SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — It's been about two weeks since restaurants have closed sit-in areas in Ohio due to the coronavirus, so one local restaurant's management crew has been making meals for employees.
Every other day, the managers of Cooper's Hawk in Kenwood are in the kitchen of the restaurant, making meals for the employees. General manager Mark Saadallah said the staff are like a big family, so making meals for almost 200 employees is just another instance of everyone taking care of each other.
"They get in at six or seven in the morning, they cook and prep and organize and label it," Saadallah said. "Cooper's Hawk wanted to help everybody out and make sure everybody had food to take home."
The meals aren't just for the employees either. The managers prep enough food for the entire family, including peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for kids.
"It's not just for [the employees]," Saadallah said. "Somebody's picking up a meal for him and his mom, him and his wife..."
"It's been a blessing really," said Victoria Peters, a Cooper's Hawk waitress and UC graduate student. "It's been so nice to not have to worry about going and fighting at the grocery stores or having to worry about food scarcity in these hard times."
Cooper's Hawk also gave their employees a one-time bonus to help employees financially.
Cooper's Hawk has resumed serving takeout orders this past week, but restaurant management said they are committed to feeding and taking care of their employees as well.
"I definitely hope that this is something that people pass on," Peters said. "Hopefully they can go out into their own community and spread kindness and positivity."
