Meals4Heroes, a 4-week old nonprofit based in New York City, is providing free meals and an abundance of hope to underserved hospitals in one of the most affected parts of the US. With COVID-19 sweeping across the globe, hospitals are ground zero of this “invisible battle” and struggling to find masks, unused capacity and nutritious meals - Meals4Heroes is filling this gap while also boosting the local restaurant economy in the NYC area.
Spoon HQ spoke with Joel Weingarten and Anna Azvolinsky, co-founders (along with Ryall Carroll) of Meals4Heroes, to find out about their organization and ways all people can help, even from their bedrooms.
1. Can you give an overview of what Meals4Heroes does and how the original idea was born?
Anna: Four weeks ago now, I was stuck at home and organizing my pantry when I found a box of seven N95 masks that I got from a pediatrician. I got in touch with a local parent group and donated the masks to Mount Sinai West hospital.
I wanted to do more to help, and everyone at the hospital said “We need meals.” So we started Meals4Heroes on Sunday, March 29 and sent out initial inquiries for donations. Joel and Ryall built the website and I blasted it on parent groups and social media - we sent out the first 90 meals the next day on March 30.
Joel: 100% of Meals4Heroes donations go to paying local restaurants to deliver hot and nutritious food like protein and veggie bowls to hospitals working directly with COVID-19 patients. We partner with family-owned restaurants who deliver all the meals themselves - we average about 500 meals per day now!
The hospital staff are working longer shifts, 16-20 hours and sometimes 24 hours straight, so they need nutritious meals to sustain them. We are also a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit.
2. What’s the process for choosing which local restaurants to partner with?
Anna: Our requirements are that the restaurant is 1) near an underserved hospital, 2) open for deliveries, 3) and able to execute large orders every day (~200 meals). We choose a variety of foods and focus on healthier nutritious options (no burritos or burgers!). We have 34 deliveries planned out for this week alone and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
3. What are some restaurants you’ve worked with?
Anna: Thai Sliders, a family-owned Thai restaurant in downtown Manhattan, Benno an amazing Italian restaurant and Harlem Burger Company, who made fillet mignon beef stew for us! We always make sure to send vegetarian options as well.
To see a full list of restaurants partnered with, check out the Meals4Heroes website.
4. What areas in New York City are you providing meals to?
Anna: We specifically focus on hospitals in underserved areas like Queens, the Bronx and Brooklyn - these areas are getting hit hardest by economic effects and COVID-19 at the same time. A lot of bodegas and cafes around these hospitals are also closed too. Healthcare workers relied on them so it’s almost impossible for them to find food during these intense shifts. They are risking their lives, and we’re getting daily messages from doctors and nurses asking for our help.
5. How can college students help local businesses while they’re in quarantine?
Anna: The easiest thing is to order food from local restaurants, not national chains. Support local restaurants because you want them to be in business when this is all over.
Joel: You can make donations that support a medical food order and honestly, just sheltering in place. By flattening the curve, we can end this sooner and have a higher probability that local restaurants will come back.
6. How can people get involved with Meals4Heroes?
Joel: We need volunteers! Go to our website, Meals4Heroes.org, and fill out the form on the bottom. People have really gone out their way to help us and volunteer - especially since we’re all isolated now, to have this community we’ve built has been uplifting for Anna and me.
You can also get involved by helping with donations and sharing Meals4Heroes on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. You can donate any amount you want - every donation means one more person you’re helping in the medical community. You’re letting them know the local community is behind them. 100% of our proceeds go to support local restaurants that provide hot meals to our healthcare professionals.
“These are extraordinary times... above and beyond their call of duty [for healthcare workers]. Thanking them this way is such a morale boost.” - Joel
Thanks to Meals4Heroes for chatting with Spoon HQ and giving hope (and delicious food) to thousands of workers. You are truly making an impact on society!