We have all seen the images of health care workers working to the point of exhaustion trying to save as many lives as possible from the COVID-19 pandemic.
We also know that many of our favorite restaurants are closed, putting restaurant workers out of work. Feed the Frontlines was conceived to help both situations by feeding exhausted health care providers with food prepared by out of work restaurant workers.
The project started when the wife of Luca Di Pietro, owner of Tarallucci e Vino, received a text from her friend Adair Roberts who ordered 40 dinners from Tarallucci Di Vino and had them delivered to the ER staff at NYU Langone. With this first order, the idea for Feed the Frontlines was conceived.
Monica King, the owner of Monica King Contemporary, heard about Feed the Frontlines and wanted to help support it. Monica organized a group of over fifty artists into an online exhibition titled Spring to Action.
Monica is donating twenty-five percent of the proceeds from the sale of artwork to Feed the Frontlines.
Monica explains how her involvement took shape “When COVID-19 started spinning humanity around the globe into unexpected places of insecurity and fear, it was apparent that we all shared a sense of helplessness in the face of something completely unprecedented in our lives.
“This was the root of my desire to find something that could serve as a beacon of sorts … a light coming through the cracks to show that the community of art and artists was still here–even if tucked away in their homes and studios. We still had each other, and we were ready to make a difference to help the world heal.”
Monica heard about Feed the Frontlines and realized that they were also bringing talent (chefs and restaurant workers) together to help make a difference.
Monica continued, “So talent in the face of COVID-19 became not about talent on its own, but rather about standing behind brave medical teams fighting daily to save all our lives. It is a phenomenon that we are seeing throughout so many industries in the world right now. Using our most spectacular gifts to affect change at the most difficult of moments.”
She feels we are all “Springing to Action”.
Monica King Contemporary’s Tribeca location is temporarily closed due to the current shut down. Monica is presenting the artwork on Artsy.
Patrons can support the initiative by going to the Artsy website.
“Through supporting this exhibition, the cultural community will be directly helping frontline healthcare workers, the struggling local restaurant industry, and artists from MKC and beyond who are trying to continue creating during this turbulent time.”
So far, Feed the Frontlines has supplied over 30,000 meals to health care workers in hospitals all over New York City and helped put nearly sixty restaurant employees back to work.
You can see the list of hospitals that have been helped online here.
The Spring to Action initiative was featured on ABC News. Watch the report here.
