MACON, Ga. — A new pizzeria in Macon's Mercer Village is donating pizza pies to first responders and hospital staff working to combat COVID-19.
JAG’s Pizzeria & Pub’s general manager, Lisa Williams, says she got the idea from her friend, who works at a hospital in Augusta.
“She mentioned that restaurants were donating food and stuff to them,” Williams said.
JAG’s had its grand opening on March 14. That is just three days before the restaurant decided to close its dining area due to COVID-19.
Williams says some problems with consistency in food production, that would usually be smoothed out over time, started getting tougher to tackle.
“We couldn’t figure out a system yet,” Williams said.
That’s when Williams says she decided to ask one of the owners if the restaurant could start making and donating pizza pies for people on the front lines of the pandemic to help the staff at JAG’s practice their technique.
“We’re helping the community, but in turn they’re helping us now too,” she said.
According to Williams, that practice is paying off.
“Since then, it’s been very good quality. It’s consistent,” she said.
After calling a few agencies around town, Williams says she finally got a hold of folks at Coliseum Northside Hospital. The hospital was the first place to accept the free food.
“They were so excited about it. They thanked me, and the CEO actually came in that night and got pizza with his wife,” Williams said. “So that was really awesome.”
"Thank you from the laboratory! We sure do appreciate it," Anne Patterson wrote in a comment on Facebook.
Over the next few days, the restaurant donated pizzas to the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department, an EMS unit on Presidential Parkway, Mercer Police’s morning and night staff, and more.
“Luckily they’ve came back and they’ve supported us now,” Williams said.
Although restaurants across the country are struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic, Williams says she’s grateful that the Macon community is still making efforts to support its local eateries.
“We all are struggling for sure, but the community is definitely supporting all of the local restaurants and I love that,” She said.
Williams says JAG’s has donated around 30 20-inch pizza pies to those working on the front lines of the pandemic and the restaurant will continue to do so until it is over.
“Support community and what you give, you usually get in return,” Williams said.
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