PORTSMOUTH, Va. - Mercy Chefs, a Portsmouth-based relief organization, will serve thousands of meals amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Mercy Chefs is a disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization that serves professionally prepared, restaurant-quality meals to victims and first responders in emergencies and natural disasters.
Last week, the organization said it will serve 10,000 meals a week out of its Portsmouth community kitchen, located at 711 Washington Street, amid the coronavirus pandemic. On Friday, they said they are now serving about 15,000 meals a week.
Mercy Chefs has been working with the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore to get meals to students and the elderly. Numerous volunteers from Volunteer Hampton Roads have also been supporting the effort.
To follow guidelines with social distancing, Mercy Chefs is flash freezing meals so they can be delivered to families and reheated in microwave. Mercy Chefs says this is the first time they are using this method.
“When we launched our community kitchen in August 2019, our hope was to expand our community outreach right here at home so we could provide relief right here in times of need,” said Gary LeBlanc, founder of Mercy Chefs. “This is an unusual disaster, but our team is poised and ready to respond, and it’s been an honor to partner with organizations like the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore to get meals to those in need.”
To support Mercy Chefs in its relief efforts, click here.
