Calgary catering company delivers pre-packaged Thanksgiving dinners to hospital staff

Calgary catering company Devour Catering is doing its part to support hospital staff this Thanksgiving. (CTV News)

CALGARY — J’Val Shuster is the owner of Devour Catering in southeast Calgary.

Ten days ago, Shuster and her team came up with the idea to help support health care workers this Thanksgiving by making and delivering pre-packaged turkey dinners.

"We launched a care package called ICU Care Package” said Shuster. "We put it out to our subscribers in our newsletter last Wednesday, so ten days ago, and the response has been really amazing."

This Sunday, Shuster intends on bringing 250 Thanksgiving dinners to hospitals in Calgary.

"The program has really taken off, so we will be bringing hundreds of meals to health care workers throughout Calgary," she said.

Shuster said the majority of Devour Catering’s events have been cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. Though discouraged, she said she knew her and her team could do something positive.

"We have an amazing ability to nourish and feed people, so how could we do that and show our gratitude and support at the same time?"

The program has been so popular that Devour had to put a freeze on orders for the time being.

"We did have to pause it on Wednesday," said Shuster. "To date, we have had over 6,500 meals that have been purchased."

With the booming success of the initiative, Devour will be delivering meals well beyond Thanksgiving Sunday.

"We’re going to be spreading them out because we understand from talking to people at the hospitals that they not only need the support when in a crisis situation, but they will need longer term support."

"They have been working hard for a really long time," she said. "We’re happy we will be able to extend it for a few weeks."