+ LOCAL Life
ICON Park Restaurants Offer Meal Donation Programs
Lake Nona Partners Deliver Lunch to Health Care Workers via SelfDriving Shuttle An area known for innovation and collaboration, Lake Nona partners came together last month to donate lunch to health care workers on the front lines at the Orlando VA Medical Center. As part of its ongoing efforts to support first responders, Park Pizza & Brewing donated pizzas and teamed up with Beep, operator of the Lake Nona autonomous shuttle program, for a special delivery via self-driving shuttle to VA employees. Typically, the shuttles operate daily on fixed routes throughout Lake Nona. With operation temporarily suspended due to the coronavirus, the shuttles are finding new and innovative ways to support the community. “It’s an honor to provide for those who are on the frontlines of this pandemic,” says Joe Moye, CEO of Beep. “Mobilizing our team and partnerships in any way we can to support our communities is necessary in this time of need.” To limit contact, each pizza box was sealed, put onto a cart, loaded into the shuttle by Park Pizza & Brewing restaurant employees and secured by the on-board shuttle attendant. Utilizing the autonomous shuttle ensures safe delivery of the food without having to rely on other services and allows workers to remain on campus.
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Central Florida Lifestyle | May 2020
ICON Park recently launched a meal donation program to benefit the heroes keeping the Central Florida community safe during this unprecedented time while simultaneously supporting local hospitality workers. Hospitality workers at the ICON Park Yard House, Outback Steakhouse and Carrabba’s Italian Grill use 100% of the donations collected via a GoFundMe campaign to deliver meals to the Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, Orange County Fire Department Station 57 and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Sector 5 Substation. “ICON Park and our tenant partners are always looking for ways to add light to our community,” says Chris Jaskiewicz, ICON Park CEO and president. “We’re proud to honor our first responders and healthcare employees while supporting local hospitality workers by establishing a convenient way for caring residents to donate meals.” For more information and a link to donate, visit ICON Park’s social media channels.
Orlando Local Creates New Nonprofit for Covid-19 Support Kaitlyn Fusco’s husband is an emergency medicine resident at Osceola Regional Medical Center and her family has a strong background in the restaurant business. These connections inspired her to create Orlando Feed it Forward, an organization that delivers meals from local restaurants to local hospital staff who are on the frontlines of the Covid-19 outbreak. “I wanted to do something that helps both communities that are close to my heart: the medical community and the local restaurant community,” she says. The goal is to purchase meals from struggling restaurants with the help of a GoFundMe campaign to support Orlando’s hospitality industry and to put a bright spot in the days of the dedicated physicians, nurses, cleaning staff and countless others at local hospitals. Many restaurants are donating meals as well. Not only does Fusco manage the logistics of the nonprofit but she also personally delivers the meals. Recipients have included AdventHealth, Orlando Health, Osceola Regional Medical Center and more.
