CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- A local organization has teamed up with World Central Kitchen to feed the people on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

Frontline Foods Charlottesville is working with chef Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen in a community effort that will officially kick off on Friday.

Food deliveries from Frontline will go to health care workers at the University of Virginia Health System, Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, and first responders in the Charlottesville area.

“World Central Kitchen is an efficient ready-to-go model that has been tried and tested throughout disasters taking place across the globe,” said Shantell Bingham, with the Charlottesville Food Justice Network. “I’m most excited about applying it here with a focused intention on building economic equity throughout the process of connecting philanthropic opportunity to the need, because what we’re facing now will likely build more devastating inequality in our community after the dust settles from COVID-19 depending on how we tackle it."

The food is coming from several local restaurants, including Champion Hospitality Group, Pearl Island Catering, Mochiko, and Order Up!

According to a release, more restaurants will be added to the program as the needs grow over the next weeks.

The program will eventually expand to community members in Charlottesville and Central Virginia.

Frontline Foods is also beginning to work with the Charlottesville Food Justice Network to set up a local steering committee of representatives from the Regional Emergency Operations Center, the Thomas Jefferson Health District and other nonprofits.

This committee will work to support equitable access to this economic opportunity for restaurant owners while also ensuring food assistance to school-aged children, people experiencing homelessness, seniors and others facing economic hardship.

The release says the pandemic has impacted every part of daily life from the call to action by health care providers who are working in unprecedented conditions to restaurants that have closed but still have the capacity to help feed the community.

This program aims to help feed overworked health care providers, and restaurants will get 100 percent of the cost for food and labor.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to have the support of World Central Kitchen but this will need to be a sustained effort and for that, we’ll need all the help we can get,” said John Kluge, who has been assisting efforts to bring the partnership to Charlottesville. “If you would like to contribute or participate, we welcome our support as we serve our community and the brave warriors on our frontlines. We are just getting started and as support grows, so will Frontline Food Charlottesville and our ability to respond to community needs.”

People and restaurants that would like to get involved in this effort can send a message to [email protected].