charity Partner meal program IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
April 16, 2020 - July 15, 2020

Charlotte Wine + Food (CW+F) created a new Charity Partner Meal Program, developed in response to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and in collaboration with our local restaurant partners. CW+F Board Members, patrons, and supporter E. & J. Gallo Winery have generously donated $15,000 to this program, which is estimated to provide over 750 meals across CW+F’s four charity beneficiaries: GenOne, Mitchell’s Fund, The Learning Collaborative, and The Relatives. 

As COVID-19 stay-at-home orders were implemented, many of CW+F supported charities expressed that their served populations were facing meal shortages. At the same time, our restaurant partners have been forced to halt dine-in operations and drastically reduce their staff, which has led to unprecedented unemployment levels for this segment of our community. To help address these needs, CW+F organized a special meal program to deliver meals to the populations served by each of our charity partners for the month of April. Using the funds raised, these meals are being purchased from select CW+F restaurant partners that best suited the needs outlined by each charity partner. The program has created an avenue for CW+F to continue supporting both our impacted restaurant partners and charity partners, particularly during this difficult time.

CW+F placed orders with local restaurant partners including including Aria, Bardo, Bonterra Dining & Wine Room, Bulla Gastrobar, Deejai Thai, Dish, Fin & Fino, Indaco, Napa on Providence, Noble Smoke, Poplar Tapas Wine & Spirits, Porcupine Provisions, Reid’s Fine Foods, Seasoned Provisions, Stagioni, Suarez Bakery, Sweet Lew’s BBQ, Swirl, and The Fig Tree. CW+F Board Members not only donated funds to make this program possible but also volunteered their time to pick up meals and make no-contact deliveries.

GenOne partners with talented, first-generation students from disadvantaged backgrounds, helping them successfully navigate to and through college. The first round of deliveries began on Thursday, April 16. To date, CW+F has provided 41 family meal packs (over 200 served) for GenOne scholars and their families, who have suffered from the loss of school meals and 2 gift cards for staff members.

Mitchell’s Fund seeks to improve the mental health of children who have experienced trauma. CW+F provided 195 meals for inpatient families and healthcare workers at Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital and the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Outpatient Clinic caring for children with life-threatening pediatric illnesses.

The Learning Collaborative (TLC) provides a high-quality, tuition-free early educational intervention for 72 low-income preschool children, preparing them for success in school and in life. CW+F provided 50 meal packs to families (over 175 served) who suffer meal shortages and have pre-school aged children enrolled at TLC along with 11 meals to show appreciation for their teachers and families.

The Relatives’ mission is to keep kids safe, families together, and to prepare youth and young adults to be healthy, productive, and engaged members of the community. CW+F provided 130 meals, a $350 restaurant gift card, and 500 to-go containers for youth at the Crisis Center and at the On Ramp Resource Center plus 28 appreciation gift cards for the staff supporting these youth. This helps them to continue serving meals to young adults facing homelessness, a task made more challenging in recent weeks due to reductions in its volunteer core and onsite staff.

RESTAURANT PARTNERS

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR DONORS

Thank you to our amazing charity partners, restaurant partners, board members, patrons, and staff that came together to make this program possible!