San Diego's favorites chocolatiers at See's Candies have donated nearly $800,000 in candy to workers and volunteers at local hospitals, food banks and other folks fighting on the front lines of the coronavirus.
“We all need a little comfort and positivity right now, and donating See’s is a great way to make people’s day better," See's Candies CEO Pat Egan said in a news release. "While we aren’t selling candy out of our stores, we are finding ways to bring a bit of comfort to those that deserve and need it."
Well, it's a tough job but somebody was going to have to eat it.
"We don’t add preservatives to our product, so we can’t just store this in a warehouse," Egan added. "It’s fresh like bread, so we’re thrilled this will go to patients, nurses, doctors and the front-line health care workers who are working so hard right now.”
Sharp Healthcare hospitals and corporate HQ employees, as well as workers and volunteers at the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank and other nonprofits, were also going to get tasty tokens of gratitude for their effors.
“I'm grateful for the partnership we've developed with See’s Candies to share our appreciation for how hard our staff is working to care for our San Diego community,” said Lori Moore, chair of Sharp HealthCare’s board of directors. “It's my honor and privilege to work with See’s Candies to facilitate the generous donation to our more than 18,000 Sharp team members.”
Photographers were invited out Thursday to Sharp Rees-Stealy Downtown San Diego clinic on Fir Street, where dozens and dozens of boxes of chocolates were being handed out. Sadly, the smiles on recipients' faces were obscured by the now-ever present face masks, but we know they were there just the same.
The 34,500 gift was donated by See's shops around the county, all the way from Otay Ranch Center in the South Bay to Camino Village Plaza in Encinitas and seven other locations in between.
