WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — One food service in West Columbia has helped provide over 4,000 meals for frontline workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
While many people are staying home, other essential workers are having to go to work to protect and help serve the community.
Since the pandemic started, Primal Gourmet has been doing what they can to help serve those who are sacrificing so much for everyone else.
The business helps prepare healthy food with local and fresh foods. People are able to buy meal packs or items in bulk at the store.
The food service started making meals for healthcare professionals and delivering them to the hospital.
Recently, the business has expanded to help front line workers in West Columbia like police officers, firefighters, maintenance workers and many others.
Chef Greg Martin, owner of the food service, believes front line workers should be recognized for all they are doing.
"They've really had to continue on regardless of what's going on and keep the city going, keep us going as a community. Just wanted to say thank you to those guys," said Martin.
The food service has been using donations and matching them dollar for dollar to provide almost 4,200 meals over the past month and a half. Many of the donations are coming from community members or programs like the Feed Our Heroes Foundation, Frontline Heroes and donations from other businesses.
While Primal Gourmet has been fortunate to keep their doors open during this situation, Chef Greg Martin says it was important for them to do their part for their neighbors.
"They went to work when things were very uncertain. They didn't know what they would be bringing home to their family or what would happen to them, especially at first, before we knew what we know now. I think they definitely deserve some appreciation for being willing to say, 'Hey, I'll go out there and I'll do my job to make sure that things are going as well as they can be for my community.'"
Martin says they plan on providing more meals for front line workers as the pandemic continues.