The Aurora Noon Lions Club donated $252 to the Feeding the Frontline project by Reuland Food Service in Aurora.
Rodrigo “Bobby” Menendez, Noon Lions president, said the grant will provide funds for 42 donated lunches to the Aurora Police Department personnel. The Lions’ donation was made possible through fundraisers, including pancake breakfasts, pizza and pasta dinners and candy days.
In March, Reuland’s Brigit Reuland took to Facebook to say her restaurant had joined Feeding the Frontline, a Boston-based grassroots effort to connect residents and restaurants in support of communities. Reuland’s dormant restaurant dining room, closed by the pandemic, was converted into a commissary for Feeding the Frontline while phone and curbside-pickup orders continued.
Reuland wrote in her post, “This recently-born movement allows us to provide meals for our health-care workers and other first responders, while simultaneously providing our employees the opportunity to continue working under these uncertain conditions.
“Your donation will cover the cost of making and delivering meals to local hospitals and first responders. Our cost to make and deliver each meal is $6.”
In addition to the APD, Ryan Reuland, led the delivery of lunches to Aurora Fire Department, North Aurora Police Department, Rush-Copley Medical Center, Aurora; Amita Mercy Medical Center, Aurora; Mutual Ground domestic violence shelter, Aurora; Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry; and Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry, Aurora.
In the first week of the Reuland Food Service program, delivery orders were 1,323 lunches. Since then, approximately 5,700 have been delivered and another 1,300 have been sponsored.
According to Reuland, the biggest single donation was $2,400 from a couple, listed as“the grateful seniors,” who contributed their federal relief checks.
— Al Benson, Aurora Noon Lions Club