Our team in the Dayton, Ohio area is hard at work again today providing hot meals to the volunteer teams that have come here to help residents with the cleanup. As we go out into the communities, we come face-to-face with the need. Yesterday, one of our volunteer chefs saw a woman sitting on what remained of her front porch. She was weeping -- clearly still disoriented by what had happened to her home and her neighborhood which was probably now almost unrecognizable to her.

"Could we get you something hot to eat?" our chef asked.

She nodded. Perhaps that's all she could muster.

We handed her a nutritious meal, in hopes that the love and concern extended by that meal will let her know that someone cares and that she's not alone.

It's a real struggle right now. The National Weather Service has now confirmed that 15 tornadoes struck the Dayton region on the evening of Memorial Day. Some reports called it a "swarm" of tornadoes, with one registering as an EF-4 with maximum winds of up to 200mph. The challenge is, if you go not far outside this immediate region, it feels as if life is continuing as normal. But for those in the direct path of these tornadoes, life is anything but normal!

This is why Mercy Chefs is here -- to go to the epicenter of these disasters and extend the concern of friends across the country to those in need. Every time we provide a meal, it sends a message that good people like you care enough to make this ministry possible.

But the fact is, we need your help TODAY and TOMORROW and every day this week to continue meeting these needs. Will you partner with Mercy Chefs as we meet this need in the Dayton area while we continue other vital efforts to "feed body and soul"? Your gift will make a difference right away. Go here to make your tax-deductible gift:

Today, we're serving a wonderful meal of Cincinnati chili, caesar salad, garlic bread, pineapple upside-down cake and fresh oranges. And we'll be here all week, providing lunch and dinner to help this community begin the long road to recovery. 

This week, Mercy Chefs is also expanding our efforts in Florida to support the thousands of children still homeless as a result of Hurricane Michael. I'm still amazed that local officials are giving us full access to one of the closed school facilities to create our "Beacon Of Hope" center that will help us serve this region in amazing ways.

Together, these two efforts make this among the most challenging weeks in our history. I must keep the meals flowing in Dayton while at the same time finishing up the work in Florida for the official opening later this week.

That means your gift TODAY is critical! Just $50 can help provide 20 meals; $100 feeds 40 people. Perhaps you can do more. Your gift of $100, $250, $500, $1,000 or more right now will make a huge difference.

Thank you and God bless you!

Gary LeBlanc, Mercy Chefs