A sudden move in 2022 closed the Garnet Cafe for about six weeks.

In 2024, an electrical fire shut down the Coeur d'Alene restaurant for 10 months.

As anyone in food service knows, a closed door means no customers, and no customers means no income.

It's emergencies like these that led to the formation of CDAIDE.

"The first time we would have utilized CDAIDE was when we were closed for the move," Garnet Cafe manager Freya Von Till said Thursday. "The move was last minute and pretty unexpected."

A nonprofit that offers resources, connections and hope for those who work in the service and hospitality industries in the Coeur d'Alene area, CDAIDE's motto is "serving those who serve." Workers in those service roles often don't have safety nets such as insurance benefits, paid sick time or parental leave when a new baby arrives.

When Garnet employees were out of work for close to a year, CDAIDE kept them afloat.

"It was a huge help for back-of-house staff; a lot of those guys already live paycheck to paycheck," said Von Till, whose mom, Kristin Von Till, owns the Garnet.

"We had no really good timeline," Freya said. "When the fire first happened, we thought we’d be closed for a week."

According to Idaho Code, the state's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, which aligns with the federal minimum wage. Idaho's minimum wage for a tipped employee is $3.35 per hour.

Kristin Von Till said her employees are always paid more than minimum wage.

"We realize that training people takes time and costs money," she said. "We want our people to stay, so we push our pay scale as high as we can accommodate."

She said a lot of people want to put it back on restaurants and expect them to pay their employees more, but if employees are paid more, then customers would be charged more to maintain an already low bottom line.

"In a perfect world, it would be great if servers could make more money," Kristin said. "As much as we would love to be able to give that extra support, there's only so much we can do, especially during slow season."

Hours and tips are great in service and hospitality jobs during peak times of the year, mainly summer's robust tourist season.

"We live in a resort town where for part of the year we have a lot of part-time or temporary residents," said Kristin, who also works as a managing broker for Sotheby's International Realty.

The tourism boom brings a lot of money and business to the area, which benefits the region from real estate and economic perspectives, she said.

"But there still is a small town underneath all that where we all work together," Kristin said. "It can be really difficult for people in the food service industry, but also for people who change our tires, cut our hair and clean our houses.

"We have to live here too."

When something unexpected happens, such as a medical emergency or a fire at one's place of employment, things quickly go south. Having a resource like CDAIDE is remarkable, Kristin said.

"It keeps people from becoming homeless," she said.

CDAIDE support ranges from financial aid for urgent needs and access to health care to connection to community resources, mentoring and other measures to meet individuals' needs.

One must be referred by a sponsor, such as a supervisor or coworker, to be considered for assistance. Referral areas include housing, transportation, addiction, job readiness, counseling, medical and dental care and support for families with kids.

In 2025, CDAIDE helped more than 150 local hospitality workers and their families navigate financial crises.

“When we support a hospitality worker, we’re not just helping one person — we’re stabilizing a household, a workplace and the local economy they’re part of," said Jason Nye, CDAIDE's executive director. "These are the people who serve our meals, welcome our visitors and keep Coeur d’Alene running. When they face a crisis, it impacts all of us.” 

CDAIDE holds two big events a year, the Care Affair and the Chef Challenge, to raise funds to continue to support North Idaho's growing number of service workers.

The eighth annual Care Affair will be at 5 p.m. on April 16 at The Coeur d'Alene Resort. The evening will feature live music, a no-host bar, appetizers by four featured local chefs, a Pan-Asian-themed buffet dinner created by Sysco’s top chefs, auctions and a paddle raise to support CDAIDE's mission. Tickets are $75 and include appetizers, dinner, dessert, a champagne toast and a complimentary beverage. 

“Events like the Care Affair directly fund the services that keep local families afloat during their hardest moments," Nye said. “Every ticket purchased is more than a night out. It’s rent paid, a car repaired or a medical bill covered for someone right here in our community.” 

Tickets and donation info: cdaide.org

    Kyle Johnston prepares a plate for service Friday morning at the Garnet Cafe in Coeur d'Alene. The Garnet is among local restaurants and hospitality businesses that have used CDAIDE's services, a nonprofit that provides emergency support for service workers in need.
  

    Longtime Garnet Cafe patron Jerry Moss of Dalton Gardens is thoroughly enjoying his meal and bringing a smile to server Lorie Nell's face Friday morning in the Coeur d'Alene restaurant.