When did the James Beard Foundation become involved with WSCF?

The James Beard Foundation became involved with the West Side Community Fund (WSCF) in 2024 as part of a special grant cycle focused on supporting food and beverage entrepreneurship and food access projects. Our link to WSCF was through Jamestown LP, with whom we have a longstanding relationship of over a decade, whose President Michael Phillips is Vice Chair Emeritus of our Board of Trustees. Our participation in the 2024 grant cycle, and again in the 2025 grant cycle, reflects our commitment to uplifting local initiatives that address food security and economic empowerment in the West Side communities of Manhattan, especially given our historical tie to this neighborhood through the James Beard House and now Platform by JBF at Pier 57.

How are JBF's philanthropy goals aligned with WSCF’s mission?

The mission alignment between the James Beard Foundation (JBF) and the West Side Community Fund (WSCF) is rooted in a shared belief in the transformative power of food to nourish, empower, and connect communities. JBF’s mission is to celebrate, support, and elevate the people behind America’s food culture, championing a standard of Good Food for Good® that is anchored in talent, equity, and sustainability. This vision recognizes food not only as sustenance, but as a vital form of cultural expression and a driver of economic opportunity.

Through its partnership with WSCF, JBF is advancing these values by supporting local projects that address food security, entrepreneurship, and access—key pillars in building resilient and vibrant neighborhoods. We are proud to align with WSCF’s powerful grantmaking, which directly uplifts organizations that use food to foster community health, provide culturally relevant nourishment, and create pathways for small business growth and workforce development. By investing in food-based entrepreneurship and access initiatives, both organizations help ensure that food serves as a bridge: nourishing bodies, giving voice to diverse stories and traditions, and opening doors to economic empowerment for under-resourced residents.

In your opinion, what is the most important work that WSCF does?

WSCF invests directly in the West Side community and its human potential, strengthening the social and economic fabric of Manhattan’s West Side—this is the most important aspect of what WSCF does, that it’s very much “people first.” Whatever the catalyst—whether it’s food, physical fitness, access to the arts, or something else, WSCF recognizes that positive change, creative expression, and community resilience comes about because people are inspired and supported in their wellness and aspirations.

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About West Side Community Fund 

West Side Community Fund (WSCF) is a consortium of leading businesses and firms that come together to support neighborhood initiatives in the west side of Manhattan. Through a bi-annual grant program, WSCF supports initiatives that deliver improved or expanded services to residents along the West Side, particularly underserved populations. For more information, visit westsidecommunityfund.org.

About James Beard Foundation

The James Beard Foundation believes in a vibrant, equitable, and sustainable independent restaurant industry that stands as a cornerstone of American culture, community, and economy — and drives towards a better food system. For more information, visit jamesbeard.org.