Philadelphia has been hit pretty hard by the coronavirus due to its proximity to New York and New Jersey. Healthcare professionals in the area have been working tirelessly to save the lives of those who are at risk. One local luncheonette wants to extend a thank you to those workers in the form of a sandwich and a smile...
Middle Child sandwich shop is located in Washington Square, Philadelphia, PA. They are, quite literally, sandwiched between the two largest hospitals in downtown Philadelphia. This restaurant is a local favorite alternative to the commercialized mundanity that is lunchtime dining in downtown Philadelphia. Finance workers, musicians, surgeons, bartenders, filmmakers, humble copywriters, celebrities and nobodies are all welcome inside Philadelphia's friendliest sandwich shop.
But, when they were forced to close their doors during the initial wave of coronavirus response restrictions, Middle Child co-owner, Matt Cahn, couldn't bear to see his employees go without wages and his beloved regulars with empty stomachs.
Cahn turned to social media to ask for donations to keep the sandwich train rolling, and the response was overwhelmingly positive...
In just one week, Middle Child collected over $15,000 worth of donations. Although we haven't heard a numbers update in just under a month, on April 9th, Middle Child announced that they had received $25,000 worth of donations, exclaiming that their hearts were full of gratitude (and mayonnaise).
Cahn told Philly Voice that for every $500 collected, he donates 25 sandwiches (ranging between $10-13) to a chosen hospital department. The rest of the cash goes right back into his employee's pockets.
Recently, Middle Child opened for takeout and delivery only (through Caviar), serving their legendary sandwiches through a window at the front of the shop.
They are continuing to collect donations to deliver sandwiches, and they've inspired a ton of local small businesses to conduct similar fundraisers in the name of helping those who need help the most.