5 Coronavirus Things: Meal Delivery Robots Help Minimize COVID Spread at University of Wisconsin
A roundup of five COVID-19 developments in food service and community response
1. Meal delivery robots at University of Wisconsin
The University of Wisconsin deployed autonomous meal delivery robots on campus to help minimize contact and reduce the spread of COVID-19 among students and staff who remained on campus during the pandemic. The robots navigated campus pathways to deliver food directly to recipients, eliminating the need for person-to-person contact during meal pickup.
2. My Green Lunch pivots to emergency community meals
San Jose-based My Green Lunch, which normally provides fresh school lunches to Bay Area schools, shifted its entire operation to emergency meal relief when schools closed. The company partnered with Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen and the Santa Clara County Office of Education to distribute thousands of free meals to families in need across the Bay Area.
3. Contactless delivery becomes the new standard
Food service companies across the country rapidly adopted contactless delivery protocols, with drivers leaving meals at doorsteps and using digital payment systems to eliminate physical contact. My Green Lunch implemented similar protocols for its community meal drops, establishing designated pickup locations with clear safety guidelines.
4. Local farms partner with community organizations
With restaurant demand collapsing overnight, many local California farms that had supplied restaurants pivoted to partner directly with community organizations and meal programs. My Green Lunch, which had always sourced from local farms, was able to maintain and even strengthen these relationships during the pandemic.
5. Community fundraising surges for food relief
GoFundMe campaigns for food relief saw a significant surge during the early months of the pandemic. My Green Lunch launched its own campaign with a goal of $300,000 to fund 60,000 emergency meals for Northern California families. The campaign highlighted how small businesses could mobilize quickly to address community needs during a crisis.
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