hill celebrated five years of music lessons and programs for youth and adults. With more than 300 locations worldwide, including seven in North Carolina, the School of Rock name may sound familiar, but the Chapel Hill franchise carries its own unique feel and takes pride in being an Orange County Living Wage employer.
David Joseph opened School of Rock in 2017 after finding a perfectly situated and special location – the diner on Fordham Boulevard, where he used to eat with his family. While Joseph kept some of the original character like the booths and stools, the exterior lights give it “just a smidge of Vegas,” he says.
The hallways inside are covered with dozens of colorful posters of student shows and album covers, photos of music instructors and students celebrating birthdays and achievements, and a framed living wage employer certificate.
From the beginning, Joseph wanted to attract and retain quality employees who felt appreciated. He also recognized that truly happy employees create a positive environment for students. For employees who want to make music their career, Joseph wants to make that possible for them by paying a living wage.
“People are going to choose their life path,” says Joseph. “But if they’re going to be here in Chapel Hill and they do music, I’d love for them to come hang out with us.”
Justin Ellis, one of School of Rock’s 21 employees, started in 2018 as an instructor for bass, drums, and voice but gradually took on more responsibilities. In 2020, he became the music director.
Two weeks ago, Ellis was promoted to general manager/music director.
“To work for a place that I so desperately wish existed when I was growing up is the coolest thing,” says Ellis. “I definitely have the best job in the world.”
Ellis reflected on his years working in the service industry before joining School of Rock. As an independent musician, he supplemented his income with jobs in restaurants, movie theaters, and warehouses – he thought a living wage workplace was not an option.
“It was conditioned to me that getting two dollars an hour plus tips was what you had to do if you wanted to play music,” he says.
School of Rock’s living wage “signals to our people that we’re doing what we can to take care of them and make it a fun and attractive place to work,” Ellis says. “I think based on our growth and the roster of instructors we have now, it’s definitely working.”
Photo courtesy of School of Rock Chapel Hill
Of the 280 students who take weekly music lessons at School of Rock in Chapel Hill, roughly half also participate in a group program, such as Rock 101, Rock 201, and Performance. These students sign up for a theme, spend four months learning the songs, and finish with a show.
On June 26 from noon until 5 pm, Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro will showcase several School of Rock student performances – a mid-season preview show. A $10 donation at the door is suggested and appreciated.
“The whole point of School of Rock is teaching people how to play together as a band and getting them on stage and in front of an audience because that’s where the magic happens,” says Joseph. “I’ve heard from many, many parents that the kid wouldn’t get out of bed for anything, but when it’s School of Rock day, it’s, ‘Come on Mom. Hurry up. It’s time. We’re gonna be late.’”
Photo courtesy of School of Rock Chapel Hill
School of Rock’s popular summer camps for youth are beginning to sell out, but openings remain for two of the camps, including a songwriting camp in August. Ellis enjoys teaching this camp, as he finds he learns more about students through their writing than when they play “Back in Black” by AC/DC on the guitar, for example.
“You see a whole other side of the kids that you just don’t see when you’re drilling ‘Back in Black,’” he says. “I love to drill ‘Back in Black.’ Don’t get me wrong. But getting to know these kids as creative people is definitely one of my absolute favorite things about the camp and the job in general.”
The Meantime Coffee Co., located in the campus Y at UNC-Chapel Hill, reinvests the majority of its profits in student scholarships and grants. CEO Carson Moore explains that this philosophy applies to its employees as well. “Everybody that works here is a student with high costs of living and tuition. We want to make sure that we’re giving back to them as well so Orange County Living Wage provided the expertise as to what constitutes a living wage specifically in our area. We feel very fortunate to be able to pay our employees that living wage.”
Caption for the photo of employees, left to right: Carson Moore, Helena Rudolph, Noreen Mansoor, and Josie Fulton.
Photos by Tom Simon
Orange County Living Wage is happy to announce that ClearWind Farm is now a living wage employer.
The 200-acre farm is located 15 minutes west of Chapel Hill and offers equine-assisted psychotherapy, learning workshops, horseback riding lessons, and yoga. Clearwind Farm was founded in 2000 by Suzanne and Matt Case.
For more information, go to clearwindfarm.com. For a list of all of Orange County’s certified living wage employers, click here.
Listen as WCHL shares the news of ClearWind Farm’s living wage certification!
Orange County Living Wage is happy to announce that Ten Mothers Farm is now a living wage employer. Ten Mothers Farm is a small farm in Cedar Grove growing organic, nutrient-dense vegetables for a CSA and local restaurants. The farm was founded by Gordon Jenkins and Vera Fabian in 2016.
“The Ten Mothers Farm crew is an incredible team,” says Vera. “Together, we get a lot of work done and grow a lot of food. Making sure that every member of the team makes a living wage shows that everyone is valued and helps them meet the cost of their basic necessities. Farming is hard work and skilled work, and farmers deserve to earn a living wage. Paying a living wage means our farmers have stable, year-round jobs and can stick around longer than one season, which makes our business more resilient. Skilled long-term farmers make for better vegetables and better service for our CSA customers. It’s taken us a number of years to get to this point, but it feels really good to finally be here, and we believe it’s a win-win situation for all of us.”
For more information, go to tenmothersfarm.com.
For a list of all of Orange County’s certified living wage employers, click here.
Listen as WCHL shares the news of Ten Mothers Farm’s living wage certification!
Orange County Living Wage is pleased to announce that New Vista Development has certified as a living wage employer.
New Vista Development is a boutique custom home design and building company based in Chapel Hill. They work in Orange, Chatham, and Durham counties. Their success is driven by Kurt Mueller’s enjoyment of the design process. He works with clients collaboratively and is committed to listening, understanding, and respecting their needs and wishes in order to deliver the home of their dreams.
Listen as WCHL shares the news of New Vista Development’s living wage certification!
Orange County Living Wage is pleased to announce that Well has certified as a living wage employer.
Located on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, Well is a health tech startup offering on-demand health guides and habit-forming journeys.
Well’s concierge health team delivers easy-to-understand explanations, health guidance, and active assistance — live and on-demand. This is not one size fits all. For every member, they deliver proactive health insights that are data-driven, timely, and personalized.
For more information, head to well.co.
Listen as WCHL shares the news of Well’s living wage certification!