AP Dinner table at 2200 meals served; over 30k raised
Kolarik: “It speaks to Asbury’s attitude toward this whole crisis.”
The Asbury Park Dinner Table (APDT) initiative has now served approximately 2200 dinner meals and raised over $30,000 since it began just a week ago, according to Guiseppe “Joe” Grillo (above), one of the four organizers.
The meals, made by Asbury Park restaurants, are distributed to those in need — no questions asked — from five different locations: St. Stephens Church, Second Baptist Church, United Fellowship Church, the Monmouth County Boys and Girls Club and the Asbury Park Food Collective. (The Asbury Park Food Collective location is geared toward those in the service industry who’ve lost their jobs.)
“It’s like ordering take out for someone,” said Grillo.
The APDT is serving typically 300-350 dinner meals per day, he said. The hours are 5:30 to 6:30 at the distribution locations and volunteers urge everyone to expeditiously take their meals to maximize social distancing.
The meals provided to APDT by the restaurants are averaging $8 per meal. The following restaurants are participating: Cardinal, Mogo, Pasta Volo, Belmonte, Reyla, Modine, DJ’s Delights, Toast, Sweet Dani B’s, Confections of a Rock Start, Amici, Purple Glaze and Langosta Lounge/Pop’s Garage. In addition, Kula Urban farms and the Asbury Lanes are preparing soups using Kula produce.
As few people as possible touch the meals, Grillo said, and the restaurants deliver them directly to the distribution locations.
The Asbury Park Dinner Table started when Paranormal Books and Curiosities owner Kathy Kelly called Grillo and his partner Julie Andreola and said they had to do something in Asbury Park in the midst of the state shutdown to combat Covid-19 virus.
Grillo, Andreola and their friend Allison Kolarik then coordinated with Kelly virtually to set it all up and the initiative immediately took off.
“The important part now is sustainability,” said Grillo.
He said the initiative was fortunate to receive a $12,000 donation from waterfront redeveloper IStar to sustain them for 8 weeks. Watermark owner Russell Lewis donated $2,500 and $1,000 contributors included the Beacon of Life Senior Citizens residence in Oceanport and New Jersey Pride. Another Asbury Park resident contributed $1,000.
To contribute, go to paypal.me/apdinnertable. If you want to make a sizeable contribution, Grillo said don’t do it by paypal because of the service charges. Instead, contact one of the organizers to make arrangements if you know them. Otherwise, email them at Asburyparkdinnertable@gmail.com. You can also follow them on Facebook at apdinnertable and on Instagram at asburyparkdinnertable.
Most of the donations are $5 to $100 and over 250 donations have been made, said Andreola.
“We’ve reached 500,000 impressions through social media with no marketing dollars,” she said. “That’s basically unheard of.”
“It was kind of perfect storm of the right time and the right place in a period of American history when everyone is in the wrong time in the wrong place,” said Kolarik, who works in marketing and social media advertising.
“The response on line in real time and real life is overwhelming. I’ve never seen it before,” Kolarik said. “It speaks to Asbury’s attitude toward this whole crisis.”
———————————————————————–
Follow the Asbury Park Sun on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Asbury Park Sun is affiliated with the triCityNews newspaper.
