John Jordan Foundation Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund Match Drive

Coronavirus has already taken a huge toll on thousands of Sonoma County's most vulnerable residents. Whether they're seniors in isolation, workers suddenly without a paycheck, undocumented workers or just next door neighbors, there are hungry people in our community that need food right now.

Not tomorrow. Or the next day. Now.

John Jordan, the owner of Jordan Winery, and the John Jordan Foundation have made a $150,000 investment in Sonoma Family Meal's Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund, a new initiative to help restaurants remain open for disaster relief cooking by providing healthy, chef-made meals to those in desperate need of food. With many businesses shuttered, demand for prepared meals is at an all-time high due to the Coronavirus pandemic. SFM and JJF are teaming up to begin a match drive to raise an additional $150,000.

Donate to this drive and help us reach our goal of $300,000.

“If we reach our goal of $300,000 to fully fund this program, we will be able to pay at least 20 restaurants and caterers to produce up to 100,000 meals for thousands of seniors and families facing food scarcity over the next four months,” said Heather Irwin, founder of Sonoma Family Meal. SFM hopes to put at least 100 restaurant workers back on the payroll, keep restaurants operational, support hard costs and create income to reopen in the future.

The $150,000 investment will allow SFM to keep the doors open at least 12 struggling restaurants and caterers throughout the county, purchase 42,000 to-go containers (compostable or reusable) and provide 75,000 meals. But SFM needs $300,000 to add at least 20 restaurants and food purveyors, expand our relief network and continue to provide services until mid-June.

The idea for the Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund was born from the work with chef Kyle Connaughton of SingleThread Farms in Healdsburg, the Michelin-starred restaurant that piloted the Sonoma Family Meal program in mid-March and has been cooking 200 meals a day since then, each meant to feed four people. SingleThread began raising money from investors, wineries, and restaurant guests to fund their production of donation meals for Sonoma Family Meal. SingleThread and two other Healdsburg restaurants—Mateo’s Cocina Latina and PizZando—are continuing to cook meals for Sonoma Family Meal and are raising money through their own network of donors to fund their operations.

Sonoma Family Meal is a disaster-focused, 501c3 non-profit that provides safe, chef-made meals to those who need it most. Working with established non-profits, meals will go to seniors in peril, families, women's emergency shelters and to underserved communities who are struggling through tragic and unprecedented emergencies. Learn more at sonomafamilymeal.org.

The John Jordan Foundation was created to provide under-resourced children and families with the tools needed to succeed educationally and professionally, from cradle to career. Proceeds from Jordan Winery, owned by John Jordan, fund the foundation, which has invested in thousands of families through education, after-school enrichment, financial stability and health programs. To date, the foundation has supported more than 220 partner organizations by direct investment, coalition building and capacity building for nonprofits. Learn more at johnjordanfoundation.org or www.jordanwinery.com.