Flatiron Eateries Keep Healthcare Workers, First Responders Fed

FLATIRON, NY — Manhattan's healthcare workers will have their choice of dozens of local eateries to keep them fed and caffeinated while fighting the coronavirus pandemic — for free.

Even as they face the financial strain of the COVID-19 pandemic themselves, more than 20 Flatiron eateries have stepped up to help those on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic with free food, coffee or by donating to those most impacted, according to the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership.

“In the face of unprecedented challenges with COVID-19, our local businesses in Flatiron and NoMad are rising to the occasion to support frontline healthcare workers, first responders and vulnerable New Yorkers,” Executive Director James Mettham said.

“These businesses represent the best of our community. Their efforts are even more selfless considering that they are working hard just to stay open during this extremely difficult time."

Many of the relief efforts include free food or coffee deliveries to those fighting the coronavirus in New York City's hospitals or to first responders who stop by.

Other businesses have decided to donate a portion of their revenue to charities helping during the pandemic or are creating care packages for New Yorkers who may need them.

The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership has created a webpage rounding up all of these efforts, including links where people can provide support, along with a separate page with fundraisers for the neighborhood's restaurants and restaurant workers.

Here's a look at the initiatives so far:

For healthcare workers:

• &pizza: Providing free pizzas to hospital workers. To date, &pizza has donated over 13,000 pizzas in NYC and DC. You can text #FeedThem to 200-03 to donate a pizza to a hospital worker. If you are a hospital worker and would like to claim a free pizza, you can text #HeroPies to 200-03.
• BLACKBARN: Every BLACKBARN entree purchased for delivery/take-out will buy a Heavenly Harvest Meal for homebound elderly through City Meals on Wheels. With support from Frontlines Foods NYC, BLACKBARN also delivered meals to medical workers at Bellvue Hospital.
• Brooklyn Roasting Company: Keeping health care workers and response efforts properly fueled, Brooklyn Roasting Company delivered coffee to hospitals and Bednark Studio Inc. whose workers were at the Brooklyn Navy Yard fabricating masks for medical relief workers.
• Dough Doughnuts: Delivered free doughnuts to brighten up the days of the doctors, nurses, and staff at Lenox Hill Hospital. Dough is partnering with Frontline Sweet Support to continue delivering to hospitals across New York City. You can help send a box of freshly baked doughnuts to health care workers by donating here.
• Hill Country Barbecue: Hill Country has been feeding healthcare workers on the frontlines with deliveries to New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
• Honeybrains: Supporting the selfless work of healthcare personnel with free deliveries of Honeybrains' bowls and salads. You can help support this initiative by donating here.
• Luke's Lobster: Donating their famous lobster rolls every day to hospital workers. You can call any of Luke's open locations and order additional lobster rolls for 25% Off that will go directly to health care workers at the frontline.
• Mangia: Mangia is providing fresh, nutritious meals to hospital workers. They are donating 100 meals per day to Mount Sinai in Union Square, and are committed to supporting additional hospitals across the City. You can donate to Mangia's GoFundMe page to support their deliveries to hospital staff ($25 provides food for two).
• Memo Shish Kebab: Showed support for healthcare personnel with deliveries of free Memo Shish.
• Shake Shack: The Shake Shack team is supporting the community at this time with over 4,500 meals delivered to 65+ hospitals, shelters, firehouses, humane societies, and food banks.
• Sticky's Finger Joint: Doing their part by donating meals to hospital workers. To help support, you can set up a food donation by emailing Sticky's at whatsup@stickys.com.
• Sweetgreen: Connecting with local hospitals to support their workers with salad and bowl deliveries. Health care workers can apply here for their organization to become an SG outpost.
• Taim: With support from Frontlines Foods NYC, Taim delivered 150 meals to brave hospital workers at New York-Presbyterian and NYU Langone.
• Taralluci e Vino: Helping heroes by delivering free meals to health workers with support from Frontlines Foods NYC, You can support their efforts by donating here.

For first responders:

• Gregory's Coffee: Before closing their doors for the time being, Gregory's partnered with City MD to offer their workers free coffee at any of their locations after presenting a valid ID.
• Patisserie Chanson: Offering free freshly baked croissants for those working on the frontline (NYPD, FDNY, EMT, Paramedics, drivers, and delivery workers) when they stop by the cafe, and 50% off all orders for hospital workers.
• Sweetcatch Poke: Serving free poke bowls to hospital workers when they step into any Sweetcatch location and present a valid ID. Sweetcatch also delivered free poke bowls to local NYC hospitals.

For those in need:

• 41 Madison: Launched a #TableTogether Instagram campaign encouraging their (now postponed) New York Tabletop Show partners to post photos of gathering with loved ones at the table. For every #TableTogether post during the month of April, the company will purchase gift cards from a Flatiron-based restaurant.
• Dig Inn: For every meal ordered online, Dig Inn is donating a meal to a local organization in NY, Philly, and Boston. Here are some organizations benefitting: City Harvest, Rethink Food NYC, Bowery Mission, Giving Tree Global, Broad Street Ministry, Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, and Sylvia Rivera Soup Kitchen.
• Eleven Madison Park: Converted their restaurant (closed for the time being) into a commissary kitchen with Rethink Food NYC with the goal of producing thousands of meals per day for those working on the frontlines and those deeply affected by this crisis.
• Hearts of Gold: A local nonprofit on 25th Street supporting homeless mothers and their children, HoG is working hard to offer support to their clients during this time. HoG is delivering care packages of necessities to families including Chrome books for schoolchildren doing homework online, paper goods, canned food, and other items. You can donate to help support.
• ilili: After making the difficult decision to close for the time being, ilili donated all of their food stock to their 130+ memeber staff and their families. ilili is also working to distribute care packages to those most in need. The packages will include dry and canned foods, diapers, and other necessities, that will allow beneficiaries to cook for themselves during these difficult times.
• New Alternatives for Children: This local nonprofit located on West 26th Street provides support to children with special needs. To support the City's most vulnerable children during this time, NAC is providing groceries and necessities to struggling families. You can help contribute to this effort here.
• wagamama: wagamama has launched an e-gift card program that donates 10% of every gift card purchased between now + may 31 to Feeding America. Feeding America is working tirelessly to support Americans during this pandemic. Every dollar wagamama gives can provide at least 10 meals to children + families in need through the Feeding America network of food banks. Guests will also receive 10% off their purchase of any e-gift card during this time.
• Zucker's Bagels: A new organization called NYC Feed and Rebuild Alliance was just started by Zucker's Bagels to feed people in need, including NYC's homeless population, NYC's needy and hungry population, schoolchildren in need of meals, and first responders working tirelessly against the spread of this virus. Donate here to support the alliance.