Feeding San Diego launches “Give a Meal” initiative as part of its Spread Love San Diego campaign
FEEDING SAN DIEGO LAUNCHES “GIVE A MEAL” INITIATIVE AS PART OF ITS SPREAD LOVE SAN DIEGO CAMPAIGN
Restaurants across San Diego County invited to sign-up and participate in the program to help those facing hunger
SAN DIEGO (February 16, 2020) — Feeding San Diego, the county’s leading hunger relief and food rescue organization, has added a “Give a Meal” initiative to its Spread Love San Diego campaign. Using its MealConnect app, the campaign supports local restaurants and provides meals to those facing hunger. Hundreds of thousands of people across San Diego County are facing hunger, many for the first time.
Feeding San Diego’s work has always been closely intertwined with the local food community, whether it’s working with celebrity chefs to spread the word of its mission or partnering with restaurants and caterers to rescue food that would otherwise go to waste. This new initiative helps to bolster sales at local restaurants and provide an easy way to give back to the local community. Feeding San Diego invites restaurants across San Diego County to sign-up and participate.
The concept was developed in partnership with Girl Scout Troop #4978 as an idea for their Bronze Award. Lily Piehl, age 10, had the idea to do something to help drive business for restaurants while helping to feed people facing hunger. Her parents, Chef Fred and Tammy Piehl, own two restaurants, The Smoking Goat and One Door North, in North Park and know first-hand the devastating impact of COVID closures.
“My parents own restaurants in San Diego, and I know that most local restaurant owners and their employees need help right now. Asking our community to order meals from restaurants and then giving them to people who are hungry seems like a great way for everyone to help each other,” said Lily Piehl. “I am proud that Feeding San Diego agrees, and I am grateful for their hard work to make this idea happen. Our troop is very excited to help communicate this idea to local restaurants and community members.”
Guests at participating restaurants now have the option to add a $15 meal for a person facing hunger to their order. Once a restaurant has a minimum of five donated meals, they prepare the meals, alert Feeding San Diego via the MealConnect app, and Feeding San Diego will send a trained MealConnect volunteer driver or community partner to pick-up the meals, and get them to people in need.
The restaurants that have signed up at the time of launch include: Carte Blanche Bistro & Bar, George’s at the Cove, One Door North, Social Tap American Eatery, Terra American Bistro, The Little Lion Cafe, and The Smoking Goat. Collectively, they have already sold more than 100 meals for people facing hunger. Feeding San Diego invites restaurants across San Diego County to sign-up.
For more information or to register as a participating restaurant, visit https://feedingsandiego.org/spreadlovesandiego/giftameal.
ABOUT FEEDING SAN DIEGO
Feeding San Diego is a non-profit organization on a mission to connect every person facing hunger with nutritious meals by maximizing food rescue. Established in 2007, Feeding San Diego is the leading hunger-relief and food rescue organization in San Diego County and the only Feeding America affiliate in the region. Feeding San Diego provides more than 31.2 million meals every year to children, families, seniors, college students, military families, and veterans in partnership with a network of 320 local charities, schools, faith communities, meal sites, and food pantries. Last year, more than 92 percent of the food provided to the community was rescued. By diverting more than 27 million pounds of food from the landfill, Feeding San Diego reduced greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 25,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent, which is comparable to taking 5,300 cars off the road for one year. To learn more about Feeding San Diego and its COVID-19 response, visit feedingsandiego.org.
