Wareham restaurants participating in ‘Food for Tots’ fundraising campaign
Nov 5, 2018
Jill Fearons, second from right, and FUN 107 radio personality and DJ Michael Rock, right, take a moment to pose in front of Brew Fish Bar & Eatery with Maurine and Todd Rodrigues, owners of Yard Boss and Windswept in Mattapoisett at the July “Food for Tots” event. Photo by: Chris Reagle
Two Wareham restaurants will be selling food and raising funds for Southcoast Health’s pediatric department on Nov. 15.
Jill Fearons, the Mattapoisett organizer of the restaurant fundraiser “Food for Tots,” which benefits the pediatrics department, is taking advantage of National Philanthropy Day on Nov. 15 for the fundraiser’s grand finale. Restaurants across the Southcoast have participated in the nine-month fundraiser, which started in April and featured different Southcoast restaurants each month.
On Nov. 15 more than 30 restaurants will participate again.
“What they do is donate all day long, one day out of the month, 15 percent of total sales, alcohol included,” Fearons said, describing restaurants’ role in the fundraiser.
The fundraiser has earned Southcoast Health $63,000 so far, and Fearons has a goal of $100,000.
In Wareham, Ella’s Wood Burning Oven Restaurant, located at 3136 Cranberry Highway, and Kool Kone, located at 374 Marion Road, will participate.
Fearons had a personal motivation to start the fundraiser. Her son Jack had a brain illness, and though he was initially treated at Southcoast Pediatrics, he was eventually transferred to Boston Children’s Hospital, where he stayed for months.
“Our goal is to grow the [Southcoast] pediatrics emergency department, open it 24-hours per day, increase the bed capacity, everything, which is where all this funding goes to,” Fearons said. “We don't want people to have to leave the South Coast to get this sort of care.”
Food for Tots has gotten support from popular radio personality Michael Rock of FUN107 and from WBSM. Boston Children’s Physicians is also collaborating on the project.
