SLO County restaurants band together to give medical workers free meals
About 20 businesses in San Luis Obispo County, most of them restaurants, have formed a GoFundMe coalition to feed frontline medical workers.
The group consists of several eateries in downtown San Luis Obispo, such as Big Sky Cafe, Novo Restaurant & Lounge and Sidecar Cocktail Co., as well restaurants in other parts of the county, including Scotty’s in Pismo Beach, Poke Morro in Arroyo Grande and The Hatch Rotisserie & Bar in Paso Robles.
The businesses aim to raise $50,000, to provide regular meals, as well as other food and drinks, to healthcare workers at hospitals, senior care facilities, veterans clinics and urgent care centers.
So far, the coalition has raised more than $27,000 and provided hundreds of free meals to workers such as doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers and janitorial staff.
The Feeding SLO Frontliners fundraising campaign is the brainchild of Maggie Cameron, proprietor of The Hatch, and Samantha Welch, director of front-of-house operations at Blue Mango Restaurant Management Services. The company operates Novo, Mint + Craft and Luna Red in San Luis Obispo as well as Robin’s in Cambria.
A vendor told Cameron and Welch about a similar fundraiser taking place in San Francisco and New York.
They initially considered helping the causes in those cities, but thought a local benefit could work best to encourage San Luis Obispo County eateries to join in.
“When we started exploring this idea, we knew we could mobilize businesses to participate if the money went back into the community,” Welch said. “We wanted to help support local restaurants and help support frontline workers. A $20 donation will feed at least one frontline worker.”
Online fundraiser to feed medical workers
The GoFundMe campaign, which started on March 25, works to help feed medical staffers who are contending with stressful jobs during the coronavirus pandemic.
The organizers place orders with the participating businesses, which then prepare the meals that are delivered to medical workers including paramedics and medical first responders.
One day, the coalition served a total of 430 meals to staffers at French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, Welch said, with plans to do it again in the future.
“We have sent three night shift meals (75 meals each) over to (Arroyo Grande) Community Hospital, in hopes to cover as many shifts/personnel as possible,” Welch added. “We are sending two lunches in to the SLO Veterans clinic for their staff.”
In addition to 750 meals delivered last week, the coalition plans to distribute 650 meals this week and next week, Welch said.
Welch said that one of the considerations is ensuring the staff is getting food that has been prepared in a sanitary way and is labeled for any dietary restrictions — such as gluten free or vegetarian.
“Employees wear gloves and masks when they make the meals,” Welch said. “They mark the meals with ingredients labels. We want to make sure the workers are aware of how the food was prepared and what’s in it.”
Welch also said the restaurants are using ingredients from local sources as much as possible, such as San Luis Obispo County grain and produce growers, to help support those businesses.
Matt Pearce, owner of Old San Luis BBQ in San Luis Obispo, said that he wanted to participate to give back.
“This is a really good cause and it helps us to sustain our business through community involvement and keeping our staff employed,” Pearce said. “We’re really trying to be involved in the community, give back and stay in touch with people.”
SLO County restaurants, businesses
According to Welch, new businesses are signing up each week to take part in the coalition.
Businesses involved in the GoFundMe campaign include Poke Morro in Arroyo Grande, Surfside Deli in Grover Beach, Pismo Fish n Chips and Cape Cod Eatery in Pismo Beach and Il Cortile, La Cosecha and Justin Winery in Paso Robles, as well as San Luis Obispo County-based Amy and Jaime’s Veggie Pod.
Participating San Luis Obispo restaurants include Black Sheep, Flour House, SLO Brew and Trumpet Vine Catering in San Luis Obispo.
FARMStead Ed in Paso Robles and Croma Vera winery and Ambiance clothing store in San Luis Obispo have also participated with donations and discounts.
To donate, go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/feeding-SLO-frontliners.
This story was originally published April 30, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
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