MIAMI, Okla. – A Miami, Oklahoma woman is teaming up with local restaurants to get warm meals and clothes to people in need.
Two years ago, Sandye Williams was looking through social media when something caught her eye. Free coats for those in need. She spotted the demand for this in her own community, and got to work.
“So we started collecting coats,” said Williams. “The last two years (we) donated a coat to anyone who needed a coat”
This year, a restaurant owner and friend of Williams wanted to get involved. So in addition to a coat rack, the two started a meal wall.
Here’s how it works: anyone can pick an item from the menu and pay for it. The restaurant creates a ticket and hangs it on the wall for anyone needing a meal. If interested, just notify a server.
“You can either go select one off the wall or she can select one for you, says Williams. “Nobody knows that you came in and got one off the wall but you got a hot meal for the day, and hopefully it’ll just warm you from the inside out.”
Dawg House restaurant owner Jennifer White says any unused tickets at the end of the month will still be put to use.
“We’re gonna collect all the tickets, cook off the food, and then take that food to a different group in our community we feel could use a hot meal,” said White.
She says this would not be possible without the community’s help
“Oh my gosh, our community, I couldn’t ask for a better one,” said White. “Miami’s an awesome place to live, and to see the wall fill up within two days it just blew my mind it’s wild.”
The meal wall and coat rack were made to be used. Williams and White just want to keep their community taken care of, free of judgement. The organizer behind both ideas says anyone is welcome to use these services.
