A group of Evergreen restaurants — concerned about the devastating impacts of no inside dining because of the pandemic — has formed a coalition to get people to order takeout.

Evergreen Takeout wants people to order food and beverages, especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Last week was the first week of the effort, and restaurant owners reported some success.

The 21 restaurants have created a website — evergreentakeout.com — as a one-stop place to link to the eateries, their menus and their contact information. They are trying to make takeout ordering as effortless as possible.

Now, their biggest challenge is getting the word out that not only are they open for business but that they are struggling to remain open — and state mandates for only outdoor dining or takeout are making things tough, especially with colder weather setting in.

Nancy Judge, president of the Evergreen Area Chamber of Commerce, emphasized the importance of the community supporting local restaurants, so they don’t close their doors permanently.

“The restaurants and eateries in our community are where we go as a family to celebrate good times,” Judge said. “They are the businesses that always provide gift certificates to every nonprofit’s fundraiser. They provide spaces for us to meet with friends or enjoy a date night. They are an integral part of the fabric of our lives. Our support now means they will be there for us when we reach the other side of this pandemic.”

The restaurant owners, who meet Fridays to brainstorm ideas for bringing in more customers and discuss their status, said they are following state mandates to remain open. They plan to use social media, signage, flyers and anything else they can think of to get their message out.