Nando’s PERi-PERi Donates 62,000 Meals to Nurses, Doctors and Hospital Workers Fighting COVID-19
April 30th 2021
In the largest community service program in its history, Nando’s PERi-PERi has donated more than 62,000 meals to the nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. Since March 26, Nando’s has given away 62,302 free meals to healthcare workers, 822 free meals to laid-off restaurant workers and 20,171 free meals to Nando’s hourly employees and their families.
“We made a commitment a month ago to stay open to keep our employees paid and to provide free meals to the healthcare workers on the front lines of this epidemic,” said John Fisher, the Nando’s North American CEO. “I can’t tell you how gratifying it has been to bring hot meals to local hospitals, and to serve the communities we love.”
Nando’s has stayed open for takeout and delivery in DC, Maryland, Virginia and Chicago, while strictly enforcing social distancing for employees and customers. For safety, all employees wear masks and gloves. A maximum of 10 customers and Nandocas, or company employees, are allowed in any restaurant at any given time.
Nando’s routinely brings hundreds of boxed orders of grilled PERi-PERi chicken and sides to area hospitals, to provide comfort and sustenance to the nurses, doctors and hospital workers struggling to keep us all safe. It has recently delivered 660 free meals to the ER and ICU staff at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore; 450 free meals to the nurses and doctors at the University of Chicago Medical Center; and 600 free meals to Howard University Hospital in DC. All the hospitals are heavily involved in caring for sick patients suffering from the coronavirus.
“This is an amazing donation and it means so much to the employees,” said Howard University Hospital CEO Anita Jenkins. “It tells us that we’re not alone. It tells us that we have the support of our community.”
“The expressions of support like this are personally so gratifying,” said Alison Brown, President of the University of Maryland Medical Center. “It makes such a difference in what we have to do to keep going, day in and day out.”
Nando’s also provide free takeout meals to any nurse, doctor or healthcare worker who shows up at a Nando’s in uniform or with a valid healthcare ID, or calls to place a to-go order and presents ID at collection.
“At Nando’s, we are Standing Together, 6 Feet Apart,” Fisher added. “We don’t just serve PERi-PERi chicken. We gratefully serve our communities.”