The Transformative Potential of Work with April Tam Smith | FaithFi
October 13, 2026
The Transformative Potential of Work with April Tam Smith
Faith & Finance with Rob West
A job can be more than a paycheck. It can provide dignity, create opportunities, and open doors for meaningful change in someone's life.
For April Tam Smith, that belief inspired an unconventional approach to generosity: creating a restaurant that serves great food while giving people who need it most a second chance.
April and her husband, Graham, are co-founders of P.S. Kitchen, a nonprofit restaurant in New York City's Times Square. Alongside a group of like-minded partners, they've built a business that combines hospitality, employment opportunities, and charitable giving.
April joined the show today to share how the restaurant began and what she's learned about using business as a vehicle for generosity.
A job can be more than a paycheck. It can provide dignity, create opportunities, and open doors for meaningful change in someone's life.
For April Tam Smith, that belief inspired an unconventional approach to generosity: creating a restaurant that serves great food while giving people who need it most a second chance.
April and her husband, Graham, are co-founders of P.S. Kitchen, a nonprofit restaurant in New York City's Times Square. Alongside a group of like-minded partners, they've built a business that combines hospitality, employment opportunities, and charitable giving.
April joined the show today to share how the restaurant began and what she's learned about using business as a vehicle for generosity.
A Vision for Generosity Beyond Money
The inspiration for P.S. Kitchen began long before the restaurant opened its doors.
Early in their marriage, April and Graham spent part of their honeymoon in Haiti, volunteering with organizations that provided hearing aids and other health services to people in need.
While that experience was meaningful, something else caught April's attention: the transformative power of employment. She remembers watching people walk into an industrial park in Haiti and noticing the dignity and purpose that came from having meaningful work.
That experience planted a seed. What if generosity could involve more than donating money? What if it could also create opportunities for people to earn a living, provide for their families, and build a better future?
April became increasingly interested in social businesses that address social problems through sustainable business models. The idea was simple but powerful: A business could generate revenue while also creating opportunities for people and communities to thrive.
When April began developing the restaurant, she had little experience in the food industry. She had spent more than two decades working in equity derivatives, and she readily admits that she wasn't even particularly passionate about food.
But she understood the kind of business she wanted to create.
The goal wasn't simply to open a restaurant that donated a portion of its earnings to charity. April wanted generosity to shape every part of the operation, from the food it served to the people it employed and how it used its profits.
P.S. Kitchen was designed as an inviting restaurant serving delicious, innovative, plant-based food. Customers could enjoy a great dining experience without necessarily knowing anything about the mission behind it.
The restaurant's name reflects that approach.
At the bottom of its menu, customers discover a series of additional messages: P.S., the restaurant employs people who may need a second chance. P.S., the menu is entirely plant-based. P.S., the profits are used to support charitable purposes.
In other words, the mission is woven into the business rather than treated as an afterthought. April, Graham, and several friends initially funded the restaurant themselves. Over time, the ownership was donated entirely to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
That's why April describes herself and Graham as co-founders rather than co-owners. They helped bring the restaurant into existence, but its purpose extends beyond their personal financial interests.
Why Location Matters
Opening a restaurant in Times Square might seem like an unusual choice for a nonprofit venture. But for April, the location was intentional.
Throughout her finance career, she built relationships with colleagues and clients who shared her desire to make a difference. Some had accompanied her on service trips to Haiti and South Africa. Others had joined her in prison ministry or helped fund schools in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Many wanted to become more involved in charitable work but struggled to find the time or opportunities.
P.S. Kitchen offered a way to connect everyday activities with meaningful impact.
Located on West 48th Street, the restaurant serves Manhattan's business community, Broadway visitors, and others exploring the city. Instead of requiring customers to participate in a separate charitable activity, the restaurant lets them support its mission simply by enjoying a meal.
It's a reminder that generosity can sometimes be integrated into the activities we're already doing.
Providing Second Chances Through Employment
While the restaurant's food and charitable giving are important, one of its most distinctive features is its employment mission. April had spent years volunteering with organizations serving people affected by human trafficking, incarceration, and other difficult circumstances.
Through those relationships, she repeatedly encountered people who wanted the same thing: an opportunity to work, provide for their families, and experience the dignity that comes with meaningful employment.
Those conversations helped shape P.S. Kitchen's hiring practices.
Rather than opening a restaurant and later searching for charitable organizations to partner with, April built the business with those organizations and the people they serve in mind.
Since opening, P.S. Kitchen has employed more than 150 individuals referred through various partner organizations. The restaurant offers something financial assistance alone cannot always provide: an opportunity to participate, contribute, and move forward.
For April, that reflects a more comprehensive understanding of generosity. Meeting an immediate financial need matters, but creating opportunities for lasting change can be equally significant.
Building Something Bigger Than Yourself
Creating a mission-driven business hasn't been easy.
April describes the early years as a tremendous learning experience. Neither she nor Graham came from the restaurant industry, and they had to navigate the challenges of operating a business in one of the country's most competitive markets.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought particularly difficult decisions. As restaurants throughout New York City closed, P.S. Kitchen faced enormous financial and operational pressures.
At times, closing might have seemed like the most practical option. Yet April credits their community's generosity and encouragement with helping the restaurant continue. Friends, supporters, and partners came alongside them in ways they couldn't have anticipated when they first began.
For others considering a mission-driven business, April emphasizes the importance of prayer, thoughtful preparation, and recognizing they don't have to do it alone. Her experience has taught her that a meaningful vision can invite others to participate, bringing their own resources, relationships, and abilities to the work.
Stewardship Is About More Than Money
The story of P.S. Kitchen challenges us to broaden our understanding of generosity.
We often think about giving primarily in financial terms. Financial giving is certainly an important expression of biblical stewardship, but God has entrusted us with far more than money.
He's also given us time, relationships, skills, experience, and opportunities to serve others. 1 Peter 4:10 reminds believers, "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."
For some, that might mean starting a business that creates opportunities for others. For others, it might mean mentoring a coworker, helping someone develop professional skills, or using existing relationships to connect people with meaningful employment.
Not every business needs to operate as a nonprofit to make a meaningful difference. Employers and employees alike can serve others through how they conduct their work.
P.S. Kitchen offers one example of what can happen when people view their resources and opportunities through the lens of stewardship rather than personal gain alone.
Ultimately, generosity isn't limited to what we're willing to give away. It can also shape what we're willing to create, share, and make possible for others.
And sometimes, one of the most meaningful gifts we can offer someone isn't simply financial assistance. It's the opportunity to work, contribute, and experience the dignity that comes with being needed.
On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:
My employer is ending its pension plan, and I can roll it into my 403(b), take a lump sum, or choose an annuity. I’m 56 and still working. Should I take a lump sum to pay down debt or roll it into my 403(b)?
Can I use a donor-advised fund to support a specific person going on my church’s short-term mission trip, or must the gift go to the church’s general missions fund? And can I tell the church I hope the gift supports a particular trip?
Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
