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It’s no secret that healthcare workers have been giving their all throughout the coronavirus pandemic. According to the popular Mexican fast-casual restaurant Chipotle, healthcare workers deserve some recognition. As their way of saying “Thanks,” the restaurant has promised to give away 250,000 burritos to folks working in the medical field. And they are inviting everyone else to pipe in virtually to show appreciation, as well.
Chipotle: Healthcare Workers Are Heroes
To Chipotle, healthcare workers are heroes, and they want to reward them. As of 10 a.m. PT on April 29, Healthcare professionals can go to giving.chipotle.com/healthcareheroes to sign up for a free burrito. While they are there, they can view messages of care, gratitude and encouragement from people from the restaurant’s social media pages, such as the following. (Anyone can share their comments on Chipotle’s Instagram, Facebook or TikTok posts, as well.)
“Thank you isn’t enough,” posted Ally S. “We owe you all so much for your brave perseverance and skill. With tremendous respect and appreciation.”
“Thank you to all our medical workers,” Kelly W. posted. “Your sacrifice, commitment and passion for serving others is so greatly appreciated. You are the true heroes.”
To receive the free burrito, healthcare workers will be asked to verify themselves using ID.me, which is a secure identity verification service. The process asks if you are a nurse, medical provider or hospital employee. Next, you must log in, which you can do using Facebook, Google or LinkedIn if you don’t have an existing account. Alternatively, you can create a new account.
To verify that you are a healthcare worker, you will then need to either use an employee email address or upload employment documentation, such as a company ID or a recent paystub. This secure process is simply to confirm that deserving healthcare providers and employees receive the free burritos. Once confirmed, you will receive an email informing you how to get a free burrito at a nearby Chipotle, provided they have not yet met the limit of 250,000.
Chipotle Egift Card Program
In addition to the burrito freebie from Chipotle, healthcare workers can benefit from a new egift card program started by the restaurant. As of April 28, Chipotle will match 10% of special egift card purchases and donate the funds to the American Nurses Foundation, a charity associated with the American Nurses Association. The foundation supports research, education, and scholarships, which improve health, wellness, and patient care.
“Given the events of the past year, we are once again bringing our fans together to show appreciation for the heroic efforts of the healthcare community,” said Chipotle’s chief marketing officer, Chris Brandt, in a news release.
The healthcare egift cards are available via chipotle.com/gifts-and-gear through May 9, 2021. When you buy an egift card, you receive the full value, and Chipotle will make a donation in the amount of 10% of the sale to the American Nurses Foundation. Chipotle has pledged to donate a minimum of $5,000 and up to $250,000.
This is not the first time Chipotle has rewarded healthcare workers since the start of the pandemic. Last year, the restaurant donated 200,000 burritos to healthcare facilities across the country and donated 10% of egift card purchases to Direct Relief, which provides PPE and other essential medical items to healthcare workers worldwide.
Tricia is a professional writer and editor who lives in North Texas with her family and one smelly dog. She is a wannabe problem solver, junk food maven professional coffee practitioner, web guru and general communicator. More.
