Coal Creative Behind The Scenes: Fork Over Love
One of the perks of being a storyteller is getting to tell really inspiring stories. That’s exactly what happened when our collaborators at PA CareerLink of Luzerne County asked us to create a video about their partnership with Fork Over Love.
This is a story about how our community responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by connecting those in need of a hot meal with restaurants in need of patrons. It’s also the story of the people and organizations that got behind the idea and helped their neighbors.
Meet the players in this story of community at work
Fork Over Love coordinates regular community meals across Northeast Pennsylvania. They use donated funds to purchase meals from local restaurants. Volunteers hand off the hot dinners to anyone in the community who needs it.
PA CareerLink’s involvement adds yet another layer of community connection. The FOL events have given the PA CareerLink team a chance to connect with and explain their services to job seekers and businesses. They also include their reading materials with the dinners.
“This is a solid team. You guys keep coming back,” Tracey Selingo, Founder, Fork Over Love told the PA CareerLink volunteers. “We really appreciate you donating your time because I know you don’t get that back.”
Selingo gave her pep talk and then the distribution began. The event looks like a super-sized drive-thru in the parking lot of a school.
For this video, Post-Production Manager Alex Manganella and Video Specialist Jay Nguyen attended community meals on May 11 and 18.
The first event took place at Wilkes-Barre High School in Plains Twp. Meals were delivered by Town Tavern Restaurant and Bar, The Atrium Restaurant, Overbrook Pub & Grille, and Bear Creek Inn.
Alex and Jay used handheld cameras and a drone to capture the event. They also interviewed volunteers and a restaurant owner.
A true collaboration — mutually beneficial
Jeanne Zincavich from Town Tavern talked about the impact Fork Over Love has had on independent restaurants like hers. She also talked about how PA CareerLink can help her find and retain employees.
The next week, Fork Over Love set up shop at Hanover Area High School and distributed 400 dinners. People from FOL and PA CareerLink worked alongside Lettuce Feed Those In Need — a Junior Leadership Northeast group striving to make a difference by volunteering with Fork Over Love.
Meals were provided by Mama Pizzeria, Antonio’s Pizza Deluxe, Bear Creek Inn, TNT Subs and More and Cheers Cafe.
There were two community dinners on May 18 that together brought $8,000 into local restaurants and fed 800 people.
How can you help
Want to help? There are four ways to help the Fork Over Love mission: donate, volunteer, cook or host.
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