KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Amid making drinks and fulfilling orders over the past week, Spokes Cafe and Cyclery in downtown Kansas City saw a need, as some hospital cafeterias have limited their options due to COVID-19 concerns.
"The salad bar has been closed, the soup options are no longer being offered, the Mexican station, pizza—those all have been closed," Dr. Noushin Ansari, a resident at Saint Luke's Health System and Truman Medical Centers, said.
In some cases, doctors and nurses are buying meals for one another.
"One was a nurse over at Children's that she wanted to buy food for her all staff," Dan Walsh, managing partner at Spokes Cafe and Cyclery, said. "I said, 'I'm sure we can get you that food, but I think I could probably find someone else to pay for it for you guys.'"
On Monday, Walsh created an option on the Spokes website for customers to sponsor a meal for a health care worker for $10.
"We've had people order anywhere from one to 50 meals for health care workers,” Walsh said, “and now we're starting to, we batch those together and then we started to take them out.”
In just three days, Spokes has sold more than 150 meals. On Wednesday, they delivered lunch to Children's Mercy Hospital.
"People are looking for a way to help,” Walsh said. “So many people feel helpless when they're sitting at home. And this is a way that they know these health care workers are on the frontlines, they’re the soldiers in this battle, and they want to do something to help.”
The feeling is mutual at Succotash by Hospital Hill.
"We're just looking to give back to the people that helped us out and helped us grow," David Unger, Succotash kitchen manager, said.
The restaurant is matching the $10 anyone spends to purchase a meal for a health care worker or a family in need. (http://www.succotashkcmo.com/)
"It gives you the sense of pride and joy that you can help the people in your city and the people who really need it the most and this crucial time," Unger said.
Those in the medical field are grateful for the community's actions.
"It makes [me] feel very warm knowing that Kansas City, even though it's such a big city, that people can come together and, like, in a community effort and show their support for us," Ansari said.
41 Action News has created a Facebook group,We're Open Kansas City, where members of the community can post businesses serving their community.
