Bloomberg Philanthropies will join hands with World Central Kitchen, a not-for-profit organization founded by renowned chef José Andrés, to provide meals for approximately 30,000 healthcare workers at NYC Health + Hospitals' 11 acute care hospitals and five post-acute long-term care facilities across the city's five boroughs.
World Central Kitchen will start providing fresh daily meals at two locations starting April 15 and will expand to remaining locations of NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest public health care system in the country, by April 27, according to their press statement.
Through this collaboration, all acute and post-acute care staff plus additional personnel who have joined their ranks at facilities in NYC Health + Hospitals can access meals seven days a week from 8:00am to 5:00pm.
Michael Bloomberg's $6 million support is part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies' Coronavirus Response Initiatives, launched in March to provide aid to public health professionals as they continue on their tenuous fight against COVID-19.
"As the coronavirus sweeps across the world, health care workers are risking their lives every day to protect ours -- and they need our support now more than ever," said Bloomberg in the press release. "This support is vital to saving lives and helping to mitigate the kind of economic and social damage that could make this crisis even more debilitating for families and communities."
The partnership also aims to increase production at their meal distribution center at Hudson Yards and establish contracts with local vendors and restaurants to assist in providing thousands of additional fresh meals for the NYC Health + Hospitals staff.
In addition to benefiting healthcare workers, the initiative aims to encourage local restaurants into bring back employees and assist the ailing NYC restaurant industry.
Readers can donate to NYC Health + Hospitals through their Network for Good fundraising page and donations for equipment and supplies can be made through Help Now NYC.
