Pullman restaurants, nonprofit serving it forward

Pullman restaurants have teamed up with the Community Action Center and two Washington State University employees to provide free dinners to households in need.

The Community Action Center has recently started its Pullman Serves It Forward Fund. The fund pays for gift cards that will be distributed to households every week so they can enjoy a free meal from a local eatery.

So far, the participating restaurants are Black Cypress, Birch and Barley, O-Ramen, South Fork Public House and Paradise Creek Brewery.

“This gives people an opportunity to help out in a way that will really have a huge impact on families,” Jamie Callison said.

Callison, the executive chef in the WSU School of Hospitality Business Management, helped create the fund, along with the Community Action Center and Jeanne Weiler, WSU’s downtown initiatives coordinator. Callison said they learned how to set it up from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, which created a similar fund.

Callison said he was inspired by other residents supporting the community and local businesses through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as WSU football coach Nick Rolovich. Rolovich recently has chosen a Pullman restaurant, placed several orders, then announced on Twitter the first 20 people to arrive at the eatery and recite a “code word” would get a free takeout meal.

“I also wanted to do something that would help people in need,” Callison said.

He said the fund allows families to look forward to a stress-free restaurant-prepared meal one day a week. He also said purchasing gift cards will also support local businesses and their employees.

Callison said the goal is to raise $5,000 a week in order to provide meals to 80 households on a weekly basis.

Tthe fund has raised more than $3,000 and he anticipates buying the first batch of gift cards next week.

Jeff Guyett, executive director of the Community Action Center, wrote in an email to the Daily News that families receiving food from the Pullman nonprofit’s food bank distribution will qualify to receive the gift cards.

Callison credited the restaurant owners for being willing to help the community even as they are enduring challenges of their own. He said they even offered to accept less than face value for the gift cards.

Callison said the Pullman Serves It Forward Fund organizers are reaching out to more businesses to get involved, and he would like to expand to Moscow. He said not one restaurant has said no.

Those who want to donate to the fund can visit the Community Action Center’s website at www.cacwhitman.org/serveitforward/

Callison mentioned the possibility of this becoming a long-term effort.

“Who knows? Maybe this will continue forever,” he said.

Anthony Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.