PPCC Sponsors ‘Meals for Heroes’ Program

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

The Pacific Palisades Community Council has teamed up with neighboring Brentwood Community Council to sponsor a “Meals for Heroes” Program—providing boxed meals to frontline healthcare workers, first responders and veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“PPCC got involved in Meals for Heroes upon learning about it from Michelle Bisnoff, chair of the Brentwood Community Council,” PPCC Chair David Card explained to the Palisadian-Post. “We joined forces in sponsoring the delivery of meals to healthcare workers, first responders and homeless veterans from our Palisades and Brentwood restaurants.”

Card explained that PPCC asked local restaurants to be a part of the program, with Kayndaves and Porta Via signing up. He added that more restaurants may join as the effort continues.

Meals are being delivered to hospital staff at UCLA, St. John’s, Cedars Sinai and West LA Veterans Affairs. First responder recipients include paramedics, firefighters and LAPD officers who serve Brentwood, CD11 and the Palisades—including a scheduled drop-off for Los Angeles Fire Department Stations 69 and 23 on Saturday, April 18.

There is also an option to provide meals through the program to veterans in West LA via Meals on Wheels.

“The restaurants come up with a boxed meal menu and price, and then take orders from their customers who pay after selecting a delivery day and recipient organization,” Card explained. “The restaurant is not donating the meals; rather, anyone in the community can order meals.”

Because customers are paying for the meals, the program supports both the recipients and local restaurants by providing them with business.

“Kudos to the Brentwood Community Council and Pacific Palisades Community Council for teaming up to deliver 1,000 meals in seven days to our first responders and healthcare workers who are on the frontline,” Councilmember Mike Bonin wrote of the efforts.

The list of participating restaurants includes Maria’s Italian, Tara’s Himalayan and Coral Tree Cafe. Donations start at $15 for a meal from Maria’s.

Instructions for how to donate vary by restaurant, so Palisadians are encouraged to visit pacpalicc.org or 90049.info to learn more about how to participate.

“As long as people in the Palisades and Brentwood support this program by paying for meals,” Card concluded, “PPCC and BCC will keep it running.”