Toronto Restaurants by Stephanie Dickison

View Original

COVID-19: How to help others during the COVID-19 crisis

🕒 7 min read

Navigating all the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic is overwhelming. There are so many people in urgent need of help.  Good news: Toronto individuals, businesses and organizations are coming together to support one another during this challenging time.

From feeding frontline healthcare workers to getting food to our most vulnerable, there are numerous ways you can help:

BARTENDERS BENEVOLENT FUND

Mission: The non-profit financial resource for bartenders, servers and FOH support staff working in the hospitality industry in Canada. We provide funding for those who have fallen under serious financial hardship and our mission is to work in earnest to ensure that those in need can make ends meet.

Our mandate is offer support to the hospitality industry, by the hospitality industry: our grants are awarded anonymously by local hospitality professionals from each market.

Update: June 29/20 The fund now includes BOH professionals and salaried employees nation-wide. Availability for financial assistance from the fund are announced weekly on Mondays, with applications open on Tuesdays. For further details on how to qualify and apply, please visit bartendersbenevolentfund.ca.

Way to help:

Donate $

DAILY BREAD FOOD BANK

Mission: To end hunger in our city. We collaborate with all to eliminate food insecurity, and advocate solutions to end poverty.

Ways to help: 

Donate $

Donate food

Volunteer 

FEED IT FORWARD

Mission: The Canadian not-for-profit aims make a difference in the lives of fellow Canadians who are in need of assistance with securing nutritious food and regular balanced meals, and reduce food waste.

Ways to help:

Donate $

Donate food 

Volunteer

FEED THE FRONTLINES

Mission: To provide meals to Toronto healthcare workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. 

By purchasing a meal, you will help fuel the extraordinary efforts of our city’s healthcare workers and support our local restaurants and their employees with a single donation.

Way to help: 

Donate $

LOCALS FOR LOCALS

Mission: To support West Queen West local shops. With each purchase of a Locals Goodie Bag, a donation will be made to Daily Bread Food Bank to support our locals who need it most. 

Way to help: 

Purchase Goodie Bag

MADE WITH LOVE

Mission: Creating and cooking healthy meals for those in need. For every $5 donated to Community Food Centres Canada, Victor Dries’ chef Chris Brown and his team will make one healthy, heartwarming meal.

Way to help:

Donate $

MARINARA BOYS: A FUNDRAISER TO FEED THE FRONT LINE

Mission: To raise money to to feed front line workers. The Marinara Boys – staff from Baldassarre, Bar Ape, Sugo, and The Sovereign Café – are are donating their time and kitchens. Your donations go towards all food purchases (from local suppliers and restaurateurs). We are determined to keep it up with these meal deliveries and cannot do it without you.

Way to help: 

Donate $

MEALS FOR FRONTLINE ICU NURSES AND DOCTORS

Mission: To raise money to feed frontline hospital staff in Toronto and GTA during this stressful and dangerous COVID-19 crisis.

Chef Michael Hunter, owner of Antler Kitchen & Bar launched and runs the initiative.

Way to help:

Donate $

MEALS TO HEAL

Mission: We want to brighten the days of hospital staff on the front lines while also giving back to the small businesses that are being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meals TO Heal raises donations through the local Toronto community. All donations are used to purchase meals from local restaurants and coffee shops. Meals are delivered to hospitals to help fuel staff on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19.

Way to help: 

Donate $

OPERATION RAMZIEH

Mission: Create food boxes that will be distributed to seniors and other vulnerable people.

Ways to help:

Donate $

Donate non-perishable food donations - contact andrew@dreammind.com

Volunteer 

RESQ HELPS

Mission: Providing meals for Frontline Heroes, essential service workers at grocery stores, shelters and supply chain delivery providers while supporting local businesses and service workers impacted by COVID-19.

Ways to help:

Donate $

Restaurants that wish to participate

SECOND HARVEST

Mission: Canada’s largest food charity recovers fresh, unsold food to protect the environment and provide immediate hunger relief.

Ways to help:

Donate $

Donate food

Volunteer 

SUSTAIN THE LINE

Mission: We help small food businesses that are struggling in this time of crisis. We match them with people who want to fund meals for frontline healthcare workers. We don’t take a cent.

Ways to help:

If you’re a small food business, please complete the contact form to be added to our list of food providers. You will be matched over email to supporters in your area.

If you’re an individual or business able to buy meals for frontline healthcare workers, please complete the contact form to be matched with food providers. 

TORONTO RESTAURANT WORKERS RELIEF FUND

Mission: To raise money for laid-off restaurant/bar workers living in Toronto. Recipients will receive weekly grocery assistance for 12 weeks.

Ways to help:

Donate $

VEGGIE MEALS FOR FRONT-LINE HEROES & THOSE IN NEED

Mission: To raise money to donate nourishing, plant-based meals to Toronto homeless shelters and ICUs at the University Health Network (UHN)  and Scarborough Health Network (SHN) during this health crisis.

A group of Toronto vegetarian and vegan restaurants launched and run the initiative: Hello123, Hogtown Vegan, Kupfert & Kim, Live Organic Food, Planta, and Village Juicery.

For every $15 donated, our group will provide & deliver one full meal to a hospital or shelter.

Ways to help:

Donate $

———

Note: This article will be updated throughout the COVID-19 crisis. If you have a food-related business, foundation or initiative raising money or donating food - or know of one that should be included - please send the name and website to Toronto Restaurants.