Community, Eatery Come Together To Feed Medical Workers

The instant he heard about the coronavirus on the news, Jim Murray, co-owner of Tre Fratelli, an Italian restaurant located in the Summit Square Shopping Center in Middletown, knew what it meant for his business and took two steps immediately.

The first: convert his over 20-year-old restaurant that he owns with Larry Murphy into a take-out.

The second: begin thinking about how he and the rest of his staff could do as much to help those affected by the impending crisis.

“My mind went from being a business owner at a restaurant to someone who could help feed someone in an emergency,” he said. “That was with the thought process that we’d be shut down completely. We’re not, fortunately. We said let’s not worry about profits but helping people on the front line.”

Since then, Tre Fratelli has given free dinner to the overnight crews of St. Mary Medical Center, Doylestown Hospital, and Capital Health Medical Center, along with A Woman’s Place in Doylestown, area nursing homes, and local families in need. The restaurant has also given free slices of plain pizza for students out of school.

“This is the time restaurants and local farms can help,” Murray said. “The closest thing I can think of is 9/11. However, 9/11 was a one-time thing. It shook the country to its core, but were able to go on after that. This is something completely different. This is going on close to a month and will go on for a few more months.”

That’s not to say everything has gone smoothly – the first Friday night curbside pickup was marked by havoc. It was also something of a challenge to deal with two things which restaurants would normally love to have: volunteers and money handed over by generous community members.  

Murray said he has had people hand him physical dollar bills, a kind gift but one that can be difficult to manage in terms of taxes and other issues. 

Instead of going it alone, he has seen Tre Fratelli join a local nonprofit The Decency Foundation, which according to its website is a nonprofit focused on supporting local businesses which practice sustainable farming and ethical treatment of people and the environment to transform value systems, but is currently switching to coming to the aid of those affected by COVID-19.

“All the foundation is is a nonprofit which can take in the money and give it back out. It’s a vehicle for that donation,” said Jon McConaughy at the foundation.

Newll Thompson, who leads operational structure and marketing at the foundation, said he thought Tre Fratelli’s initiative was a worthy cause.

“It’s emblematic of some of the good things this is bringing out in people” he said.

“When I first called Tre Fratelli, I knew they were near St. Mary’s and I knew they were certified in the field. His mission was to feed anyone who needs it,” said Evan Silverman, who works at the Decency Foundation.

Also, Murray said that despite an abundance of people wanting to work or volunteer at his restaurant, he prefers to stick with the current staff who he knows well and can more certain of their health.

An instructor at SafeServe, a nationally recognized food sanitation class required by health authorities, Murray has taught other restaurant owners how to keep their businesses safe and clean.

Murray has some concerns about business when the virus is over amidst the current environment of solidarity.

“I think the idea of the virus, not the lethality but the fear, will not easily be removed from people’s minds,” Murray said, worrying that it could make customers less willing to sit down to eat at a business. 

With support from area residents providing funds for many of the donated meals, things are busy at Tre Fratelli, Murray said.

“I’m working harder now than we ever worked being in business all these years,” he said. “To bring joy to so many people is a good thing.”

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