During time of crisis, Rafi’s reaches out to the community – Olean Times Herald

OLEAN When Amber Rafi-Sultan learned she would have to close down her restaurant Monday, she began making plans to help others in the community who might be strained from the coronavirus pandemic that has put many people out of work.

Rafi-Sultan, who owns Rafis Platter on Wayne Street with her husband, Aamir Sultan, decided to offer curbside meals to the community from 11:30 a.m. to noon in the upcoming days to help others. The meals will be handed out each day while supplies last.

I am cooking food to help the community, Rafi Sultan explained on Tuesday. Im going to keep doing it until Ive depleted everything from the restaurants supplies.

Rafi-Sultan noted she could freeze her food supplies at the restaurant, but decided she wanted to help everyone in need at this time.

Right now, kindness is the most important thing, she continued. Because everyone is in a state of panic we cannot panic, weve got to help each other in any which way we can.

Rafi-Sultan said she began cooking early Tuesday to have dozens of meals ready to hand out to the public at the side of the restaurant. Additional meals were also delivered to St. Elizabeth Motherhouse in Allegany, the Warming House soup kitchen and the Genesis House homeless shelter.

Rafi-Sultan said her whole team of employees have volunteered to help hand out the meals to the community. One of her employees, Bradley Manning, said he was very busy handing out meals of pasta primavera and salad in the restaurant parking lot.

A lot of people who came through today did not have their families with them, Manning said. Theres been times when weve all needed help, but didnt ask when we needed it.

A mother who stopped by the restaurant to pick up meals for her six children said she appreciated the gesture of kindness from the restaurant.

Its a very nice thing that theyre doing, the mother said while sitting in her vehicle. Not everybody does this.

Rafi-Sultan noted the Wayne Street restaurant recently reopened after it was closed for a short while to allow time for the family to open its new restaurant in Ellicottville. Both facilities are now closed.

But its OK, God has a plan, she said with resolve.

(Contact reporter Kate Day Sager at kates_th@yahoo.com. Follow her on Twitter, @OTHKate)

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During time of crisis, Rafi's reaches out to the community - Olean Times Herald