The Stoller Wine Group of Dayton, Oregon, has joined forces with the Botanist House andMeals on Wheels People of Portland to help deliver meals to Oregon’s displaced restaurant and hospitality workers and elderly community in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
On March 18, The Botanist House announced they would offer free and reduced-cost meals to service industry professionals financially impacted by the novel coronavirus outbreak. Meals can be picked up at a centralized location or delivered directly to a doorstep. Their efforts have quickly grown from seven meals on the first day to more than 200.
“As soon as restaurants and bars were shut down, we knew that we needed to stick to our core and pivot our business to ease the financial burden of everyday life,” said Matt Davidson, co-founder and owner of The Botanist House.
Davidson’s team is focusing on serving individuals and families who have been laid off, had their businesses temporarily shut down, or are experiencing a significant reduction in business. “In the last 10 days, it feels like we’ve been running around like chickens with our heads cut off, but we’re making it happen,” he said.
On March 23, the Stoller Wine Group offered to help amplify the Botanist House’s efforts by facilizing a strategic partnership with Meals on Wheels People, and Oregon distributor Young’s Market Company.
“Seemingly overnight we watched our restaurant and hospitality partners lose what were otherwise-stable jobs,” said Gary Mortensen, president of the Stoller Wine Group. “Supporting our community is a huge part of our mission and our B Corp values. As soon as we heard about what the Botanist team was doing, we were motivated to help them scale the project to reach more people and increase resources.”
For all of April and May a portion of the proceeds from Stoller Wine Group brands will benefit Meals on Wheels People and the Botanist House. This will include grocery store sales of Stoller Family Estate, Chehalem Winery, Chemistry, and Canned Oregon wines throughout Oregon. Additionally, the Stoller Wine Group has selected a special assortment of Stoller Family Estate and Chehalem Winery wines for sale on its website, with a percentage of proceeds dedicated to this cause.
“Since the declaration of the pandemic, the requests for meals has increased 406 percent,” said Meals on Wheels People CEO Suzanne Washington. “We serve a frail and elderly population, many of whom depend on Meals on Wheels for their only food of the day. We really do not have the option of not serving them. As the demand for meals has increased dramatically, we so grateful for the generosity of the Stoller Wine Group.”
“We are proud to be a part of this collaboration with the Stoller Wine Group and Botanist House,” said Meals on Wheels People Chief Development Officer Tony Staser. “If we can lend our expertise to Botanist House to assist with the production of meals and a delivery system for those impacted in the restaurant industry, we are happy to do so.”
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