ST. LOUIS —
Hundreds of families in two north St. Louis communities received free, hot meals on Friday afternoon.
The Demetrious Johnson Charitable Foundation partnered with Missouri head football coach Eli Drinkwitz and Just 1 Taste Catering to fund, prepare and distribute more than 300 meals to the Dellwood and Pine Lawn communities.
“I’m really excited to be able to give something back to the community,” former NFL and Mizzou football player Demetrious Johnson said. “Just 1 Catering, and Coach Drinkwitz from the University of Missouri, all of us, we partnered up to feed some families who may be going through a very difficult time right now.”
The St. Louis native said he spoke with elected officials from both Dellwood and Pine Lawn communities to determine the best way to assist people struggling during this time.
“There’s no one immune from a situation that could destroy their lives and change their lives,” Johnson said. “You see what has happened over the last few weeks, how folks have lost their jobs, losing everything they own over a virus.
Residents from both communities lined up in their cars at two different locations, where fresh meals were hand-delivered curbside. All volunteers preparing and distributing food wore gloves and masks.
Pine Lawn Mayor Terry Epps said there was also an emphasis placed on feeding first responders in the Pine Lawn community to express gratitude and appreciation.
“We wanna show them we really appreciate the hard work they’re doing keeping us safe out here 24 hours a day,” Epps said. “They deserve it, they should be at the front of the line.”
Hot meals included chicken, potato salad, green beans, and more. One family said it gave them the hope they needed.
“It lifts us up a whole lot,” Pine Lawn resident Tammy Moore said. “By God’s grace, it lifts us all up.”
Dellwood Mayor Reggie Jones said many families need meals during this time, but that today was about a bigger picture.
“It’s not even just about the meals,” Jones said. “It’s just about the thought. I think the residents just appreciate the thought that somebody’s thinking about them during this crisis. This is a traumatic event for a lot of people.”
Jones added that even though times are dark right now for people in the Dellwood community who are unemployed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, he’s seen plenty of light, as residents work together to provide resources for one another.
Jones said he and Johnson plan to continue speaking over the next few weeks to determine other ways the charitable foundation can provide resources and hope to those in the community who need it most right now.
