Connecting to Your Community: How our Ohana is Navigating the Current Epidemic with Love & Purpose
To Our Community:
This is an unprecedented time in our universe. One, which is causing great challenges for all of us. And no one is exempt from the impact.
While there is a great deal to be concerned about, there are also beautiful things happening as we connect from afar. So, I wanted to let you know what my Ohana is doing as the is challenge continues to impact our community.
First and foremost, we’re staying home.
I can only share my compassion for all of you from the remote safety of my home. I hope you are all doing the same because I cannot speak more adamantly on how important I feel it is to concentrate our health and wellbeing. Our wellness and the safety of our families and each other are paramount.
Second, we’re continuing to connect and serve one another.
My Ohana has rallied to create and deliver daily meals for local churches and seniors. We are partnering with Fulfill NJ and Asbury Park Dinner Table to keep restaurants going and help their staff members find purpose and mental and financial balance during this challenging time.
We also had an angel donor and loyal customer rally to deliver over 5,000 masks to our community.
And Food For Thought By The Sea is currently running a charity fundraising page to keep these community projects going.
You can learn more here: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/meals-and-masks
At the end of this letter you’ll also find resources and information that I believe we can all use as we navigate this trying time.
Me and my husband, Scott, with our newborn twin girls, Rubi & Hari.
I was a mother of twin 5-month-old girls at the time and thought that would be the most challenging thing I would ever face as a new mother and leader.
I was wrong…
But this situation has its negatives and positives... as everything in life does…. One positive is that the entire world is going through this and if we pay attention. We will become stronger and grow through what we go through because #communityisaverb. If we leave our differences behind, if we leave our fears at the door, if we do as all my spiritual leaders teach me, have compassion and kindness for each other, we will come out the other side of this stronger and more aware than ever.
The challenge is that we borrowed so much money to bring our businesses back after Sandy and we are still paying off our SBA loan.
Damage to Pop’s Garage in 2012
I am scared but I try to turn that into helping in any way I can.
Unfortunately, I have two seven-year-old girls who are struggling with not knowing enough but knowing too much about the Coronavirus. Children should not have to ever understand or go through this.
Keeping my stress under wraps when the days are filled with deferments, forbearances and juggling how to help my staff and my community, is super challenging.
But I am choosing to rally to support my staff and my loyal friends and family.
I am choosing to take the much-needed time to craft what the future of my business and relationships with my community and myself will look like.
Go silent and deep in hopes that the universe will guide me.
And if not I will end up where I land.
My Ohana
Please take this time to reach out and mend your community, your relationships, and most of all, your entire core.
Life gets shorter every moment.
We become wiser when we listen.
We become more balanced when we choose to be kind to each other and ourselves.
We will continue to have obstacles.
We will continue to make mistakes.
If we didn't we wouldn’t be compassionate human beings.
I am not quite certain what my company or I will become when this all plays out.
It is too soon to tell.
The challenge of being a small business person juggling leadership with personal and professional relationships is part of my ongoing learning process.
Now we all must trudge through the bureaucracy of putting our businesses back together.
I can say this: I have an amazing team and an amazing support group of many women who guide me every day in group chats and virtual happy hours
I have a husband and family I cherish and friends I long to hug again.
My family
In this instance it doesn’t just take two to tango or a village, it takes a universal awakening of compassion and kindness and a commitment to the betterment of all of us.
The truth I leave you with is this:
Be kind and the rest will follow.
Mahalo,
Marilyn
P.S. Here are some helpful resources for information and support, and some additional ways you can support Food For Thought in our efforts to help our community!
This app features a wide array of free guided meditations. Making meditation a daily practice can help to ground you and bring you peace in uncertain times.
The New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association
The New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association is not only an amazing advocate for our industry, but they’ve also taken the lead on providing a wealth of useful information on the current pandemic.
Fulfill NJ is the foodbank that serves Monmouth and Ocean County. Now, more than ever, their work is vital because they do so much more than provide food. They’re driven to alleviate hunger and build food security in our communities. Fulfill NJ is on a mission to make sure everyone has access to enough good food to maintain a healthy life.
Asbury Park Dinner Table
AP Dinner Table was created to address, mitigate, and reverse the economic and food crisis our community is now experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Supporting their efforts ensures that Asbury Park restaurants stay open and thriving and that Asbury Park families can continue to put food on the table.
If you own a business in New Jersey, the NJEDA wants to make sure you understand the programs that are available to support and stabilize you during the pandemic.
As more and more of us are purchasing much-needed essentials online, don't forget that Food for Thought is a registered charity on Amazon Smile :) Every time you purchase anything on Amazon, you can direct a portion of the sale to our charity -- without spending anything additional! Simply use the link below to start any regular shopping trip on Amazon, and Food For Thought will receive a portion of the sale.
http://smile.amazon.com/ch/26-4286096
Easter Donations
We want to continue our community tradition of donating Easter Dinner to local churches. This year we have a new normal and more than ever this is needed for the community. We will be donating 600 meals Saturday and Sunday and need some help. We are looking for donations of cooked or fresh hams and Easter candy. Donations can be dropped off to Langosta Lounge, Monday thru Friday, 9am - 12pm. Please use front door on right and drop on table.
Would you like to volunteer to help get these meals distributed? Please email oshingurl@gmail.com for more details.
We also have “Adult Easter Baskets” on sale via Eventbrite in which proceeds go to AP Dinner Table. We are looking forward to getting back to our new normal but until then, please stay safe.