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The community-spirited owner of a local world food café is offering free helpings of a “wholesome” soup to vulnerable or self-isolating islanders in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Elke Jacques, who runs Flavour.Je, said she thought about delivering free dal – an Indian dish made of dried lentils, peas and beans - after visiting her mum earlier this week.
She explained her mum, who is in her 70s, has been quite concerned about coronavirus virus and has kept in “semi self-isolation” to avoid catching it.
“She is panicking, she is cleaning down the house,” Elke said. “She’s got the fear, she does not want to get outside.
“It resonated with me and made me think there must be other people out there that are in isolation, who may have help from the public or maybe not everyone can get to them.”
Elke therefore decided to offer to deliver free dal “to anyone living in fear, in isolation, alone and in need due to their age, weakened immune system or underlying illness”.
Elke said she chose the dish in particular due to its nutritional and immune-boosting properties.
“It’s amazingly nutritional, wholesome, it’s a powerhouse of nutrients and it’s warming which is perfect when you are ill,” she explained.
“It’s a quick food to make and out of all the food I have done it’s one of the most popular.
“It has immune boosting properties with the ginger, turmeric and the lentils. It’s not a stew, it’s not a soup, it’s just whole some. It makes you feel happy and we all need happiness.”
Elke, who thought the offer would help a couple of Flavour.je customers, says she has been “overwhelmed and humbled” by the response to her post, which has been shared over 100 times.
While only a couple of islanders have taken up on the offer – one of them sent Elke the details of a vulnerable neighbour – many more have showed their support and offered to help.
Pictured: Flavour.je is based in St. Brelade's Bay.
One woman offered to make a contribution to what she described as a “worthy endeavour”, but Elke suggested a donation be made to local charity Caring Cooks – which provides hot meals to families struggling financially or through illness - instead.
Others also offered to help deliver dal around the island. Many also welcomed the idea, describing it as “a wonderful gesture”.
Leanne Lopes said: “What an amazing thing to do! So nice to see there are still good people!!”
“What a lovely kind think to do. I'm sure it will be appreciated” Tasha Cormack added.
Rebecca Le Vaillant wrote: “Oh yum, that would make anyone feel better, it's delicious”
“I did not expect that at all,” Elke said. “You forget sometimes the power of social media. If you know anyone that is in isolation or vulnerable, please get in touch.”
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