Free meals remain available
(Photo courtesy CARRIE CLAYTON VIA ZOOM) Local women who started the Get a Meal Give a Meal program left to right: Nancy Gerth, Carrie Clayton, Judy York, Karen Glaeser, Julie Perchynski, Krista Eberle. Jean Gerth is missing from the photo.
SANDPOINT — The Get a Meal, Give a Meal program, which aims to help people and businesses amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, has purchased more than 250 meals from over a dozen participating restaurants.
The program, launched a month ago by a group of local women, allows people to purchase extra meals at participating restaurants that can be passed on to people and families who are struggling during the pandemic. Organizers were cheered by the number of meals that have been purchased, but learned that people are not coming forward to get the meals from the Sandpoint Community Resource Center, which distributes the meals for the program.
“The number of meals purchased is not a surprise at all, I have always been aware of the generosity and love that is present in Sandpoint. This was never a question about taking care of each other, it was a question of how,” said Carrie Clayton, the group’s organizer.
The group is trying to get the word out that the meals are available to anyone, particularly the unemployed and the ranks of essential workers.
“The meals have been donated as gestures of kindness, compassion and paying it forward. Think of this as self-care so you can be there for someone else,” said Clayton.
People wanting to receive meals should contact the Sandpoint Community Resource Center at 208-920-1840 or email gethelp@sandpointcommunityresource.com. Although the center’s building is closed, someone should respond within 24 hours.
To purchase an extra meal when you place your order with a participating restaurant, tell them you’d like to add a meal to your order as part of the Get a Meal, Give a Meal program. Participating restaurants include: Arlo’s, Bab’s Pizzeria, Bistro at Home, Blue Heron Café, Burger Dock, DiLuna’s Café, Eichardt’s Pub, Heart Bowls Food Truck, Ivano’s, MickDuff’s Brewing Company, Pack River Store, Pie Hut, Soul Picnic Food Truck, Sweet Lou’s, Tango Café, and Utara Brewing Company.
For more information about the program and a current list of restaurants, go to https://350Sandpoint.org. Restaurants not yet participating that want to join the Get a Meal, Give a Meal program should contact Carrie Clayton at carclay2@gmail.com or Jean Gerth at Jean@350Sandpoint.org.