When Josh DeMoray, a Scientology Volunteer Minister, left his home in Holiday, Fla. to help those impacted by the wildfires in Southern California, he had no idea what to expect.
“I had never heard of Operation BBQ Relief until after I had landed in Los Angeles and reported in for my volunteer work with Churches of Scientology Disaster Response,” Josh said. “With 10 years of military experience, a valid driver’s license, and 12 straight days available to volunteer, I was blessed and fortunate to be assigned to OBR.”
Josh was quickly impressed with our disaster response team.
“Helping others as OBR does is inspiring! They are very organized, those they serve love their meals, and they know how to have fun while helping others,” Josh said. “The way OBR met every challenge head-on and with a speed that was absolutely crazy to watch unfold left me not only proud to be helping those in need, but also knowing that help was being provided in a way that efficiently maximized and utilized talents and resources.”
Josh highly recommends volunteering with OBR to others.
“To those contemplating volunteering for OBR, no skills are required! They’ll teach you everything you need to know. They just look for somebody with a big heart! Heart – that’s what you find a LOT of when working with OBR,” Josh said. “Whether you get to feed a firefighter straight off the fire line or a local resident who has been displaced and has nowhere to cook of their own anymore, the look of gratitude and thanks for something as simple as a warm meal is enough to melt your heart.”
One moment in particular made a huge impact on Josh.
“My favorite memory was watching the OBR slogan ‘One Hot Meal That Matters’ become a reality on the face of a little seven-year-old girl as she received her meal. After smelling it, she asked if she could get another for her brother. The smile she gave me when I said ‘yes’ lit her face up like a Christmas tree,” Josh said. “That moment when she knew she was bringing a hot meal back to him and they were going to share it as a family, was a brief glimpse of something ‘normal’ again, even if only for a few minutes.”
Josh first connected with OBR through a partnership with National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (NVOAD). When our fellow NVOAD member, Churches of Scientology Disaster Response (CSDR) heard that OBR needed volunteers for food distribution, they reached out to offer their assistance—leading Josh to his first experience with our team.
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