Marlows Tavern Owners Launch Sterling Futures Foundation To Expand Decades Of Community Giving

For nearly three decades, the team behind Sterling Hospitality has funneled time, money, and volunteer power into their neighborhoods, and the company is now formalizing that mission with the launch of the Sterling Futures Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit created to deepen and expand its long-standing charitable work.

Atlanta-based Sterling Hospitality is the parent company of Marlows Tavern, the Woodall, and Sterling Culinary Management, and the announcement of the Sterling Futures Foundation marks a major milestone for a business that has always tied community support to its identity. The decision emerged after years of wanting to build a dedicated philanthropic arm.

“Since our inception, raising money for each neighborhood were a part of has been a priority,” said Sterling Hospitality CEO, co-founder, and executive chef John C. Metz. “Creating a nonprofit arm of Sterling Hospitality is something we wanted to do for years, but we lacked the know-how. At the end of last year, we said, Lets take the time to figure this out. The Sterling Futures Foundation is the result.”

The foundation will manage the companys signature charitable event, the Sterling Hospitality Golf Classic, which raised nearly $97,000 this past October and has contributed more than $1.9 million to Special Olympics Georgia over the years.

It will also guide the companys hyperlocal giving efforts, from Marlows Tavern spirit nights supporting school programs to Habitat for Humanity builds, neighborhood 5K races, and assistance for families connected to Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta. Metz and Sterling Hospitality co-founder Tom DiGiorgio will oversee the nonprofits operations while the organization searches for a full-time director.

“We work with local PTAs, parents, and coaches to raise much-needed money for each of the tavern neighborhoods,” said Kaffee Hopkins, vice-president of marketing and administrative officer. “Were the neighborhood corner bar. When neighbors come together for a fundraiser at Marlows, everybody knows each other. Its one big party. Wherever theres a need, we want to help support the neighbors that have so faithfully supported us now and for many years to come. Charitable giving is hardwired into our company culture. We love being based here and want to make sure were giving back as much as we receive from our guests.”

The Sterling Futures Foundation will also extend support to the broader hospitality community. Plans include contributing to Share Our Strengths No Kid Hungry programs in Georgia and Florida and Atlantas Giving Kitchen, which provides crisis assistance to foodservice workers. For Metz, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, the foundation also represents a chance to open doors for future chefs through mentorship and educational pathways.

The initiative carries forward a deep family legacy. Metzs father, John C. Metz Sr., helped shape the modern American restaurant landscape, including franchising the first TGI Fridays locations nationwide. John Sr. and his wife, Mary, were longtime champions of philanthropy, contributing to scholarships and community grants for decades.

“Growing up in this industry, working for my father and working in kitchens, I was inspired early,” says Metz. “My fathers passion and energy for this industry helped me discover my calling. With the Sterling Futures Foundation, we want to encourage and facilitate that same passion for the next generation. We need more passionate folks in this industry and want to create a clear path and a guiding light to help them be successful. Its a way to not only help others but also to continue my dads legacy.”