When the world changed in March 2020 due to Covid 19, and our communities were shut down to shelter in place and socially distance, we started a campaign with two goals — support our struggling Bristol restaurants and feed the heroic front line healthcare workers.

We utilized social media and email threads to notify friends that we hoped to raise $5,000 to buy heart healthy meals in town and deliver them to our busy hospitals. The response was astounding, and over the course of five weeks we raised and spent $23,000 in Bristol at DeWolf Tavern, Le Central, Leo’s, the Lobster Pot and Roberto’s restaurants. One thousand, one hundred and fifty dinners were delivered to ten hospitals, one skilled nursing facility, and the Bristol rescue team.

Each week, we received tremendous feedback from the doctors, nurses, therapists, hospital CEOs and administrative staff, which helped fuel our campaign and motivate the restaurants. Many thanks to our very generous donors, the restaurants that prepared outstanding food and frequently provided more meals than we ordered, our delivery volunteers who endured some horrible weather, and the front line teams that are sacrificing and risking so much to keep us health and safe.

Not all heroes wear capes; they wear PPE.

Bernie and Kelly Lambrese
Bristol