Wilmington food trucks roll out meals for NHRMC health care workers [Free read]

WILMINGTON — A Meals for Heroes fundraising campaign created to feed local health care workers using local food trucks, restaurants, and caterers has raised nearly $30,000 in two weeks.

It began in response to a decision by officials at New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC) to restrict visitors to its main hospital and satellite facilities, which meant restaurants and food trucks could no longer make deliveries to hospital staff, even to campus parking lots.

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So Rob Kaiser, publisher of the Greater Wilmington Business Journal, partnered with Caring to Deliver — a local website platform for restaurants to advertise delivery and curbside pick-ups — and three local representatives from U.S. Foods. Their goal: raise $9,000 to provide meals for health care staff working the front line of the Covid-19 pandemic while bolstering a restaurant industry hit hard by the statewide stay-at-home order.

Surpassing $9,000 within 24 hours

Kaiser launched a ‘Meals for Heroes’ GoFundMe account at the end of March to raise money for meals and gift cards from local restaurants to be donated to health care providers and first responders. When its $9,000 goal was surpassed within the first 24 hours, they decided to expand.

On Monday night, NHRMC health care workers began rolling through the parking lot of their employee fitness center on Shipyard Boulevard to pick up free meals from local food trucks. Throughout the week, seven trucks (T’Geaux Boys, Poor Piggy’s BBQ, Wheelz Pizza, Catch the Food Truck, 2 Bros Coastal Cuisine, Salty Sistas, and Goin’Ham) will take turns dishing out meals every evening. Two trucks will each serve a goal of 100 meals per night, according to T’Geaux Boys owner Michelle “Mama” Rock.

Local U.S. Food manager Scott Adams said he and two other local reps were asked by Kaiser to help with logistics on the operation, since U.S. Foods supplies many local businesses.

“It’s amazing to me how much [the local food truck and restaurant industry] gives back,” Adams said. “Even though they’re one of the hardest hit industries in the area, they’re still fighting to give back.”

In a Wilmington Biz Journal newsletter sent Monday, Kaiser said Michele Brouse from Caring to Deliver, along with Adams, Meg Jones and Nick Faulk from U.S. Foods “have been the backbone of this operation, coordinating orders and deliveries with the restaurants, food trucks, health care facilities and first responders.”

District Attorney Ben David said on Monday the group reached out to his office last week because they were looking to feed more people using an online campaign “that had generated a lot of enthusiasm and money.”

“On Easter Sunday, they fed almost 250 firefighters and law enforcement officers who I put them in touch with,” David said. “That is deeply appreciated. These are our officers and first responders who put their lives on the line every day. They don’t have the luxury of social distancing to do their jobs. They have to quite literally go hands-on with people, sometimes who are not in a good state of mind or are not healthy when they’re encountering them.”

The meals were provided by Johnny Lukes, Junction 421, Michael’s Seafood, Ruth’s Kitchen, Sailfish Marina and South Beach Grill, according to Kaiser.

Food trucks rally for health care workers

Rock said she and Harley Bruce of Poor Piggy’s BBQ reached out to NHRMC to provide meals for staff at its medical facilities in Ogden and Monkey Junction, where they often serve during lunch hours.

“They told us that they weren’t going to allow food trucks to come on-site anymore because the hospital’s trying to keep outside people from coming in,” Rock said.

When Rock caught wind of Meals for Heroes, she helped coordinate other local food trucks, who were each asked to streamline operations by keeping meals at $10 a head and prepare one or two items each night, rather than their entire menu, according to Rock.

Late Monday night, there was still an occasional NHRMC employee driving through the parking lot to receive brisket and BBQ chicken from Poor Piggy’s and pizza slices from Wheelz Pizza — each delivered by fitness center employees wearing gloves and face masks.

Sabrina Gethers, a pharmacy technician at NHRMC, said she was grateful for the free meal.

“It’s been really tough, but we’re making it. This is really cool, thanks [to Meals for Heroes] for what you’re doing,” Gethers said.

Vania Hawkins, who works express care at NHRMC’s Autumn Hall facility, pulled in behind Gethers. She said many patients who need to be tested for Covid-19 are sent to her building. She had been working long shifts to keep up with the increased workload; getting a free meal at the end of a long day’s work was a big help.

“I work 12-hour shifts so it was nice to not have to go home and cook something, or just figure out what to eat,” Hawkins said.

In addition to the meals provided this week by food trucks, and those provided to the 250 firefighters and law enforcement personnel on Easter, the following deliveries were made last week:

• Burrito Shak: to Maple Hill Medical Center
• S&L Deli: to Wilmington Health’s Infectious Disease Team
• Angelo’s Pizzeria & Bistro: to the Brunswick Medical Center Emergency Department
• Your Pie: to Wilmington Ear Nose & Throat
• Boardwalk Pizza & Subs: to LabCorp Wilmington

“To be a part of this applause for NHRMC employees, other health care workers and first responders throughout our region, while also supporting local restaurants, please consider making a donation at MealsForHeroes.com,” according to Greater Wilmington Business Journal.

View more pictures from Monday night’s food truck deliveries below:

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