The plant-based brand has reached out to food banks feeding the vulnerable and donated essential safety equipment such as masks to hospital workers.

 In another philanthropic gesture, California-based vegetarian brand Amy’s Kitchen has donated more than 150,000 vegan meals to food banks and shelters supporting the vulnerable population of the community present in Sonoma County, CA, Medford, OR, and Pocatello, ID.

In addition, it also distributed 6,000 masks to local hospitals as well as to those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Over the last few weeks, with hearts wide open, we have donated more than 150,000 meals to the elderly and to children most in need as well as masks to medical professionals in our local communities of Sonoma, Pocatello and Medford. Now more than ever, let’s create unity in community,” wrote the brand on Instagram.

The group has also roped in its drive-thru location employees to provide meals to Bay Area hospitals, medical staff and first responders.

“As the effects of COVID-19 spread throughout the world and with so many of us experiencing heightened uncertainty, few things feel more important than to have good, safe food available for ourselves and our loved ones,” said Amy’s co-founder Rachel Berliner.

“As a food company, we here at Amy’s Kitchen take this seriously every day, but we are feeling the urgency of it now more than ever.”

Employee safety

Although the vegetarian brand has increased production in response to ‘staggering rise in demand’ for its products during the crisis, it has prioritized employee safety, a gesture that has won the hearts of many.

An employee’s daughter sent in a note appreciating the brand, “Thank you Amy’s. My mother is an employee at one of your facilities and I appreciate that you are taking such measures for the safety of all your employees.”

The brand replied: “Ensuring that all of our employees are safe is a top priority. Not only do we value them but we treat them like family. Thank you @meetmewithin for allowing us to share someone so special with you.”

COVID-19 and the US

The novel coronavirus, which is believed to have originated in a wet market – where live animals are freshly slaughtered and kept in close quarters to humans and dead animals- in Wuhan, China last December has spread globally killing more than 170,498 till date.

The US has become one of the worst hit nations battling the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University.

New York which emerged as the Covid-19 hotbed of the US has confirmed 247,512 cases of the virus, while the death toll has climbed to 14,347, the state Health Department said on Monday.

In the United States, more than 766,000 have contracted the infection so far, and more than 40,000 have died.

• Read: Vegan brand donates 17,000 boxes of chocolate to 100 US hospitals

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