OPERATION BBQ RELIEF

I have been blessed to serve with Operation BBQ Relief for 8 years, helping provide hope and love through a hot BBQ meal to families going through their darkest days. Serving others in need gives me the greatest joy and Operation BBQ Relief gives me these opportunities.

First of all I want to thank you all for a wonderful time, It truly was a very special experience that I will never forget.

This past June, I had the amazing invention from the TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program For Survivors) Young Adults program to attend Camp Operation BBQ. They helped in so many ways such as through culinary therapy to teaching me how to drive an ATV. Prior to arriving I was feeling overwhelmed by the craziness of life but coming to the camp definitely relieved that stress and I was so thrilled to learn about grilling. I ate some incredible BBQ and made lasting memories and friendships. The staff is absolutely outstanding, so caring, welcoming and full of joy! I’m so thankful for this camp!


- Hannah

I rate them the best nonprofit I have been involved with over my 30 years experience volunteering. I see the good they do and where the donations go. You cannot go wrong donating or volunteering with this organization.

OBR feeds those in time of need. I have cooked competition BBQ for years. The joy you feel when you hear your name called is not even close to the feeling of handing out that one hot meal that matters. No matter if you're doing the cleaning or inventory or cooking. that feeling is deeply embedded in your heart. This can not be explained, but you can sign up and find out that once you come out 1 time, you will be out every time.

your feeding people that have lost everything.
your feeding First responders.
your feeding people with a need.
nothing like it in the world

In 2016 my husband and I were watching the local news and watched a story about Operation BBQ Relief and where they were currently set up and serving meals to the community that was devastated by flood waters.
I turned and looked at my husband and said, "why are you still here when you should be there". He had recently retired from LE and bought a food truck.
Needless to say off he went soon after to the next deployment.
Fast forward to 2024, dozens of deployments later and we still feel OBR is by far the most rewarding, honest and caring organization we have had the pleasure of volunteering with.
It warms the soul to hand someone who may have lost their home in a disaster.
So many moments over the past 8 years that are imbedded in my heart forever.
From the pastor in Florida cheering every day as he pulled up to gather meals for his parishioners to the 70-year-old widow of a Vietnam veteran covered in mud from cleaning her home who hugged so tight every day as her only was to say thank you for a hot meal.
So many wonderful people we have met along the way have made lasting impressions on us and we have another family we are grateful for, our OBR family.... forever. :)

I was invited by TAPS to attend Camp OBR as part of the Mens Survivor Group in July. This was my first time attending a TAPS event as I only lost my son seven months earlier. I had a tremendous amount of anxiety before coming and hesitated to pull into the property when I got there. As soon as I unloaded my truck all the anxiety started to come off. Within minutes I found myself speaking to another father that also lost his son to suicide. Minutes after that another roommate joined us and I could tell this was going to be a safe place for us to start the healing process. The staff at OBR is nothing like I have ever encounter. I loved that they come from so many different backgrounds but are truly a family that knows how to host. Anything they could do to make sure we were comfortable and attended to was done at the highest level. It was like being at a Ritz Carleton but in the middle of the woods. I ended up building authentic relationships with my fellow fathers but also the staff (family) at OBR. Put it this way, they don't miss. I would recommend Camp OBR to anyone and everyone that is looking for a retreat or corporate event. Don't even get me started about the food. I am literally sitting on my deck cooking with the new found skills I learned at Camp OBR. I know I won't match thier quality of cooking but my family is reaping the benefits of dad's new cooking skills. I could go on and on but I can tell you in full confidence I will have a long lasting relationship with Camp OBR and will do whatever I can to see that as many people get to have the experience I had. Life Changing is something used very frequently without true meat behind it. Pun intended. This was life changing not only for me but all the other fathers that attended. God bless everyone at Camp OBR and the people they serve.

When tornadoes hit Nashville in 2020, I organized a group of friends and we took our smoker to North Nashville and cooked about 1200 meals over 2 days. We served first responders, line workers and those impacted by the tornadoes. When the floods hit Waverly TN in 2021, I tried to organize a similar effort. We were not able to get access to serve. During that time, I saw Operation BBQ Relief on the local news and researched them. I then decided that I didn’t need to “reinvent the wheel” and became a volunteer.

