Shef Opens its Platform to Afghan Refugees

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Shef, an online marketplace that enables people to sell homemade food in their local communities, announced today that it has opened its platform to Afghan refugees resettling in America. Shef will waive all fees associated with being a cook on the platform and provide additional resources and support services so that refugees can gain access to a steady income as soon as possible.

"We originally started Shef with the goal of helping new immigrants and refugees make ends meet. The platform was inspired by our parents, who struggled to rebuild from scratch when they immigrated here," said Alvin Salehi, co-founder of Shef. "What's happening right now is unfathomable. We're committed to doing whatever we can to help."

In addition to waiving fees, Shef will set aside $3,500 per refugee to help pay for cooking supplies, food safety training, and marketing for their new businesses. Afghan applicants will not be required to register on Shef's 16,000 person waitlist; rather, they will be onboarded as part of a separate, expedited application process. Shef will offer support services in Dari to help refugees make their way through the onboarding process and begin earning money as soon as possible.

Shef is also mobilizing its customers to help. It has launched a donation program in partnership with Women for Women International -- a nonprofit humanitarian organization that provides support to female survivors of war -- for customers to donate directly to relief efforts in Afghanistan and contribute to emergency support services for refugees. Furthermore, Shef will partner with local chapters of the Afghan Coalition to donate homemade meals directly to refugee families.

For more information or to donate to relief efforts through the platform, visit www.shef.com

About Shef
Shef is a platform that enables cooks to sell homemade meals to their local communities. Founded in 2019 by first-generation Americans Alvin Salehi and Joey Grassia, Shef aims to create opportunities for anyone to make a meaningful income from home. Shef is currently available in several markets across the United States, including San Francisco, New York, Seattle, Chicago, Houston, Austin and Boston. To order food from a local shef in your area, or for more information on how to become a shef, visit www.shef.com.

SOURCE Shef