Henrico County is feeding its first responders and bailing out the restaurant industry at the same time with a new program called “Nourish Henrico.”
Police, firefighters, EMT’s, sheriff’s officers, mental health and social services, anybody on the front line in the fight against COVID-19, can eat free at almost 80 businesses. County Chief of Staff Cari Tretina says it’s a program where everybody wins : "If we can help a restaurant out a couple of times a day and we can allow one of our first responders or mental health employees a break in the day to not worry about where they are going to get meals and be able to take a moment in the day. That’s what it’s all about."
Frontline workers get a $15 credit for one meal on their shift. The restaurant is reimbursed by the county with money normally set aside for sports tourism which, because of the virus, is unused.
