Community Foundation COVID-Relief Fund Spotlight

In January of 2021, the Hollister Downtown Association (HDA), with initial funding support from the Community Foundation for San Benito County (CFFSBC), successfully launched their Meals for Heroes program. The Meals for Heroes program’s purpose is to support our essential frontline health care providers by serving individually packaged meals from local participating restaurants. Meals for Heroes offered struggling restaurants an opportunity to continue to serve the community while keeping their workers employed. San Benito County restaurants that participated with Meals for Heroes included Paine’s Restaurant, Mangia’s Italian Kitchen, La Catrina, Heavenly Bakery, Fourth Street Eatery, Cozy Cup Café, La Sabrosa, Farmhouse Café, Seabrisa’s, Country Rose, Eva Mae’s, Doña Esther’s, Grillin & Chillin Alehouse and Round Table Pizza.

The Meals for Heroes program was inspired by Steve Perricone, a former board member for the Foundation, who saw a similar program implemented in Gilroy. In coordination with Foundation President Gary Byrne, and HDA Events Manager Teri Escamilla, the Foundation granted $5000 from the COVID-19 Relief fund to kick-start Meals for Heroes. To support the program’s longevity, the Foundation established the Meals for Heroes: Hospital Essential Workers Meals Program Fund. Over a 5 month period, the Meals for Heroes program successfully delivered a total of 421 restaurant prepared meals to essential workers at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital. Having delicious, delivered food from local businesses at hand was welcomed and appreciated by essential workers, who tirelessly supported San Benito County patients during the surge of COVID cases. The Meals for Heroes program was very successful in its service to Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, and eventually expanded service to its clinics and AMR ambulance service in San Benito County. The Meals for Heroes Program had its last delivery in May, and concluded its services as the pandemic restrictions were lifted in our county.