FLAG (Front Line Appreciation Group) Cares for the Caretakers

Bloomfield Hills, MI: It started out as an idea, born of a feeling of helplessness and desire to help others. It was the initiative of Bloomfield resident Monica Toomey, to not only appreciate the healthcare workers on the front lines in the hospitals and medical centers, but also help local restaurants that are struggling.

The original FLAG group (Front Line Appreciation Group) was created by a partnership of Chatham and Madison NJ families who wanted to pull resources together to help those on the front lines as well as benefit local restaurants. The program is really very simple: collect donations and pool the $ together to purchase meals from local restaurants that then deliver the meals to the local hospital. After hearing about the success of the organization, Toomey started talking with a group of friends, and asked if they thought something like that could be done here. “You are either focusing out or focusing in; we wanted to find some way to do something positive, to give back.”

So FLAG Metro Detroit was born. As of Saturday, the organization had over 1200 members, had raised $12,000, and did its first delivery to 400 medical staff at Henry Ford W. Bloomfield. ”It really spoke to people because they wanted to be a part of something positive,” continued Toomey. “We all know of restaurants that are struggling and everyone’s hearts go out to the medical community--the people on the front lines, who are serving every day, and doing so much.” FLAG Metro Detroit was a way to help both groups, and they put together a Facebook group to do just that.

“It’s an easy way to make an impact,” added Toomey, and keeps us all in our homes where we need to stay! And the group is looking to connect more restaurants that can help by providing individually wrapped meals and operating under a budget in order to keep this going as long as there is a need. 100% of all donations are used to purchase the restaurant meals, and FLAG Metro Detroit has set up 3 ways to contribute (Please use “COVID” as the description with any payment): 1) Chase Quickpay: bvscmemberships@gmail.com 2) PayPal*: go to PayPal.me/bvscmemberships *use “Friends and Family” so we don’t incur charges 3) Venmo: go to www.venmo.com/BVSC-Memberships

Word is travelling fast as people look for ways to help. As of this today (3/30), a mere 72 hours after their first delivery, the group has over 4,100 members, over $30,000 had been donated, and they are serving over 1,000 medical staff at 8 hospitals, with more hospitals and restaurants getting lined up for next week. With the opening of the Beaumont Wayne’s COVID-only unit getting established, FLAG is also in the process of setting up multiple deliveries to serve their needs.

“We just want the medical community to know we are thinking of them, that we have hands on their back, and they are not forgotten,” concluded Toomey. For more information, to make a contribution or to suggest a restaurant, visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/501190067229153/

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(FLAG1): On Friday night, 3/27—the first delivery--Phoenicia Restaurant in Birmingham made and delivered 400 chicken shawarma and falafel sandwiches to Henry Ford West Bloomfield! A local Girl Scout troop also donated cases of cookies!

Monday night’s deliveries to Beaumont Royal Oak:

(FLAG2): 125 meals from Jimmy Johns were sent to the Emergency Room on Monday, 3/30/20

(FLAG3): 60 meals from Social in Birmingham went to PICU, NICU, MICU also on Monday, 3/30/20