Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country has launched a special meal program to help hospitality workers who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19.

In partnership with Oliver Eats Ltd., Wine Country has introduced HOPE (Helping Our People Eat), which supports up to 200 family meals per week for members of the region’s hurting hospitality industry.

The fund will help produce fresh and frozen meals to support people who are usually employed by wineries, restaurants and other hospitality businesses in Oliver and Osoyoos.

“We are confident of recovery in our region but we know that it rests on the reassurance that our hospitality workers will still be here when that happens,” said Jennifer Busmann, executive director of Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country.

She noted the HOPE fund is fueled by 44 member wineries, with additional funds contributed by the winery association, along with some generous donations and the support of Oliver Eats.

“Together we wanted to ensure that when we open our doors to welcome visitors, our community and industry will be ready and smiling,” Busmann said.

Oliver Eats founder Derek Uhlemann said the pandemic is a shared hardship, and the desire is to support workers with nutritious meals.

“From farm hands to dishwashers, cellar hands to servers, these people are the backbone of our region and it would be shockingly different if they weren’t around.”

The rotating menu will include: chili con carne, vegan tomato goulash, and split pea and ham soup. Meals are prepared in the Oliver Eats’ Interior Health certified kitchen to the highest safety standards, with contactless collection practices in place.

People who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic and are in need of a meal can email [email protected] by 5 p.m. every Thursday. Meals can be collected every Saturday afternoon.

Local partners that are keen to donate products or other items for the HOPE fund can deliver directly to Oliver Eats Ltd. on Station Street, ideally on Tuesdays.

If you are interested in making a donation, follow this link: http://www.oliverosoyoos.com/about/hope-fund/.