When I'm feeling down, I take Mr. Rogers's advice and look for the helpers.

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping," Fred Rogers is quoted as saying.

There are always people who are willing to help in times of need. I try not just to look for helpers but to be one myself (That's why I spent the weekend sewing cloth masks for friends and family. I am a woman of many talents.)

It seems like a couple Murfreesboro restaurantuers have also taken that advice to heart and become the helpers we need right now.

Inspired by José Andrés's World Central Kitchen, Milano II, Al Rayan Restaurant & Market, St. Rose of Lima Church, and Performance Foodservice joined forces to form "Milano Central Kitchen."

World Centeral Kitchen was founded by Andrés in 2010 to help provide meals after natural disasters in areas around the world. Most famously, Andrés started a grass-roots movement after Puerto Rico was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Andrés transformed eight of his New York City and Washington, DC restaurants into soup kitchens and worked with suppliers to give meals to health care workers in the San Francisco Bay area.

Milan Central Kitchen has taken a page from Andrés playbook and will offer free individually packaged fresh, hot lunches to homeless individuals and those who are food insecure from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, April 14 and Wednesday, April 15 from the front porch of Milano II.

"With the economy suffering, many hard-working souls are going hungry and more vulnerable people are just plain starving right here in our hometown," a joint statement from MCK said. "One way to offer help and hope is to feed those who can't find, make or afford food."

Any leftover food will be distributed to health care workers across Murfreesboro.

MCK will continue to distribute food until "people can get back to work and the economy recovers so food insecurity isn't a problem."

If you wish to be a helper, help spread the word and tell food insecure people you know where they can get a good meal, donate through the St. Rose of Lima website (designate the donation to Milano Central Kitchen) or volunteer by sending a Facebook message to Barb Ford.

COVID-19 Reported Cases in Tennessee

Medical Professional Responders are needed. Click here to register with the State of Tennessee Medical Reserve Corps Program. Medical and Non-medical support is needed.

To donate masks, email COVID.PPEDONATIONS@tn.gov or check TEMA's site for private sector PPE donations.

As of 2 p.m. April 8: