BOSTON — Local restaurants and other businesses are gathering donations for the Greater Boston Food Bank [GBFB] in a campaign known as Community Through Hospitality. Chef Douglass Williams’ restaurant, MIDA, is among the handful of local small businesses spearheading the effort with the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts and the GBFB.
“Hunger is all around us, especially where we are next to one of the highest net incomes in the country [and] next to one of the lowest,” Williams said.
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The Tremont Street Restaurant is in Roxbury but close to Dorchester and Boston’s South End.
Feeding America’s recent projections show that, during the pandemic, Massachusetts is experiencing the greatest percentage of increase in food insecurity in the nation.
Because of government COVID-19 restrictions, sales at MIDA are mostly takeout at the moment, but with restrictions slowly being lessened, Williams feels there is momentum. He is donating 30% of sales on certain menu items and cocktails to the food bank through the end of February.
“With everything going on in the world right now even just here it’s nice to be giving back the community,” said Shanera Lindsey of Roxbury, a customer.
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Some of the other businesses involved in the fundraiser include Boston Beer Company, Income Research + Management, and The Urban Grape, according to a spokesperson for the campaign.