U Of I Grad Working To 'Feed The Frontline' In Fight Against COVID-19
CHICAGO (CBS)-- When Rachel Jacoby finished teaching English in Malaysia in November, she had no idea she was about to embark on another adventure, back at home.
The Fulbright scholar is using her University of Illinois business degree from the Gies College of Business to help "Feed the Frontline" in the fight against in COVID-19.
Jacoby hit the ground running when she recently co-founded the Chicago chapter of "Feed the Frontline."
"It's definitely been a whirlwind," she said. "It's been just over two weeks since we launched. We've done a lot of planning, a lot of deliveries, really trying to think about how we can scale up and grow so we can help more people."
The organization provides free meals to not only medical personnel in the COVID-19 fight, but also to many other essential workers who may be forgotten.
"Even if they're not receiving the attention, they're still doing the important work of protecting our community, of helping to keep us safe, of sacrificing, putting themselves in harm's way to make sure that we as a community be safe and to to continue to live as normally as possible in these uncertain times," Jacoby said.
She said the mission is not only to feed the frontline workers, but to support the local economy by getting food from family-owned businesses.
"One of the most surprising things, and inspiring things, that I've seen throughout this journey is how our local community of restaurants and small businesses have stepped up support and help to feed the front line," Jacoby said. "I think going forward we all just want to do as much good as we can in our community and keep supporting local restaurants, and every worker on the front line."
"Feed the Frontline" Chicago has raised over $18,000, while delivering nearly a thousand meals to hospitals, COVID-19 testing centers, pharmacies and first responders throughout the city and suburbs.
To learn more or to donate, visit the "Feed the Frontline" website.
