A New Meal Program Comes To New York, Benefitting Those Most Affected By The Covid-19 Crisis

New Rochelle, just north of New York City, was one of the first towns to be hit by the COVID-19 crisis. A cluster of the virus in mid-March required the deployment of the National Guard to provide relief. Weeks later, its 79,000 residents are showing the rest of the country signs of hope. By adhering to stringent lockdown guidelines, they were able to flatten the curve significantly within a month’s time. Now, a new service called NourishALL will bring critical help to those that remain at risk.

The program works by giving those served by community-based organizations and nonprofits gift cards from local restaurants. A soft-launch earlier in the month included six restaurants across town, available to 300 residents. This week it expands to support up to 1,000 people who can choose from up to 20 eateries. The initiative is the funded by the city in conjunction with L+M Development Partners and RXR Realty.

“As one of the first communities in America to face the COVID-19 pandemic, New Rochelle is determined to set a positive example of strength and resilience,” says New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson. “This innovative program, achieved through a public-private partnership, will help our most vulnerable residents, sustain valued businesses through a period of unique hardship, and position our entire city to emerge united from this crisis.”

The benefits of the rollout are twofold. Beyond providing food for those in need, NourishALL is giving immediate support to restaurants impacted by the crippling economic downturn.

“As a New Rochelle native, I am proud to join the city and our partners in helping provide food to those that need it most as we work together to recover from this health crisis,” said Ron Moelis, CEO and Co-founder of L+M Development Partners. “By engaging local restaurants at this critical moment, this initiative is also designed to help the vibrant businesses that contribute to the fabric of our community. L+M is dedicating to supporting communities where we build and we are grateful to Mayor Bramson for his leadership and our partners for stepping up at a time when it’s desperately needed.”

RXR Realty (RXR), New Rochelle’s largest developer, injected funding through its own RXR COVID-19 Relief Fund. The company also recently launched RXRVolunteer.com, an online platform connecting local small businesses and non-profits affected by COVID-19 with skill-based volunteers.

“We’re proud to support the NourishALL program, a true win-win in supporting New Rochelle’s small businesses, along with those in need,” said Scott Rechler, RXR Chairman and CEO. “With a direct investment into this innovative program, combined with the launch of the RXR Volunteer program, New Rochelle is rewriting the playbook when it comes to helping those in need during times of crisis.”

The nearly two dozen participating restaurants include a variety of cuisines representative of the city’s diverse populace. Among them is Mini’s Latin Fusion, less then a year old, and struggling to stay afloat with pickup and delivery clientele. But owner Nicole Pirraglia-Piparo remains hopeful. “While we all go through these difficult and challenging times, being able to provide to all the families in need is a real honor for us,” she says of NourishALL.

Anthony Russo of Modern Restaurant notes that the challenges have brought the community together stronger than ever before. It’s even birthed its own hashtag, #NewRoStrong. His popular Italian spot has been providing food to hospitals, first responders and the elderly at a discounted rate. So involvement with NourishALL was a no-brainer. “We are so proud to be part of [it],” he said. “Not only is it a great program to help feed those that may otherwise go hungry but it also has enabled the restaurants involved to stay relevant.”

As additional donations are received, plans are in the works to expand the program further to more residents in need—and to involve more local eateries. If you or your family are interested in supporting the NourishALL initiative you can donate to the program online.

This post first appeared on Forbes.com. To see the original, click here.