Since then, I have been on 9 disaster deployments and served multiple “Blue Sky” days to benefit veterans and first responders. In finding OBR, I have been able to combine my love of cooking, helping those in time of need, and have developed friendships that will last a lifetime. The volunteers at OBR are selfless, caring, and passionate about our mission!

While OBR has a group of core volunteers that provide consistent processes and delivery of meals, our ability to provide meals is based upon utilizing local volunteers. You don’t have to be a Chef to have an impact with OBR. Not matter your skill set, there is a role for you in OBR! You should sign up as a volunteer and come spend a day working with OBR. You will find it fulfilling and inspiring!!

I've been supporting this organization in one way or another from day 0. The simple, pure mission of providing a hot meal to anyone who needs it speaks to the humanity and heart of Operation BBQ Relief. After my first boots-on-the-ground volunteer experience in Sept 2017, I was hooked! I've worked a total of 16 disaster deployments thus far, learning and working nearly every task and sharing lots of tears and hugs with impacted residents, first responders, and other folks involved in the aftermath. The memories are countless, the positive impact on communities is immeasurable. And know that residents remember OBR, long after we're gone. Here's the proof...

I was vacationing with a friend several years after the 2018 Wilmington NC deployment. We stopped for gas and a gentleman walked over to us after seeing the Operation BBQ Relief sticker on my car and my OBR clothing. He said, "I remember when y'all were here after Hurricane Florence! You were set up in the old K-Mart parking lot. I remember seeing y'all setting up and I called my friends and said, 'We're gonna be OK, BBQ is here!' Thank you for what you do!!" I asked how he fared and thanked him for stopping to say Hi, but felt the tears welling up. As he walked away, my friend looked wide-eyed at me. We both got back in our car and yes, we both cried. Heck, I'm tearing up even now as I'm writing this!

I have been supporting OBR this year because of their fantastic work, hard working volunteers and dedicated employees. Appreciate all they do and enjoy following the great work and their journey on social media. It is impressive to watch their rapid response deploying teams immediately and one can never underestimate the hope a hot meal provides during crisis. I encourage anyone thinking of donating to a great cause that helps those in need during disasters to do so and I am impressed with all they do to help our first responders and military. Huge kudos to their awesome corporate sponsors who help keep the train on the tracks.

Volunteering time and money to an organization that constantly does great for others is important to me. As a National Guard soldier, I have seen first hand the devastation of disasters and I love to see an organization that comes in immediately and makes a huge difference for all involved. What OBR does for our military and first responder community through the year is fantastic. Definitely a top notch nonprofit. Thanks

I was truly amazed by the level of dedication and camaraderie exhibited by everyone involved. This was my first time participating in a deployment, but I learned about this group through their camp for gold star families. Both times I was with them the only thing anyone cared about was how they could help others.The experiences I have had with them have been truly life changing. I will definitely be volunteering with them in the future.

My name is Randy Hartmann. I am a recently retired firefighter/paramedic with over 30 years on the job so over half of my life has been dedicated to public service. In 2018 I heard about this volunteer organization called Operation BBQ Relief who serves victims and first responders after disasters. This obviously struck a chord with me (BBQ and public service!! What could be wrong with that?) knowing they would be there if something ever happened in my community so I signed up and assisted with my first non-disaster event. However, my first disaster deployment wasn't until Sept. 2021. Since then I've now been on 10 deployments from Maui, HI to SW Florida. I only say this to emphasize the scope of who OBR is. We are a national VOAD (Volunteer Organization Active in Disasters) with over 18,000 registered volunteers across the country and I'm so proud to say that what we do we do very well. In just over 12 years, our organization has served that one hot meal that matters over 11 MILLION times to victims, first responders, and recovery crews on over 100 disaster deployments from Maui to the island of Grand Bahama. Many of our volunteers have been victims themselves and are returning the favor. Many are not and simply want to do good things for those they don't know but we all volunteer for a common cause.

