An initiative launched just a week ago is taking on two pressing causes Vancouver faces amidst the COVID-19 crisis: Keeping our busy doctors, nurses, and staff at hospitals fed and supporting local restaurants.
Called Feed the Frontline, the GoFundMe campaign was launched by Christoph Barrow and Michael Tran who run Pacific Poke with the help of Andrea Ng at Glo Media.
Their goal is pretty straight forward: "We started this campaign to rally around the tireless ICU and Emergency front line workers who put themselves at risk daily during this Covid-19 Crisis. In speaking with people in the medical world they are working around the clock fighting for the lives of the ones we love. We want to give back to them with daily meals that are both nutrient-rich but also delicious from our favourite local restaurants that are struggling to keep their own business running during this unprecedented time in history."
Every $50 raised buys 10 meals from Metro Vancouver restaurants, and 100% of the money donated goes to buying the food.
Funds collected are used to purchase over 200 meals daily, for all shifts, supplied to healthcare workers across Metro Vancouver.
As of Wednesday night, Feed the Frontline has raised over $35,000 of their current $75,000 goal.
Right now Feed the Frontline is delivering food to Vancouver General Hospital, St. Paul's Hospital, and the Lynn Valley Care Centre.
They've worked with a ton of restaurants across the city. For example, 80 banh mi sandwiches from Richmond's Banh Mi Tres Bon went to night shift workers at St. Paul's and VGH last night, while earlier that day 100 breakfast wraps and coffee from West Vancouver's The Anchor Eatery went to those facilities, too.
Other restaurants that have been dishing up meals for Feed the Frontline include Heritage Asian Eatery, OEB Breakfast Co., Pacific Poke, Rocky Mountain Flatbread, Mucho Burrito on Davie, and Biercraft Bistro.
And, as Feed the Frontline suggests, if you can't personally afford a donation, you can still share stories about them on your social media, in the hopes you can reach anyone who can help out.
"Now more than ever before, it is crucial we all come together as a community to get through this difficult period," explains Feed the Frontline.
"By supporting us you are purchasing meals for the frontline workers and also giving a chance to businesses ensuring they will be able to stay open, so when we do get through this together so we can all enjoy the places we love again."
You can donate and see daily updates about Feed the Frontline deliveries on their GoFundMe page, and you'll find them on Facebook and Instagram, too.
