Philly Family COVID Fund

Friends,

Thank you. Thanks to all of you who have donated to the Philly Family COVID Fund. We’ve raised $6,000 in about 4 days that we used immediately to purchase meals from restaurants delivered to our local front line workers, as well as our neighbors in need.

For those of you who are thinking about how you can help, please keep reading and consider making a donation today. We wanted to raise $5,000. After the first few days (it’s only been a week!) we came to realize that the need is far greater.  Our new fundraising goal is $50,000.

And we need your help. This is grassroots. This is building the plane while in flight.  We are learning along the way and, with excellent coaching from friends, we are going to figure it out.

The COVID outbreak has taxed the traditional systems that care for our “at risk” community. Volunteers that gather in kitchens around the city (in churches, shelters and rented commercial kitchens) to make meals for our neighbors cannot gather because of the need for social distancing and stay-at-home orders. Organizations, like Philabundance, that collect food to distribute to these kitchens are experiencing greater need with less resources.

And that’s where our focus is right now.

Purchasing meals from restaurants to help feed families in need.

When we do this we are keeping them in business. We are keeping their staff employed.  We all want to help, and ordering in a couple of times a week will help, but by buying meals for 40 or 50 or 200 – that gives them room to breathe. And it gives others the nutrition they need.

With all that said, we’d like to give you our second update!

  • Yesterday (Wednesday April 1) we delivered lunch to 40 staff members at the Philabundance warehouse in South Philadelphia.   Many thanks to Amy Edelman at the Night Kitchen Bakery for making a delicious lunch (individually packaged, of course) for those who distribute food all year long to over 350 agencies who feed our community. It was our pleasure to serve them as they continue to serve our hungriest neighbors.
  • We also delivered lunch to 30 staff members at the Philabundance warehouse in North Philadelphia! They were treated to a BBQ boxed lunch made by Michael Lepore from Lepore Ba Q.
  • Today (Thursday April 2) we delivered 150 loaves of fresh baked bread from Baker Street to help the Stenton Family Manor in East Germantown keep their kitchen stocked to feed their residents and guests.
  • Today (Thursday April 2) we will be delivering a fabulous pizza party to the Roxborough Home for Women for their 35 residents and staff. Many thanks to Lindsey Pete and her staff at Chestnut Hill Brewing Company for being a part of this project.

Coming up:

  • Face to Face in Germantown: We are planning a meal for 200!
  • Chestnut Hill Meals on Wheels: We are collecting non perishables, bar or pump soap and toilet paper for more than 100 seniors served by Chestnut Hill Meals on Wheels by this Saturday. For more information on how you can help email us at our new address phillyfamilycovidfund@gmail.com for Saturday morning pick up. More about Meals on Wheels here.
  • Here are just a few organizations we are talking with right now – thanks so much for all of your suggestions!
    • Broad Street Ministries
    • Interfaith Hospitality Network
    • Visiting Nurses Association
    • Squash Smarts
    • The Boys and Girls Club in Germantown

Please share share our journey and invite others to join us on the way. Without your suggestions and connections we wouldn’t have met Kim Sears from Philabundance who has helped us identify many needs in our area. Thanks Kim!

With gratitude and hope for the future,

Melissa and Josh Haims

Philly Family Covid Fund Founders

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All future emails will come from phillyfamilycovidfund@gmail.

Please let me know if you would like to be removed from the list.

We understand.

Here are two great pictures (if I do say so myself) from our Philabundance deliveries yesterday. #Socialdistancingfail LOL (well, not really)

That’s Night Kitchen crew on the left and Philabundance crew on the right.