On Friday March 13, 2020, project 1907 hosted Vancouver’s first #IWillEatWithYou dinner, in support of Chinatown businesses impacted by racism and xenophobia resulting from COVID-19. The #IWillEatWithYou movement was started by the Australian community action organization GetUp!.

Our inaugural event was held at Floata Seafood Restaurant, the largest restaurant in Vancouver’s Chinatown, which reported cancellations of ~800 tables between January and March 2020. We received an outpouring of support from the community for this event, with over 150 tickets sold during the turbulent week in which COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic.

Impacts:

• 50% of the funds accumulated from #IWillEatWithYou went toward paying much-needed wages for staff at Floata.

• With 25% of the funds accumulated, we purchased 100 meal vouchers to Kent’s Kitchen, another local Chinatown business. The vouchers were distributed to the residents of the May Wah Hotel (single-room occupancy in Chinatown).

• The remainder of the funds went towards fulfilling essential needs of low-income seniors isolated as a result of COVID-19. This included paying phone bills as well as purchasing and delivering prescription medications, food and other essential needs.

The following priorities guided and informed our work during quickly changing circumstances:

1. Dignity in food insecurity: Providing access to food of the variety and amount that people need and want, when they need it, in a way that maintains their dignity and agency.

2. Keeping Chinatown alive: Ensuring there is still a Chinatown after the pandemic is over, by providing much needed cash flow to Chinatown businesses and supporting existing jobs in the community.