The Smoking Pastor Project has a goal: to be the largest producer of fully cooked, prepackaged protein for food pantries. Founder Jordan Davis believes warm meals full of smoked meats bring dignity, nourishment and comfort to the dinner table. When he had two catering events canceled due to storms and floods last weekend, Jordan saw the opportunity to bring that dignity, nourishment and comfort to his community.   

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jordan realized how much joy he found in smoking meats. At the same time, he noticed that many food pantries were missing high-quality protein options. Alongside his wife Kati and their three boys, Jordan started The Smoking Pastor Project. He used his passion for barbecue to make smoked meat that is fully-cooked and pre-packed so that anyone can use it – even if they don’t have a way to heat it up. They started doing free pop-up events, serving things like brisket breakfast burritos. While some might be surprised to see such high-quality food offered for free, Jordan says “we’re just treating people with dignity, offering our best.” 

One of the events that canceled invited The Smoking Pastor Project to donate the food where it was needed. Jordan found out about the American Red Cross shelter at 8401 Westfield Boulevard in Indianapolis. It was a perfect opportunity for him to come and do what he does best: share high-quality smoked meats and nourish souls. Jordan explains, “Barbecue and mental health go hand in hand. You get a bunch of guys around a fire? Walls come down… Conversations open up.” For the Red Cross and The Smoking Pastor Project, partnership isn’t just about surviving this disaster, it’s about building stronger communities that have the capacity to better care for themselves. 

HOW CAN I HELP? Please help people affected by disasters like tornadoes, floods and countless other crises by making a donation to Red Cross Disaster Relief. You can donate by visiting redcross.org, calling 1- 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small, whenever and wherever they occur across the country.