CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — Operation Restaurant Rescue is underway in Cumberland County. The mission is pretty simple: To help local restaurants by providing them with business while also helping community members who are in need of a meal.
The operation comes as many small restaurants struggle to stay open.
"You get up every morning, you come in, you put your soups on, and you wait for people to come, and nobody comes. It's a constant struggle," said Patrick LeBlanc, the owner of Spoons.
Spoons is a downtown cafe which specializes in chemical-free, homemade foods in Cumberland County.
"It has been incredibly difficult. I know they talk about all the extra support that is out there, but honestly, it's things like they are doing today that is the only reason we're still afloat," said LeBlanc.
Operation Restaurant Rescue is a partnership between Members 1st and Verber Dental Group. They're paying for hundreds of meals from a slew of restaurants, like Spoons, and distributing the meals to organizations, people, and families in need.
"This is really a way to fill a lot of need on the restaurant's part. Give them a little bit of help and get them through the last bit of the shutdown and hopefully help them get to the light at the end of the tunnel," said Dr. Michael Verber, the CEO of Verber Dental Group. "I hope this continues."
"For us the exciting part of this is - it does help us - it lets me help others also. The meal we provided tonight, we didn't just throw something together. We made a nice home-cooked meal so people are going to get things they haven't been getting," added LeBlanc.
Operation Restaurant Rescue started small with 120 meals. Now, more than 600 meals will be distributed over the upcoming week.
