Matt Haley Companies awards grants to employees/teachers
School buses are a familiar sight on Route 1, and teachers who also work for the Matt Haley Companies are back in the classroom. For 15 of these teachers, the start of this school year is different. MHC recently began giving out $500 grants to teachers who also work for the Rehoboth Beach-based hospitality company, which has eight Delaware restaurants. Recipients can use the funds to buy classroom supplies.
“To our knowledge, this is one of the first programs of its kind in the state,” said Scott Kammerer, president and CEO of the Matt Haley Companies. “We have so many amazing teachers who work with us in the summer and throughout the year. We know that it’s challenging for many parents to buy essential supplies, and we couldn’t in good conscience sit back and let teachers spend money out of their pockets.”
The program hits home for Mike Dickinson, director of operations for MHC. He was raised by two teachers. “I remember my mom and dad shopping for classroom supplies every week, after we finished grocery shopping,” he said. “I’m so proud to be part of a company and organization that leverages our business for the betterment of the community.”
Any teacher in good standing who is currently employed by MHC or available for rehire is eligible. MHC founder Matt Haley, who passed away in August, developed the program. “We’re upholding this program not only because Matt was very passionate about it but because we are equally concerned about our children’s education,” Kammerer said. “The Matt Haley Companies remains committed to helping children and those in need.”
Delaware chef and entrepreneur Matt Haley, a Washington, D.C. native, in 2014 received the James Beard Foundation’s 2014 Humanitarian of the Year Award, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s Cornerstone Humanitarian Award and the International Association of Culinary Professionals’ National Humanitarian Award. He passed away in August 2014 from injuries sustained during a motorcycle accident in India. Haley was on a humanitarian mission in India and Nepal.
The Matt Haley Companies’ restaurants, operating under the SoDel Concepts umbrella, include Fish On in Lewes; Lupo di Mare and Papa Grande’s Coastal Taqueria in Rehoboth; Matt’s Fish Camp and Bluecoast Seafood Grill in Bethany Beach; Northeast Seafood Kitchen in Ocean View; and Catch 54 and the first Papa Grande’s in Fenwick Island.
The Matt Haley Companies also includes Plate Catering; Highwater Management, a hospitality management firm; and Haley/Kammerer, a hospitality consulting business. The Global Delaware Fund, a nonprofit, helps children and people in Delaware and across the globe. Many of the fund’s efforts address hunger and sustainability. Haley was also actively involved in Conti di San Bonifacio in Italy, which has a winery, an olive oil division and a hotel/restaurant.
For more information, go to www.matthaleycompanies.com.
