Until you’ve seen an American Red Cross major disaster feeding operation in action, it’s difficult to imagine the enormity of the process—the dozens of moving parts and the multitude of decisions made behind the scene to provide relief as quickly as possible.

Hurricane Ian struck the southwest coast of Florida on September 28, 2022, then moved north and east, wreaking widespread major flooding across the state. Millions of Americans watched the Red Cross in action immediately after the hurricane, most assuming operations had only begun after the storm. In fact, the disaster operation had officially been in motion five days before landfall, and the planning and positioning of resources had been in full swing a full two weeks prior to that as national headquarters leadership carefully monitored weather forecasts. The Red Cross was ready before the hurricane made landfall, poised to respond immediately.

Now, flip the calendar to November, and it’s been weeks since Hurricane Ian made landfall. Public attention has moved on—it’s old news. Most assume the Red Cross has closed the kitchens, returned the Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) to their local offices across America, and ended all feeding operations. But two dozen ERVs are still distributing thousands of meals across recovering neighborhoods, and hundreds of meals are still being provided each day for residents who remain at shelters. The Red Cross is still in action, providing support for long-term recovery.

Feeding those affected by disaster, both immediately and for long-haul recovery, is a core mission of the Red Cross, and the magnitude of these continuing efforts is staggering. Since the disaster began, the Red Cross and our partners have provided more than 1.6 million meals and snacks, and more than 32,000 total households have been served. Most of our valued partner organizations with their kitchens have completed their operations, but the Red Cross continues to provide thousands of meals daily to those still recovering.

These kinds of numbers are nearly beyond comprehension, but cold, hard statistics don’t tell the whole story. Red Cross feeding operations are multi-faceted sagas of hard work, intentional planning, and flexibility when conditions on the ground change. The successful preparation and delivery of thousands of meals and snacks each day to those affected by disaster—tangible and necessary comfort in a time of great need—is a tribute to Red Cross volunteers who deliver the services and to donors who make it possible.

Pre-landfall preparations

Tom Shannon, Fulfillment Chief of the Red Cross disaster operation, and his team had been operating at full capacity for days before Hurricane Ian made landfall on September 28. Working virtually from his office, he coordinated the pre-positioning of mass quantities of food supplies and other disaster-related materials and then arrived at the Florida command center in anticipation of the hurricane.

The day before the hurricane swept across the state, he said, “We’ve been on the ground for three days now, finalizing preparations that have been going on prior to that, particularly in materials, service provisioning, for our operations.”

“The biggest thing we’re going to be focusing on post-impact of the storm is definitely feeding plans and the operational needs to distribute to the community, so we have about eighty ERVs coming down this way.” 

During non-disaster times, ERVs are positioned across the country at local Red Cross offices for use in regional responses and are then driven to the site of major disasters by local Red Cross volunteers when needed. Tom monitored their travel progress utilizing the Red Cross online dashboard as he awaited their arrival. At the peak of Hurricane Ian disaster relief operations, over 125 ERVs were in action delivering food to shelters and driving slowly and deliberately through the hardest hit neighborhoods providing food to those affected across the state of Florida.

Tom’s objectives were clear: “Can we get materials to the ground quickly? Can we get there before the storm? Can we get there as soon as we know, to be ready, to be prepared, to help the community around here?”

“We don’t always know where a storm is going to be, so we’re shifting materials, resources, and assets. We’ve done a fantastic job with the folks here on the ground and with leaders back at headquarters. The national team has done a great job making sure that resources are identified, shipped down here, and ready for teams to distribute.”

With all of the necessary supplies positioned safely in place across the state, the Red Cross was ready to jump into action immediately following the storm. The smaller initial team of ERV drivers who had arrived in advance of the storm began distributing immediate assistance within hours, and hundreds of Red Cross volunteers who had been waiting on standby across multiple states began arriving to expand capacity. Within twenty-four hours after the storm, the feeding relief operation that would continue for weeks was in full operation.

Day-to-day Red Cross disaster relief feeding operations—how it’s done

 It’s been weeks since the beginning of the disaster relief operation, and each day, while the rest of the world sleeps, the Red Cross feeding teams are wide awake before the sun comes up. Working closely with BRG Disaster Solutions of New Orleans, Louisiana, one of a number of Red Cross food preparation partners, Red Cross leaders anticipate the daily needs of shelters and mobile feeding operations to plan each day’s activities. BRG is one of the last partner kitchens operating, providing approximately 4,000 to 6,000 meals every day for Red Cross service delivery.

“Everything is done by routine,” said BRG manager Danny Blue, who has worked closely with the Red Cross for about three years. “Our day starts at 3 a.m. with cleaning, setting up, and cooking for lunch, which is normally done by 8:30 a.m. From there, our team loads up the ERVs by 10 a.m. so they can head out to make their deliveries. After lunch has gone out, we clean up and start the process over for dinner, which is normally out for delivery by 2 p.m, and the kitchen closes by 4 p.m.”  

From the kitchen to the community, distributing these meals to those affected by disaster would be impossible without the hard work of hundreds of volunteers. At the kitchen site, long lines of ERVs are loaded with hot meals to be distributed to shelters and neighborhoods impacted by the disaster.

“It’s a simple job, really,” said Andy Aerensen, Disaster Relief Kitchen Manager, who supervises the loading process. “We do three things: we feed people in need, we do it safely, and we have fun while we do it.” 

Each ERV is staffed by two or three volunteers. Large service containers filled with hot meals from the kitchen are loaded into the vehicles, along with cold drinks, individual distribution containers, and disposable utensils. Each vehicle carries enough food to put together between 100 and 500 meals, depending on the route.  

Red Cross volunteer Laura Farr is a first-time volunteer and has discovered that delivering hot meals to those who have experienced disaster is a life-changing experience.

“I see smiles; I see people’s eyes light up. I see shock—it’s just everything. It’s very emotional. Even if it’s just a can of water, they didn’t have it, and they need it,” she said. “It’s almost a rescue feeling like you feel that you saved the day, if for just a moment. It’s something so small, but I’m starting to realize how small things matter.” 

Mission Accomplished

The mission of the Red Cross is to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of disaster by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. But that task isn’t accomplished by accident. It takes foresight, strategic planning, and the execution of a well-laid plan. Providing food to those impacted by disaster immediately following the event is a critical component of successful service delivery.

From the days when Hurricane Ian was just a tropical storm hundreds of miles away to the moment it struck the Florida coast as a category four storm, to weeks later when recovery efforts are continuing, the Red Cross is there.

With the help of our partners, the Red Cross has provided hundreds of thousands of meals and snacks across an immense geographic footprint of devastation. Without this assistance, tens of thousands of households would have nowhere to turn. Because of the dedicated efforts of our volunteers and the support of our generous donors, the American Red Cross is making a difference in the lives of thousands of people facing desperate circumstances.

Written by Kim Mailes, Tai Wong, and Jerrica Williams, American Red Cross Public Affairs