Coronavirus Kindness: San Francisco's Bacon Bacon keeping jobs and spirits alive
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The impact of the coronavirus on our health and the economy is staggering and even overwhelming, but the same can be said about the Bay Area's community resilience.
An outstanding example of this resilience is a chain of neighborhood events that is keeping people and their jobs alive.
The stools may be stacked on the tables, but the cooks at Bacon Bacon are still churning out hundreds of meals, which owner Jim Angelus delivers to San Francisco Kaiser Medical Center and UCSF Parnassus.
"We're rallying!"
Angelus set up online ordering, so customers can still buy a breakfast sandwich or fresh squeezed OJ, to donate to the front line. He's fulfilled 1,400 meal orders in the past two weeks.
"This is amazing. To keep a little business that might otherwise have to shutter, to keep three guys who have been working with me for over six years, they have families, they have rent, and responsibilities," he said.
RELATED: San Francisco reports 1st COVID-19 case in homeless shelter
Today, Jim made his first delivery to Oasis Inn near the Tenderloin.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so thankful," said Lisa Siragusa, who is grateful for the food and another community fundraising effort that got her out of a homeless shelter and into a private room at Oasis, where she's less exposed to coronavirus.
"Being here is helping save my life and I'm so thankful."
"We privately fund-raised, so we're up at almost $100,000 now," said San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston. "Those funds are being exclusively used for hotel rooms."
Supervisor Preston didn't want to wait for the city to start isolating homeless people in hotels, so he helped start a GoFundMe and rented 25 rooms at Oasis, where 39 homeless people are now living.
RELATED: Homeless to be housed at San Francisco's Moscone West due to COVID-19 concerns
The rooms are rented for at least another two weeks, but Preston hopes San Francisco will start paying the bill, rather than private donors.
"The city needs to run a program like we did here."
Along with reducing transmission risk, the deal means the motel owner can stay open and keep seven full time employees on the payroll.
"We have a lot of people who have been working for me for the past 20 years, so this kind of keeps it going," said Oasis Inn owner, Naresh Dhadhal.
And Jim will keep the bacon sizzling as long as the orders keep coming in - You can place yours here.
Get the latest news, information and videos about the novel coronavirus pandemic here
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