Jeffress' food truck serves meals to front line

Reliever gives back to healthcare workers aiding fight against COVID-19

May 21st, 2020

CHICAGO -- has firsthand experience with the importance of those in the medical field, given his own battle with seizures stemming from epilepsy since his youth. The pitcher hopes people know not to take doctors and nurses for granted, especially now during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

On Wednesday, Jeffress had a question for the medical staffers he met at Banner -- University Medical Center in Phoenix, where he brought a food truck to deliver meals to hospital workers. He wanted to know if anyone in line worked in the neurology department, where he has been cared for at Banner Health.

"One nurse just went crazy and was like, 'I'm the one!'" Jeffress said with a chuckle during a phone conversation on Thursday afternoon.

That gave them a chance to connect in conversation in a more personal way, during a visit aimed at showing appreciation for front-line workers. Jeffress, who helped take orders and cook seafood plates during Wednesday's stop, fed around 70 staffers, including doctors and nurses helping patients and families impacted by COVID-19.

Jeffress -- signed to a one-year contract to be part of the Cubs' bullpen -- wore a Chicago warm-up shirt and Cubs hat, donned an apron and wore a protective mask. After helping make the food and assemble the plate inside his J.J.'s Bread and Butter seafood truck, he called out the names of workers and delivered the meals personally.

"It's something that is a passion of mine -- when I'm cooking," Jeffress said. "It's just seeing everybody come together in one place, and just be happy for even just a couple moments. And just to understand that they're appreciated, that their work is not going unnoticed.

"People don't really understand how good they have it until they really see what's going on. These people get up each and every day and they're around probably the worst viruses, the worst sicknesses each and every day

"And just to give them a little bit of break from it, and to see how happy they still are just to be there, it's gracious, man."

Courtesy of Banner Health

Even something as simple as a visit from a food truck does mean something to the workers right now.

"Part of my service line are COVID units," Veronica Carmack, director of nursing at Banner Health, said in an interview provided by the hospital. "And they're tired, they're stressed. And to feel the love and support from the community and from everyone around, it just means the world to them. It brightens their day.

"The food trucks, the coffee, just all these little things make a really big difference in the course of their day."

The food truck that Jeffress helps run has its roots in his childhood.

Growing up in South Boston, Va., Jeffress stopped by Breedlove's Seafood truck often in his neighborhood. He said he used to smell the fried seafood while he was playing in a local park and it was hard to resist picking up some fish, shrimp or scallops.

"I'd go to the park every day, bro," he said. "And then start smelling it and go get me a little plate."

Breedlove's is still operating, and is now located even closer to Jeffress' childhood home.

"It actually moved locations, like, two doors down from my house," Jeffress said. "I'm like, 'Why couldn't he do this when I was a little kid?'"

Eventually, Jeffress went to work with Breedlove Ford's son, Al, on expanding to a new truck. They acquired a vehicle from a Texas-based company, modified it inside and out and had it up and running outside Miller Park and around Milwaukee in 2019 when Jeffress pitched for the Brewers. After last season, they moved the truck to the Phoenix area, where the reliever now lives.

With the baseball season on hold, Jeffress has been trying to find places where he can help out with his truck. Maybe that is downtown for people who don't want to venture too far from home or work. As was the case with Wednesday's stop, Jeffress wants to also bring his truck to help out essential and front-line workers.

Jeffress is one within a group of Cubs players who have found ways to contribute to various causes during the global crisis.

Anthony Rizzo has utilized his foundation to deliver thousands of meals and supplies across multiple states to hospital workers and families in need. Jason Heyward donated $100,000 to MASK Chicago, which is collecting supplies and meals for affected families, and another $100,000 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

Javier B¨¢ez helped provide meals to children in Puerto Rico. Daniel Descalso and Steven Souza Jr. teamed with players around MLB on the Home Plate Project to deliver more than four million meals to kids in need. Kyle Schwarber has delivered food to first responders. Ian Happ has partnered with Connect Roasters to raise money for COVID-19 relief.

The list goes on.

"It's huge," Jeffress said, "because once we're in the baseball season, we're really focusing on baseball and trying to win a championship. But whenever we have the time to get out and show our communities some love, we try to the best that we can. And we have fun doing it."

Jeffress has been staying ready for an MLB season, too. The right-hander has been throwing either a bullpen session or doing a live BP workout every three days. He has been able to do the rest of his workouts at home. And if there is a baseball season this year, Jeffress not only is looking forward to getting to work out of the Cubs' bullpen, but possibly also identifying a new spot for his food truck.

"Wrigleyville," he said. "Definitely."

seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
mfhoudan.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
jerusalemdispatch.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
worldhealthstory.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
techguroh.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com