Enlightening  ~ Enriching ~ Educating

In life, everyone deserves a second chance. This is what EDWINS provides to formerly incarcerated men and women -- the chance to obtain a job and career through the development of marketable skills in the culinary arts.

EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute will be a student-operated restaurant located in Cleveland, Ohio. EDWINS is a nonprofit that welcomes aspiring underprivileged and reentering adults interested in pursuing a career in the hospitality industry. The Institute offers the opportunity to gain a culinary education free of charge over six months of study. EDWINS’ focus is to help shape the understanding of food one day, one person, one city, at a time.

Your contributions will enable EDWINS to operate a self-sustaining restaurant that will be the cornerstone of the Institute. EDWINS will empower the students to apply what they have learned and be tested in a way that can only be accomplished through working in the high-pressure environment of a distinctive world-class restaurant.

Through community support, EDWINS will not only be able to inspire hope in those whom it serves, but will also give them the means to achieve their dreams.

What We Need & What You Get

EDWINS will use your donation to launch a restaurant in Cleveland this fall. The funding we raise through this campaign will go toward renovations to the restaurant space, hiring our six full-time staff members, and investing in the infrastructure of our new organization.

As tokens of gratitude for your support, EDWINS is offering a number of unique perks. These include spontaneous appetizers at EDWINS and credit on our website for those who are able to support us at the basic levels. Additionally, the first 200 people who donate $50 or more will receive an invitation to the Indiegogo Supporter Party at EDWINS in the fall.

The funding raised will enable EDWINS to purchase additional equipment and other material needed for a cutting-edge restaurant and institute (ice cream machine, blenders, Hobart Mixer, convection oven, completing the build-out of the space, flatware, silverware, signage, printing, and licensing).  

We have set a high bar for fundraising because we are passionate about the mission of this project and confident it will work in this community, but we need your help.

The Impact

ENLIGHTEN  Today in the U.S. there are 2.2 million people incarcerated, making the U.S. the world’s leader. Each year in Cuyahoga County nearly 5,000 men and women are released from prison and return home. Upon release, there are numerous barriers to individuals successfully reentering society. Personal barriers include lack of family support, legal issues, and emotional, physical or substance abuse issues. Other obstacles include the lack basic necessities such as housing, food, financial stability, employment, and transportation.

The truth is, 1 in 3 individuals will return to prison beginning a circle caused by instability. EDWINS seeks to provide an avenue that breaks the re-incarceration cycle.

ENRICH EDWINS provides hope. It offers a promising approach at giving formerly incarcerated adults the opportunity to get and keep a job in the hospitality industry. Our goal is to teach a skilled trade in the culinary arts, empower willing minds through passion for the hospitality industry, and prepare students for a successful transition into the world of business professionals.

At EDWINS, we believe that Education Wins. As a non-profit, EDWINS provides invaluable skills at no cost to students who have shown a strong desire to participate in the program. Expected to build on the Cleveland region’s strong culinary culture, the restaurant will teach culinary arts and business fundamentals.

EDUCATE EDWINS will function both as a school and as a restaurant staffed by its students under the guidance of culinary instructors. Teaching methods used at the restaurant will include coaching, mentoring, and goal-setting. Students are taught how to cook and operate many facets of the dining room. They are also educated in basic business principles such as cash flow, management, and entrepreneurship.

By teaching students business fundamentals, they have the potential of owning or operating a business in their local community. Proficiency in restaurant operations will equip students to be prepared for job placement after they complete the program. Following their completion of the program, EDWINS will work closely with the former students to find placement for them at a job that allows them to use, and further develop, the skills that they have gained while a participant.

EDWINS views the challenges of recidivism and inner city poverty as an open door to incite change. There are numerous visions to help reshape struggling neighborhoods. Partnerships for health coverage, housing, legal aid, and counseling are provided through social programs to help reentry. Through contributions from our supporters, the talents of our instructors, and the inspiring drive of our students, EDWINS will become a significant institution driving positive change in Cleveland, its neighborhoods, and its families.

EDWINS' Current Supporters

EDWINS has already received support from a number of critical partners within the Cleveland community inlcluding the following organizations:

 Other Ways You Can Help

We know that not everyone is in a position to help us with their financial support or perhaps want to do even more. Here are some additional ways for you to be involved:

• Help us spread the word about EDWINS and our vision for a stronger community. Share our page on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Talk to your neighbors, rent a blimp, whatever it takes…
• Ensure that your politicians recognize that recidivism is a solvable problem. Support programs and solutions that strengthen your communities and help to break the cycle of re-incarceration.