KC-based nonprofit feeds Kentucky tornado survivors
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Operation BBQ Relief’s CEO spoke on how they’re helping survivors in Kentucky after a deadly tornado.
At least 19 people were killed during a tornado outbreak in Laurel County, Kentucky, on the night of Friday, May 16.
When operation BBQ learned of this tragedy, they sent a team to help out. Stan Hays, CEO of Operation BBQ Relief, spoke on why the nonprofit chose to deploy to Kentucky.
“They’re smaller communities... do not have near the infrastructure that major cities have,” said Hays. “So the decision to go there was a fairly easy one because of the need that we see there.”
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Hays spoke on how the nonprofit’s mission unites volunteers.
“Everybody knows they’re there for one main purpose, and that’s to provide that one hot meal that matters, to somebody that doesn’t have one that day,” said Hays.
The Joplin tornado of 2011 was a driving factor for the CEO to start Operation BBQ Relief.
“That’s really when we realized what was missing,” said Hays. “The need for a good hot meal after the worst day in somebody’s life.”
Interested in volunteering with Operation BBQ Relief? Hays reminds people to not wait until disaster happens to get involved. He highlighted three main ways to help out:
3. Share Operation BBQ’s work on social media
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