LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Boulder City restaurant is stepping up to help families struggling during the ongoing government shutdown by providing free meals to children.
Southwest Diner has been serving complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner to kids since Monday, offering items like corn dogs, hot dogs and quesadillas to ensure no child goes hungry while their parents navigate financial uncertainty.
VIDEO: Jhovani Carrillo talks to the manager of Southwest Diner about free meals for children
"Our number one goal is to make sure that kids are fed," said Sara Olsen, manager at Southwest Diner.
As the government shutdown moves into its second month, thousands of families across the Las Vegas valley are feeling the financial impact. For many, it means making difficult decisions about putting food on the table.
"If you have the means to help, let's just do it. Let's take care of our community," Olsen said.
The restaurant's initiative aims to give parents one less worry during these challenging times. Olsen said the decision to help stems from their commitment to serving others.
"We want to live a life like Jesus. Let's give to others, serve others and help others. Let's make sure that no child goes unfed. Let's focus on compassion and kindness," Olsen said.
This isn't the first time Southwest Diner has supported their community during a crisis. The restaurant provided similar assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I can't imagine being in a position where I would be going hungry, let alone my children, so it's definitely treat people how you want to be treated in every sense of the word," Olsen said.
Olsen said they started offering free meals on Monday and have already seen more than 30 kids stop by.
"We are proud to help and feed our community. We are all in this together. These kids are our future, so we need to take care of them," Olsen said.
The restaurant is also working to expand the program to include free meals for entire families, with details still being finalized.
"Once we have all the details finalized, we'll have something to offer for the whole family," Olsen said.
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