Stand With Ukraine
When Mercy Chefs deployed to Ukraine three months ago, we had no idea that we would serve as one of the key relief organizations providing food and critical supplies to those on the front lines of this vicious war. Sixteen years’ experience responding to natural disasters has indeed prepared us to address this crisis, and our protocols and procedures have translated well. Our team is uniquely skilled in procurement, logistics, and distribution; we are now applying this expertise to best serve the hurting people of Ukraine. Your generous support is delivering groceries, dry goods, medical supplies, and infant essentials directly to Ukrainian refugees and victims in desperate need today.
Mercy Chefs was also able to immediately secure warehouse space on the Romanian side of the border, allowing us to develop a distribution network to provide meals and supplies where they are needed most.
People who felt abandoned are handed a package of food that will feed their family for the week, and they no longer feel so alone. Your generous support has paved the way for Mercy Chefs to continue this vital relief mission. We have now surpassed a total of two million pounds of food and resources delivered directly to those caught in the crossfire of this terrible war.
Mercy Chefs is meeting practical needs every day with critical supplies for refugees in and out of Ukraine. We are bringing tangible relief to stranded communities right up to the frontlines of the war, and we are serving it with some much-needed hope. The people of Ukraine feel forgotten. Communities in bordering countries feel overwhelmed. We are here to bless these displaced families. We are here to encourage the Romanians as they welcome their Ukrainian neighbors.
At Mercy Chefs, we believe in a global community working together for good. Thank you for caring for your neighbors, both near and far.
Romania sits on the southeast border of Ukraine, directly in the exodus of millions of citizens fleeing the horrors of Russia’s war. Lines of cars crammed with children, mothers, and the elderly crawl for miles, scraping toward the possibility of safety. Most adult men – and many adult women–remain behind to fight. These refugee families are trapped in vehicles for days on end with nothing but fear and hope for a better tomorrow to drive them forward.
Upon our March arrival in Romania and subsequent journeys into Ukraine to cities like Kharkiv, Odessa, Kiev, and more, we realized that man-made disasters demand long-term support programs just like natural disasters do. Unfortunately, we are very familiar with widespread devastation. Blessedly, community-centered recovery is what we do best. Securing several warehouses provided an enormous advantage, allowing Mercy Chefs to receive and redistribute bulk food and provisions efficiently and effectively.
With Mercy Chefs’ signature distribution model, tractor-trailer trucks bring resources to our warehouses, where goods are offloaded and moved to smaller cargo vehicles that deliver provisions to churches and community centers throughout Ukraine. These groups then create family grocery boxes and essential support packs to distribute throughout their communities. We are also able to deliver items directly to hospitals, and we regularly support several large orphanages and shelters.
The situation on the ground fluctuates rapidly, but we can respond in turn with the help of an incredible network of local contacts: dedicated pastors, ministers, and other community leaders determined to tend their flocks, war or not. Their wisdom, strength, and perseverance allow us to reach the areas of greatest need, even when we must take the paths of greatest resistance.
This violence is a humanitarian tragedy beyond all words or illustration, but hope will not be extinguished here. We are viewing the spirit of charity in its purest form. It is beautiful. Your steadfast support allows us to respond immediately and decisively to emergencies across the globe. We remember and celebrate your faithful generosity with every meal we serve. Thank you for making this mission of love possible. Thank you for standing with Mercy Chefs.
New Orleans Tornado
We may deploy all around the world, but we can’t forget our Louisiana roots where the vision for Mercy Chefs was born sixteen years ago.
Sadly, in March '22 a deadly tornado struck the New Orleans area, heavily impacting the Lower 9th Ward into Saint Bernard Parish and the township of Arabi, Louisiana.
New friends arrived from around the country to show their love for NOLA!
Daniel and Emily were on a motorhome tour of the United States for their honeymoon and enjoying time in sunny Florida when they heard about the Louisiana tornadoes. They drove their camper straight to New Orleans to see where they could help the many families in need. We cherished having them on site and are so grateful for their selflessness during such an exciting time in their lives.
Our amazing volunteers have made new connections across the country and around the world through their service with Mercy Chefs, and it was a blessing to host so many new friends in Louisiana this Spring. We hope your journey never takes you into the path of disaster, but we are so grateful for those who are willing to walk alongside their neighbors who cannot escape it.
