“Feed the Angels” fundraiser supports local businesses while feeding frontline workers

Small businesses and frontline workers continue to be impacted by the pandemic

FARGO, N.D. — Danette Nicoloff of Fargo is a dance mom at heart.

“Right now, we should be fundraising for dance. That’s what we do,” she explains. “When the dance season essentially was canceled because of COVID, there was a real void in my life.”

Rather than put her fundraising skills to bed, she decided to fill that void with an initiative stretching across the Fargo-Moorhead metro.

“It just kind of came to me: Hey, why not raise money to buy food for frontline workers and pay area restaurants to do it?”

Through her “Feed the Angels” fundraiser, Nicoloff is working to raise enough money to partner with local restaurants and feed every frontline in the area. “So far, we’ve got about $1,100. So, that could pay for one round, but I’d like to see it keep going,” she says.

The goal is to show frontline workers a symbol of gratitude all the while supporting our local business owners.

“I’m utterly impressed with those people that continue to go to work, continue to isolate from their families so they can go to work,” Nicoloff says. “I can’t imagine, so somebody’s got to step up and say thank you, and I’m sure there are people but I just felt like I needed to do something.”

Providing a meal for every local frontline worker, including police officers, firefighters, and so on, is no small feat. But when the community pulls together, Nicoloff says great things can happen.

It’s a lesson she hopes her girls can learn from.

“In a time of crisis, there’s always hope, and so I’m trying to lead by example,” she explains. “I want my kids to know that, ‘Hey, we’re doing pretty good. The pandemic sucks, but we’re doing pretty good.’ So, if we can make someone else’s life a little easier, that’s what I felt I needed to do.”

Nicoloff is partnering with The Shack on Broadway, Blackbird Woodfire Pizza, Twist and Urban Foods Catering.

She hopes the first round of meals can be delivered within the next couple of weeks.

Donate to the GoFundMe page by clicking here.