DALLAS, TX (April 7, 2020) – The Thanks-Giving Foundation today announced a new initiative, Serving Up Gratitude, to express thanks to frontline healthcare workers and first responders and offer support for the restaurant industry as both groups work to overcome the COVID-19 outbreak. The new initiative will unite the greater Dallas community in support of the healthcare and restaurant industries by providing public health workers with nourishment and local restaurants with business.
With the assistance of American Jewish Committee’s Community of Conscience, and with financial support from additional local foundations, corporations and individual donors, Serving Up Gratitude will purchase and deliver individually packaged meals from local restaurants for frontline community members as a sign of support and goodwill. The initiative has a goal of raising at least $250,000 to benefit the restaurant industry and provide 25,000 meals to healthcare workers over the next 60 days.
“In these challenging times, we believe now more than ever in our organization’s [The Thanks-Giving Foundation] mission that gratitude and goodwill can strengthen our communities, which is why we created Serving Up Gratitude,” said The Thanks-Giving Foundation President and CEO Kyle Ogden. “Our hope is that Serving Up Gratitude expresses the appreciation we have for those on the frontline, supports local entrepreneurs and business owners at restaurants, and inspires others to unite in our community’s fight against COVID-19.”
In coordination with local restaurants and volunteers, Serving Up Gratitude will first provide meals for Parkland Hospital’s emergency room and intensive care unit workers, with plans to expand quickly to other area hospitals and frontline groups, including first responders. Snuffer’s Restaurant & Bar, Pecan Lodge, Ojeda’s Tex-Mex Restaurants, Campisi’s Restaurants and The Market at Bonton Farms are the first participating restaurants, providing a total of 250 meals to the hospital on April 7.
Foundations, corporations and individuals looking to support Serving Up Gratitude are encouraged to make a donation, volunteer their time or suggest frontline recipients and restaurants by visiting Thanksgiving.org/Serving-Up-Gratitude.
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