Veterans and volunteers serve meals, give groceries

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals, families and businesses in Las Vegas are stepping up to offer relief to people in the community who are in need of food, services and support. Here are stories about people who are leading with kindness and proving the community is #VegasStrong.

Meals, groceries from VFW

Officers and volunteers at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10047 are giving free meals and groceries to the community.

The post has 1,300 members and is located in a food desert area of Las Vegas. A food desert is an urban area with little access to grocery stores, post Commander Angie Morelli said.

The effort began once Three Square Food Bank, which had been providing community meals at the post, went into emergency mode for the shutdown and was able to give two weeks’ worth of groceries instead of meals.

“A lot of folks don’t have a kitchen to prepare the food,” Morelli said. “The homeless couldn’t carry the food with them.”

With help from Share Village, Three Square and the city of Henderson, the post has been able to serve 40 to 50 hot meals twice a week.

“We were also able to provide additional groceries when we could,” Morelli said.

She estimated the post has been able to give out close to 2,000 groceries with hygiene items and prepared foods, including sandwiches.

Morelli, a Marine Corps veteran who owns the Customistic T-shirt shop on Decatur Boulevard, has also contributed by making masks for members and trading them with agencies for pallets of food.

“It’s been a huge community effort,” added Morelli, who noted anyone can get a meal.

VFW Post 10047 distributes meals and groceries from 5-8 p.m. Thursdays and Mondays at 4337 Las Vegas Blvd. North. Anyone who needs a meal or would like to help with donations can email devildogangie@gmail.com.

Doughnut, coffee for health workers

Dunkin’ Donuts will show its appreciation for the medical community Wednesday.

In honor of National Nurses Day, nurses and other health care workers will receive a free doughnut and a free medium hot or iced coffee at participating locations.

The company’s Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation recently announced a $200,000 grant to the nonprofit First Descents to create the “Hero Recharge” program for health care workers facing traumatic stress.

Contact Janna Karel at jkarel@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jannainprogress on Twitter. Contact Madelon Hynes at mrhynes@reviewjournal.com.