When winter tornadoes ripped through Western Kentucky in December '21, Mercy Chefs deployed to Mayfield, KY and served our first meals less than 24 hours after impact. Our hot, chef-prepared meals have provided a moment of hope during this horrific time. We served victims, volunteers, first responders, and search and rescue teams in Mayfield, KY in our initial deployment, and we have since shifted to our long-term recovery response.

We have established a long-term recovery base of operations in Paducah, KY. This Beacon of Hope Kitchen will service Graves County and the surrounding areas using a four-fold approach:

• Providing hot meals to individuals and communities in need.
• Supporting local agencies providing continued tornado relief.
• Providing lodging and meals for long-term relief teams traveling to the area.
• Implementing the Mercy Chefs Grocery Box Distribution Program in Western Kentucky.

This long-term recovery Beacon of Hope Kitchen will be located in Paducah, KY at Lone Oak Middle School (225 John E Robinson Ave). The school is about 20 minutes away from Mayfield, KY – the epicenter of most of the tornado damage. This is a prime location to distribute meals across Western Kentucky.

Mercy Chefs is committed to seeing this community through the first chapter of their long road to recovery. The Beacon of Hope Kitchen model was first implemented in 2018 after Hurricane Michael devastated Panama City, Florida.

We thank you for your continued support as we feed body and soul. See below for more information on giving, volunteering, and getting involved.