Coronavirus Philadelphia: 'Fuel The Fight 2020' Helping Restaurant Industry Feed Frontline Workers During Pandemic
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Fuel the Fight 2020 is an initiative with a two-fold purpose -- to feed hospital workers and help keep restaurants cooking. It started in Philadelphia and just weeks later has inspired similar efforts across the country and even the world.
The effort is driven by young people all under the age of 30. They were looking for a way to show their appreciation to health care employees testing and caring for COVID-19 patients. In the process, they've managed to help an entire industry weather this pandemic.
"We have a lot of contingency plans but a pandemic was not one of them," said Anthony Notarfrancesco, who owns SouthHouse at 13th and Shunk Streets in South Philadelphia.
SouthHouse is keeping the lights on thanks to a legion of loyal regulars and a partnership that has been a lifeline to eateries like his.
"We started donating food to Methodist Hospital, which is right around the corner to us, and a few other hospital groups once a week, just trying to get out there and help health care workers that are out on the frontlines," he said. "One of our regulars actually saw what we were doing and suggested we connect with Fuel the Fight."
Six friends started Fuel the Fight 2020 as a GoFundMe campaign in late March.
"If you asked us five weeks ago if we could have imagined that this would be rolled out over 20 different cities and we've raised over three-quarters of a million dollars, we would have laughed and said no way, but the thing snowballed and here's where we are," said Bill Conners.
The all-volunteer effort uses 100 percent of its donations to pay restaurants to make meals for health care workers on the COVID-19 frontlines. To date, the initiative has provided more than 25,000 meals in the Philadelphia area and 75,000 nationwide.
"We're seeing restaurants drain their bank accounts, continue to pay their employees as they can, and if we can provide a little support to them to help them pay rent and help them pay insurance, it goes an incredibly long way," Conners said.
This week, Fuel the Fight will expand to feed SEPTA employees, who are working around the clock to transport other essential employees to their jobs.
It's an effort that exemplifies brotherly love and ensures Philadelphia's vibrant restaurant scene will continue to exist beyond this pandemic.
"Everybody knows restaurants have taken a hit, so to have this and be able to basically break-even and stay afloat until everything is over, it's been, I can't express how huge it's been for us," Notarfrancesco said.
So far, Fuel the Fight has pumped roughly $300,000 directly to Philadelphia restaurants and plans to continue its mission as long as it's needed.
To help Fuel the Fight and donate, click here.
