If anyone deserves to eat well during the coronavirus pandemic, it is those on the front line at Northwell Health. To that end, Idaho-based Snake River Farms and Port Washington’s Prime Food Distributor, Inc. will be donating 50,000 premium American Wagyu steaks to these same health care workers. It’s a gesture of appreciation Prime Food Distributor Executive Vice President John Kosmidis felt was warranted.
“It has been devastating first-hand seeing the effects of COVID-19 throughout New York,” he said. “As the climate continually worsened and knowing that we distribute some of the best beef in the county right here in New York, we wanted to do something from our hearts to say thanks.”
Snake River Farms is a family-owned business operated by Agri Beef Co. in Boise, ID, which has been feeding families for more than 50 years. Its American Wagyu cattle are raised throughout the Northwest and the beef produced is featured on the menus of Michelin-rated restaurants in addition to being available via on-line ordering.
And while Snake River Farms may operate on the other side of the country, the company’s executives have taken the idea of rallying together in the face of COVID-19 very much to heart according to Snake River Farms Executive Director of Marketing Jay Theiler.
“At Snake River Farms we are a family business,” Theiler said. “From our ranchers to our distributor partners, we are all in this together. We are firm believers that in times of crisis, food can bring comfort and healing. While we are thousands of miles away, we care deeply and are grateful to everyone on the front lines that are risking their own health for the sake of all of us.”
Snake River Farms and Prime Food recently hatched the idea to thank this dedicated group and quickly connected with Northwell Health through a neighbor of Kosmidis. In a matter of hours, the plan was put into place.
For the past two weeks, Prime Food Distributor has been delivering 50,000 Snake River Farms steaks to Northwell Health’s 23 hospitals and Northwell’s Center for Emergency Medical Services throughout the New York metro area including Riverhead, Port Jefferson, Bay Shore, Huntington, Syosset, Plainview, Glen Cove, New Hyde Park, Manhasset, Valley Stream, Forest Hills, Manhattan, Westchester and Staten Island. The gift has been benefiting Northwell’s front-line medical and support staff, a fact acknowledged by Dr. John D’Angelo, senior vice president and executive director of emergency medicine services for Northwell Health.
“The Emergency Medicine Service Line is grateful for the generous donation from Prime Food and Snake River Farms,” D’Angelo said. “Our teams are working hard in the emergency departments every day and every night because we believe in caring for our communities. To see that caring reciprocated is outstanding.”
The extensively marbled beef will be expertly cut and individually packed by Prime Foods’ skilled butchers and then delivered to Northwell hospitals daily until supplies are exhausted. The steaks will be prepared on-site by hospital chefs where possible, as well as distributed uncooked and frozen for hospital personnel to take home and enjoy with their families as they have the opportunity.
