While many will be at home celebrating Christmas over a hot meal within their social bubble, Sushi Goemon will be providing free meals for frontline healthcare workers and first responders working on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Junko Otomo, co-owner of the restaurant, said that they want to provide workers with meals to show appreciation for the hospital staff, police, and firefighters who have worked throughout the pandemic.
“[We are] very thankful for them,” said Otomo.
This is not the first time the business has supported frontline workers and first responders.
In March, Sushi Goemon, located downtown, served 122 meals to frontline healthcare workers and first responders at the start of the pandemic.
Mari Otomo, daughter of owners Junko and Nobu Otomo, is a social worker in Vancouver and is considered an essential service worker.
“My colleagues and all of my friends, who are first responders and frontline workers, are working really hard, you know, [and] I was looking for ways to give back in support of the work that they were doing,” said Otomo.
She was inspired when she saw “a lawyer who had offered to buy like a hundred meals… to offer it for free for frontline workers and first responders.”
When she brought the idea up with her parents “they were really on board and keen to support the Squamish community, and that’s how we sort of started the conversation and started the initiative,” said Otomo.
And so, their idea to give back to their community was born.
They decided to provide meals again, during the holidays, “because… these people have been working tirelessly throughout the pandemic --- but also, the pandemic doesn’t stop on holidays,” said Otomo.
For frontline workers and first responders who “are working these days... they might not be able to share a meal with their family… so, we just wanted to do something to make those days a little bit better for the workers,” said Otomo.
Hopefully, we will be able to continue doing this in the future, but ultimately that would be for her parents to decide, said Otomo.
“They’ve always been giving to the community, they donate sushi weekly to the shelter, the homeless shelter, and so they’ve always been there for the community,” said Otomo about her parents.
Sushi Goemon is also preparing “care packages” for frontline workers and first responders and their families. They are asking the community to drop off individually pre-packaged treats and personal items, such as cookies and soaps, at the restaurant before Dec. 23.
Sushi Goemon is at 38105 Second Avenue.
