Sovos Brands has offered its support to a pioneering initiative to help both businesses and health workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. With the backing of the Advent Global Relief Fund, the food and beverage firm has made a substantial donation to Frontline Foods.

The program’s funds are used to buy meals for healthcare workers from restaurants local to them. This helps keep the establishments financially solvent while their premises are closed, while feeding critical workers on the frontline of the pandemic. It is active in 59 cities across the United States.

Frontline Foods has partnered with World Central Kitchen (WCK), a charitable organization led by chef José Andrés, to scale up the program across the USA. Donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of all contributions go directly to the restaurants.

Rao’s Homemade – a wholly owned subsidiary of Sovos making Italian-inspired foods – participated in #GivingTuesdayNow, a day of giving and solidarity in Montclair, New Jersey. The brand partnered with Hackensack Merdian Health Mountainside Medical Center and the YMCA of Montclair to encourage generosity, engagement and philanthropy, in support of communities and nonprofits around the world. Rao’s matched a share of donations made during the day and provided gift baskets for donors. It also supplied the makings of a pasta lunch for children in the YMCA’s childcare program for essential workers. Many had parents who were Mountainside Medical Center employees.

The brand has also launched the #sauce4cause Instagram Live campaign, which included weekly recipe inspiration from celebrity chefs and personalities. The initiative included a ‘Make One, Give One’ pledge from Rao’s — for every fan who made and shared one of the featured dishes, Sovos gave one meal to a family in need via Montclair, NJ non-profit Jersey Cares.

Sovos’ core yoghurt brand, noosa, donated 1.5 million meals to Feeding America and created a limited edition yoghurt lid to encourage its’ customers to jump on board and support this important cause. In addition, the brand has made donations of yoghurt to the Poudre School District lunch program, as well as three Californian children’s hospitals.

Based in Berkeley, California, Sovos Brands is a company that aims to acquire and build unique brands in the food and beverage sector. It owns Rao’s Homemade, a product line centered on premium pasta sauces; noosa yoghurt; and Michael Angelo’s, a producer of Italian frozen meals.

Restaurant group First Watch has taken decisive action in support of its employees and the communities they serve.

First Watch’s mission has always been “You First” – and the restaurant chain has committed to several different measures to protect its employees’ health and financial well-being, even as nearly all its restaurant locations have temporarily closed during the lockdown period.

Most recently, and perhaps most significantly, the You First Fund is the latest in a line of initiatives to support First Watch team members. The fund was created, with support from the Advent Global Relief Fund, to help staff who may be struggling to meet personal or family expenses because of the crisis. Qualifying workers can apply for a tax-free grant – which, if approved, is paid within days.

In addition, First Watch has provided relief payments to longstanding hourly team members who are on furlough and has pledged to provide a bonus for furloughed restaurant managers when they return to work. The benefits have been partly funded through cost savings and pay cuts taken by senior leadership.

The restaurant company is providing more than financial support to its employees though. First Watch has invested in telemedicine benefits for all employees – whether at work or furloughed – and their families, at no cost to them. This program grants every staff member access to medical professionals who can diagnose issues, authorize tests and prescribe medications.

The company also committed to continuing all the existing healthcare benefits of furloughed employees, and to covering 100% of out-of-pocket costs, co-pays and deductibles for any medical visits related to Covid-19.

Various First Watch locations across the United States have been providing free meals for healthcare workers, first responders and other people impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The franchise in Springfield, Missouri, is among those to have risen to the challenge, donating more than 5,000 free meals to local children.

Headquartered in Manatee County, Florida, First Watch is a daytime restaurant concept that offers made-to-order breakfasts, brunches and lunches using fresh ingredients. It operates more than 365 outlets across 29 states of the USA.