PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Mercy Chefs, a Virginia-based disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization known for serving restaurant-quality meals to victims and first responders in emergencies and natural disasters, is going on a special trip this week: to Miami.
The organization will help support several events surrounding the Super Bowl.
On Super Bowl Sunday, February 2, Mercy Chefs will partner with a food manufacturing partner Kiolbassa to feed Miami-Dade County law enforcement. Mercy Chefs and Kiolbassa will serve thousands of meals near the stadium throughout the day, including breakfast and lunch.
Mercy Chefs said the menu will include selections like biscuits and gravy, eggs frittata, roasted breakfast potatoes and croissant sandwiches with a fresh broccoli pasta salad.
Mercy Chefs also will be working in conjunction with The Kids in Need Foundation to pack 10,000 backpacks for Miami-Dade County students.
“This is the first time we’re doing outreach around a Super Bowl,” said Gary LeBlanc, founder of Mercy Chefs. “We’re excited to serve meals to volunteers and law enforcement and pack backpacks for thousands of children in the span of a few days. The Super Bowl is an exciting event, and it requires a significant amount of time and energy from the host city.”
Mercy Chefs was founded in 2006 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina when LeBlanc went to New Orleans to volunteer and realized disaster relief could be done better.
The organization served its 2 millionth meal earlier this year and recently has responded to hurricanes Maria, Florence and Michael, the Carr fires, the Houston floods and tornadoes in Alabama, Ohio and Texas. It continues to service the Panama City community after Hurricane Michael.