Operation BBQ Relief, Inc

Our Story

In 2011, after an EF5 tornado devastated Joplin, Missouri, a group of competitive pitmasters from eight states answered the call the only way they knew how—by firing up their smokers.

For 13 straight days, they fed their pits, slept in their trucks, and served 120,000 hot meals to families and first responders. It wasn’t just about BBQ. It was about bringing comfort, dignity, and hope when everything else was lost.

That spirit of service and compassion lives on in every meal we serve today.

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Our History

Disaster area

2011

After an EF5 tornado devastates Joplin, MO, pitmasters from eight states fire up their smokers, serving 120,000 meals in 13 days to families and first responders.

Milestone: Operation BBQ Relief is founded.

Response team group photo

2012

From the Midwest to the East Coast, OBR answers the call after 6 tornadoes, 3 hurricanes, and a wildfire. Volunteers carry out 10 deployments across 10 states—AL, IL, IN, KS, MI, TX, CO, LA, MS, and NY/NJ— serving more than 181,900 meals to families and first responders.

Prepping food

2013

In 2013, OBR responds to 2 tornadoes in Georgia and Oklahoma, an explosion in Texas, and flooding in Colorado. Volunteers carry out 4 deployments across 4 states, serving more than 175,150 meals to families and first responders.

Boxes and disaster relief van

2014

OBR responds to 6 tornadoes with 6 deployments across 4 states—NE, IL, AR, and MS— serving 73,885 meals.

Milestone: OBR crosses the 500,000 meal mark since its founding.

Grilling chicken

2015

OBR responds to 4 tornadoes, 4 floods, a train derailment, and 2 additional floods, carrying out 7 deployments across 5 states—IL, PA, TX, SC, and MS— and serving 89,433 meals to families and first responders.

Packages of food

2016

OBR responds to 4 floods, a tornado, a hurricane, and a fire, with 7 deployments across 6 states—MO, LA, WV, KS, NC, and TN— serving more than 536,874 meals.

Milestone: OBR crosses the 1 million meal mark since its founding.

Firefighters holding sign

2017

OBR responds to 3 tornadoes, 2 hurricanes, 2 fires, and a flood, carrying out 8 deployments across 6 states—MO, KS, WI, TX, FL, and CA— and serving more than 569,450 meals to families and first responders.

Volunteers grilling meat

2018

OBR responds to 3 tornadoes, 2 hurricanes, 2 wildfires, 2 floods, and a fire, completing 10 deployments across 9 states and serving more than 1,166,053 meals.

Milestone: OBR surpasses 2 million meals served since founding—actually reaching 2.9 million by the end of the year.

Disaster relief van

2019

OBR responds to 5 tornadoes, 3 floods, a fire, and a hurricane, completing 10 deployments across 8 states and serving 140,008 meals.

Milestones: OBR launches its first international deployment to the Bahamas and surpasses 3 million meals served since its founding.

Disaster relief truck

2020

The COVID-19 pandemic brings unprecedented need, and OBR launches Operation Restaurant Relief™, partnering with 27 restaurants across 8 states to keep kitchens open, put staff back to work, and serve more than 4.7 million meals. OBR also responds to 3 tornadoes, 5 hurricanes, and a fire, completing 15 deployments across 16 states and serving a total of 5,420,830 meals.

Milestone: Operation Restaurant Relief™ is born, and OBR surpasses 8 million meals served since its founding.

9,000,000 meals sign

2021

OBR responds to winter storms in Texas, 2 tornadoes, a hurricane, an explosion, a flood, and a California wildfire, along with 2 Operation Restaurant Relief™ activations. Across 10 deployments in 8 states, volunteers serve more than 532,805 meals.

Milestone: OBR surpasses 9 million meals served since its founding.

Delivering food to police

2022

OBR responds to Hurricane Ian, 2 tornadoes, flooding in Kentucky and Missouri, and a Tennessee wildfire, completing 8 deployments across 6 states. Volunteers serve more than 1,002,195 meals, including 865,603 meals for Hurricane Ian alone.

Milestone: OBR surpasses 10 million meals served since its founding.

Volunteers with bottled water

2023

OBR responds to 9 tornadoes, 3 hurricanes, and the devastating Maui wildfire, completing 11 deployments across 9 states, including Hawaii. Volunteers serve more than 399,630 meals to families and first responders.

Disaster relief food set up

2024

OBR responds to 6 hurricanes, 4 tornadoes, 2 floods, and a fire, completing 14 deployments across 13 states. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, volunteers serve more than 1.3 million meals in just 34 days across 5 states—one of the most intense back-to-back natural disaster responses in OBR history. Altogether, OBR provides 1,519,831 meals this year.

Milestone: OBR hits 11.9 million meals served since its founding.

I picked up meals from Operation BBQ Relief with my two young boys for my family and neighbors in Hammond, LA. My neighbor has cancer and is dying. After I gave him the meal, he said he was sorry and we made amends. We hugged for the first time in years. My neighbor hadn’t eaten in days and that single act of kindness of sharing that hot meal made all the negativity go away and the hatred disappear. Thank you Operation BBQ Relief!

Board of Directors

Will Cleaver

Will Cleaver

Board Member / Chairman
Scott Webb

Scott Webb

Director
Stan Hays

Stan Hays

Board Member
Kesa Edwards

Kesa Edwards

Board Member
Trice Alford

Trice Alford

Board Member / Treasurer
Paul Taylor

Paul Taylor

Board Member

Team

Stan Hays

Stan Hays

CEO
Will Cleaver

Will Cleaver

Chief Administrative Officer / Head of Finance
David Rosen

David Rosen

Chief Legal Officer / General Counsel / Head of Compliance / Corporate Secretary
Jeremy Bruce

Jeremy Bruce

Senior Head of Technology, Volunteers & Communications
Joey Rusek

Joey Rusek

Senior Head of Programs & Operations
David Marks

David Marks

Senior Head of Growth & Development
Bryan Mroczka

Bryan Mroczka

Head of Programs
Chris Huggins

Chris Huggins

Head of Logistics & Inventory
Bonnie Benetti

Bonnie Benetti

Controller
John Imbriolo

John Imbriolo

Senior Director of Programs & Culinary Ops
Tina Saari

Tina Saari

Senior Director of Heroes Enrichment Programs
Skeeter Stone

Skeeter Stone

Director of Operations
Carrie Cramer

Carrie Cramer

Director of Human Resources
Sam Thornton

Sam Thornton

Director of Information Technology
Mike Richter

Mike Richter

Manager of Disaster Response & Regional Directors
Brian Polak

Brian Polak

Manager of Volunteer Integration
Donnie Paul

Donnie Paul

F.A.S.T. & Equipment Maintenance Program Manager
Robert Stouffer

Robert Stouffer

Program Manager - Camp OBR Facilities
Shane Petzold

Shane Petzold

Leader of Facilities & Equipment
Dana Reed

Dana Reed

Leader of National Government Affairs
Michelle Szajko

Michelle Szajko

Senior Graphic Designer
Sarah Schofield

Sarah Schofield

Accounting Administrative Specialist
Laura Ybarra

Laura Ybarra

Social Media & Marketing Specialist
Amanda DeVaul-Fetters

Amanda DeVaul-Fetters

CRM & Data Specialist
Joe Wilson

Joe Wilson

Programs & Culinary Ops Specialist
Megan Cain

Megan Cain

Donor Specialist
Mark Matthes

Mark Matthes

Operations Support Specialist
David Whitaker

David Whitaker

Operations Support Specialist
Stuart Cohen

Stuart Cohen

Warehouse Manager KC