Holocaust survivors in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx are getting free weekly home-cooked meals developed by local home chefs, who pair the specifically-designed meals with a handwritten note.
The initiative was started by home-cooked meal delivery service WoodSpoon, who successfully rolled the project out in Brooklyn and are now expanding it, and it is completely funded by private donors.
WoodSpoon Co-founder and COO Lee Reshef said it was gratifying to support the Holocaust survivors and his team was humbled at the opportunity to serve this community that has survived an awful time in our history and bring a sense of home back to them through the foods prepared by our home chefs.
We look forward to helping more survivors as we grow the program.
The meals are developed by home chefs on the platform, and are designed to provide high-quality nutritious food that evoke the flavors of the survivors home countries while creating a greater sense of belonging.
Throughout the summer, WoodSpoon delivered more than 100 meals weekly to the Holocaust survivors, while keeping their preferences in mind. Those participating in the program shared their preference between chicken, fish, beef or vegetarian, and each chef put their own spin on the dish each week that arrives warm, fresh and ready for the survivors to enjoy and with a hand-written note and personal message from the chef who prepared it.
Holocaust survivor Svetlana Fidel said having access to a hot, home-cooked meal had been wonderful, and the food had been unique and delicious.
I got a honey cake this week that reminded me of the one my grandmother used to make; I felt a sense of community, she said.
Jewish community center Kings Bay Y provided a list of survivors in need to be a part of the initiative, and to deliver the meals, WoodSpoon uses its delivery partner Hailify to pick up the meals and bring them straight to the survivors houses.
WoodSpoon is covering all operating costs for the initiative and its private donors are paying for the meals and compensating the participating chefs to ensure each is being paid for their time and efforts, the company said.
For more information on the program, click here.
