MILWAUKEE (SPECTRUM NEWS) -- Caitlin Cullen told Spectrum News 1 in mid-March she might have a few days left before closing her doors for the duration of the pandemic. Donations and partnerships with other Milwaukee restaurants have allowed The Tandem to continue its pivot to free community meals through a fourth week.

“The business that we’re in is food insecurity, and business is booming,” Cullen said. “People are hungry and not prepared for this at all.”

Cullen is the owner of the restaurant, located near North 18th St. and West Fond Du Lac Ave. She has had to reduce her staff to just five, but they have been able to prepare up to 400 meals each day during the week.

“We’re getting a lot of donations, which makes us confident that we can do this as long as we can and hopefully see this through to the end,” Cullen said Thursday. “As a staff, we’ve been working together so much that we’ve got a real groove going.”

The restaurant is currently open Monday through Friday, but Cullen’s crew also prepares at-home meal kits for customers to take home each Friday for the weekend. The Tandem used hundreds of donated eggs to prepare family-sized quiches for Easter weekend.

The Tandem opens for pickups at 11 a.m. during the week, and Cullen posts the day’s menu each morning on Instagram. 

To read Cullen’s message to Milwaukee or to donate to support the community meal program, click here.