New CEI Documentary Spotlights Entrepreneur Who Kept Diner Open To Feed Thousands during Lockdowns
During this pandemic and time of social unrest, many people wish they could take action and might not think that small, organized steps could positively impact make a difference in their community. In a new documentary film “Rushing In: The John Wood Story,” the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) tells the story of one small business owner in Fairfax, Virginia who didn’t wait for the government to solve big problems in his town.
The story centers on 29 Diner owner John Wood, who responded to the challenges posed by the pandemic by taking advantage of relaxed regulations to keep his business open. But John didn’t stop there, he rallied volunteers and supporters to help him feed thousands with donations to local food pantries and school lunch programs.
“CEI is thrilled to tell the story of John Wood, who innovated to keep his business open and rallied volunteers in the midst of the pandemic to provide more than 35,000 free meals to at-risk youth and others in need,” said CEI President and CEO Kent Lassman. “John’s story shows how individuals, not bureaucracies, create solutions to our biggest challenges and his example of leadership points the way to recovering from this crisis and fostering resiliency.”
You can watch “Rushing In: The John Wood Story” on YouTube.