Dunkin’ Donuts manager Jaeme Eddie offers customers with children juices and a sandwich while they are out of school. Benjamin Conboy/22nd Century Media
Benjamin Conboy, Assistant Editor4:23 am CDT March 25, 2020
With the students out of school, they’re not getting that school meal.
The manager of a local Dunkin’ Donuts took it upon himself to make sure they’re still getting something to eat.
Jaeme Eddie, the manager of the Dunkin’ Donuts at 151st Street and Bell Road, is offering children a free donut, sandwich and their choice of milk or juice with any purchase.
“With this location only, I was thinking about the toddlers,” Eddie said. “I know they were going to be out of school. It could be a couple months before they get back to school. I came up with a solution to help out the parents who have toddlers at home.”
Eddie has a loyal base of customers who he sees everyday. He said that in this time of need, he wanted to make sure they get back “what they deserve.”
“I’ve got some dedicated, loyal customers here,” he said. “They treat me with nothing but kindness and respect, and I wanted to give something back to them.”
When customers come in, Eddie immediately offers them a sandwich and a juice. Some accept it, but others tell him they don’t need it. They tell him to give it to the next person, someone who might need it more than they do.
Eddie said there’s a unique spirit to the people in Homer Glen, which inspired the decision to give something back to them. He’s developed strong bonds with most of his customers, and so when he saw the community was hurting, it was a no-brainer to jump into action.
“Being here in Homer Glen, the love and spirits that people have around here, it’s something I’ve never seen before,” he said. “They stand as one.
“The people here in Homer Glen, you got to give them some credit,” he said. “If you’re falling, you got someone right there to pick you up. What else can you do besides lift them back up too.
Despite the statewide ban on dining in, Eddie said his location is still doing good business.
“It hasn’t slowed us down much,” he said. “People are still here every morning at 4 a.m. when we cut the lights on.”