New Mexico Wildfires
Mercy Chefs deployed in response to an increasingly dangerous wildfire threatening communities across northwest New Mexico in May. The size of the blaze was historic for the state, and fire-wall advances were recorded at 50 miles per hour. When a wall of flame comes rushing toward you at the speed of a semi-truck, there is nothing to do but grab your children and run. Everyone in the path of the wildfire scrambled to protect their loved ones and safeguard whatever property they could before the devastation arrived.
Fire responses always carry an extra element of danger, and the on-site environment can change with the wind--quite literally. We thank you for praying for the safety of our team and everyone impacted by this wildfire as it became the largest wildfire in New Mexico’s state history.
Mercy Chefs established its base of operations in Taos, NM and served the surrounding towns of Angel Fire, Eagle Nest, Raton, Red River, and Peñasco.
We strive to find an ideal central location so we can reach the areas of greatest need. There were several hundred refugees sheltering in local lodges and crowding in not-yet-evacuated homes who needed our support, and from there we also distributed restorative meals to weary first responders battling the flames.
Countless acres were consumed by the flames to date, and we continued to locate more and more communities in need of support. These desperate evacuees were left to wonder if their homes and businesses are still standing or have been burned to the ground.
One woman we served tried to describe the intense emotional spectrum she is experiencing: laughing and smiling with her children one moment and breaking down in tears the next. Like so many families here, they have no idea what their future holds. Mercy Chefs was there to offer them the assurance of their next meal and an extra helping of hope for a better tomorrow.
MAYFIELD, KY TORNADO RESPONSE
When a massive tornado claimed 79 lives and left communities across four states in chaos last December, Mercy Chefs deployed immediately in order to serve our first hot meals to victims, volunteers, and first responders in Mayfield, Kentucky within 24 hours of the storm.
Your steadfast support throughout the year allows us to act quickly and decisively in the aftermath of a disaster like this. Your kindness allows us to prepare as best we can for unexpected emergencies and better serve hurting communities throughout the United States.
This was an unimaginable level of devastation for Kentucky. Downtown Mayfield was completely destroyed by the tornado; it looked as if a bomb had gone off. The scale and intensity of it all is still so unbelievable: 250 miles of utter destruction. We rushed staff and resources to the areas of greatest need, immediately establishing hot lunch and dinner service for victims, volunteers, and first responders. Additionally, we were able to provide five meals daily for search and rescue teams combing the wreckage of a collapsed factory for workers on shift that terrible night. It was our solemn honor to serve families who lost loved ones and all those whose lives were turned upside-down by this historic storm.
Entire communities must grieve the unspeakable loss of life that occurs in a matter of moments with a disaster of this magnitude. We cannot take this burden from them, but we can lighten the load. Mercy Chefs was there to share hope in the form of a hot meal with Mayfield and the surrounding communities as friends and neighbors came together to rebuild.
Happy holiday plans were literally blown away overnight for hundreds of families. Many residents chose to stay in their destroyed homes after the storm, some with half a roof or only a few walls still standing. Several public housing complexes were severely damaged. Families bagged up a lifetime of belongings strewn across their yards and piled it along the street for trash disposal. The power remained out for an extended period as local infrastructure was gradually restored. No electricity means no heat in winter, no stove, no refrigeration, no devices for communication, no facilities for washing, and no filtration for drinking water. It is a veritable nightmare, and it descended on Kentucky right before Christmas.
A tornado takes no notice of the calendar, however, and the need did not suddenly stop for the scheduled break. Several of our amazing chefs volunteered to spend the holidays away from their own families at home so they could keep this vital relief flowing for Mayfield. With hearts to love and hands to serve, they would not be parted from their new friends in need. Our holiday team served a full Christmas dinner for this hurting community, providing some seasonal comfort as they began the healing process.
It is a difficult road to recovery after any disaster, and it must have felt like an especially cold and dark Christmas Eve in Kentucky as families fell asleep to freezing rain in exposed homes with no heat or lights. But the spark of joy is not so easily blown out in the shelter of hope.
We know that something amazing happens over a shared meal. Mercy Chefs serves delicious, chef-prepared meals that feel like home for the holidays, no matter what storm may be raging outside.
We served over 26,000 hot, chef-prepared meals in the initial aftermath of this devastating tornado.
