Oct 6, 2025
We Serve Those Who Serve
Discounted meal packages and community catering for furloughed government employees and their families across Greater Atlanta.
Read more: We Serve Those Who ServeInnovation. Growth. Community.
Small kitchens. Big futures. from wok to workshop
Free one-on-one business help for small business owners and family-owned restaurants in Georgia, in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. Founded by the team behind General Tso's Restaurant & Catering.
- Welcome
- 欢迎
- Bienvenidos
- Chào mừng
- 환영합니다
- Bienvenue
- Karibu
- स्वागत है
- Bem-vindos
- ようこそ
Who we are
Free help for small business owners: Georgia grown
General Tso's Organization is a membership-based nonprofit for small business owners, especially family-owned restaurants and owners whose first language is not English.
Today we offer free one-on-one mentorship and modernization and AI support. Digital training workshops are starting soon, and grant help is in development.
Patrick Cheng, who leads our operations, turned a struggling Dunwoody restaurant into a high-volume catering kitchen. Now we pass on what worked.
Programs
Hands-on help: for family kitchens
Four programs for real restaurants and small businesses. Mentorship and modernization help run today, by appointment. Training workshops and grant help are on the way.
Digital Training & SEO Workshops
Starting soon. One-on-one help with Google, SEO and online ordering now. Monthly workshops are coming soon.
Grant Navigation & Application Help
In development. Help finding grants that fit and applying for them. In development now.
Restaurant Business Mentorship & Advisory
Available now. One-on-one guidance on pricing, costs, operations and growth, by appointment.
Restaurant Modernization & AI Support
Available now. Hands-on help with POS, delivery apps, SOPs, food safety and AI tools.
By the numbers
Our impact so far: and growing
We are a young nonprofit, so we count carefully. These figures are as of October 2026, and we add to them as we grow.
19,000+
Meals donated
By General Tso's, to schools, frontline workers and community groups
189
Volunteer hours
Completed so far
5
Businesses helped
Including Cajun Cooks, USA Deli, Hans Express and Wing Chef
4
Free programs
Training, grants, mentorship and tools
Figures as of October 2026. Meals are donated by our founding partner, General Tso's Restaurant & Catering.
Patrick ChengFounder
Meet Patrick Cheng
Built by an owner: for the next one
“Thousands of family-owned restaurants struggle due to outdated systems and limited access to resources. We want to change that—through mentorship, technology, and community.”
In 2020, Patrick Cheng bought a struggling Chinese restaurant in Dunwoody, Georgia. The pandemic had just closed his rental business, and he had moved his family from Chicago to Duluth for a more stable life. He knew food. He did not yet have the systems to grow.
Free courses from Verizon Small Business Digital Ready changed that. Patrick learned about AI, digital marketing, branding and operations, then put it all to work: a better POS system, loyalty programs, automated promotions and bilingual SOPs written with AI. Within a few months, average daily revenue more than doubled.
His goal is simple: build systems that scale, create jobs and lift up communities, one entrepreneur at a time. Read Patrick's story.
Patrick ChengDirector of Operations, NextGen Impact Georgia
Getting started
How it works: step by step
Free membership until 2028. Tell us about your business and we will point you to the help that fits.
Join free
Tell us about your business in a short form. Free membership until 2028 for small business owners.
Meet your mentor
We learn about your goals and set up one-on-one help with someone who knows the food business, in English, Mandarin or Cantonese.
Build your systems
Fix one thing at a time, from your POS and SOPs to your online presence. Workshops and grant help are on the way.
Grow and give back
As your business grows, pass it on. Mentor a newer owner, volunteer at an event or share your story.
Giving back
Community table: everyone eats
Food is how we show up. Our founding partner, General Tso's Restaurant & Catering, has donated meals to local schools, provided a gourmet meal for a senior prom and offered discounted meals to furloughed government employees.
Sep 27, 2025
A Taste of East Memorial Drive
An outdoor community celebration at Memorial Square in Stone Mountain, with General Tso's among the sponsors.
Read more: A Taste of East Memorial Drive
Sep 6, 2025
Seniors in Motion DeKalb County Senior Prom
A gourmet meal from General Tso's for DeKalb County seniors at The Atrium Performing Arts Center in Stone Mountain.
