This time of year, the owners of or, the Whale on Main Street and Sandbar on Jetties
Beach would normally be preparing their kitchens for the first wave of Daffodil Festival diners. But when the coronavirus seized the island in late March, owners Nick Nass, Jamie Nass, Chef Manny Rojas, George Kelly and Emily Kelly redirected their efforts to serving a different segment of the island community. Collaborating with Taylor Hilst and Laura Stewart of the Saltmarsh Senior Center, Sandbar and or, The Whale began cooking and delivering dinners to islanders over the age of sixty who don’t qualify for Meals on Wheels.
Each morning, Nick Nass sends menus to Stewart at the Saltmarsh Senior Center, who takes orders that she then sends back to Nass and his team. “We prepare the food by 2PM for packaging and then it’s out the door by between 3:00 and 3:30,” Nass explains. “We’ve been delivering to between thirty and thirty-five homes a day.”
When other members of the restaurant industry heard what Nass and his team were doing, they stepped up to help. Amy Young of The Beet and Chef Erin Zircher of Cru have helped cook dinners, while Anna Worgess, Jo Dodd, Todd Billing, Joe Snowey and other restaurant professionals have made deliveries. “We have heard from many other friends in the industry wanting to help,” Nass says. “This powerful feeling of unity has been our inspiration to keep this community connected, safe and healthy.”