National No One Eats Alone Day started out in schools as a way to make everyone feel included by making sure that everyone had a friend to talk with during lunch. A recent CDC report indicated that over 40% of adults were showing at least one sign of depression during all of the shutdowns and that astoundingly, 15% had contemplated suicide! We at MOBLZ think it is time to accept the mission to make sure that those who are suffering from loneliness and depression due to constant COVID-induced isolation have some personal interaction during a meal.

This coming Friday (February 12, 2021) invite a new friend, co-worker, or neighbor to dine with you. With current COVID restrictions, consider an outside table at a restaurant, meeting at a food truck, or even brown-bagging it and eating at a park. The point of this exercise is to get out of your comfort zone to help someone who may need some companionship. If you end up dining out and think that it would be helpful to pay for the other person’s meal, feel free. A lot of people are also suffering an economic downturn with COVID as well. Alternately, you could plan and cook a meal for you to share, or you could even suggest that each of you cook a different dish and share it. If you’re into food trucks, maybe plan to meet up at a local event and share a walk afterward.

As this meal may be the first you share with this person, we have some helpful ice-breakers to spark the conversation. Don’t be nervous! You can do it!

• Start with a joke.
• Offer a compliment.
• Find something in common.
• Ask for an opinion about a work assignment, your neighborhood, or something you both have in common.
• Mention a movie you saw this weekend.
• Tell a funny story about yourself. The more self-effacing and embarrassing, the better.
• Talk about the menu – especially your and their favorite foods.
• Bring a card or board game to play.

Regardless of what you do or where you eat, this is a great way to reach out to people who might be hurting during this time. No one should go through this alone.