LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief packs up and heads wherever they're needed after a community is hit hard by powerful storms. The organization’s feeding coordinator, Karen Smith, says it's a calling.
Smith says, "You know we're called to go; we're called to love and that's what we do."
More than a week ago, the team headed to the southeast. They were able to feed more than 51,000 people after Hurricane Helene. Now, they've been asked to stay and help people affected by Hurricane Milton.
"Kentucky's food's better than anybody's but that's because it's prepared and sent out with a lot of love,” says Smith.
Milton made landfall on Florida's west coast Wednesday night. The Kentucky Baptist Disaster team is in Valdosta, Georgia, waiting to be sent to one of three places in Florida to help people impacted by the storm.
Smith says, "They have already asked us to begin cooking 10,000 meals a day."
Smith has been doing this for some time and she says these storms aren't anything they can’t handle. She says people have been grateful for their help and to see their signature yellow shirts.
She says, "This area got hit with Idalia so they're used to the yellow shirts. But they were thankful to see them. We had one person say 'Everything's gonna be okay because the Baptist are here' and that, that just makes tears come to your eyes because this is a great group they give their all and I mean the guys come in dragging at night and they all have stories that have impacted them."
