Mercy Chefs Prepositions Team Ahead of Hurricane Isaias
PORTSMOUTH, VA – Virginia-based disaster relief organization Mercy Chefs is positioning team members, mobile kitchens, and equipment across the Gulf Coast ahead of Hurricane Isaias’ landfall. From Panama City, Florida, to Montgomery, Alabama, down to Mobile and Pensacola, Mercy Chefs is ready to move into impacted communities and start serving hot, chef-prepared meals to families, volunteers, and first responders as soon as conditions allow.
Mercy Chefs’ connection to the Gulf Coast runs deep. The organization was born out of founder and CEO Chef Gary LeBlanc’s experience volunteering in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, where he witnessed firsthand the need for safe, nutritious meals in the wake of disaster.
Over the past 20 years, Mercy Chefs has responded to numerous storms across the Gulf Coast, including Hurricane Michael in 2018. Through these responses, the organization has built longstanding relationships with churches and community partners, particularly in Panama City, where one of Mercy Chefs’ senior managing chefs first joined the organization following Hurricane Michael and still calls the community home.
Panama City is also home to Mercy Chefs’ first Strike Kitchen, a smaller, more mobile version of the organization’s traditional disaster relief kitchens, that can begin serving hot, chef-prepared meals in as little as four hours after a storm passes, when conditions allow. Those deep connections, combined with strategically placed equipment and experienced teams, remain central to Mercy Chefs’ preparations as Hurricane Isaias approaches.
Mercy Chefs is already coordinating with church and community partners throughout the region to assess potential needs and prepare for meal service. Additional equipment and resources are mobilizing from the organization’s disaster relief hub in Tanner, Alabama, to support response efforts. With the ability to rapidly scale operations, Mercy Chefs can serve thousands of hot, chef-prepared meals each day based on the needs of impacted communities.
“The Gulf Coast holds a special place in the heart of Mercy Chefs. It’s where our mission began, and these are communities we’ve had the privilege of serving alongside for 20 years,” said Chef Gary LeBlanc, founder and CEO of Mercy Chefs. “Our teams are already preparing across the region, and we’re staying in close contact with our partners on the ground. We’re committed to being there for families, volunteers, and first responders, ready to serve hot, chef-prepared meals wherever the need is greatest.”
Since its founding, Mercy Chefs has served more than 39 million meals across the country and around the globe, providing relief in the wake of disasters while also addressing ongoing food insecurity through long-term feeding initiatives.
Mercy Chefs relies on donations to serve people in need following disasters. To support Mercy Chefs’ response, visit give.mercychefs.com/isaias-response-2026. Follow Mercy Chefs on Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates on relief efforts.