The MB Feeds the Heroes program has hit the $100,000 fundraising milestone.

The program, an effort of the Downtown Manhattan Beach Business and Professionals Association, collects donations that are used to order meals from downtown Manhattan Beach restaurants and are then given to local hospital staff. The goal is to provide meals to front-line workers while helping to keep downtown restaurant staff employed.

Since March 17, the program has delivered almost 7,000 meals to hospital staff. The program is sending 60 meals per day to alternating local hospitals.

"I receive photos and thanks daily from the emergency department staffs, saying these meals make a tremendous difference in their morale, especially as their days become more intense and exhausting," said Jill Lamkin, executive director of the Downtown Manhattan Beach Business and Professionals Association. "As one doctor put it, 'It doesn’t just nourish us, the meals lift our spirits.'"

Lamkin added that the program provided a much-needed boost to local restaurants and their staff. "These donations not only provide a healthy meal to the front lines, but they are also helping to keep paychecks coming to our food service employees who continue to work hard to prepare a safe source of meals for all of us who are hunkering down at home. Thank you for supporting them," she said.

Based on current donations, the program has enough meals to last through Friday, May 1st, unless additional donations are received. 

To help guide donations, the targeted meal and delivery price range is $10-$15 per breakfast/lunch, and $15-$20 per dinner. It costs about $4,200/day to feed 270 employees.

Click https://www.downtownmanhattanbeach.com/donate to donate.

In related news, the Protect Our Heroes fundraiser has reached $28,000 of its $50,000 goal. That fundraiser, by local ER Doctor Sonia Simms, aims to raise funds for personal protective equipment (PPE) and other important supplies for hospital personnel.