Read more: Seniors in Motion DeKalb County Senior Prom
In the press
Lessons from the line: in Patrick's words
What Patrick learned turning a struggling restaurant around, in his own words and with a link to each source.
“We were working harder, not smarter. We lacked systems, structure, and digital presence.”
“Everything changed after I got connected to the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready program.”
“Digital Ready gave me the roadmap I didn't know I needed. It changed how I run my business, and now I'm using those lessons to help others do the same.”
“With the right data, we're able to see what's really affecting revenue growth.”
“Without the Verizon courses, I would have been stuck.”
“Our kitchen is built for efficiency, but our vision is built for impact.”
“We believe food is more than a meal — it's comfort, connection, and hope. Together, we can make sure no one feels forgotten.”
Source: General Tso's news release, October 2025 (opens in a new tab)
“Even when the government shuts down, we don't stop serving. Many of these workers serve our communities year-round, and now it's our turn to serve them.”
Source: General Tso's news release, October 2025 (opens in a new tab)
In the news
- Verizon News
- SaportaReport
- Chinese Restaurant News
- Georgia Business Journal
- CBS42
- EIN Presswire
- Empowered Entrepreneur Magazine
- VoyageATL
- The Hype Magazine
- Atlanta Chinese Television
- Shipday
Get involved
Pull up a chair: there's room for you
Owners join free. Neighbors volunteer. Businesses partner. Everyone can give.
For owners
Join free
Free membership until 2028 for small business owners and family-owned food businesses: one-on-one help from people who know the work.
Join the network
Give your time
Volunteer
Mentor an owner, translate, coach on tech or help serve community meals.
Find a role
For organizations
Partner with us
Supporter, Partner and Champion tiers for businesses, chambers and foundations.
See the tiers
Give
Donate
Fund community meals, free one-on-one help, grant guidance and language access.
Ways to give
Who we work with
In good company: side by side
Programs, councils and platforms that are part of our story and our work.
- Verizon Small Business Digital Ready (opens in a new tab)
Free courses, mentorship, networking and grants for small businesses. Patrick Cheng took more than a dozen of its courses while rebuilding General Tso's.
- Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council (opens in a new tab)
General Tso's is certified with the GMSDC and has donated meals for its networking events. The council now goes by the Georgia Business Council.
- ezCater (opens in a new tab)
A marketplace for workplace catering. General Tso's has built a strong working relationship with ezCater.
- Fooda (opens in a new tab)
Brings local restaurant meals to workplaces. Fooda named General Tso's its "Team Player of the Year."
Become a partner
Logos are trademarks of their owners.
Free business tip
Crack one open: free advice inside
Each cookie holds a practical tip for running a small food business. No crumbs, no catch.
Questions
Good to know: before you join
What is General Tso's Organization?
General Tso's Organization is a membership-based nonprofit. We help small business owners and family-owned restaurants modernize and grow with free one-on-one mentorship and modernization help, with digital training workshops and grant help on the way.
Our registered name is NextGen Impact Georgia Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 33-2122391). You may see that name on PayPal and on donation receipts.
Read our story or explore our programs.
Is membership really free?
Yes. Small business owners get free membership until 2028. There are no dues.
Join free online.
Who can join?
Membership is for small business owners and family-owned food businesses in Georgia, such as restaurants, caterers, food trucks and bakeries.
Not sure if you qualify? Ask us. We welcome questions from any small business owner.
Can you get me a grant?
No one can promise a grant. We are building a free grant program for independent restaurant owners: help finding grants that fit your business, checking if you qualify and guidance on the application. It is in development now, and members will hear first when it opens.
Be careful with anyone who guarantees a grant in exchange for a fee.
How are you connected to General Tso's?
We were founded by Patrick Cheng and the team behind General Tso's Restaurant & Catering in Dunwoody. We are the community arm of General Tso's.
General Tso's is our founding partner. It has donated more than 19,000 meals to schools and community groups, and Patrick's experience rebuilding it shapes our programs.
Ready when you are
Your turn to grow: one owner at a time
Become a member for free and meet people who want your business to win.