Maryland soccer club raises $8K to help local restaurants provide food to health care workers

Health care workers at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore accept food and drinks from Margherita’s Pizza and Rise Up Coffee. The donations are part of a fundraising effort by the Maryland United FC soccer club. (Courtesy Maryland United FC soccer club)

Health care workers at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore accept food from Margherita’s Pizza. The donations are part of a fundraising effort by the Maryland United FC soccer club. (Courtesy Maryland United FC soccer club)

Health care workers at the MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center Emergency Department accept food from Margherita’s Pizza. The donations are part of a fundraising effort by the Maryland United FC soccer club. (Courtesy Maryland United FC soccer club)

Health care workers at the MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center Emergency Dept accept food from Margherita’s Pizza. The donations are part of a fundraising effort by the Maryland United FC soccer club. (Courtesy Maryland United FC soccer club)

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The soccer club had a goal of raising $4,000 to help those struggling during the coronavirus outbreak. But now, they’ve doubled that amount.

“It’s a great feeling,” said Steve Campbell, the club’s technical director.

The athletic group and the families of its more than 700 players donated $8,000 to their “Helping Hands” program.

The goal is to provide a boost to local restaurants while they’re closed to dine-in customers during stay-at-home orders as well as provide meals to medical workers in local hospitals on the frontlines.

So, they provided funds and a budget to several local restaurants, which came up with menus and delivered food to four Maryland hospitals last week and are delivering to five more this week.

“It’s heartwarming, in this time, it’s a really good-willed gesture. It feels great to give back and especially when we know it’s an urgent need. It’s a great feeling,” Campbell said.

Maryland United FC, which is based mostly in Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties, worked with in Catonsville, in Annapolis, in Kingsville, in Annapolis, in White Plains, in Edgewater, in Severna Park, in Laurel and in Annapolis.

“We need to stay together here and help as much as we can and get through it,” Campbell said.

The deliveries last week were to Johns Hopkins Bayview, Franklin Square Hospital and the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore and Kaiser Permanente Largo in Prince George’s County.

This week’s deliveries are planned for Anne Arundel Medical Center and Baltimore-Washington Medical Center in Anne Arundel County, Howard County General Hospital, and University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center and MedStar St. Mary鈥檚 Hospital in southern Maryland.

Campbell said that any remaining money will go to Maryland food banks.

But they’re not stopping deliveries just yet.

After this week, the club will evaluate where it wants to direct its money and energy.

“What we’re doing right now goes beyond the field and it’s great to be able to say that we’re serving the greater good here,” Campbell said.

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