During this time of uncertainty, it’s important to focus on the good as often as possible.
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ ” – Mr. Rogers
This iconic Mr. Rogers quote is the perfect reminder there are people within our community that will go above and beyond to ensure the safety and comfort of others, no matter the circumstance. Sherree Goldstein, owner of Square Cafe (Regent Square) and Don Mahaney, owner of Scratch Food & Beverage (Troy Hill) are examples of these helpers and heroes within the city of Pittsburgh. Monteverde’s Produce donated fresh produce last week and between these two business owners, they gave away 5,000 pounds of fresh produce to those in need. No questions asked.
Last week, Sherree & co. from Square Cafe grabbed a truck, made a produce drop at Mahaney’s Scratch F&B on Troy Hill, and both stepped up and began giving back to their communities without skipping a beat. Divvying up the produce, they both used their places of business as pick-up locations for those in need while practicing strict social distancing rules to ensure the safety of their patrons.
At Square, gloves were required while shopping at the produce table. Only one person was permitted at a time, while others were instructed to wait on 6-foot tape markers, keeping a safe distance from one and other. Volunteers assured the areas had been completely cleared before allowing the next guest to enter. Square Cafe is also offering prepared foods and grocery options for purchase with the option of delivery and pick up.
For Scratch, orders and scheduled pickups were placed through their website to guarantee safe social distancing when picking up free produce. Scratch is currently offering a pay-what-you-can model when ordering their prepared food items and select grocery items.
Plans to continue giving away free produce are based on availability. Any future opportunities will be announced on each respective restaurant’s social media channels.
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.