Many organizations profess that they value their volunteers but with Operation BBQ Relief it is much more. Not only are the volunteers valued in very high regard, we are treated and act like family. Prior to my first deployment in 2021 to Hammond, LA after Hurricane Ida, I had lots of questions about what to expect and things to bring. Immediately my questions were answered on our social media pages and I was told not to worry and I would be welcomed on my arrival. Not only did I have another volunteer checking on me via phone during my drive through the hurricane to ensure my safety, after a long 12 1/2 hour drive from Kansas City, she met me with opened arms BEFORE I got out of my truck. This was my very FIRST impression of my new OBR family and it has stuck since and this is just one of so many ways I see our members interacting throughout the year. We are FAMILY. We take time to know each others' extended families, take vacations to see each other across the country, hang out with those who live close, and reach out if they need help. There are several things in our organization that truly stand out to me that set us apart from others. First there is no minimum time commitment. We have folks who provide over 500 hours of volunteer time annually to those who have only been able to offer a single shift of 8 hours because they were local to the deployment and simply wanted to help their neighbors in their time of need. BOTH are vital to our operations. Second, no one is placed into a position they are not comfortable with and NO EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED. There are jobs across our deployment site and during events that anyone can do. Third, IF you want to learn more about a job on a site, we'll be VERY happy to teach you. It is AMAZING how people excel at things they never knew they could do and I am a perfect example. OBR has helped me bust out of my shell and it feels very good. And lastly and most importantly, as volunteers we are not "underneath" the few paid employees that we have including our own two co-founders. In fact, many new volunteers (and even some of the longtime ones) have no idea the difference in the roles our members on the ground hold (paid vs volunteer) because no one ever acts above another and EVERY job in the organization and on deployments is as important as the next because that's how a well-oiled machine operates. Whether we are serving 500, 5,000, or 50,000 meals in a day, we operate under the "next person up" mentality; if one person needs to step away for a break, someone steps in to keep the machine moving and it's done flawlessly. Why? Because we understand the importance of what we are doing, why we are doing it, and who we are doing it for.

It takes a special kind of person to get up as early as 4:00 am some days, work 14-16 hours prepping and cooking upwards of 55,000+ hot bbq meals, and then getting just a few hours of sleep before you get up to do it all over again. This was our life for 38 days in Port Charlotte, FL after Hurricane Ian and in that time we proudly and humbly served that one hot meal that matters over 865,000 times. Volunteers that came from across our country; from Washington to Maine, from Arizona to Wisconsin, from South Dakota to SW Florida and everywhere in between. If you've never looked into the eyes of someone who hasn't eaten a hot meal in 3, 5, 7 days or more and seen how much good we are providing not only with nourishment, but with love and compassion, it is something that touches the deepest part of your soul and when you think you're tired and want to go to bed, you quickly realize that the people you are helping may have lost their bed, their home, or even loved ones and you get right back in the game.

But disasters are not all that Operation BBQ Relief does. On "blue sky" days (non-disaster days) throughout the year, OBR focuses on other events that benefit our military (both active duty and retired veterans) and first responders. We have "Days of Feeding" for our first responders who are on-duty across the country, provide food for our veterans and military staff in VA hospitals, and host events such as deer and goose hunts for our wounded veterans at our newly opened Camp OBR in central Missouri located on Lake of the Ozarks. This camp also allows for small groups of our military or first responders who may be afflicted with things like PTSD or anxiety disorders, to come and help both they and their families to decompress from their busy lives and careers, while bringing a stronger bond to their relationships. This is done with the use of the many outdoor activities we have available along with teaching some basic cooking skills. Seeing that many of our volunteers are retired military or first responders, utilizing them to assist with these camp sessions can be very beneficial in making a personal connection as well.

What does Operation BBQ Relief's "One Hot Meal That Matters" mean?
It is that smile from someone that lost everything and has not had a hot meal for days. It is life long friendships developed at an instant to assist delivering that one hot meal. It is working together until the job is done in hot weather or cold weather. It is tears of thankfulness from someone that cares. It means doing jobs you didn't know existed and enjoying it regardless of how tired you are. It means breakfast, lunch or dinner prepared by the camp chef for you and other volunteers. It means sadness when your time to leave comes.
Operation BBQ Relief is Happiness.

I have been a volunteer with Operation BBQ Relief (OBR) since Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, Texas in Aug 2017. I have an aunt that lives in Houston, and although she was not affected by the storm, I wanted to do something to help. I heard the American Red Cross was providing relief so I reached out to them. Unfortunately, I never heard back from them.

