Detroit Restaurant Saffron De Twah Is Offering Free Holiday Meals to People in Need

Gratiot Avenue restaurant Saffron De Twah is closing out 2020 by offering free meals to community members and hospitality workers in need.

The Moroccan-influenced American spot in the McDougall-Hunt neighborhood is accepting requests online for family meals for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Applications for the program are expected to close on Tuesday, December 22, to ensure the restaurant has enough time to prepare the food.

The program is one of several that Saffron De Twah has offered as part of its Saffron Community Kitchen project this year. After a partnership with Brilliant Detroit wound down earlier this fall, owner Omar Anani tells Eater he had intended to reopen for carryout service but the indoor dining closure and other obstacles put that on hold. At the same time, the restaurant found ways to continue its community programming with help from Winona Bynum of the Detroit Food Policy Council, Food Rescue US, Rainbow Connection.

Anani says that while many places were offering meals for Thanksgiving to families in the Detroit area, there appeared to be fewer options available to people celebrating Christmas this year.

Additionally, Saffron De Twah is piloting a subscription-based meal program — sort of like a CSA — to ensure people can get a Saffron De Twah fix. Other restaurants in the area including Takoi and Shewolf have launched similar programs.

Looking for other ways to help or get help? Eater has rounded up programs helping service industry workers as well as programs helping fight food insecurity.

• Saffron De Twah Becomes a Community Kitchen Providing 500 Free Meals a Day to Detroiters in Need [ED]
• How to Help Fight Food Insecurity and Support Restaurants in Detroit [ED]
• A Guide to Michigan Organizations and Businesses Offering Support to Restaurant Workers [ED]