By Richard L. Gaw

Staff Writer

On March 24, as Chester County, the United States and the entire world first began to learn about the global and dangerous implications of COVID-19, Talula’s Table in Kennett Square posted the following message on its Facebook page:

“If you are interested in doing something to thank our healthcare professionals during this unprecedented time and not sure what to do, we are here to help!

“We are delivering community funded meals to our local hospitals! Each time we reach $500, we will send healthy artisan breakfast or lunches to one of our local hospitals that will feed up to 50 hardworking healthcare professionals.” 

By March 27, the campaign had raised $3,000 in community contributions, and the staff at Talula’s Table began what has become a continuum of compassion and giving that has reached the staffs of nearly one dozen hospitals, a police station and two fire departments. Over the last month, Talula’s Table has distributed meals to the staffs at the Bryn Mawr, Christiana, Crozer, A.I. Children’s, Jennersville, Lancaster General and Riddle hospitals, as well as the Kennett and Longwood fire companies and the Kennett Square Police Department.

Talula’s Table owner Aimee Olexy said the initial spark to begin the campaign resulted from the dovetail of two conversations.

“Early on, when I was ruminating on how we could help our friends in the healthcare industry and other essential workers, our pastry chef Claire Twesten told me that her sister Jill works in the medical industry, and that she told Claire that she would like to take something to the doctors and medical staffs that she visits,” Olexy said. “At the same time, many of our customers told us that they also wanted to do something for those who are working on the front lines of this pandemic.”

When the campaign first started with a delivery to four hospitals in early April, Olexy assumed that the contributions would eventually decrease and that the initiative would be a short-lived one. In fact, just the opposite has happened; to date, Talula’s Table has received over $7,000 from the community, and the campaign shows no sign of slowing down in the immediate future.

“To be honest, when we first started, I didn’t think we would grow to make a dozen deliveries, but the generosity of our customers continues to give us chills,” Olexy said. “A lot of times, we forget to stretch that rubber band to come up with new ideas, and while our grass roots efforts to reach out to our communities have been fulfilling, we often find ourselves too busy to place that at the forefront of our day.

“Yet, that’s what we have committed this month to doing, and for some time more.”

To learn more about the Talula’s Table campaign to distribute food to healthcare and essential workers – and to make a contribution – email [email protected] or visit www.talulastable.com.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].