The owner of Wimberley Café says three service workers have been financially helped in the month since the program launched.
WIMBERLEY, Texas — A Central Texas couple is making sure service workers in Wimberley have a safety net when times get tough.
Jay Bachman and Jen Bachman, who run the Wimberley Café, have established the Service Industry Relief Fund to provide direct financial support to service industry employees facing unexpected hardship.
The initiative launched last month and is open to restaurant, hospitality and other frontline workers who live and/or work in the Wimberley area.
“We wanna make sure that Wimberley is not only a great place to live but a great place to work,” Jay Bachman said. “We wanna encourage employees who work in Wimberley–especially in the service industry– to reach out and to not unnecessarily suffer when unexpected things happen.”
Jay Bachman said the service industry is the third biggest employer in town, other than the school district and the local grocery store.
Employing 85 to 100 workers at both of his businesses, he says there are plenty of service-facing people working to bring a smile to customer’s faces, who could be going through something behind the scenes.
Jay Bachman said the fund is like a security blanket for employees to fall back on in unforeseen circumstances, whether they’re struggling with a flat tire or an unexpected medical emergency.
“We’ve personally had a couple of guys who ride bicycles to work who’ve been in unavoidable accidents on their way to or from work. Which, you know, you’ve got injuries and hospital bills on top of that,” he said. “Not all of us have that built-in support group. I wanna build a longer table, and feed more people and be able to serve this community the very best way that I can.”
The fund is fueled by donations from other local business owners, customers and residents, with 100% of contributions going directly to those in need.
Applicants are required to show proof of need and connection to the local service industry. The Bachmans said the process is designed to be straightforward and confidential.
The couple said they’ve already helped three people with the money donated in the last four weeks.
“We’ve always believed in looking out for one another,” Jay Bachman said. “This fund is just another way to make sure no one is left behind.
Donations can be made at the Wimberley Café or online. Service workers seeking help can apply through the café or its website, or by calling 512-847-3333.