Wednesday Late Afternoon from Cedar Rapids
We just heard about a CRITICAL NEED impacting the most vulnerable in this community. Please see below for details, and go here to help sponsor meals for Iowa victims. -- Gary
Far too often, those who are in the most need and are the most vulnerable somehow get overlooked. On Tuesday, we learned about an apartment community for the elderly and disabled here in Cedar Rapids that had been WITHOUT POWER SINCE LAST MONDAY -- more than a week!
+ + Seniors with special needs urgently require help
Some EMTs who were responding to emergency calls in that community realized that these folks were facing a very serious food crisis.
In addition to not having reliable access to food, these people have special dietary restrictions that make meeting their needs even more challenging. So the EMTs reached out to Mercy Chefs to see if we could help.
As I noted to you yesterday, our grocery costs have skyrocketed. As a result, we've had difficulty keeping up with the raw costs of the groceries, never mind our other expenses. And there is no end in sight to the need. Now, we were faced with the challenge of creating custom, diet-specific meals for this community -- in addition to the more than 6,000 meals we're providing here now.
Of course we're answering the call! This is precisely why Mercy Chefs exists!
+ + We're responding to meet this need...
Today, we began developing and delivering special meals for this community to meet their needs. This has added a considerable logistical load to our team and made our financial challenge even more difficult.
The situation in that community was so urgent, we simply had to respond. Plus, Mercy Chefs may be the only relief partner capable of meeting the specific dietary requirements. But that means we need even more help from friends like you than yesterday! Can I count on your help once again?
Will you partner with us right now so we can meet the special needs of this elderly and disabled community while we continue to provide over 6,000 meals daily to this hard-hit community and continue other efforts? Go here to make your tax-deductible gift:
As I have noted, this has been an extremely costly deployment. Food costs are up 20% or more on just about everything. Now, with the added challenge of helping this special-needs community, the pressure our team is feeling has only increased. But with the added pressure comes increased joy of meeting critical needs in a way that brings real relief.
It is as if Mercy Chefs was created for situations just like this -- when entire communities urgently need help and special needs arise that only we can meet.
As always, we covet your prayers -- for those who have been directly impacted by this storm and for our Mercy Chefs team. Pray that our team will have great favor and the wisdom to respond most effectively.
Thank you for partnering with us, and God bless,
Gary LeBlanc, Mercy Chefs
P.S. Mercy Chefs is uniquely prepared for this challenge of providing THOUSANDS of high-quality meals to a community in disaster while also preparing custom, dietary specific meals for a special-needs community. My team is at FULL CAPACITY, working to meet these needs. Now, we need your help. Go here to make your best possible tax-deductible gift, and thanks in advance:
P.P.S. Above, I'm standing with a few of our faithful volunteers who are helping us deliver meals to the special needs community. Below is ONE day's worth of food. Food costs are very high and the bills are piling up. Thanks so much for helping us meet these urgent needs.
To donate by check, go here for mailing instructions.
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