Usually the Hilton Boston Logan Airport Hotel lends its services to the East Boston YMCA each year, playing host to the Y’s annual Reach Out capital campaign breakfast fundraiser that draws more than 500 attendees and supporters.
However, the annual event was cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 , so the Hilton’s General Manager Bruce Roy has been looking for other ways to help the local nonprofit and its staff.
Seeing that each day the Y on Bremen Street opens its doors to feed the community and care for children of essential workers by serving thousands of meals and hundreds of hours of care Roy decided to team up in a different way.
Creating sustainability for the community is no small feat and takes a dedicated team of individuals who care deeply for Eastie and risk themselves daily to come to work and serve.
Roy, who is also an East Boston Y Board Member, took notice of the incredible work happening each day at the Y so he and his team wanted to make sure the staff at the Y were noticed.
Since the start of the pandemic Roy and the Hilton staff have delivered a hot meal each week to the Y. The Hilton’s on-site restaurant, Connolly’s Publik House, produces and packages delicious comfort food that is dropped off for the staff so that they have some sort of normalcy during their day.
“We are proud to be part of the East Boston community,” said Roy. “This was an opportunity for us to do something to take care of those from the East Boston YMCA who are doing so much to take care of the community. Many of our team members are from East Boston and the work that the Y is doing is benefiting them, their families and their neighbors. Our hope is that in some small way this gesture makes their incredible work just a little easier.”
East Boston Y Executive Director Joe Gaeta said being able to slow down, sit down and enjoy a hot meal really helps with morale and lets the Y team know that they are noticed.
“We have an amazing staff team here at the Y,” said Gaeta. “I am eternally grateful for the work my team does here on a daily basis, making sure others are taken care of despite their own reservations. Bruce and his team are incredible partners. The team at the Hilton Boston Logan Airport has stepped up to the plate in more ways than one to help support not only the Y but the community.”
Gaeta added that others have stopped by the Y and dropped off coffee, pizza and other useful items like masks and gloves to show their appreciation to the Y during these difficult times. “Community, helping the community is what is driving us here at the Y, without each other we wouldn’t be able to get through this, we are thankful for all our partners in serving East Boston,” said Gaeta.