From helicopters to food trucks: the race to feed hurricane victims | WGCU PBS & NPR for Southwest Florida

In the wake of Hurricane Milton, a dedicated group of volunteers and organizations worked tirelessly to provide meals to affected residents in Tampa and Orlando.

The dirt parking lot in Hammond Field in Fort Myers buzzed with activity. On one side, volunteers unloaded trays of hot meals from minivans. On the other side, two large helicopters took turns transporting thousands of food trays.

When asked what was going on. Artichoke & Company volunteer Riley Gorman explained. “We just are very involved with the community. We are a catering company, so food is kind of how we help,” Gorman said. “Yesterday, we were pulling about 18-hour shifts, and then same thing today. It's 15,000 people a day. We have chicken, rice, veggies, beef. It tastes really good; I tried it myself.”

Meanwhile, Southwest Floridian Lauren McCraney from World Central Kitchen detailed their efforts to deliver assistance. “We deployed seven food trucks, and we've got 22 out today. Our goal is to get the food to the people who need It, as fast as they need it, which is immediate,” she said.

The helicopters were instrumental in transporting over 7,000 meals from Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers to residents in Orlando and Tampa, highlighting the urgent need for food in the region.

As the community rebuilt, the efforts extended beyond just providing meals; they aimed to foster a sense of solidarity among residents. McCraney reflected on her journey with World Central Kitchen, saying, “I joined World Central Kitchen after Hurricane Ian, and I'm now a part of their response corps two years later. So of course, I'm coming to Fort Myers, right? This is where I began, and this is my community, and I wanted to be here to support my community.”

WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.