Taylor Grocery to Provide 800 Free Meals Friday

The folks at Taylor Grocery have been busy cooking up 3,000 orders of their beloved chicken tenders and catfish over the last two weeks.

However, those meals aren’t being served in the restaurant, but rather they are being served to local residents who are struggling financially.

Last month, Marcus Lemonis, known for his hit show “The Profit” on CNBC and the founder of The Simple Greek, contacted the owners of Taylor Grocery and ordered 3,000 meals.

Lemonis created the Plating Change program to support local, independently-owned businesses by purchasing large orders and then asking those businesses to give those meals to people who are food insecure.

Sarah Margaret Hewlett, who owns Taylor Grocery along with Lynn and Debbie Hewlett, said the restaurant has delivered about 2,200 meals to the Boys and Girls Club, Leapfrog, Communicare and the Oxford Housing Authority with the help of community volunteers.

On Friday, starting at 11 a.m. at the Ulysses “Coach” Howell Activity Center, the remaining 800 plates of food will be given out in a drive-thru event to anyone who needs them.

“They’ll be given out on a first-come, first-serve basis until we run out of meals,” Hewlett said. “It’s been very refreshing to be able to do something for the community.”

Hewlett said the United Way, CASA and other community groups have been instrumental in getting the meals to those who need them the most.

“Everyone’s just been so helpful,” she said.

For more information, visit Taylor Grocery on Facebook.