St. Pete Rising, an online publication dedicated to covering everything new and coming soon to Downtown St. Pete, has teamed up with the EDGE Guide, a promotional company for Downtown St. Pete’s EDGE District, in launching a fundraiser that not only provides meals to healthcare workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis, but supports local restaurants as well.
To date, the fundraiser, dubbed St. Pete Meals, has raised over $25,000 from more than 400 individuals and organizations. Over 1,000 meals have been delivered to date and thousands more will be delivered in the coming weeks as a result of these donations.
“We’re providing meals seven days a week to healthcare workers across St. Petersburg and Pinellas County,” says Brian Zucker, Co-Owner and Writer of St. Pete Rising, “From hospitals like St. Anthony’s and All Children’s to urgent care centers like BayCare Urgent Care in Carillion, it’s vital we support our healthcare workers during the coronavirus crisis.”
Meals are sourced from a variety of local restaurants including Poppo’s Taqueria, Lonni’s Sandwiches, Dr. BBQ, Pacific Counter, and more. These partnerships are proving to be a win-win in supporting local restaurants as well as our frontline healthcare workers. Desserts have been donated by Wandering Whisk Bakeshop, Grateful Bakes, and Pop Goes the Waffle, while beverages have been provided by MADE Coffee and Mother Kombucha.
“St. Petersburg is a city that prides itself on supporting local businesses,” says Zucker. “And we are so thrilled that some of our local food and beverage operators have stepped up and allowed us to offer meals made with St. Pete products to our healthcare workers.”
Several community organizations and businesses have even sponsored entire days’ worth of meals including the St. Pete Downtown Neighborhood Association, Ashe Couture Boutique, Bank OZK, and others.
Each meal is packaged individually with a note saying “Thank you for your hard work during these difficult times. Please enjoy a meal on us. We have your back.” Deliveries are made with sanitation and safety in mind and are dropped off with the explicit permission of administration of each healthcare facility.
The outpouring of support from residents and the business community has been overwhelming,” says Anthony Close, Founder and Writer at St. Pete Rising, “Coming together to support our small businesses, and each other, is what St. Pete does best.”
Donations continue to be raised at StPeteMeals.com and healthcare facilities who wish to receive meals are encouraged to reach out. St. Pete Meals will continue delivering meals from local restaurants to frontline healthcare workers seven days a week until donations run out.
To donate, visit StPeteRising.com/coronavirus-donate
