Huntington Resident Delivers Donated Meals To Hospital Staff

HUNTINGTON, NY — When Theresa Sullivan, of Huntington, had the idea to create a group to deliver meals to the busy staff at Huntington Hospital working to treat patients affected by coronavirus, she didn't imagine it would grow so big. Last week she was watching the news of the COVID-19 pandemic unfold and thought "This is big, this is going to put a lot of people out of work. What can we do?"

She wanted to help support both Huntington restaurants struggling after the state closed dining rooms and health care workers on the front lines of the growing health crisis. She posted about her idea last Tuesday and now less than a week later the Facebook community group she started, Huntington Hospital Meals, has over 2,500 members and she's raised $35,000 as of Monday. So far all the support has come through word of mouth and social media.

Although many businesses and restaurants are offering to donate items, the joint mission of her effort is to help support health care workers and help restaurants stay open and keep employees employed. Sullivan is directing those who want to donate to other places in need, but many restaurants are being generous nonetheless with discounted orders.

"I want that money to go directly to the restaurants as quickly as possible."

Sullivan, who's temporarily out of work after the hair salon she works at closed during the coronavirus business shutdown, says the hospital delivery project is now akin to a full-time job. She is considering formalizing the effort into a nonprofit so that other towns can replicate it.

Sullivan's goal is to deliver meals or "treat and sweets" to each department in the hospital this week. At least 400 health care providers are receiving meals per day, Sullivan, and her husband Dan Sullivan who's helping her, estimate.

Doctors, nurses and other medical workers have posted pictures with the delivered food as a thank you on Facebook. Some residents are volunteering to assist with the deliveries but they must be done by restaurants and processed through the hospital's security entrance for health reasons and also to minimize the disruptions to the busy staff.

Susan Esposito Torres is an emergency room doctor at Huntington Hospital who wrote on the group's Facebook page.

"You are angels for thinking of this, executing this and donating to this cause. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Sullivan thinks the explosion of support can be explained by so many in the community wanting to do something for both hospital workers and struggling restaurants.

"Everyone wants to do something, so it made sense to a lot of people. We hope we can keep this going and keep as many restaurants as possible open."