Surprise lunch donated to seniors from Shalhoob and Guarantee Mortgage

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Two longtime business with friends that go back 40 years came together to give back to seniors during the stressful COVID-19 crisis.

John Shalhoob of the Shalhoob Meat Co. and Guy Rivera of Guarantee Mortgage were talking recently about the old days and what they could do with their resources to help others right away.

Rivera threw down some cash, Shalhoob had the meat and staff and the plan was hatched. Longtime senior services coordinator Jeanne West got the first call and worked out a delivery plan at a low income senior complex Villa Santa Fe on the Mesa.

West is the Community Engagement Manager for Hospice of Santa Barbara.

120 meals with spaghetti and chicken meatballs and vegetables were packed up in the Shalhoob Funk Zone kitchen and distributed by volunteers from Hospice of Santa Barbara.

The volunteers carried each meal to the recipient at their door.

Another donor brought four bags of avocados and by 12:30 p.m., all of the seniors received their lunches. The lunch distribution is one of many acts of kindness we are hearing about in communities up and down the coast for those living on limited incomes.

Laura Reske is a volunteer with Hospice of Santa Barbara.

"It's wonderful to see people really being kind and generous and helping each other during this difficult time," Reske said.

Along the way, some handwritten notes were passed to those involved from the seniors, thanking all those involved for putting this generous donation together for them.

"It's wonderful to see people really being kind and generous and helping each other during this difficult time," said Laura Reske from Hospice of Santa Barbara. "And we got some wonderful thank you cards during the process even. It was really sweet."

For more information visit the websites for Shalhoob Meat Co. and Guarantee Mortgage.