This Thursday, we celebrate Mercy Chefs' 17th anniversary. Would you please take a few minutes to watch a special video my team prepared in which I share where the vision to "Just Go Feed People" has taken us? Click below to watch.

In some ways, it seems like it was just a few years ago that I drove to New Orleans to help with disaster relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I went there to cook meals, and God took my heart. Ever since that experience, I have had a burning desire to find the best ways to feed hurting people in the midst of disaster and hardship. And thanks to you, we've fed people in ways I never could have imagined.

It took our first 10 years to serve one million meals; three years to serve our second million; one year for our third million. Since Spring 2020, we've served over 21 million meals -- and every meal has been made possible by caring friends like you.

Most of all, it's the stories of those who have been helped and blessed by your generosity that mean the most.

+ + A meal and a shower...

One of our chefs, John Thompson, shared one such story from last year's deployment to Ft. Myers, Florida, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. Chef John was among the first to deliver meals in the devastated neighborhoods after residents were allowed to return to what was left of their homes...

"As we were driving through the community, it started to rain really hard. In fact, it was the only rainy day that we experienced the entire deployment. We noticed a gentleman that was standing in his driveway taking a shower in his shorts as the rain came down. We stopped, and I asked if he would like a meal. With tears in his eyes, he said, 'Yes!'"

This man went on to share with Chef John that an hour earlier, he had prayed and asked God how he would be able to shower and eat that day. Both seemed impossible. Then the downpour came. Then Mercy Chefs came.

"God provided me the rain to take a shower, and God sent you to bring me a meal."

{{recipient.first_name_or_friend}}, thanks to you, Mercy Chefs has been "sent" to provide hot, chef-prepared meals to those facing the worst tragedies and the most severe hardship imaginable. 

As we celebrate 17 years and embark on our 18th, would you prayerfully consider making a generous gift so we can serve tens of thousands this month across America and around the world? Go here to help feed hurting families this month:

As I write, our team is preparing for the hurricane season that just officially started while we grow our efforts to reach more people every day. Later this year, we'll be expanding our community kitchen outreach here in America while we feed and equip more people than ever before through Mercy Chefs Global.

Seventeen years ago when Ann and I formally launched Mercy Chefs, we couldn't have imagined all that the Lord would do. We just followed our passion of feeding people excellent food in the midst of disaster and hardship. And with your help, we'll keep following this simple vision to "just go feed people" wherever the need will take us.

Thank you so much for your partnership and may God bless you richly,

Gary

P.S. As we embark on our 18th year, perhaps you could match the largest gift you've made to Mercy Chefs. Also, if you are not doing so already, would you consider supporting Mercy Chefs with a monthly gift? Our monthly supporters are so vital to everything we do. Simply go here and select "monthly" when making your gift: