A Brooklyn production and catering company is joining forces with local restaurants starting an initiative that aims to give back to families in need.

A total of 500 meals have been prepped and donated weekly by two Brooklyn restaurants partnering to help families in need.

"We just want people to be excited and feel like when they open that box of food that it's like, it's something delicious and special,” says Caroline Schiff, pastry chef for Gage and Tollner.

Gage and Tollner in Downtown Brooklyn and Alta Calidad in Prospect Heights both are donating food as a part of Meals on Us, started by Christa Lynch, the owner of the event and production catering company, Brooklyn Braised.

"Meals on Us is a public service initiative where Brooklyn Braised partners with local restaurants to produce meals to serve to the Kensington shelter, under the umbrella of CAMBA which is a 30-year-old social service agency that has several shelters within the New York City area,” says Lynch.

The Meals on Us initiative started at the beginning of June, and in that time Lynch says she's raised more than $6,000, which goes toward the cost of food and delivery.

Lynch says that she wants to raise more money for Meals on Us in hope of partnering with other local restaurants to continue the initiative.

"Our goal was that this was going to be our first cycle, and then we would have an additional cycle which would start the first week of August, however, in order for us to start that second cycle we need to raise enough funds,” says Lynch.

The initiative is a volunteer effort for the restaurant staff that Schiff says gives them purpose during these difficult times.

The restaurant was supposed to celebrate its grand opening in March when the pandemic hit, causing the city to shut down, and it hasn't fully opened since.

"Using the kitchen in this way, during these very heart breaking times, to me it makes sense and it keeps it alive and it gives some positivity and connection to the community,” says Schiff.