Boys & Girls Clubs across the country play a pivotal role in the development of thousands of children every day. In fact, many rely on the daily food provided by their local clubs. As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to disrupt normal routines, that fact was at the top of Buffalo Wild Wings district manager Dave Ostrander’s mind. So he reached out to Buffalo Wild Wings marketing advisor and state ambassador for the Boys & Girls Club, Eric Perez, to see how he and area sports bars could help feed hungry children in nearby Joliet, Illinois.
“In some cases, the food the Boys & Girls Club provides is the only meal these kids get in a day. We wanted to see how we could help continue to feed them while school is out,” Ostrander said.
From there, Ostrander and the teams from Shorewood and Morris, Illinois, worked together to cook and pack more than 300 meals for area youth. Perez picked up the meals from the sports bars and partnered with Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Joliet, Kahlil Diab, to have the food delivered to needy families.
“I would like to thank Dave Ostrander and his teams in Morris and Shorewood for being gracious enough to become involved with the Club during these challenging times,” Perez said.
“Being involved with the Boys and Girls Club of Joliet is something I am honored to be a part of. Our director has transitioned our Club into supporting lunch for children not in school who depended on this as part of their day. To know that they are getting meals daily, truly speaks to the level of the commitment Joliet is showing to their students.”
Ostrander is continuing to work with area general managers to support their communities with food donations to feed local medical personnel and first responders throughout the ongoing crisis.
“We’re doing what seems right,” Ostrander said. “In addition to feeding the community, we’re making a difference in others’ lives. And that’s what we’re here to do.”
To learn more about Buffalo Wild Wings’ longstanding efforts with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, click here.
