East Bay's AxleHire delivers free meals for hospital workers

SAN LEANDRO, Calif. - The founder of an East Bay delivery company wanted to show his gratitude to health care workers who are saving lives. 

Daniel Sokolovsky started using his company AxleHire to deliver free meals to hospital workers Monday afternoon.

The San Leandro based company delivered meals to four hospitals in San Francisco including three campuses of California Pacific Medical Center.

A driver unloaded one week's worth of prepared meals to waiting hospital staff.

The food is prepared in Concord by health food company Methodology.

One hundred meals were delivered to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, where the food will go to those working at the urgent care clinic.

"If I'm working a late shift till 9 o'clock, having to come in the next shift at 8 a.m.,  it can be a little hard to prepare a meal for the next day," said Crystal Loucel, a nurse at Zuckerberg San Francisco General, 

The urgent care nurse said it's time-consuming to leave the hospital for a meal break. 

"Now that the entrances are closed and every time you leave and when you come back in, you have to get a temperature check and screening. It makes it a little more challenging," said Loucel.     

Sokolovsky started AxleHire five years ago. He said this is his way of giving back. "I'm a type 1 diabetic myself, so I wanted to make sure everyone stays healthy in the Bay Area."

His on-demand delivery business is thriving during this difficult time.

In February, his weekly total for same-day deliveries were 500 to 700.

Now, his company is making up to 7,000 same-day deliveries each week.

He said his company delivers food, medication and household goods.

"It's absolutely horrible that it's in this kind of time. We are providing a lot of essential goods , essential services," said Sokolovsky.

He plans to offer the free meal deliveries to hospitals every Monday for the foreseeable future.

A gesture that one nurse said is invaluable nourishment for the spirit.

"The meal is just the physical piece of it. But it's everything that goes with it. It's the thoughts, sending warm wishes with it, knowing that they're thinking of us while we're going through this crisis," said Sonia Alleyne, Director of Nursing for Women and Children at Sutter's CPMC. 

AxleHire's founder is planning to hire 1,000 people: drivers and warehouse workers here in the Bay Area.

Sokolovsky said whether it be delivering free meals or providing jobs, it's about answering the call wherever it's needed.