South California Gas Co., in partnership with the Latino Restaurants Association, yesterday distributed meals to health care workers in Bakersfield and Delano.

SoCalGas has donated some 500 meals to Mercy Hospital Southwest in Bakersfield and the Adventist Health Delano Regional Medical Center, and provided support to local restaurants there.

Hundreds of health workers benefited from the free meal local Latino-owned restaurants that are members of the association provided. 

Specifically, frontline workers and restaurants affected by this global health crisis were the ones who benefited from this joint project by the SoCalGas and LRA dubbed as, "Feed Frontliners Program."

Overwhelmed by the Generosity

Toni Harper, Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield vice president, said, they, at the hospital, are overwhelmed by SoCalGas and the LRA's generosity.

The hospital's official expressed how grateful they are, primarily, because, as they continue to survive the pandemic, their caregivers are tirelessly and selflessly working to guarantee each patient and family have the best care. This gesture collaborating businesses showed the frontliners "renews their spirit."

Meanwhile, SoCalGas public affairs manager, Robert Duchow said, the said the pandemic has affected "all of us in different ways." Thus, he explained, their objective with these happenings is to express how much the health workers are appreciated. 

And at the same time, it is also the main objective of the program to back local restaurant owners whose dealings have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

The SoCalGas public official also said they are proud to continue showing support the communities they are serving each day. 

Also to show support to health care workers, employees at SoCalGas from Bakersfield volunteered to help at the events as well, by distributing care packages and meals to frontliners 

Member restaurants, Hole-in-One in Delano and La Costa in Bakersfield of LRA were the ones who prepared the meals for the events

The funding of SoCalGas allotted for the Feed Frontliners Program helped in financing the purchases of meals, which then, back restaurants whose operations have been affected by this global health crisis.

LRA Thankful for its Partner

According to LRA Board Chair, Lilly Rocha, the association is so grateful for SoCalGas for partnering with them to take the "Feed Frontliners Program to the Bakersfield and Delano community." 

He also said SoCalGas has been with the group of food chains from the start, beginning with a few meals to local Intensive Care Units or ICUs to over 200 food backs "at Adventist Health Delano Regional Medical Center and Mercy Hospital, respectively." 

The program's strength, the board chair continued, is supporting two affected and susceptible communities: frontliners who fight the virus every day and restaurants that struggle to remain operational.

SoCalGas is committed to supporting the said community's health, safety and wellness. On top of the support for the feeding programs of the LRA, this organization had provided more than $2 million in a donation to nonprofit groups.

More so, the said donation is intended to back the region's workforce, feed the hungry, and provide consumers with bill assistance, among others as part of the recovery relief from COVID-19.

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