Restaurant group organizes meal donations for healthcare workers

Goal is to provide 50 meals a day through January

AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center Joliet

The Joliet Region Food & Beverage Association has launched a campaign to donate meals to local hospital workers amid the surge in COVID-19 cases.

The JRFBA is looking for restaurants, other businesses and citizens to participate in the campaign to support staff at Amita Health Saint Joseph Joseph Medical Center Joliet and Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox.

“As the omicron variant has overwhelmed the local hospital system, the JRFBA leadership felt that the time was right to give back to the doctors, nurses, and support staff that take care of our community,” according to a news release announcing the campaign. “This effort needs to heighten the awareness of just how overwhelmed staff is and how we can come together as all had done in 2020 and 2021 to show appreciation of our healthcare workers.”

The JFRBA is a division of the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The goal is to provide at least 50 meals a day starting Monday through at least the end of January.

“The stress level is high at both facilities and the situation of an already reduced workforce has not helped matters at all,” JRFBA Chairman George Daskalakis said in the release.

Restaurants can participate by donating meals. Businesses and citizens can purchase meals or gift cards that can be used to buy meals from restaurants that are chamber members.

Silver Cross Hospital has a meal chain website established at www.mealtrain.com/trains/3gq4g8.

The Joliet chamber office will coordinate meals for staff at AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center Joliet though the Google Doc web page docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1g0nVO3Ae3SR0sdytWD2APdefMldNm0dVuFs2jAmtwtE/edit?usp=sharing.

Those interested in information can contact Mike Paone at the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry by phone at 815-727-5373 or by email at mpaone@jolietchamber.com.