Mercy Chefs Serves Meals in Illinois Following Deadly Tornado

PORTSMOUTH, VA – Mercy Chefs, a Virginia-based nonprofit specializing in disaster relief, is serving hot, chef-prepared meals in Kankakee, IL, following the tornadoes that tore through Illinois and Indiana this week.

Starting with dinner service tonight, the nonprofit will serve meals from Grace Baptist Church, located at 2499 Waldron Rd. in Kankakee. In the coming days, lunch and dinner will be served daily.

 “Our prayers are with all of those who have been impacted by these devastating storms,” said Gary LeBlanc, founder and CEO of Mercy Chefs. “It’s a privilege to show up for communities when they need it most, and we’re proud that we can do just that in Kankakee.” 

This deployment marks the first time Mercy Chefs is using a strike kitchen instead of a mobile kitchen in a deployment, which allows the team to respond quickly and scale meal production based on the needs of the community, and also ensures additional team members are available to respond to other disasters as needed during peak tornado season.

Mercy Chefs was founded 20 years ago in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when LeBlanc volunteered in New Orleans and was deeply troubled by the little-to-no food safety measures being provided to disaster victims. Today, the organization he founded has provided more than 35 million restaurant-quality meals across the country and around the globe.

To support Mercy Chefs in relief efforts, visit give.mercychefs.com/illinois-tornado-2026. Follow Mercy Chefs on Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates on relief efforts.