By CatholicVote | Created at 2024-11-27 20:51:03 | Updated at 2024-11-27 23:33:28
2 hours ago
CV NEWS FEED // What began as an effort to provide 1,000 Thanksgiving meals for victims of Tropical Storm Helene in western North Carolina has expanded into a massive community effort, with more than 200 volunteers now serving 5,000 meals to those in need.
David Burke, a 59-year-old father of two from Northampton County, in the northeastern region of North Carolina, was deeply moved by the catastrophic damage in western Avery County and surrounding areas, caused by what officials described as a “biblical devastation.”
Reflecting on the storm, Burke, an award-winning cook, realized that his skills could be of help. As he attended church two days after the disaster, he felt a strong pull to take action, according to a report from Roanoke-Chowan News Herald.
“Sometimes I feel I’m not smart enough to listen,” Burke said, “but God was speaking to me. Lo and behold, the Sunday School lesson that morning was on serving others for God. I said, ‘Okay God, I hear you.’”
His goal was simple: Cook enough meals to provide a warm, festive holiday meal for those without homes or family. He planned to drive six hours from his home in Northampton county to the storm-ravaged areas, bringing along a few friends and family to help prepare 1,000 meals for those in need.
“I’ve seen the devastation these people have been faced with,” Burke told CNN. “We know that there are people still living in tents and trying to stay warm. People don’t have anything. Some people had their homes washed away in the river, and then there’s so many people still missing in certain places.”
>> NC Helene victims still living in tents in late November <<
“What do you do about that?” Burke said. “All we can do is go out there and do what we know to do and try to help people as much as we can.”
Burke’s initial goal of preparing 1,000 meals for storm victims quickly grew as word spread. A wave of 200 volunteers from Burke’s home community in Northampton County soon joined forces to help fund and cook 5,000 meals to be served at some of the hardest-hit locations in western Avery county. They called it “Operation Thanksgiving Blessings.”
“You would be amazed at just how many people have shown up here to come help this little old guy when all he really wanted to do was go out there and cook 1,000 meals and come home and nobody would ever know a thing about it,” Burke told CNN. “The experience has already changed me, there’s no question about it. It confirms for me any doubts I ever had in my own faith.”
Volunteers helped Burke prepare an elaborate spread, including turkeys, hams, southern staples like collard greens, cornbread, and homemade desserts. Meals are to be distributed to families, nursing homes, and anyone in need across the most affected areas.
“My plan on Thursday is to feed as many people that show up to eat,” he said.
He noted that Northampton County locals have been baking pies and cakes for more than a month to send to Avery County and the surrounding areas in western North Carolina.
“We have over 5,000 slices of cake right now, in addition to whole cakes and pies as well as brownies and cookies,” Burke said. “Nobody is gonna leave there hungry.”
The effort received an overwhelming response with generous donations, including 140 turkeys from Gates County and Butterball, 70 hams from OSSID, pre-cooked collards from Smith’s Red & White, cranberry sauce from Studio Dental Laboratory, 110 pork butts for barbecue, and chickens for Brunswick Stew. Thousands of household items, clothing, canned goods, and over 3,000 Bibles also were donated.
Transport for these supplies out west, 300 miles from northeastern Northampton County, was provided by CRAB Trucking, Glover Construction, and Brown’s Trucking, all from Northampton County.
“That’s the way Northampton looks after Northampton,” Burke told the News Herald.
Those willing to donate to Operation Thanksgiving Blessings can do so here.
