Veteran-owned Pennsylvania sandwich shop feeding vets for free: "They're suffering"
On this Veterans Day, veterans in the Philadelphia region are helping veterans and hope that those who serve the country are never forgotten. The owner of 2 Street Sammies in Montgomery County is helping by donating to the local nonprofit Salute 2 Service.
On the menu at 2 Street Sammies in Ambler is a favorite at the sandwich shop: the Italian hoagie.
Owner Nate Baynes knew from an early age that food can be transformative, but it wasn't until he served in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan as a member of the Air National Guard that he knew he wanted to make good food his life's work when he came back home.
"We would have things like the MREs, which are basically, you know, food in a bag," Baynes said. "There wasn't exactly a private chef on hand to take care of the troops."
This Veterans Day, Baynes is prepared to be that private chef for veterans. He's feeding vets for free at his spot inside Ridge Hall.
"The sacrifices they make — for themselves and their families — when they come back, the support doesn't seem to be there," Baynes said.
Baynes is also donating a portion of his proceeds to the nonprofit Salute 2 Service this year.
CBS News Philadelphia profiled its founder, Marine veteran Rodney Wyatt, back in 2022. Now, years later, Wyatt says the need has only grown.
"There are roughly 28,000 veterans in Bucks County outside of the 275,000 in Pennsylvania," Wyatt said, "and they're suffering, a lot of veterans are suffering. We give away upwards of $50, $60, $70, $80 worth of food in one box for a family."
Salute 2 Service provides not only food, but also clothing and other essentials to veterans and their families.
Wyatt says donations are now more important than ever as the organization also looks to relocate to lower Bucks County.
"[Donations] will help us secure a facility once we can find one," Wyatt said. "This is our problem right now."
2 Street Sammies will be feeding veterans for free from 11:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, at Ridge Hall in Ambler. You can also help Salute 2 Service anytime, especially if you can help them find a new location in Bucks County.