Lynchburg restaurants keep kitchens open to feed families in need

Restaurants come together, create new organization

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Some restaurants in Lynchburg have closed their doors but are keeping their kitchens open to feed those who have hit hard times because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Tuesday was the first food distribution day for the newly-created “Lynchburg Community Kitchen.”

A group of volunteers gathered to put tacos in to-go boxes for families living at the James Crossings apartments.

The food was donated by Liberty University’s kitchen. The school had to give away $20,000 worth of food after a majority of its students didn’t come back after spring break.

Lynchburg Community Kitchen also got other food from restaurants who had to get rid of their food, too.

Organizers said it’s a collaborative effort with several downtown restaurants and local churches.

The new initiative is looking to target three groups—low income families, the homeless population and the elderly.

“Our goal is to see this continue and sustain long and beyond the coronavirus. The reality is the people in our community are hungry and need food all the time,” said Myke Barron, the general manager for White Hart Café.

The group still needs food donations and are still working out how many times a week they'll be doing this.

“A pandemic, times of adversity are really proving grounds to show what people are made out of,” said Victor Stanley, executive director of LOJ Ministries.

If you want to get involved, click here.