Social media platforms have been filled with posts urging the community to save neighborhood restaurants. Now, a Junius Heights resident is asking neighbors to put their money where their mouth is for a good cause.
Tam Pham is collecting donations to continue a meal train in which neighborhood restaurants are paid to deliver free meals to hospital workers at Baylor University Medical Center.
It works like this: Once community contributions can feed 50 people, a pre-designated local restaurant will deliver individually wrapped meals to hospital workers in the Emergency Room or the Medical Intensive Care Unit.
Donated meals alternate between the ER and the MICU, and Pham plans to expand the service to a noncritical floor also taking care of coronavirus patients.
Pham began the meal train March 20 with posts in various groups on Facebook. Since then, five meals have been delivered, with additional meal deliveries scheduled for the next few days.
“They are so overwhelmed, they don’t have time to take care of themselves,” Pham said on Facebook. “Let’s help them with the simple stuff — meals from our local restaurants! It’s a win-win.”
Participating restaurants include the Whistling Pig, the Lake House Bar and Grill, Barley House, Maya’s Modern Mediterranean, Scalini’s Pizza and Pasta, Lakewood Smokehouse, Cock & Bull, Hello Dumpling and Taco Joint.
So far, more than $7,000 has been raised.
“I’d love to keep it going,” Pham said. “It’s a little thing, but it’s making a big difference in their day. Even if they’re having a craptastic day, they know their neighbors are supporting them.”
Make a donation at mealtrain.com/trains/040qz3.
To nominate a restaurant with delivery service, email Pham at info@steeltoestilettollc.com.
