■ INSIDE: Central Floridians and organizations around the region are a shining light during these unpredictable times, performing acts of kindness.
There are more and more documented cases of coronavirus as each day passes, and the death toll continues to rise. Toilet paper and hand soap are scarce. Many businesses have been forced to close, including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando.
But a few Central Floridians and local organizations are a shining light during these unpredictable times, performing acts of kindness.
Here are a few of their stories.
Skylines across the nation shined a light on first responders April 9 by transforming their landmarks, arenas, office towers and more into blue beacons of hope under the #LightItBlue movement. In Central Florida, Piedmont Office Realty Trust is joining the initiative with two Orlando properties, including CNL Center I and 200 South Orange.
The campaign also invites Americans to join in by wearing blue, decorating windows and doorways with blue and sharing their images or messages for essential workers on social media with the hashtag #LightItBlue.
Sonny’s BBQ fed more than 270 healthcare workers April 7 at AdventHealth Orlando. They fed them lunch and dinner, plus they’re planning to return next week as well.
DeLand will ring bells to thank doctors, nurses, health professionals and first responders. At 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, the city will join several Central Florida communities, including Eustis, Leesburg, Tavares and Lake County, by ringing the bell atop “The Sutherland” antique fire engine outside City Hall.
The city is also asking others across Florida to do the same and post videos on social media with the hashtag #bellsofthanks.
Don Julio Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar is offering a free meal to first responders from 12-8 p.m. Monday to thank them for their service. Bring a valid badge or ID and receive a pick two meal (taco, enchilada, burrito or quesadilla with rice and beans).
Orange County Sheriff John Mina, along with more than 50 deputies, saluted health care heroes with lights, sirens and a cruiser parade on April 7 at AdventHealth Orlando. A giant heart with “Thank You Health Care Heroes” on it was also displayed in the middle of the campus.
Palm Bay residents Nicole and Chris Flanagan are making ear guards for Central Florida nurses for free.
East Coast Believers Church in Oviedo provided free Easter dinner kits — complete with ham, potatoes, vegetables, rolls and pie — for 300 families in need. The kits were distributed on a first come, first served basis Friday.
The Chronic Warrior Collective and local nonprofit SadieStyle have teamed up for the Voodoo Thank You Tour, a project that seeks to feed essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here’s how it works. Online donations can be made at chronicwarriorcollective.com/voodoo-thankyou. Each time they reach $1,500 (the cost to feed about 125 people), the Voodoo Kitchen food truck will be dispatched in Central Florida to hospitals, grocery stores, gas stations, first responders, pharmacies and essential businesses.
“We see it as a win-winwin,” said Dawn Veselka, Chronic Warrior Collective consultant, in a press release. “Our hope is to unite Central Florida with a gratitude purpose, preserve a food truck, and show those on the front lines how much they are appreciated. These healthcare heroes and essential workers have devoted their lives to taking care of us; this is our small chance to take care of them.”
Up to 1,000 restaurantprepared meals will be safely delivered to the homes of seniors and disabled adults this month thanks to Meals of Love. Created in response to the coronavirus pandemic, this is a new partnership among the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, Senior Resource Alliance, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, according to a press release.
“Now, more than ever, we need to take care of each other,” said Karla Radka, president and CEO of the Senior Resource Alliance, in the press release. “Meals of Love benefits our beloved elderly and disabled adult population, complementing the incredible year-round service provided by our agency partners, while providing an economic opportunity for the hard-hit restaurant industry.”
Meals of Love will serve Orange, Seminole, Brevard and Osceola counties and is currently accepting applications for seniors and disabled adults interested in meal delivery and restaurants interested in participating. For more information, visit mealsoflove.org.
The corporate office of the Terrace of St. Cloud made a banner for the nursing and rehab center’s nurses and staff to show their appreciation of the time and effort the facility has put toward helping its residents during the coronavirus pandemic.
Kalera CEO Daniel Malechuk wanted to give back to the city of Orlando, so he gave away about 200 cases of lettuce that his company grows on March 31 at Canvas Restaurant & Market.
“The love and outpouring from our community was incredible,” Malechuk said.
He and his company gave away about 600 cases of lettuce Wednesday in Hunters Creek (3232 N. John Young Parkway in Kissimmee).
More than 2,000 University of Cetnral Florida students raised $865,598 in the past year to benefit Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.
Typically the end of this effort known as KnightThon ends with students staying on their feet for 20 hours to celebrate their fundraising efforts and pay tribute to local children, but the dance marathon was canceled over coronavirus concerns. However, UCF students used virtual tools to dance every hour from their homes and hear from local children who have benefited from fundraising efforts like theirs through live question and answer sessions.
To thank staff working at elder-care communities for keeping seniors safe, The Jewish Pavilion offered a free lunch at Brookdale Lake Orienta in Altamonte Springs on April 1 and
Wednesday at Cascade Heights in Longwood, and will provide free lunches Tuesday at Brookdale Dr. Phillips, Wedensday at Savannah Court in Maitland, April 21 at Windsor at Celebration and April 22 at Encore at Avalon Park.
In addition, the nonprofit is collecting cards and drawings from adults and children that will be distributed to seniors as well as working to create and collect face masks for seniors and employees that care for them through a Facebook group.
Chris King, founder and CEO of Elevation Financial Group, launched the Stimulus Challenge to lift up the stories of people and organizations helping communities.
Anyone can participate by sharing the ways they and others are making a difference locally on social media using this hashtag: #StimulusChallenge. This will help King and Elevation with the second part of the challenge, where they’ll use the hashtag to identify some gifts to give to local organizations.
Working with Orange County Public Schools and the Department of Agriculture, 4 Rivers Smokehouse hopes to “fill the family gap” by providing meals for families at no cost through their Feed the Need initiative. CEO and chef John Rivers has asked the Central Florida restaurant and resort community to get involved by donating excess inventory.
“During the most challenging times the greatest among us shine the brightest,” Rivers wrote 4 Rivers CEO and chef John Rivers in an email to local resorts and eateries. “I encourage each of you to join us and be that ray of hope when your communities need it most.” .
Residents of Lake Nona’s Laureate Park neighborhood devised the “Chalk Your Walk Challenge” to share joy with their fellow neighbors by decorating their portion of the sidewalk with doodles, designs, obstacle courses and encouraging messages.
“This effort to share joy, while also practicing social distancing, not only gives families an outdoor activity that everyone can get involved in, but provides residents with a sense of encouragement, solidarity, and community,” said Karlee Kunkle of Lake Nona, who noted that participants are sharing their contributions with the hashtag #LNchalkwalk on social media.