You made a difference for our #healthcareheroes!

#GirlTalkTakeover’s Music, Meals & More campaign for healthcare workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic launched on March 24. The effort raised nearly $30,000 in just four weeks.

Here’s what your generosity accomplished.

Funds raised went to providing meals to medical and support staff at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. Three local restaurants, Mercato Tomato Pie in Newark, Rezza in Roseland, and Trattoria Gian Marco in Millburn, collectively prepared and delivered about 3,500 meals across 11 separate dates, feeding between 160 and 340 healthcare heroes each day.

Food deliveries helped provide hospital staff with a much needed boost, they also helped sustain the jobs of the restaurant workers who prepared and delivered the meals.

In addition, our connection to the founders of Beyond Meat, the plant-based vegan meat substitute, led to a donation of several hundred Beyond Burgers to NBIMC staff. Thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a video of the very first delivery below.

As for the MUSIC...

Talented musical artists donated their time and effort to record personalized Thank You video performances that were distributed to the entire 44,000 RWJ Barnabas Health workforce through the health system’s intranet and livestreamed on IGTV. A special Thank You to the Los Angeles recording studio of Austin Brown and Canyon Sessions production company for engaging talent.

Among the artists whose performances helped our healthcare heroes feel our love and appreciation are Austin Brown, JoJo, DJSC, D Sharp, Niko Moon, Prophet, Mike Mell, Raven-Symoné, Brian London, Kirsten Collins, Jennah Bell, Antoine Katz, Grace Weber, Kerry “2Smooth” Marshall Jr., and Henry Grace.

The performers also took the time to deliver “shout-outs” to individual departments and staff across the RWJBarnabas system, recognizing their dedication and commitment to keeping us all healthy during the pandemic.

You can view the performances here and here.

A Final Note of Thanks

As we bring the Music, Meals & More campaign to a close, we want to offer YOU a special thank you on behalf of all the healthcare heroes whose days were made a little easier, a little more manageable, because of your generosity of spirit. Your contributions made a real difference for our healthcare workers during the toughest and most stressful period of the pandemic.

Thank you,

Kerri Berson Levine and Angela Simmons for #GirlTalkTakeover