Local Charleston restaurant donating meals to front line defenders, encourages others to do the same

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Our first responders and hospital workers are on the front line during the COVID-19 pandemic.

And one local restaurant in downtown Charleston wanted to give back the best way they know how – FREE TACOS!

“It’s just the right thing to do,” Roy Neal, one of the owners of El Jefe, said.

Neal said they started this idea last year when the government shut down.

“We decided to have a ‘Government Shutdown menu’ where we gave away a bunch of meals to people who were impacted by the shutdown,” Neal said.

And they decided to do it again, when all of the businesses and restaurants had to close, for those in the Food and Beverage community.

“We’ve been giving away two tacos and rice and beans to any one of the affected employees that are no longer working,” Neal said.

The owners of El Jefe wanted to take it a step further to say thank you to our front line defenders.

On Thursday, they donated 60 boxed lunches to those working at MUSC.

“I lost my mom a year ago and I’ve got a special place in my heart for the people that do what they do,” Neal said.

They’re calling these the “Charleston Heroes Lunch Box” and are encouraging those in the community to help. Each boxed lunch is $10 and Neal said they will deliver any donated lunch box wherever you would like (i.e. police department, fire department, EMS workers, etc.).

“I think that’s a core part of our business is helping the community,” Neal said.

If you would like to buy/sponsor a boxed lunch, or multiple boxed lunches, you can call 843-926-5333 or email catering@eljefechs.com.

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