My Nonprofit Reviews

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.