With the COVID-19 National Emergency Declaration anticipated to end on May 11, Hugs for Heroes is closing out its two-year-long program supporting health care workers through the pandemic.
Hugs for Heroes was launched in January 2021 to support and encourage local health care providers at Mission Hospitals in Mission Viejo and Laguna Beach. Amid the surge of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in January 2022, the program was relaunched to support those health care providers.
Over the course of the program, Hugs for Heroes donated 1,015 meals to hospital workers by local Dana Point restaurants with the help of local nonprofits and individuals. The project was supported by the City of Dana Point, Capo Cares, Capo Beach Church, Dana Point Woman’s Club, Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary Club and participating restaurants.
With more than $10,000 in donations, Hugs for Heroes distributed carloads of snacks, drinks, handmade thank-you notes and meals to workers in the COVID wards.
Participating restaurants Jon’s Fish Market, Brio Tuscany Grille, Pepi’s, Subway and Charthouse provided meals for $10 per meal.
“It is the cooperation and support among various entities in our community that makes Dana Point so special,” Toni Nelson of Capo Cares said in an email. “Thank you all for making a difference by sending ‘hugs’ to our medical ‘heroes’ during the pandemic.”