Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis), the MBTA’s operating partner for Commuter Rail, joined members of the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation in thanking train dispatchers with a lunch at two MBTA Commuter Rail operations facilities in Somerville and Boston’s South Station. Boston Celtics Managing Partner and Co-owner Stephen Pagliuca joined Keolis CEO/GM David Scorey to thank employees for their efforts continuing to provide safe and reliable Commuter Rail service to other essential workers in the greater Boston region.

The Food for Heroes program provides lunches for essential employees during the COVID-19 emergency. The nine-week community initiative is aimed at supporting local restaurants, while showing appreciation for frontline workers throughout New England. As part of the program, Vistaprint joined the Celtics in purchasing food from nine small businesses owned by Celtics Season Ticket Members. The meals are prepared by those businesses and delivered to frontline essential workers and those most impacted throughout their respective communities during this COVID-19 pandemic.

The Boston Celtics, on behalf of the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, Keolis, and Vistaprint worked with Olé to provide more than 85 meals to dispatch workers at two Commuter Rail facilities in Boston and Somerville. Keolis dispatchers perform critically important work by facilitating the safe and efficient movement of trains across the Commuter Rail’s 400-mile network. Whether they are visible on trains like conductors, or behind a dispatcher’s station, all Keolis employees’ duties are essential to keeping MBTA Commuter Rail operating for those who must travel.