Cowboys' DeMarcus Lawrence makes impact in fight against coronavirus - The Dallas Morning News

Three months ago, a Sunday afternoon for DeMarcus Lawrence meant a pursuit of sack dances, not social distancing. He shared a hug or handshake with teammates rather than bump elbows. He wore a football face mask instead of a medical one.

Times have changed.

Quickly, the Cowboys defensive end is adapting to them.

Over the past week, Lawrence has directed resources and attention to many local businesses’ struggle to stay afloat during the novel coronavirus outbreak. On Sunday, with help from teammates, he commissioned two food-truck owners who recently have absorbed significant financial losses, and they served meals to first responders who visited a pop-up, drive-thru giveaway in southeast Dallas.

About 50 visited the event at Seago Pantry station in Seagoville from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., vendors and organizers said.

Cowboys DE DeMarcus Lawrence, LB Jaylon Smith and DL Daniel Ross collaborating with local food vendors to supply meals for Dallas first responders. pic.twitter.com/OuyoS4mVIx

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) March 22, 2020

Unsure how many visitors to anticipate, the food trucks and the taqueria inside Seago Pantry prepared to accommodate hundreds. They continued prepping meals that were later delivered to the Balch Springs Police and Fire Complex, Dallas police headquarters, and Grand Prairie Police and Fire, said volunteer VanDella Menifee.

Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith and defensive lineman Daniel Ross were among the event’s other attendees.

The concept "really came from all the boys thinking about what we can do during these tough times,” said Lawrence, who often wore a medical mask and gloves when in close contact with others. “We have nurses. We have doctors. We have police officers. We have all these first responders who are out here doing all the hard and dirty work to (fight) the virus. We just wanted to basically give back. ... We’re still doing our part.”

Last Tuesday, on social media, Lawrence implored any struggling small or mid-size business, including restaurants, to reach out for assistance.

Two days later, he launched an online marketplace where people could purchase gift cards from those predominantly local sellers. The owners of the two food trucks that worked Sunday’s event were among the Texans who contacted Lawrence to be involved.

Ahmer Khan, a Dallas resident, began operating a Cousins Maine Lobster truck two years ago.

He characterized COVID-19′s impact on business so far as "devastating.”

As an example, Khan cited a recent order of several hundred pounds of lobster. He planned to sell the product, used in such dishes as the franchise’s signature lobster roll, at the Spring at the Silos festival in Waco. On the day before the March 12 to 14 event, the World Heath Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. With Khan en route to Waco, the festival was canceled. A check for the lobster was due one week later.

Clearing it has been a challenge, he said. Sunday’s pop-up helped.

“Obviously, us being a food truck business, we’re associated with mass-gathering events, going out to farmers markets, breweries, festivals,” Khan said. “So we’ve taken a huge hit. All of that has been shut down for us ever since the news came out. ... It means a lot for us for (Cowboys players like Lawrence) to help cover some of our cost; we’re on the hook for all of this inventory. To be able to donate to first responders at an event like this is great for us."

Terance Shivers has owned the Shivers Lunch Box food truck for five years.

He is based in Killeen, Tex.. driving about 2 1/2 hours Sunday to work the give-away. He usually positions his food truck near Ellison High, where classes were suspended this month. Shivers said that, while he has accumulated some savings, he has applied for a job to help overcome the situation.

“Most of my income comes from my food truck by being in front of the high school,” Shivers said. “Obviously, with them not being open, I can’t do what I normally do. It threw a little monkey wrench into our business. With this opportunity, it helped out a little bit. We’re still trying to do other things.”

Lawrence expressed the intention to arrange similar pop-up giveaways in the future.

Any such plans are subject to quarantine guidelines designed to slow the pandemic’s spread. Hours after Sunday’s give-away, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins announced that Dallas will implement shelter-in-place rules beginning Monday at 11:59 p.m. As of Sunday evening, there have been more than 100 cases in Dallas County and more than 600 across Texas.

Find more Cowboys stories from The Dallas Morning News here.

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