CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. — Due to a lack of staff, the cafeteria at Franciscan Health Crawfordsville was forced to close, according to a statement from the hospital.

They are still able to feed patients but it becomes more difficult when it comes to staff.

“A friend of mine has another friend that worked at the hospital and called up and said ‘Isaac these guys need some meals,'” Isaac Weliver, owner and chef at Francis and Mount, said. “This was a way of kind of reaching all those workers that showed up to work and they didn’t have an option.”

Weliver got a donation to pay for the food and then he and his staff donated their time to make the meals. 

“Being able to boost peoples morale which i think that’s what we really need right now we’re in very uncertain time waters and so at least keeping morale high that’s our approach,” Weliver said.

Weliver and his staff have been doing things like this since the pandemic began. They’ve fed hospitals and other organizations in need. He says especially around the holidays, people just need help.

“When somebody says they’re having a hard time that’s enough I don’t need anymore reason for that,” Weliver said.

It’s unclear how long the hospital cafeteria will be closed, but he says he’ll work to feed those healthcare workers for as long as he can. 

“They are such a part of the human experience and they’re right there in the beginning of life and they’re right there at the end of life,” Weliver said. “Without them we’re in real big trouble.”

Weliver says he’d like to expand this effort to be able to feed hospitals, nursing home or other organizations in need. He says if you’d like to donate you can contact the restaurants Facebook page here.