Over $4,000. in private donations will go toward "Fuelling the Frontline" in Grey and Bruce counties.
Volunteers launched the program in mid-April to support local food service businesses and show appreciation to frontline healthcare workers.
The organization has already provided 380 meals to local hospitals, emergency services, and long-term care facilities.
As funds are raised, meals are sourced from local foodservice businesses that have so far included Freshii, The Bleeding Carrot, European Bakery Cafe, and CMHA Fresh Roots in Owen Sound, Sand Witches in Georgian Bluffs, and Bonfire on Queen in Paisley. ‘Fuelling the Frontline’ organizers have then coordinated deliveries to frontline workers via outreach in specific areas where meals are available, or by request.
Organizers have been able to coordinate deliveries to over a dozen Grey and Bruce facilities and organizations including the intensive care unit at Grey Bruce Health Services’ Owen Sound location, long-term care facilities in Owen Sound and Chesley, Chapman House Residential Hospice, and the South Bruce Health Centre. Deliveries this week include Grey Bruce Health Services locations in Wiarton and Lions Head. A private donor, Dr. Kimberly Wands, has sponsored meals for the Owen Sound Police Service, as well.
Each meal is labelled with contents, reheating instructions, and a thank you note for frontline workers on behalf of the community. Labels are being provided at no cost for the duration of the campaign by Avenue A Advertising in Springmount.
“Local nurse Patti Ansell first came up with this concept: ‘What can we do to support both healthcare workers and restaurants?’” Miranda Miller explained. “We came up with a small team to make it happen and have been overwhelmed by the community’s support for it. People were really looking for a way to help and to show their appreciation to frontline workers, and Fuelling the Frontline delivers on both fronts.”
The ‘Fuelling the Frontline’ volunteers are:
Miranda Miller, digital marketing agency owner (Owen Sound)
Nicole Egan, strategic communications consultant (Big Bay)
Ginelle MacDougall, local RPN (Georgian Bluffs)
Lisa Langeraap, local bookkeeper (Tara)
Members of the community interested in supporting the initiative can do so by making a donation to the page ‘Fuelling the Frontline: Owen Sound & Beyond’. Those who cannot support the cause financially are asked to share the page with their social networks to help raise awareness.
“We have heard from donors that they appreciate being given a way to help out, so we are going to keep this going as long as we can. We are in what some are calling the third quarter of this crisis, where we are starting to consider reopening measures, but it’s not over yet,” Miller said. “There are concerns that this could continue for some time, or that there may be another wave before there is a vaccine. Frontline workers including emergency first responders and long-term care staff go to work each day knowing they are still at risk. We need to show that as a community, we see them and appreciate their dedication.”
In addition to donations, Fuelling the Frontline is now accepting sponsorships from businesses who wish to designate a specific restaurant or recipient organization, as well.
