Mercy Chefs Serving Hot, Chef-Prepared Meals in Wisconsin Following Devastating EF-3 Tornado

PORTSMOUTH, VA — Mercy Chefs, a Virginia-based nonprofit specializing in disaster relief, is deploying to Menasha, Wisconsin, in response to the tornado that impacted thousands of residents this week.

The organization will serve hot, chef-prepared meals to families, first responders, and volunteers in Menasha and the greater Appleton area. The organization is preparing and distributing meals at Menasha High School, located at 420 7th Street in Menasha. The nonprofit plans to serve its first meals with a dinner service on Thursday, July 30, and will serve lunch and dinner in the days following from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and 4 pm to 6 pm. 

This deployment marks Mercy Chefs’ sixth consecutive disaster response since mid-June, and is the first time that the organization will be serving hot, chef-prepared meals in four sites simultaneously.  In addition to serving in Wisconsin, Mercy Chefs continues to serve communities recovering from disaster in West Virginia, the Texas Hill Country and Venezuela. 

“As Mercy Chefs begins serving in Wisconsin for the first time, we’re grateful for the opportunity to care for families whose lives were turned upside down by this devastating tornado,” said Gary LeBlanc, founder and CEO of Mercy Chefs. “Our team has been responding to disaster after disaster, and while we’re stretched thin, our commitment to serving families never wavers. When disaster strikes, our mission is simple: just go feed people. Every hot, chef-prepared meal is a way to share hope, offer encouragement, and remind our neighbors that they are not alone as they begin to rebuild.”

Mercy Chefs was founded more than 20 years ago in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when LeBlanc volunteered in New Orleans and was troubled by the lack of safe, high-quality food available to disaster victims. Today, the organization has provided more than 38 million restaurant-quality meals across the country and around the world.

To learn more and support Mercy Chefs’ relief efforts, visit mercychefs.com/wisconsin-tornado-2026. Follow Mercy Chefs on Facebook and Instagram for updates on relief efforts.