BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The WNY Chapter of the New York State Restaurant Association is working to combat the workforce shortage in the restaurant industry by partnering with other organizations to recruit migrants and refugees to help address the shortage.
Organizations came together on Tuesday evening at Sahlen Field to emphasize the importance of hiring migrants and refugees who are already in the city of good neighbors.
“Diversity is the future. I mean we shouldn’t have waited this long to diversify the workplace,” says Kailey Gyorffy, vice president of WNY Chapter NYSRA. “Getting these people that have worked so hard in their countries and they’re completely overlooked by other major corporations in the area and we’d like to offer them an opportunity to show their skills and use their skills.”
The executive director of WEDI, Carolynn Welch, is one of the organizers that the WNY Chapter of the New York State Restaurant Association will be partnering with to get the ball rolling in hiring diverse employees.
“I mean we talk about all the time on how many people are missing in the hospitality industry, that we’re lacking employees in that area,” Welch says. “And it could be a good starting point for people once they get their feet on the ground.”
The president of the WNY Chapter NYSRA, Thomas Fraschella, says having an organization like WEDI to work with is vital to combat the shortage.
“Meeting Carolynn from WEDI from Downtown Bazaar, and we had the chance to meet some of their staff,” he says. “And so we decided it’s a good idea to do it."
Welch tells 7 News a key part of the West Side Bazaar is that it adds to the diversity of Western New York's workforce.
“I think when you look at Buffalo and our economy and what has really brought us up,” Welch says. “The past several years is small business, restaurants and different things that are being presented by the migrants refugees and diverse population in our cities.”
“There are many restaurant in Buffalo that are immigrant driven that people came many many years ago and established restaurants here to this day and are thriving,” Maria MacPeek, manager at Western NY Territory Association.
Click here to find out how to contact these organizations to help recruit more potential employees.
