As the COVID-19 virus starts to take hold in the Charlotte region, individuals and organizations have stepped up to get help for our community’s most vulnerable. Christopher Sottile, founder of The Loyalist Market, a cheese and charcuterie shop in Matthews, has joined the push to help by starting a GoFundMe page dedicated to raising money to provide nutritious lunches for area school children. Created on Monday, the page has already raised more than $40,000. The original goal was $10,000. More help is urgently needed as the scope of the project widens.

Now with more than 20 local restaurants and food-related businesses involved in making and getting good lunches to children, they are able to provide lunches for 700 children a day, and are looking to further expand that number. To learn more details about this free lunch program, and to donate much-needed dollars, please visit the GoFundMe page here. 

Sal’s Pizza Factory is also offering a free lunch for kids. Stop by the restaurant and ask for a “Helping Friendly Slice” for your kiddo, and they’ll serve you a cheese or pepperoni slice with a fountain drink. Deli Street in Plaza Midwood is offering free bagged lunches for kids from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Yolk is partnering with Heal Charlotte to feed kids in the Orchard Park neighborhood. You can donate to support this effort here; add “meal” to the memo line.  —Travis Mullis and Kristen Wile