Jamie McDonald has provided hot meals in danger zones from Ukraine to Turkey as a volunteer with World Central Kitchen.
Now, the Connecticut restaurateur is partnering with the global charity led by chef José Andrés to provide free meals to residents in Asheville, N.C., where McDonald also has restaurant locations. Days after the remnants of Hurricane Helene devastated the area, Asheville residents have limited access to clean water and everyday necessities.
The western North Carolina city is one of several areas in the region facing catastrophic damage from the hurricane's aftermath. More than 15 inches of rain fell in the area, which is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, adding to an already saturated terrain from recent storms. Roads have been closed because of downed trees, flooding and mudslides.
As of Tuesday, at least 370,000 customers were still without power across the region, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety said. More than 440 people had been rescued and nearly 4,700 had been evacuated, it said. At least 57 people have died in Buncombe County, where Asheville is located, because of the storm, officials said Wednesday afternoon.
McDonald, co-owner of Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ, which also has restaurants in Connecticut, arrived in Asheville on Monday to help with relief efforts. He has been a volunteer for two years with the World Central Kitchen, an organization founded by Andrés. McDonald has helped provide thousands of meals for those in need through the organization, including refugees who fled Ukraine and those impacted by earthquakes in Turkey and Morocco.
Now his restaurant is partnering with the World Central Kitchen to help in Asheville.
"The Asheville community has always been at the heart of our mission, and we are committed to helping it recover," McDonald said in a statement. "With World Central Kitchen by our side, we aim to provide not just food, but hope and comfort during this difficult time."
Free meals are being given out every day — first come, first serve — beginning at noon, the restaurant said on social media. There were 2,000 to 2,500 people who walked up for a free meal on Tuesday, Marine Baedor, a spokesperson for the restaurant told NPR. The restaurant is slowly getting electricity back but is running on generators and using wood to fuel the smokers to cook the meals, the Baedor said.
They have also partnered with other restaurants in the Asheville area. Community members from Lewisburg, W.Va., cooked and delivered 500 meals that included encouraging notes written by students from Greenbrier Community School.
Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ is also providing free, potable water all day on Wednesday and residents are asked to bring their own containers, Baedor said.
While they are committed to ensuring the community is fed, staff members at the restaurant who live in the area are also dealing with Helene's aftermath.
“The staff who were able to leave their homes didn’t hesitate to jump into action right away. But there are some who are still stuck in their homes because of trees and blocked roads. All staff are accounted for and are OK,” Baedor said.
The restaurant has raised more than $11,000 in donations through a fundraiser with the World Central Kitchen as of Wednesday afternoon.
"With the donations, the goal currently is to be able to provide 18,000 meals a day with restaurant partners," Baedor said.
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