The Spencerport community is coming together to provide subsidized dinners every evening.
“Today it’s the beef barbecue from the barbecue joint, and it’s the best barbecue I’ve had since down south,” Spencerport resident Ellen Pittman said.
Texas Barbecue Joint is one of five restaurants this week helping provide affordable dinners to residents through the Spencerport Education Foundation during an uncertain time.
“Really the concept is simple. It’s trying to subsidize meals for our families that we knew were coming in for breakfast and lunch, but didn’t have a dinner program set up,” Dan Milgate, superintendent of Spencerport Schools, said.
Each meal costs only $2, with the difference being covered by donations. Texas Barbecue Joint Owner Richard Mogab is happy to help.
“We want to help out the community in this time that is really unprecedented. And we’re just trying to give back and stay afloat also, we have three locations and had to close one of them. We’re just trying to do what we can,” Mogab said.
And all the meals are prepared and handed out by volunteers.
“We can’t be with our families and students right now, so this is a way we can be closer to them and give back," Principal Denise Lemcke said.
For residents like Pittman, the program is absolutely wonderful.
“With the self-isolation and many people being out of work, and money being on short supply for a lot of people, this is like a Godsend,” Pittman said.
She says it’s the spirit of Spencerport.
“It brings the community together, and certainly I know after this is over, I will patronize all the businesses and restaurants that have done this,” Pittman said.
Meals are handed out every weeknight behind the high school at 4:30 p.m.