FEEDING 8,000 NEW FRIENDS IN LOWER MANHATTAN
From the Desk of: Steve Elliott, Grassfire Nation
Imagine feeding 8,000 people in a day! That's what Mercy Chefs' one mobile kitchen did yesterday in New York City.
Gary LeBlanc who heads up Mercy Chefs -- a relief agency that provides hot meals to disaster victims -- sent me his latest report.
Here is an excerpt from Gary's message yesterday...
"I believe we will feed 8,000 people in the lower east side of Manhattan today.
This is a panoramic view of our lunch line - an estimated 4,000 people.
And the dinner crowd is expected to exceed that number.
++These people are hurting and desperately need our help
We are surrounded by highrise apartments and public housing. There are 40,000 people without power and potable water within a 3 block radius of our mobile kitchen.
I am hearing reports of people dumpster diving for anything edible. The hunger is widespread and food is difficult to come by with all of the transportation issues here.
We have received numerous requests to relocate our kitchen to areas like Staten Island, where the residents there are clamoring for food and feel like they are forgotten - and to move to the Jersey Shore, which was obliterated.
There are so many needs here after the superstorm. If I had six mobile kitchens here in this region alone, they still wouldn't be enough.
This is a huge mission - yet an incredible opportunity to feed and minister to these victims."
As I said before, I am praying for a "loaves and fishes" miracle every day to meet this incredible barrage of need. I do not want to turn people away."
A Mercy Chef volunteer directing people to the food line
As you may know, Grassfire has partnered with Gary to provide tornado and hurricane victims with thousands of meals this year.
It costs Mercy Chefs about $10 to provide a hot meal to a family of four who have no place else to turn for a good meal after this devastating storm.
The Grassfire Nation team has been generous in the past in supporting the work of Mercy Chefs.
Mercy Chefs is expecting to provide tens of thousands of meals in the coming days to victims of Superstorm Sandy. I'm hoping that Grassfire team members will once again step forward and sponsor hundreds if not thousands of these meals.
HELP PROVIDE HOT MEALS TO SUPERSTORM SANDY VICTIMS
Please note that you will be directed to Mercy Chefs' PayPal page where you can make your tax-deductible contribution directly to Mercy Chefs.
+ + Just $10 Helps Feed A Family Of Four In Sandy's Path
If you can help with a gift of $30, $50, $100 or more, Mercy Chefs will put it to work immediately in response to Sandy.
Mercy Chefs is totally dependent on the generosity of friends like you. Your tax-deductible gifts literally make it possible for Gary's team to provide this service.
Thank you, as always on behalf of Grassfire, Mercy Chefs and the victims in New York for any help you can provide.
Steve Elliott, Grassfire
P.S. Helping Mercy Chefs provide hot meals is a very practical way for Grassfire team members to help our fellow Americans who are suffering in the wake of this destructive storm. I know Gary personally and have seen the great work the Mercy Chefs team is doing.
Please help by providing a hot meal for one, two, three, five or more families in Sandy's path.
Mercy Chefs Emergency Relief Donations