#mealsupporter

There are strange times we are living in right now and the only thing we are talking about is Corona. We hardly need to report on the situation in the world because unfortunately no one is getting happy. But in times when everything feels tough and boring, there are still things that can make people happy. The community feels extra important and humanity is even more important. And for those of us who were fortunately not so badly affected by Corona, it was self-evident to somehow help someone who is having a hard time.

On a sunny Friday at the end of March, Mats took a walk in central Gothenburg. In the middle of Gustav Adolfs Torg he met the star chef Håkan Thörnström who sold meal boxes. A few weeks ago, the restaurant profile had announced that he would have to notify all his staff at the Guide Michelin restaurant Thörnströms Kök because of the effects from Corona. But as the entrepreneur and fighter he is, they went with the attitude “if the customers don’t come to us then we have to come to them”. So, there he was, selling the dish of today when Mats passed by. Mats who doesn’t cook any gourmet food at home bought a bunch of food boxes and went home.

At Beltspännarparken, a man sat with a handwritten sign saying “Sometimes I get no food”. Without blinking, Mats handed over a couple of food boxes to the man who was overjoyed. And it was there and then that the idea of ​​#mealsupporter came up. There are many who are struggling with their business right now during the Corona crisis, and there are those who are always struggling – every day, all year. Of course, we can do something small for these people.

After a few phone conversations internally, it was decided that Hammarviken would buy 100 lunch boxes a day from Håkan Thörnström for 10 days. These boxes would then be distributed to the better-needy in and around Gothenburg. We prepared during the weekend and on Monday we started with the first delivery which then went to Räddningsmissionen (Rescue Mission). Subsequently, the entire office was involved in the effort and everyone was involved in different ways in allowing vulnerable people in different situations to take part in our initiative.

On Thursday, March 26, most of our personnel gathered at Kungstorget to walk around the city center in smaller groups to distribute to various people who might not otherwise have had food for the day. And what a fantastic treat we received. Imagine that the most vulnerable people in society are also the least selfish. Two quotes that made a lot of impression were:

– “Oh, Mange (name) would have been here now, he would have been so happy with the food”.

– “It is enough with one food box, otherwise someone else will be without”.

During the 10 days we distributed food, we were honored to meet community heroes at Räddningsmissionen (Rescue Mission), who in turn help homeless people, women’s shelters and paperless people with both roof over their heads and food on the table. We also went home to three vulnerable families in different areas in Gothenburg and provided food to both the Masthugs Church and Bersjön Church.

Our hope with the #mealsupporter initiative was and still is that more companies that have the opportunity to help others actually do help. There are so many companies that are on their knees right now and there are so many private individuals struggling every day. Do something for these people. It is said that no one can do everything, but everyone can do something. Let’s do something together!