It quickly became clear that our work in Western Kentucky would not be complete when the news crews left and the holiday season was over. We knew we were called to continue serving this community on their long road to recovery. Following the destruction, the Lord opened a number of doors for Mercy Chefs to help create a long-term support network for Western Kentucky and continue to bless this community. This is the same model we have used in other disaster-stricken communities such as Panama City, where we conducted a significant long-term relief effort for more than two years after Hurricane Michael devastated the Florida Panhandle. Western Kentucky required a similar response. We have established a base of operations in Paducah, KY, giving us ready access to Mayfield and all of the hardest-hit communities throughout the region. We’ve continued serving meals to those in greatest need.
From our newest “Beacon of Hope” base of operations in Western Kentucky, Mercy Chefs continues to meet the needs of disaster victims who are still displaced as well as the needs that arise as these communities continue to recover.
Through our Western Kentucky Beacon of Hope, we’re providing several crucial services for long-term recovery across the state. Our unique program has transformed the school building we’ve been provided into a multi-faceted relief center for the region. We feed and house work crews from across the country who come to help rebuild. We partner with local schools and area leaders to ensure that students and elderly have access to hot, nutritious meals.
Mercy Chefs strives to put our resources to best use–before, during, and after the storm. Our Western Kentucky Beacon of Hope facility is living proof of that commitment.
Hey Buddy!
Whenever possible, we love to bring you images of the people we serve so that you can see the immediate impact of your kindness. Now we have a new and special medium to share stories with you! If you’ve never heard the story of Mercy Chefs (even if you have!) we hope you’ll find the time to follow this exciting project.
Our host and team member, Nick Beckman, has interviewed our founders, staff, volunteers, supporters, and the amazing community members we have met along the way to present to you the Mercy Chefs “Hey Buddy” Podcast. Three episodes have already been released!
Start from the very beginning (over 16 years ago), then stay tuned to hear from our Founders, Chef Gary and Ann LeBlanc about our response in Ukraine, and take a deep dive into our volunteer program for lots of other can’t-make-this-stuff-up material from the field.
It’s the Mercy Chefs “Hey Buddy” Podcast! Find us wherever you stream your podcasts or go to mercychefs.com/podcast.
Volunteer Appreciation Week!
The month of April marked a special time to celebrate National Volunteer Week and to honor our incredible volunteers.
Serving at Mercy Chefs looks different for each volunteer. Some only serve one or two times when we respond to a disaster in their hometown and others have traveled across the country to serve with us year after year. No matter where our volunteers found themselves during the week of April 17th-23rd, we wanted them to know we were celebrating them — near and far!
Our Hampton Roads, VA and Western Kentucky volunteers enjoyed a reception in their honor at our local kitchens, and we shared multiple posts daily on our social media channels to highlight how special our volunteers are to our team.
At Mercy Chefs, we often describe our volunteers as the backbone of everything we do. Our team may be small, but with our volunteers, we are mighty! They allow us to serve thousands more people a day in and out of disaster zones.
Message From the Founder:
Chef Gary LeBlanc (Founder & CEO)
War is horrible. There is little else to say of it. No words can describe the anguish. No photos can capture the fear or the pain. I have no power to stop it. I can hardly bear to watch it happening. This is a luxury that the rest of the world enjoys from the safety and comfort of our living rooms while Ukraine is under siege.
For the countless Ukrainian refugees fleeing their homes or trapped within a war zone, there is no such respite. We are their relief. Mercy Chefs is able to provide a brief moment of peace at the apex of chaos.
During extreme natural disasters, we often use the metaphor of war to describe terrible storms: the aftermath is shockingly similar. I never expected to compare an actual war to a storm.
We are standing at the point of greatest need in Ukraine, supplying help and restoring hope to a nation caught in a growing storm of death and destruction.
Sixteen years of emergency deployments to widespread natural disasters have uniquely prepared Mercy Chefs to respond in this emerging man-made crisis.
The miraculous path that we found into Ukraine only confirms that Mercy Chefs is exactly where we need to be. To date, we’ve delivered over two million pounds of food to the hardest hit places, and this number continues to grow. Our team and partners have been able to go to villages and cities that were deemed “inaccessible.” The same cities you hear about on the news are the cities we’re providing tangible relief. This miraculous effort is made possible because of the church network that exists in Ukraine that we have the privilege to come alongside. These are neighbors helping neighbors and shepherds pastoring their flocks.
None of this would be possible without your commitment to helping your neighbors in need — both near and far. Thank you for standing with us as we stand with Ukraine.
If you'd like to support our efforts across the country and around the world, go here to share your support. We can't go unless you send us.
Stand With Ukraine T-Shirt
feeding body and soul
Credits:
Mercy Chefs