Expanding the Ripple Effect of Hope

The 1440 Helping Hands Committee is a cherished employee wellness benefit that offers paid volunteer time, allowing team members to serve the community during their scheduled work shifts — eliminating the need to choose between personal and professional commitments. Since its launch in 2022, Helping Hands has become a trusted initiative, partnering with over a dozen Santa Cruz-based nonprofits including Grey Bears, Second Harvest Food Bank, Loaves & Fishes, Common Roots Farm, Homeless Garden Project, and the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County. From assembling grocery bags to farm work, 1440 staff contribute an average of 5,000 volunteer hours annually. Helping Hands fosters deeper community connection and team camaraderie — one of the key reasons 1440 has earned recognition as a Best Place to Work.

Community support is central to everything we do at 1440 — from sourcing ingredients directly from small farms and purveyors for our kitchen, to volunteering for neighbors in need, and hosting local organizations on campus to learn skills for success. These efforts strengthen the local economy, create and sustain jobs, and foster a unique sense of place for our staff, guests, and neighbors. Our 1440 Culinary Team takes pride in cultivating grower-direct relationships that give us access to the region’s finest ingredients — an advantage few kitchens can match.

To broaden our ripple effect, 1440 Multiversity works to spotlight organizations and causes that are helping the world Live, Lead, Love, Work, and Wonder Well. We help mission-aligned partners thrive through bridging gaps in skills, knowledge, and resources – including connecting groups with community collaborators, securing funding for workshops and learning experiences, and matching available resources with organizations that need them most. These efforts empower nonprofits and changemakers to grow their impact, build capacity, and foster meaningful transformation.