Today, Eastern Market’s Eat Brgz conducted large-scale food drops to all of the District’s 34 fire stations, manned by over 400 firefighter-EMTs, in an effort to and uplift first responders caring for our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The burger restaurant is the latest in a succession of District restaurants that are offering assistance to others in a time when the food service industry is facing a serious crisis. In a period of public emergency, restaurants were ordered to close dining rooms and restrict sales to delivery and take out as of 10 p.m. Monday March 16.
transformed some of his restaurants into Community Kitchens to offer to-go lunches for those who need a meal. Sunnyside Restaurant Group, which runs @wethepizza, @GoodStuffEater, and Santa Rosa Taqueria on Capitol Hill are offering free meals to kids while schools are closed:
Available at these locations:
Crystal City- Good Stuff Eatery and We, The Pizza
Georgetown- Good Stuff Eatery
Capitol Hill- Good Stuff Eatery, We, The Pizza, and Santa Rosa Taqueria
Ballston- We, The Pizza pic.twitter.com/4wN5CJCfVV— Good Stuff Eatery (@GoodStuffEater) March 13, 2020
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Eat Brgz CEO Brandon Gaynor was set to help deliver a variety of chicken and beef burgers as well as grilled cheese sandwiches directly to FEMS stations.
In partnership with Food On The Stove, a local nonprofit dedicated to giving back to expert rescuers in the region, Gaynor also plans to act as a resource for other local restaurateurs interested in participating, and welcomes outreach via direct message on the Eat Brgz Instagram (@eatbrgz) to help coordinate distribution.
In the meantime, your restaurant workers, many of whom are out of work or working despite the public health emergency to keep others eating, and to keep businesses afloat. Buy online gift cards to now and eat later,
The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) has established a Coronovirus Worker Relief Fund. You can donate here.
Barred in DC also reports that A Virtual Tip Jar —a list of Venmo s for local food service workers is available to send money directly to the affected. Clients can make contributions through Venmo to their favorite waiters, barkeeps and food service workers. The list will be updated daily at noon. Food service workers can add themselves online at googledocs.
The virtual tip jar shared by @barredindc earlier this week has added some names https://t.co/lZjZ6N1uqK
— HillRag DC (@HillRagDC) March 17, 2020
On Tuesday, the Council approved emergency legislation to make immediate adjustments in response to the coronavirus emergency. That legislation made funds available to workers affected by COVID-19 via quarantine or business closures through unemployment insurance and Family Leave Act as well as expanding ways to assist local business.
