Mercy Chefs Feeding the 'Body and Soul' of Victims, First Responders in California Carr Fire

Firefighters are working nonstop to put out the deadly Carr Wildfire raging in Northern California – the massive blaze that's burned down more than a thousand homes around Redding.

Members of the Christian community have stepped in to help victims, even though they're also dealing with this natural disaster's impact on their own homes and lives.

Bethel Church, which is located in Redding, has been set up as a distribution center for relief supplies.

And the humanitarian organization "Mercy Chefs" has joined in the efforts, preparing restaurant-quality meals for victims, volunteers and first responders.

"We always say that something amazing happens over a shared meal," Founder and President Gary LeBlanc told CBN News. "It's that place of emotional support and place of normalcy for them."

He continued, "And for the firefighters and first responders, they're working tirelessly out in the field and without great meals they aren't going to be able to perform at their best."

LeBlanc said he saw firsthand what the fire has done to the area.

"We're seeing a lot smoke holding over the whole area," LeBlanc said. "We drove to Weaverville to take lunch to one of the outlying shelters and we drove right through the center of where the fire was...there are rocks and trees and fire still active on the side of the road, and many homes have been burned down."

LeBlanc said volunteers from all over have stepped in to help, and even volunteers from Bethel joined them.

"We have chefs from Chicago and just outside of DC. We have one from Houston and one from Oklahoma here with us," LeBlanc said. "So they're working with the teams here, and we're working very hard. We're putting out about 2,000 meals a day."

Mercy Chefs says their goal is to feed the body, but more importantly to feed the soul and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

LeBlanc said, "I can feed someone the best meal that I'm capable of feeding, but they're going to be hungry again tomorrow. But we come with a message that could satisfy them for eternity and that's why we're really here."