When he arrived in the United States in the early 1990s, restaurant owner Minh Do remembers that $200 in food stamps bought his family a lifeline. Neither he nor the nine Vietnamese relatives who came with him spoke English, so they worked at farms and beef processing plants in the Midwest to make ends meet.
“That extra $200 a month [in food stamps] helped us stretch things quite a long way,” says Do, who now operates multiple restaurants in Broward County. “You have to be grateful. In Vietnamese, there is a saying: ‘When eating fruit, remember the one who planted the tree.’ ”
As the now-longest government shutdown in American history lingers on, Do said he’s stepping up this week to offer free bowls of phó and bánh mì sandwiches to SNAP recipients who are anxious about their next meal in November.
His eateries join others in Broward and Palm Beach counties serving up free meals amid growing uncertainty about the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which administers food aid to 2.94 million Floridians. As of Wednesday, SNAP benefits are only partially funded in November.
The following roundup, which will be updated as needed, includes local restaurants offering assistance to the public.
BROWARD COUNTY
Phó Bar Vietnamese Cuisine
6310 Griffin Road, Davie, 954-900-4909; and 10640 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines, 954-998-0118; PhoBar.co
545° Bánh Mì Café
6461 Stirling Road, Davie; 954-581-5048; 545.Cafe
Minh Do, owner of Phó Bar Vietnamese Cuisine and 545° Bánh Mì Café, wrote on social media that he would give away free meals every day “until SNAP benefits are restored.”
“It’s the right thing to do for however long we can maintain it,” Do told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Along with his wife, co-owner Mindy Nguyen, they’ve given away over $8,000 in meals since Sunday.
All three restaurants will offer to-go meals to anyone showing EBT cards between 2 and 6 p.m. each day, and each person present will receive a meal. At Phó Bar, any entree/phó under $17.50 is eligible, while at 545°, any bánh mì or noodle/rice box is available. Guests age 17 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
Hellenic
10436 W. Atlantic Blvd., Coral Springs; 954-302-8994; OrderGreekFood.com
After temporarily closing earlier this year, Chef Nikol Zarbalas said her Greek restaurant — formerly Hellenic Republic — plans to reopen its larger, rebranded location on Nov. 8 for take-out orders only before the dining room opens to the public later this month. But SNAP recipients who call the restaurant or direct-message Hellenic on social media can schedule meal pick-ups immediately, she said.
Those interested can order any build-your-own pita, salad, bowl or platter, which includes choice of gyro meat, chicken skewers, lamb and salmon alongside rice, vegetables, tzatziki and hummus. The offer is available from noon to 10 p.m. daily. After Nov. 8, they can “simply show up” to the restaurant and order without calling, she added.
“We’ve always offered it to anyone who’s in need in the community, but now that the government is shut down, our efforts are ramping up,” Zarbalas said. “Just come and we’ll feed you.”
Since the government shutdown, Zarbalas said she’s already given away 40 meals to SNAP recipients, along with 280 Thanksgiving meals for those struggling financially ahead of the holiday.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Subculture Group has partnered with Hospitality Helping Hands in Palm Beach County to offer free meals to families relying on SNAP benefits.
Those who visit one of Subculture’s restaurants or coffee shops must bring their SNAP card and ID to receive one meal per family member per day during designated hours, while supplies last. Government workers with suspended paychecks can also receive aid, pending availability.
For information, visit SubcultureSNAP.org.
Restaurant locations and times:
- Dada, 52 N. Swinton Ave, Delray Beach; 3-5 p.m.
- El Segundo, 3950 Georgia Ave., West Palm Beach; 3-5 p.m.
- Howley’s, 4700 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; 3-5 p.m.
- Hullabaloo, 517 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; 3-5 p.m.
- Lost Weekend, 218 Española Way, Miami Beach; 5-8 p.m.
- Lost Weekend, 526 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; 5-8 p.m.
- Shanghai’d, 519 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; 2-5 p.m.
- Tryst, 431 Plaza Real, Boca Raton; 3-5 p.m.
Subculture Coffee locations; available 9 a.m.-7 p.m.:
- 509 Clematis St., West Palm Beach
- 437 Plaza Real, Boca Raton
- 302 NE Sixth Ave., Delray Beach
- 107 Front St., Jupiter
- 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Ave., Suite 5090, Palm Beach Gardens
Free meals for restaurant workers
One Fair Wage, a New York nonprofit that advocates for improved tipped wage laws, on Tuesday announced it has created a Service Workers’ SNAP Emergency Fund to “provide immediate relief to the workers hit hardest: restaurant and service workers, the very people who feed us but too often cannot afford to feed themselves,” according to a news statement.
Restaurant and service workers who rely on SNAP can submit a brief online form at ofwemergencyfund.org, and One Fair Wage will verify eligibility and give:
- Direct cash assistance for groceries and basic needs
- Access to food resource partners and local relief efforts
- Tools and information to organize for higher wages
Are you a Palm Beach, Broward or Miami-Dade County restaurant offering free meals to SNAP recipients during the government shutdown? Email Sun Sentinel writer Phillip Valys at pvalys@sunsentinel.com.