As I was following the storm, I heard Glen Beck on the radio talking about several organizations his Mercury One group had researched and vetted. The one that stuck out the most to me was Team Rubicon. I had retired from the Army two years prior so I connected instantly with Team Rubicon as it is comprised primarily of former military members. When I called them, they informed me they were doing mostly boat rescues at the time. You have to understand, I joined the Army and not the Navy for a reason. They recommended that I call one of their partners, Operation BBQ Relief.

I recognized the name from Glen Beck's list and called them. I was told to show up the next morning (I live 3 hours away from Houston). Now you have to understand, I am not a BBQ guy. I've eaten my fair share but I knew nothing about it at the time. I didn't know how to prepare it; I didn't know how to cook it; and I certainly didn't know anything about using a smoker. I told them that, but they said it didn't matter.

I left early in the morning so I could get there before they started making meals for the day. I didn't know where I would be staying, what I would be eating, and more importantly, what I would be doing. As an old Infantry guy and an Eagle Scout, I simply prepared for the worst. I brought a cot, a tarp, and some rope and actually ended up sleeping outside on the side of my truck under my tarp in the rain for two nights. But none of that matter.... Let me tell you why.

On my first day, after insisting I wanted nothing to do with the big intimidating BBQ pits (and the BBQ pit masters for that matter). At the time, these guys brought their own BBQ trailers and were cooking on them. I thought (incorrectly) that they wouldn't want an "outsider" helping them. I decided not to work with them.

I ended up in what we call the "sides" section of the camp. It's where, you guessed it, the sides were prepared and cooked. For OBR, that means thousands upon thousands of #10 cans. Green beans, corns, mixed vegetables, and on the Houston deployment (what we call our responses to disasters), a lot of baked beans.

Not saying this as a bad thing, but the sides is where a lot of the ladies end up volunteering. Proteins (what we call the other section) is where all the meat is unpacked, seasoned, loaded and uploaded from the pits, and then processed into meals. It is dirty, the boxes of meat are heavy (around 50 to 80 lbs each), and many of the ladies were like me and didn't want to step on the toes of the pit masters.

Having been with OBR for 8 years now, I can tell you that thinking is far from the truth. We welcome anyone that wants to deploy and encourage them to step into roles they may have never done before. Yes the boxes of proteins are still heavy, but there are still jobs that anyone can do. And those big intimidating pit masters are really just big teddy bears.

Back to the sides though, because I was a big guy, they asked me if I wanted to take over opening the cans. I said yes. Fortunately for me, they had a large manual can opener that took the entire lid of the can with one motion. I soon discovered that I had a knack for it, and quickly developed a rhythm. By the end of my 10 days on the deployment, I had opened somewhere around 15 or 18,000 cans.

But I had also learned much more. Sides and Proteins are just two areas you can volunteer in. People were also helping hand out meals, emptying trash cans, filling water coolers, and washing the dishes. I also learned that BBQ is a family, and those big pit masters were really willing to share their knowledge with anyone that wanted to know.

I also learned that there is what we call the "OBR way". I learned that OBR will stay as long as there is a need. And most importantly, I learned about the "One Hot Meal That Matters".

Since it was started in May 2011 when our founders decided they wanted to take their own BBQ rigs and go do something in response to the devastating Joplin, Missouri tornado, Operation BBQ Relief has served that "One Hot Meal That Matters" over 11 million times all over the United States and even to the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian hit those islands in Sep 2019.

We have responded when others would or could not. We have responded after floods, after fires, after tornados, and especially after hurricanes. We have fed our First Responders and members of our Military. We have fed the homeless. We have fed our Wounded Warriors and those treating them. We helped restaurants feed their communities when Covid threatened to close them down.

As I stated, I have been with Operation BBQ Relief for 8 years now. I have been on 11 major deployments and several smaller events. In that time, I have opened cans, dumped trash, loaded pork butts, flattened boxes, stirred vegetables, seasoned pork loins, filled water coolers, washed dirty dishes and Cambros, kept inventory, and my personal favorite...driven a forklift.

My least favorite job has been and I think will always be...handing out meals to those in need. Don't get me wrong, it is the one thing that literally epitomizes the "One Hot Meal That Matters", but for me, it is the hardest. My first experience with this happened on my first night of the Houston deployment and it is the reason I still volunteer with OBR today.

