NJ residents start national movement to feed health care workers during COVID-19
First Line Appreciation Group of Chatham and Madison co-founders Liz Bernich and Gina McGuire join 'Fox & Friends.'
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When New Jersey residents Gina McGuire and Liz Bernich took the initiative to serve meals to local health care workers who are fighting the coronavirus outbreak, their effort evolved into a nationwide effort called First Line Appreciation Group.
“On Thursday, March 19, I had seen a note from my friend from home suggesting that they were sending meals to the Huntington Hospital team there and, I thought: 'what a great idea, we can do that for our hospital up here in New Jersey,'” McGuire told “Fox & Friends.”
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Bernich said that she wrote a note on the Huntington, N.Y., community forum Facebook page to request help in giving meals to health care workers.
“A couple hours later, my computer, my phone were just blowing up. Everyone was in. We got that rolling, we got donations rolling in that night to put together 50 meals for the ER.”
Gina McGuire said that after noticing Bernich’s service, she reached out to help in any way possible.
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“I knew immediately that this had Madison, New Jersey’s name written all over it,” McGuire said.
The two didn’t know each other prior to working together.
While receiving donations from community members for support, FLAG simultaneously supports local restaurants and ensures that first responders are well-nourished.
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The Chatham-Madison FLAG group started on March 19 after Bernich saw her hometown of Huntington, N.Y., beginning a similar group called Huntington Hospital Meals.
"As of Monday, March 30, FLAG raised more than $82,100 and paid $16,200 to local restaurants that have delivered almost 2,400 individually wrapped meals,” according to the Chatham Courier.
FLAG expanded to neighboring towns, such as Summit and Morristown, N.J., as well as out of the state, such as in Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham in Michigan.
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