“Tamales for Heroes” program sends tasty care packages to local hospitals

Tucson restaurants, much like Feast and Senae Thai Bistro, are stepping up when it comes to feeding frontline workers at local hospitals.

Flores Concepts, which operates El Charro Cafe, Carlotta’s Kitchen, and more, is delivering baskets of tamales with the “Tamales for Heroes” program.

“We started thinking that the best food that could provide solid nutrition in a hurry would be to offer out tamales, said Ray Flores of Flores Concepts. “We have put out nearly 6000 tamales since we started with a combination of sponsorship funds and matching those funds with our own dollars. The response has been great all around and we get to keep our people working as well as thank all of our frontline heroes.”

The deliveries to hospitals are dependent on sponsors, too — giving you the opportunity to send individually wrapped tamales their way.

So far, they’ve made deliveries to Banner UMC, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Tucson Medical Center, El Rio Health, Northwest Medical Center, Northwest Oro Valley Hospital, Green Valley Hospital, and more.

Next in line, Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital on Tuesday, August 4. As of now, they’re preparing around 100 tamales to be given to the late-night shift — a perfect meal to keep their energy going strong.

Here’s how to sponsor a local hospital:

• Head over to tamalesforheroes.com
• Select the amount you’d like to deliver (ranging from 1 – 25+ tamales)
• Orders will be sent out once a week every time a 25-count basket is filled

The handmade tamale recipes are all-natural, gluten-free, and made with non-GMO corn masa. Each basket delivered are a mixture of vegetarian corn, red chile beef or pork carnitas, and chicken-tomatillo.

For more information, visit tamalesforheroes.com.