KENTUCKY — Recovery efforts continue to pour into eastern Kentucky after devastating floods ravaged the area, leaving many without basic essentials.

Founder and CEO of Mercy Chefs Gary LeBlanc said his team is on the ground in eastern Kentucky to help distribute food in the region.

What You Need To Know

  • Recovery efforts continue to pour into eastern Kentucky after devastating floods ravaged the area, leaving people without basic essentials

  • Mercy Chefs is on the ground to help distribute food in the region

  • Mercy Chefs is a Virginia-based disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization that serves chef-prepared meals in national emergencies and natural disasters

  • They also helped distribute meals after the deadly Dec. 2021 tornadoes in western Kentucky

Mercy Chefs is a Virginia-based disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization that serves chef-prepared meals in national emergencies and natural disasters.

There’s an urgent call for food in communities that are recovering from the recent freeze while still feeling the impact of the devastating flooding from last summer.

Late last week, Mercy Chefs began distributing meals. Their team is based in Wolfe County and began serving those from Menifee, Rowan, Morgan, Breathitt, Lee and Owsley counties.

LeBlanc said they are prepared to serve thousands of meals and water daily over the next few weeks to help get the community back on its feet. 

“We’re seeing a great deal of need. We’re seeing a lot of folks that between the floods and lingering job loss with COVID and the recent freezes that just need a little help, a bridge to get things back to normal,” LeBlanc said. “I think folks have lost a little bit of hope and we always hope that’s what Mercy Chefs can do is bring some hope in a very difficult time.”

Following the freezing cold weather at the start of the year, the nonprofit said several government officials reached out to Mercy Chefs to help fill this critical need.

So far, they’ve already served over 5,000 meals and distributed more than 1,000 grocery bags that will feed a family of four for a week. They said those meal numbers will steadily rise.

People have been lining up in the cars for hours for hot meals.

“We saw lines that have cars that were like miles long, waiting to get hot meals and to get supplies,” LeBlanc said. “We began distributions at 1o’clock in the afternoon. There were people getting in line at 4 a.m.. And that, I think, is a measurement. You know, everybody would like a little bit of free groceries, but for folks to be in such a situation, they’re going to make that kind of commitment.”

Mercy Chefs also helped distribute meals during the deadly Dec. 2021 tornadoes in western Kentucky.

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