As I stated earlier, I was sleeping on the side of my truck on a cot under a tarp. It was pouring down rain and I really didn't want to be under the tarp. I was hanging out under the big break area tent they had set up. It was late, and I don't think very many people were still up at the time. A man walked up and asked me if we still had anything to eat. Normally, when we do our set up, we don't hand out individual meals at that location. We make bulk meals and they are taken to somewhere else (local churches, convention center, relief shelters) and served individually. We had food on site, but it was what had been prepared for the volunteers to eat.

I told him I wasn't sure (it was my first day volunteering) but if he took a seat and I would go find someone that would know for sure. I ended up finding someone "experienced" and together, we found the leftovers from the dinner prepared for the volunteers and we made him a very large to-go plate. We also found some cokes or pepsis and gave him a couple of those too. He was extremely grateful. We agreed. The other guy had to leave, but I ended up talking to the man for several minutes and he told me his story.

Now I am a big retired Army guy. I spent 26 years in the Infantry and am known for not ever really smiling. But when this man asked if he could give me a hug, I cried (and he cried) like a babbling baboon. I made sure he knew where he would be able to find meals the next day and he left. I have always been grateful no one else was around to see me break down.

I have had other opportunities to personally hand out that "One Hot Meal That Matters" during my 8 years with OBR, but I am probably one of the few volunteers that does not look forward to it. It just breaks my heart hearing the stories of those affected.

On our deployment this year to Maui, Hawaii in response to the horrific fire that swept through Lahaina, we had only a few volunteers on the island. As a result, nearly every single one of us had opportunities to talk with those affected. We each listened as they told us their stories of loss and destruction and with tears in our eyes asked if we could help them feel better with a hot BBQ meal. We each truly knew the importance of that "One Hot Meal That Matters" time after time.

I cannot say much more about Operation BBQ relief than I already have. Their story is my story, and the story of every volunteer that has ever worn the red shirt. None of us are there because we have to be. None of us are there because we want recognition or glories. We are there because someone, somewhere is in need and we have the capability and the desire to come serve.

We each have had our own "One Hot Meal That Matters" moments and we know that we are making a difference in that person's life on that particular day, with that particular meal, and we have done it over 11 million times.

Working behind the scenes to promote and extend Operation BBQ Relief's outreach has been an amazing eye opening experience. I have the opportunity to work alongside and support a family of volunteers. Small and mighty with giant hearts we are dedicated to communities that need some support while they get an infrastructure set up and running.

Our BBQ association here in Colorado was tapped by Operation BBQ Relief August 2013. Historic 100 year flooding in Northern Colorado due to a high amount of precipitation throughout the summer led to the catastrophe of public infrastructure, business's, and homes.
I had numerous friends that lived along a 100 mile bike route that we ride including a fellow BBQ teammate that had various degrees of damage from the flooding. I contemplated how to help them out but there was no way of communicating with them to find out their needs.
Shortly thereafter we got the call out to deploy for OBR. It was at that point that I meet up with our association's BBQ competitors only this time we weren't competing against each other. We worked and functioned 24 hours a day for seven days. We prepared and smoked meats along with sides for the displaced homeowners, first responders, and fellow volunteers like the Salvation Army and Team Rubicon.

It was during OBR's first deployment in Colorado that I knew I found a fit for my role in volunteering for an
non-profit organization. OBR is the one to this day for me. Thank you OBR!
Best regards,
Keith Segura

I have witnessed first hand the dedication and hard work the volunteers for this great organization have for feeding the displaced and first responders in times of natural disasters. The looks on the people being fed are both heart breaking and heart warming.

Deployed to Hammond Louisiana with OBR. It was a large deployment for the flooded area. The overwriting theme was to prepare good meals, not just good but hot, flavored and prepared in a clean environment. Everyone working did it because they wanted to help, not for notoriety but to honestly help. Volunteers came from all across the country, some using their family vacation time to be there and serve. Also of note was safety. Safety for the volunteers, safety for the delivery drivers and workers, and safety for clients coming for their food. We were amazed by the amount of donated items: the food, sauces for flavoring, calm shell boxes, silverware packs, serving pans and lids, gloves and countless other items. Would not have been able to do any of it without such caring sponsors and partners. A great, humbling and overwhelming experience. Hooked for life as a volunteer with this organization.