Mercy Chefs and NASCAR Drivers Bring Thanksgiving Joy to Hurricane-Impacted Burnsville

November 29, 2024

Mercy Chefs and NASCAR Drivers Bring Thanksgiving Joy to Hurricane-Impacted Burnsville

BURNSVILLE, NC — In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Mercy Chefs stepped in to help Higgins United Methodist Church in Burnsville, NC, to host their annual Thanksgiving dinner.

First responders at Higgins United Methodist Church for Thanksgiving dinner.
Mercy Chefs team preparing Thanksgiving meals at Higgins United Methodist Church.
Chef John Thompson preparing Thanksgiving meals at Higgins United Methodist Church.

The dinner, held in Burnsville Town Center, became a heartwarming event with the help of NASCAR drivers and Motor Racing Outreach. Former NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip, who initially joined Mercy Chefs during the hurricane’s aftermath to donate water and prepare hot meals, returned to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Waltrip was joined by NASCAR drivers Todd Gilliland and Cody Ware, who signed autographs and posed for photos with fans in the community.

Todd Gilliland signing autographs at the Thanksgiving dinner hosted by Higgins United Methodist Church

Chef Gary LeBlanc, founder and CEO of Mercy Chefs, joined FOX Weather meteorologists Bob Van Dillen and Nick Kosir to share the story of how Mercy Chefs brought much-needed holiday spirit to a region that has faced significant hardship in recent months.

Watch the full interview here.

ABOUT MERCY CHEFS  

Mercy Chefs is a 501c3 founded in 2006 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The organization exists to provide professionally prepared, restaurant-quality meals to victims, volunteers, and first responders in natural disasters and national emergencies, and partners with existing ministries with food service in underserved communities across the country and around the globe. Since its founding, Mercy Chefs has served more than 38 million meals. In 2025, Good Morning America held a live broadcast from Mercy Chefs’ headquarters as part of its “50 States in 50 Weeks” coverage. Mercy Chefs has also been featured in news outlets such as CNN, Fox News, NBC News, PBS, and Southern Living. For more information, visit mercychefs.com.

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