PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Henri is barreling down on the east coast, bringing strong winds, dangerous storm surge and heavy rain. Millions of people are in its path.
The Mercy Chefs are already en route to provide relief in the aftermath.
A team left Portsmouth this morning, on the way to Philadelphia, where they'll standby and finalize plans for relief efforts.
“We have six locations already identified from Long Island into Rhode Island and then, across Connecticut," founder Gary LeBlanc said. “They’re forecasting extended, widespread power outages up there.”
LeBlanc said first, they'll get hot meals to first responders working in the storm.
“And then we’ll move directly into folks who that have been affected by the storm," he explained. "Folks without power.”
It’s a balancing act for the non-profit as they juggle disasters across the country.
Teams are responding to flooding in Tennessee and North Carolina; More people are on the west coast, responding to the Dixie Fire; That’s in addition to the community kitchens they keep running here in Hampton Roads.
“Mercy Chefs is coast to coast right now," LeBlanc said. “People need us is what keeps us going. We know there are plenty people up there who are going to need a hot meal; and they’re going to need some hope, and they’re going to need some comfort.”
A team of eight people left Portsmouth today. LeBlanc said more teams will fly in from Texas and Oklahoma, after the storm, to help.