Josephine's Southern Cooking delivers hundreds of meals daily to seniors on South Side during COVID-19 lockdown

CHATHAM (WLS) -- Josephine's Southern Cooking has been delivering daily free meals to hundreds of seniors living on the South Side during the COVID-19 lockdown.

"By any means necessary we're trying to get food to these seniors," said Victor Love, who co-owns the restaurant with his mother Josephine Wade.

The restaurant has been a soul food staple in the Chatham neighborhood over the past 35 years, most of which were under a different name: Captain Hard Times.

Josephine Wade is a Chicago legend, known citywide as 'Mother Wade.' She decided to start donating meals to seniors after speaking with a few long-time customers. It has since grown to meals for 300-400 seniors daily.

"I don't like to use this word, but mom is scared," Love said. "She sees that this thing is real. She's lost some personal friends due to the virus."

Josephine's is not immune to the financial hardship facing restaurants worldwide, and the restaurant has relied on donations to provide these meals.

The campaign to feed seniors gained some exposure last month when Kanye West donated to the cause. But Josephine's staff says they will need more donations to continue meeting the high demand.

They are collecting financial donations at WeWomenEmpowered.org and asking that anyone interested in donating food and drink call first to make sure the items are usable.

"Even in our lack, my mother's gonna find a way to bless somebody else," Love said.