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More than 50 people came together this week to say thanks to the employees at Oxendale’s Market while also supporting local businesses—to the tune of $1,350 in gift cards and a donation to Neighbors, Inc.
“The staff at our neighborhood grocery store have been absolute heroes the past couple of weeks and we should do something nice for them,” wrote West St. Paul resident Ken Paulman in the GoFundMe campaign.
The effort originally planned to support workers at Oxendale’s while also supporting the new FoodSmith restaurant—but like many things in the past week, the plan changed. With FoodSmith closing temporarily, the plan to buy gift cards shifted to other nearby businesses, including El Nuevo Morelos (featured in our taco tour), Chin Chin (featured in our Asian restaurant roundup), the Holiday gas station, and Amore Coffee. Another $300 went to Neighbors, Inc. (read our interview with Neighbors, Inc., CEO Charlie Thompson).
“I want to pass along that the Oxendale’s staff are incredibly grateful for your generosity and for thinking of them,” Paulman shared on the GoFundMe page. “One cashier told me she was in tears last night over this.”
It’s a timely gesture as Minnesota has classified grocery store employees as emergency workers.
“Let’s keep finding ways to lift people up and keep our community strong through this crisis,” Paulman wrote. “We’re in for a long ride.”
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