San Franciscans step up in big way during pandemic, passing out meals and PPE
In light of troubling times brought on by the pandemic, a San Francisco organization stepped up everyone who wanted one had a warm Thanksgiving meal.
More than 2,000 meals were distributed to a community that organizers say could easily have been forgotten. The San Francisco Fire Department and sheriff's office came together to lend a hand to the nonprofit "Self Help for the Elderly."
A team of volunteers got to work in San Francisco's Chinatown and passed out Thanksgiving dinner, even fanning out across the city to make sure that there was a warm meal for everyone in need.
For more than 40 years Self Help for the Elderly has organized a holiday meal for those who might otherwise be forgotten.
"People assume every senior has a family to spend Thanksgiving with and not knowing that some seniors, because of the culture, to save face they're not telling anybody that they don't have anybody to spend Thanksgiving," said Anni Chung, who works with the organization.
Ordinarily, the nonprofit would have hosted a large indoor affair with more than 2,000 people gathering to eat, but COVID has changed everything.
"During COVID we're having to adapt so we had to distribute the meals in Chinatown, 1,200. And also passing out 400 in the Richmond District and 400 in the Sunset District," said Chung.
The meals were passed out by an army of volunteers that included San Francisco firefighters and sheriff's deputies who didn't stop at simply passing out meals.
San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto presented Self Help for the Elderly with a check saying he "wanted to make sure you continue the good work that you do."
COVID was also on the minds of the Au family, who know that the needs of the elderly community go beyond their next meal.
"We're very happy to donate $40,000 worth of care packages of PPE to the elders here in this great time of need as coronavirus is resurging again," said Yat Pang Au.
Organizers are hoping that next year they will once again be able to gather again in-person to share Thanksgiving as a community.