NORWICH - Nina’s Pizzeria and Restaurant has been donating food to local families, first-responders, and medical staff during the coronavirus pandemic as a way of saying thank you for years of support.

Nina’s is a well known restaurant located at 32 South Broad Street in downtown Norwich.

In order to comply with the recent state work and health mandates the restaurant has found a new role, helping local community workers during the crisis and making food deliveries.

You can order food from Nina’s by calling (607)334-6278.

According to Nina’s Owner Dave Shull, this is just Nina’s doing its part for the community during what appears to be an unsettling and unusual time in history.

“I just want to thank everyone for their support over the last two weeks, it has been unbelievable, the amount of support and people calling in and checking in on us is incredible,” said Shull. “People are going out of their way to donate to other families, and it has been really uplifting to see what the community is like in our small town.”

“We’re all in this together, we hope everyone stays safe and healthy.”

Shull said Nina’s has received donations and has applied those donations towards feeding people in the Norwich community.

“We’ve taken care of our first responders, and will continue to do so over the next couple weeks, months, or however long we have to deal with this,” said Shull. “We went to the school today and provided lunch for the staff members, and we’ll be back tomorrow where a different shift will be provided lunch as well.”

Shull said community members have reached out with names of families who aren’t being fed, and Nina’s has stepped up to feed them during the pandemic.

“It’s not just us, a lot of generous people in our community have come forward to try and make a difference,” said Shull. “People have come here and donated money specifically asking it to go towards other families, first-responders, or hospital workers.”

“The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office has reached out to us multiple times with names and addresses of people who need food as well.”

Shull said he wasn’t sure what would happen after the statewide mandatory restaurant closure which forced him to let the majority of his staff go, but thanks to community support Nina’s has been able to rehire some of the workers part-time on busy nights.

“We used to typically have ten staff working, now we’re a very thin crew sometimes running on no more than three people,” he said. “We’re making it work, but under the circumstances the support for us is still overwhelming.”

He added that Nina’s has been doing approximately 30 to 40 deliveries a night, which has allowed it to remain open.

“We’ve always been blessed to have the support of the community, and we’re also still blessed to still have a business,” Shull said. “I can’t thank people enough for what they send our way.”

Shull said moving forward there is a very high chance that Nina’s will continue to provide delivery service, and thanked customers for the way they’ve been treating delivery drivers.

“I really think people really appreciate being able to call Nina’s and have it brought to their house,” Shull added. “I hadn’t explored it before, but it’s something I’m more than likely going to continue.”

He said right now one of his top priorities is to get all of his team back on staff.

“I’ve been talking with my accountant and attorney, and I’m in the process of getting all of my employees back,” he added. “The government just passed part of their stimulus package that is helping small businesses with payroll.”

“Fortunately everyone who was laid off was able to get unemployment, but I know that’s not enough for some of them to live on.”