Russ & Daughters, perhaps best known for being NYC’s top choice for bagels and lox, has been doing their part to help feed the New York medical community during the COVID-19 fight.
The specialty food shop has been an icon on the Lower East Side—especially since it has been open since 1914—and before coronavirus, had never closed or laid off staff before in its history. “Russ & Daughters has weathered the Spanish Influenza pandemic, wars, recessions, the Depression, terrorist attacks, hurricanes, but this is unchartered waters,” the cousin owners wrote on Instagram. “In 106 years, we’ve never laid off anyone, and within a matter of days we laid off 80 people, which is half of our staff. It’s a horrible experience.”
After closing for two weeks, the shop’s three locations reopened on April 14 with delivery, pick-up, and nationwide shipping options (no walk-ins). Along with feeding longtime customers, they have also started feeding medical staff at the likes of The Brooklyn Hospital Center and Rego Park Senior Healthcare.
They’ve prepared and delivered almost 2,000 meals so far, they wrote on social media, “to hospitals, food pantries, and other healthcare heroes on NYC’s front line,” with help from the Jewish Food Society and The Paul E. Singer Foundation.
The Jewish Food Society and The Paul E. Singer Foundation have also been working with fellow NYC icon Katz’s Deli to do the same!
See also: NYC’s Sauce Pizzeria Is Delivering Over 250 Pizzas Each Day To Hospitals & First Responders
featured image source: Instagram / @russandaughters