Article Excerpt: 

On April 1, his Midtown restaurant celebrated its 16th anniversary, but there were no customers present for a party. Still, the career chef was upbeat, clear in his vision for weathering the chaos caused by COVID-19.

 

Since the pandemic disrupted the restaurant’s operation, Adler’s customers and friends have reached out, asking how they can help. Using their financial donations, Adler launched the Tzedakah Project, finding ways to put people to work while simultaneously feeding folks in need and instilling a sense of community. He is in the midst of setting it up as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit.

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Tzedakah, he explained, is a Hebrew word meaning “justice” or “righteousness.” It often is translated as “charity,” but carries the sense of an ethical obligation. I believe that there needs to be a response of how you get people on their feet. Not just feed them,” Adler said. “Tzedakah is ‘giving quietly.’ This is not a GoFundMe. This is Go Fund Us.”

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Read the whole article at https://cutt.ly/ajcarticle

 

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Chef Deborah VanTrece and her team plan to hand out free meals to those in need from her Huff Road restaurant on Thursday, May 14. The event is part of the Elephant Initiative from The Tzedakah Project, founded by Babs Midtown owner Randy Adler in order to help communities in need during the pandemic. The Elephant Initiative provides meals to contractors, gig workers, sole proprietors, and others who now find themselves out of work due to COVID-19. Thursday’s event takes place at Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. People must register online to arrange for a meal and pick-up time. A sold out event takes place May 12 at Elmyriachi in Kirkwood. New free meal event dates should be posted online later this week.

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The Tzedakah Project, a new non-profit from the folks behind Babs Midtown, has launched its latest fundraiser—The Elephant Initiative.

The Elephant Initiative is aimed at supporting independent contractors out of work during the coronavirus pandemic.

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“Elephants are one of the most majestic and loyal creatures in the animal kingdom,” according to a landing page for the initiative.

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“With this initiative, we want to support and honor our out-of-work independent contractors and sole proprietors that don’t qualify for state unemployment benefits as they may be struggling during this time. We constantly rely on them to make us “look good” in everyday life; from the hairdressers and nail technicians to event staff (including florists, caterers, wedding planners, and tent installers) and more. We want to provide assistance to the behind the scenes teams are often left behind yet are truly essential in our lives.”

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Babs Restaurant Owner Randy D Adler has launched The Tzedakah Project, a non-profit providing “tools and support to the community, enriching the lives of the recipients and encouraging them to practice the tenets of giving.”

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The Tzedakah Project’s first initiative is “Babs on Bikes” which is designed to “assist multiple needs including employing students/medical residents that had classes and rotations cut short as well as providing healthy, sustainable food to local neighbors who are unable to leave their residence.”

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The program also provides in-kind meals for healthcare workers, the elderly and those at risk for or suffering from COVID-19. As “payment,” the students receive complimentary meals for themselves as well as any tips earned from deliveries.