thank you frontline workers

Toronto restaurants keep pitching in to feed frontline healthcare workers

While Toronto restaurants deal with the pandemic's devastating blow to their industry, they are finding new ways to serve the community beyond continuing to provide the public with food for takeout and delivery.

A slew of establishments across the city have stepped up to offer complimentary meals to the frontline healthcare staff who are working tirelessly under extremely dangerous (not to mention stressful) circumstances to help care for the city's sick during the crisis.

Popular Bloordale eatery Sugo has been at the forefront of community efforts, donating hot meals and groceries to food banks, and also delivering their classic Italian eats to hospital employees.

Maker Pizza has also been dishing out free pies for those working day in and day out at Toronto's medical facilities, while Nando's is offering free catered fare at hospitals across Canada.

The peri-peri chicken chain is also giving out 50 free meals per location per day to those in hospitality who are out of work due to the novel coronavirus, following the lead of independent restaurants like The Dizzy and Little India, which started providing dishes to those who have been laid off (or anyone in need) free of charge last month.

Indonesian eatery Little Sister, Italian restaurant Five Doors North and Middle Eastern staple Tabule are feeding doctors and nurses across Toronto through the Feed the Frontlines initiative, which has so far raised more than $100,000 in donations to go toward food for the city's medical staff.

Organic meal company Bio Raw has likewise updated their online menu with an option for customers to donate in $10 increments, with all money directly funding food that the company distributes to Toronto hospitals.

Another online campaign, #InMyScrubsCanada, is using crowdfunding to purchase meals from local restaurants like The Goods and Salus Fresh Foods, and deliver them to Mount Sinai and Toronto General hospitals.

And yet another called Stand TOGether — Feed our Heroes provides complimentary or discounted eats and restaurant gift cards to those working in COVID-19 hospitals in the GTA.

There is also Sustain the Line, a unique new endeavour that connects restaurants willing and able to bring sustenance to frontline healthcare workers with members of the public looking to help out by paying for their meals.

Basically, a whole lot of eateries across the city are going above and beyond by doing what they're best at — making food.

During a time that is dark and difficult for all of us — especially those in hospitals around the world — it's certainly heartening to see local businesses and residents showing their appreciation for those who are sacrificing the most right now.

Lead photo by

Feed the Frontlines


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