Coronavirus: Partnership Helps Feed DC Area Hospital Workers

WASHINGTON, DC — Hungry first-line responders battling the coronavirus pandemic in D.C. got something to eat Thursday as the United Way of the National Capital Area and Windows Catering teamed up to deliver 500 meals to personnel at Children’s National Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center.

"It really was an incredible experience to talk with and hear stories about first-line responders and how grateful they were to have us provide healthy, nutritious meals as a break in their day," said Andrew Gerstel, CEO of Windows Catering. "It was one of the most rewarding things I've ever done on a personal level as well as a professional level."

Thursday was the first day of the United Way NCA and Windows Catering partnership in delivering food to hospital workers. Over the next three weeks, they will deliver 8,000 meals to medical facilities throughout the D.C. metro region.

In the District, meals will continue to be delivered to Children's National and Medstar Washington at different times of the day and on the weekends, so that other shifts will be able to enjoy the food. In addition, meals will also be delivered to Medstar Georgetown University Hospital.

According to Rosie Allen-Herring, president and CEO of United Way NCA, many of the hospitals have had to close down their cafeterias due to the coronavirus. The partnership with Windows Catering not only allows doctors and nurses who are treating coronavirus patients to have a meal, but it's helping to feed desk clerks, custodians, security personnel, and the thousands of staff members who keep the hospitals running.

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"These are all single-serve meals, so that they're easily distributed and there's no concern about contamination," Gerstel said. "Individuals within the hospitals, when they get their breaks, can grab and go. There's protein, starches, vegetables and something sweet. It's a healthy, nutritious, break-filling meal that will get them through the day."

The partnership is also helping out Windows Catering, which, like many small businesses in the region, has been significantly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

"From the middle of March until the last week of March, we saw a large portion of our pre-booked business cancel or postpone," Gerstel said. "Our business came to a near-grinding halt and we ended up furloughing about 85 percent of our employees."

The partnership with United Way NCA has allowed Windows Catering to recall a number of its furloughed employees to help prepare meals for delivery. In fact, it was a long-time customer who donated $100,000 to the partnership to make the meal delivery possible.

"It was a way to give to the community but also to support Windows Catering who's been providing them with services for many years," Gerstel said.

United Way NCA also activated its Emergency Assistance Fund Thursday, making $50,000 available to assist the community, especially those impacted by the closures of schools and businesses due to the coronavirus. The fund is now at $1.5 million, thanks to donations from lead contributor Pepco, and others such as M&T Bank, Wegmans, Amgen and the Association of American Medical Colleges.

"As businesses and agencies across the region undergo temporary closures and other restrictions, much of the region’s workforce will experience severe reduction in income that they desperately rely on to live,” said Allen-Herring. “These emergency resources will enable our nonprofit partners to meet the increased demand for economic assistance and access to food and other basic necessities. By first increasing capacity to these non-profit organizations, we want residents to know their United Way stands by them through this crisis.”

In the coming weeks, the United Way NCA’s Emergency Assistance Fund, which was launched on March 16, will help Martha’s Table, Northern Virginia Family Service, Hunger Resource Center, Community Service Agency, Capital Area Food Bank, Arlington Food Assistance Center, and Manna Food Center feed families throughout the region.

For more information about United Way NCA Emergency Assistance Fund or to make a donation, visit www.UnitedWayNCA.org/help.

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