NORFOLK, Va. — Hundreds of local families received vital food assistance on Wednesday as Mercy Chefs, a nonprofit disaster relief organization, distributed 500 boxes of meals to furloughed government workers and military families at Naval Station Norfolk.
The event was part of Mercy Chefs’ “Feed the Force” initiative, an effort to ensure no service member or government employee goes hungry during the ongoing government shutdown.
Henry Graham, a supervisor at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and a Chesapeake resident, was among those in line. For him, the relief was sorely needed.
“Being a government employee and being furloughed, people really need relief, really need help,” Graham said. “Nobody probably thought this shutdown was going to last this long, but it’s lasting, and people are really suffering.”
Graham, considered an essential worker, said this isn’t his first experience with furloughs.
“This is my second time being furloughed,” he said. “The first time, I got paid. So that’s one of the big differences right there.”
The demand for food was so high that every box had been claimed, said Ann LeBlanc, president and co-founder of Mercy Chefs.
“And then we have 200 additional, and then we’re back on Nov. 21 in the same spot,” LeBlanc said. “Even if the government shutdown is over by then, at this time of the holidays, these families need more support to catch up, and we’ll be honored to come alongside them.”
LeBlanc says each grocery box contained enough shelf-stable foods to provide 50 meals, including items such as milk, soup, macaroni and cheese, pasta, rice, canned chicken, tuna, and fresh produce like celery, potatoes, and onions.
LeBlanc said the support from the community and recipients has been deeply moving.
“I had a gentleman jump out of his car and give me a huge bear hug to say thank you,” she said. “They’re struggling, and they’re just so thankful they have something to make for dinner tonight.”
Mercy Chefs has partnered with the Coast Guard, Navy, and other local organizations to expand its support across the region and the country, delivering boxes at locations such as Fort Campbell and Fort Hood.
Graham emphasized the critical role government workers and military families play.
“People really need relief. Federal employees ought to be getting paid because we’re mission essential,” Graham said.
As the holiday season approaches, Mercy Chefs plans to continue its food distribution efforts.
LeBlanc says the organization will return to Naval Station Norfolk on November 21, determined to ensure no military or government family is left behind during this difficult time.
