Mercy Chefs, a Virginia-based disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization that serves professionally prepared, restaurant-quality meals to victims and first responders in emergencies and natural disasters, has deployed to Chattanooga to assist with relief efforts following the deadly tornado that went through the area Sunday night.
Mercy Chefs team members are in Chattanooga now and meal service is beginning today from the Chattanooga campus of Venue Church, at 6401 Lee Hwy. Mercy Chefs will use Venue Church as a distribution hub and deliver meals from there to other affected areas. The organization is practicing social distancing and taking other precautions to safely serve recipients during this time.
In addition to residents who have been affected by the tornadoes, Mercy Chefs will serve meals to first responders and work crews in Tennessee aiding in the recovery and clean-up process.
“Our hearts are with Chattanooga and the surrounding communities and the lives lost in the tornado,” said Gary LeBlanc, founder of Mercy Chefs. “We’re fortunate to have a team that can respond quickly when disaster strikes, and we hope to be able to provide a level of comfort to the people of Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia this week by the way of a warm meal.”
Mercy Chefs also is responding to relief efforts related to the coronavirus, serving approximately 15,000 meals a week in Virginia with meal service expanding across the United States to other areas experiencing a high level of need.
Mercy Chefs was founded in 2006 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina when Mr. LeBlanc returned to his New Orleans hometown to volunteer and realized disaster relief could be done better. The organization served its two millionth meal last year and recently has responded to Hurricanes Dorian, Maria, Florence and Michael, the Carr fires, the Houston floods and tornadoes in Tennessee, Alabama and Ohio. It continues to service the Panama City community after Hurricane Michael.
To support Mercy Chefs in its current relief efforts, visit www.mercychefs.com. Follow Mercy Chefs’ Facebook page for the latest updates on its relief efforts.