Butler Downtown is pledging $5,000 to help downtown restaurants and workers at Butler Memorial Hospital in their struggles with COVID-19.

The organization is providing that money to match donations that are being used to buy meals from restaurants in downtown Butler to give to hospital staff.

With restaurants prohibited by the state from offering indoor dining until Jan. 4 to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus, and the hospital treating patients during a surge in COVID-19 cases, restaurants and hospital staff need a break, said Jeff Geibel, Butler Downtown's vice president.

“In response to the governor's new orders prohibiting indoor dining, we're trying to do what we can to help downtown restaurants up and down Main Street,” Geibel said. “Our health care workers are having the toughest month they've ever had with COVID. We're trying to kill two birds with one stone. We're willing to commit $5,000 for meals.”

People wishing to contribute to the meal purchases can donate through Butler Downtown's Facebook page or website, or mail checks to Butler Downtown's office in the City Building. The address is 140 W. North St., Butler, PA 16001.

The Facebook page link is www.facebook.com/ButlerDowntown.

The website is www.butlerdowntown.org.

The hospital started the program in the spring after receiving many calls from people wanting to donate to help staff, said Cheryl Ramsey, hospitality services manager at BMH.

Donations gradually tapered off, leading the hospital to take down its page on SignUpGenius.com.

On Nov. 20, the hospital put the page back up, allowing restaurants to select the days they want to provide meals and accommodating those who want to donate to the effort. The page is available at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f044ba8af2ea0fa7-help.

People can go to the webpage and select donating meals for lunch or dinner.

If people don't specify a department they want to help with their donations, the hospital will select which departments get the food on a rotating basis, she said. Some people select departments that they or their loved ones or friends have had experiences with, Ramsey said.

The page also includes some restaurants in the county to help donors who don't live in the area select a restaurant to provide the meals they pay for.

“We get a lot of calls from out of state,” Ramsey said. “They're not aware of what restaurants are in the area, so we list some on the website.”

She said she was happy when Geibel called to tell her about Butler Downtown's offer to match donations.

“They're buying meals to help the downtown restaurants,” Ramsey said. “This is a hardship for them too. This is a win-win. They're helping the downtown restaurants and the health care workers. What a wonderful act of kindness.”

Geibel said Butler Downtown tries to fill the openings in the meal schedules on the webpage with its donations and matches to avoid having too many meals on one day and not enough meals on another day. Butler Downtown members will deliver the meals to the hospital if the restaurants are not able to, he said.

The Butler Downtown board voted to commit to the $5,000 on Monday. Donations made through the organization Tuesday led to filling four meal openings on the webpage, Geibel said.

As of Wednesday, Butler restaurants Canella Cafe and Upper Crust Shop have signed up to provide meals on separate days this week and next week.