The pandemic seems to have its claws in the Capital Region for the long haul, and if the experts are right, we’re in for a long, cold, isolated winter. While some Saratoga Springs businesses were able to weather a track-less, SPAC-less summer, others have perished. Despite recent gains, 11.6 million people remain out of work, and that number could spike, along with COVID-19 cases, over the next several weeks. And they’re not any old weeks: Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas are all taking place between today and December 31, so the area’s needy are going to be feeling it that much more.
One Saratoga business isn’t wasting any time in getting into the holiday spirit of giving. The Saratoga’s Broadway Deli, which sits back from Broadway in the alley between Kilwins and the Washington building, has announced that, from November 15 until December 31, it will be offering a free roasted chicken to families in need during the holiday season, “no questions asked.” All a family would need to do is call in the order and tell the deli when it’s needed by, and the deli will get cooking.
What sparked this act kindness was anything but random. “This year has been good to us,” reads the post. “In fact, it has been our best year since opening. Record sales. But we understand that for many this was the worst year of their life. Lost their job, lost their income, and some of you even lost a family member. As the cold and darkness set in, hope can be a little hard to find. So we would like to help at least a little bit. The community has been generous to us so we would like to be generous back.”
This is not the first time the Saratoga Broadway Deli has used its social media to start an open dialogue about trending topics within the community. Back in July, it warned “thirsty bros” not to hit on its staff; and in late August, after owner Daniel Chessare posted a Black Lives Matter sign in the restaurant’s window, he followed it up with a social post that read: “I just want to be very clear about where we stand on this matter. There’s no standing on the sidelines on this matter. If you don’t like the fact we support #blm then go eat somewhere else.”
