Meghan and Harry secretly deliver food to elderly LA residents while dressed down in jeans and masks
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who moved to Los Angeles from Canada last month, are not wasting any time while the world struggles with COVID-19 pandemic. The couple volunteered with a charity to help feed residents living with critical illnesses and who can't step out due to the lockdown.
According to charity Project Angel Food, the former royal couple volunteered with them on Easter Sunday. They also helped the organization in delivering perishable meals to around 20 vulnerable people in the city after they learned that the charity’s drivers were "overloaded" and they need extra people to feed people during the quarantine.
Richard Ayoub, Project Angel Food's executive director, said the Sussexes decision made him very happy. “They told us they heard our drivers were overloaded and wanted to volunteer to lighten the drivers' workload. I am blown away that they chose us. They care about our vulnerable population,” Ayoub told ET Online.
“Our clients are most at risk to contract the coronavirus, having compromised immune systems including heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, and most are over the age of 60,” he added.
The executive director also shared that Harry and Meghan both strictly followed all precautionary measures while doing the work. They wore masks and gloves while keeping 6 feet or more apart from any members of the public.
Project Angel Food is a non-profit organization that provides free meals for people too sick to shop and cook for themselves. Currently, 1,600 people are getting service from the institution in the city, but with the coronavirus crisis, the number is likely to rise to 2,000.
The help from Harry and Meghan left people who received food packages surprised as well as happy. Dan Tyrell, one of the recipients of the food from the charity, said he was not expecting to see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex standing just beyond the doorway.
“They were both nice and very down-to-earth people. They had masks on, and they were dressed down with jeans, but very nice jeans. I thought that the tall red-headed guy looked pretty familiar, and that girl was very pretty. Then I saw the large black SUVs with the security guards behind them,” he said.“If they had given me the heads up, I would have worn my tiara,” he added.
Meanwhile, a source close to the Sussexes told Harper's Bazaar, “In many places, volunteers—which are needed now more than ever—are serving incredibly long hours to support others. The couple is grateful for all of those volunteers, and inspired by the frontline workers, essential workers, and people everywhere who are committed to responding to the needs of their communities in this crisis.”
The latest volunteering by the son and daughter-in-law of late lady Diana and Prince Charles is thought to be the first charity publicly supported by them since their move to California. Some reports also claimed that the couple made a donation of about $112,527 (£90,000) to British charity Feeding Britain to support efforts to keep vulnerable populations fed during the lockdown.
This comes a few days after Harry and Meghan announced that they are launching a new charitable foundation called Archewell. The pair also revealed that they "look forward" to getting started with the new foundation that will replace their Sussex Royal brand.
With the announcement, they also revealed the meaning behind choosing 'Archewell' and said the Greek word 'Arche', which means a source of action, was the inspiration behind the name of their son, Archie. However, other details about the non-profit have been delayed because of the global public health crisis.
“Before SussexRoyal, came the idea of Arche – the Greek word meaning source of action. We connected to this concept for the charitable organization we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son's name. To do something of meaning, to do something that matters,” the couple said.
“Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon. We look forward to launching Archewell when the time is right," they added.