'They Are So Appreciated': South Jersey Charity, Frito-Lay Team Up To Celebrate First Responders For National EMS Week
ATLANTIC COUNTY, N.J. (CBS) -- More types of businesses are set to open in the Garden State, even some for in-person sales. Gov. Phil Murphy says it will be a test for what comes next. Meanwhile, some first responders say they are starting to feel some weight off their shoulds in recent weeks.
It's not unusual to see first responders hard at work these days, staying the course through even the most desperate days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But instead of filling their trucks with sick patients on Tuesday, they were receiving a reward -- the kind you can eat.
Frito-Lay donated more than 900 boxes of snack bags to a South Jersey-based charity called Gratitude To Go. It's an offshoot of Earth Angels for Dementia in Atlantic County, which usually cares for caregivers of dementia patients.
But since COVID-19 interrupted their regular operations, they've turned to caring for first responders and health care workers.
"All we have to do is show them that we appreciate them, and they are so appreciated in our town. They keep us home, they keep us safe and they're just amazing people that we should really, really do everything we can to make their lives easier," Gratitude To Go co-founder Cheryl Caliri said.
While a lot of the snacks will stock their stations and add to the celebration of National EMS Week, much more will be redistributed in the community.
"Although this event is for them, they're collecting to give to others, and I'm just excited about being a part of it," Atlantic County Sheriff Eric Scheffler said.
While still stressful, the COVID-19 load is starting to lighten on first responders.
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On Tuesday, Gov. Murphy announced that for the first time in nearly two months, fewer than 1,000 COVID-19 patients are in critical care throughout the state.
Steady progress at slowing the spread of the virus has compelled Murphy to incrementally reopen the state.
In the newest move, car dealerships and bike shops can resume in-person sales. It's a step Murphy says may help transition into more indoor activities, which he says are the most difficult to safeguard.
"You just should assume that we are constantly war-gaming a whole range of decisions. Just know that's the case," Murphy said.
In addition to opening car dealerships starting Wednesday, Murphy announced several initiatives to expand COVID-19 testing, including at pharmacies and mobile sites in urban communities.
The state is now at the point they are pursuing people in high-risk populations to come get tested.
