Volunteers rally to distribute thousands of meals to hurricane victims: 'Neighbor helping neighbor'

Volunteers bringing meals to hurricane victims

Mark Wilson reports

Tampa Bay. Fla. - Hurricane Milton devastated the Tampa Bay region, and now local organizations are stepping up to support those in need.

"What's Right With Tampa Bay" highlights one heartwarming example from a church and a non-profit that have teamed up to ensure no one goes hungry during these difficult times.

Matt Moore, a Mission Pastor for Bayside Community Church, described volunteers working around the clock preparing, packing, and delivering food to families displaced by the storm.

"We've been shipping off to various areas, in the community, neighborhoods in need, schools, first responders, just wherever we're hearing of the need," said Moore.

Bayside Church volunteers packing meals made by Mercy Chefs for Hurricane Milton victims.

Bayside Community Church has teamed up with Mercy's Chefs, a faith-based global organization that delivers meals to those affected by disaster, crisis, and poverty.

Carl Ladd, Vice President of Mercy Chefs, said he is grateful for the volunteers Bayside Church has offered Mercy Chefs in the wake of Hurricane Milton.

"We're really grateful for Bayside Church," said Ladd.

Ladd says that Bayside Church has "been providing almost all of our volunteers every day, close to 100 volunteers that have come out morning to evening to sweat with us."

Mercy Chefs provides about 12,000 meals a day to people in need, and according to Ladd, that wouldn’t be possible without the volunteers from Bayside Community Church.

"Neighbor helping neighbor because that's what it is," Ladd said. "I'm from out of town, but everybody making this happen is from here and is helping their neighbors."

Ladd said that people "helping their own community" is "a beautiful thing."

Bayside Church Volunteers helping Mercy Chefs

Bayside Church Volunteers pack meals made by Mercy Chefs for Hurricane Milton victims.

According to Moore, with power outages and supply shortages still affecting hurricane victims, the partnership's meals are a lifeline to the community.

"We just really want to be a church that reaches out to the community and serves in time of need," said Moore. "That's why we're here. We believe that for the church is about."

Moore said, "We just want to help any way that we can."

Since Hurricane Milton, Bayside Community Church and Mercy Chefs have shown that communities can overcome tough challenges when they come together.

Moore said that the community coming together after tragedy is a beautiful thing.

"As hard as it's been, I think one of the beautiful things is to see the way the community has come together and just really rallied around each other and helped serve," said Moore.