Hatboro Restaurant Helping Hungry During Shutdown

HATBORO, PA — A Hatboro restaurant, with the help of its regular patrons and other local businesses, is responding to the coronavirus outbreak by helping those in need.

Hatboro Dish, at 102 S. York Rd., like many other restaurants, has adapted its business to takeout orders and curbside service during the coronavirus shutdown. But, two nights a week, its staff is handing out free meals to anyone who shows up wanting one.

The meals are provided by the restaurant, as well as through donations of food and money by patrons and other businesses.

"The first night it was pretty much a lot of families with kids but there was some elderly involved in there too," owner Jackie Evangelista told CBS3 Philly. We didn't push anybody away. We gave anyone food that needed it."

In a Facebook post this week, the restaurant shared the story of a phone call it received from a man who said he'd made a single meal he'd picked up on a free-meal day last him the entire weekend.

"I'm hurting right now because he made one meal last the whole weekend," the post read.

The free meals are handed out curbside at the restaurant every Tuesday and Friday, from 4-6 p.m.

Last week, Hatboro Dish handed out about 350 free meals.

They are accepting donations of food, and cash, to keep the program going. A family meal pack usually sells for $45 at the restaurant. Cash donations can be made via PayPal.