Operation BBQ Relief (OBR) volunteer, Todd Hensley, traveled all the way from Maui to help us provide “The One Hot Meal That Matters” to people impacted by wildfires during our recent deployment to Southern California.
“Following the Maui fires in August 2024, over 8,000 people were temporarily housed in hotels, most without kitchens or adequate refrigerators. Many of the restaurants and markets that survived the fire, weren’t open yet due to lack of power, water, and workers,” Todd said. “OBR was one of the first organizations to arrive on Maui. I saw firsthand how much they helped the people of the community when they needed it most. I knew then I wanted to help, beyond just donating.”
When Todd heard that Operation BBQ Relief was deploying to Southern California in the wake of the wildfires that ripped through the area in January, he knew he wanted to help out.
“After seeing how streamlined the operation was, and seeing the faces of the people we served, I plan on volunteering as often as I can,” Todd said. “Being able to do something as simple as take away the stress of even just one meal, means more to someone than you might realize. There was one woman in particular who had a tear in her eye as she said, ‘Thank you, I now don’t have to worry about how to feed my family today.’”
When asked if he had advice for people who are thinking about volunteering with OBR, he said:
“That’s simple: Do it. After the Maui fires, and now after the LA fires, I repeatedly got questions from people about how they could help. Sometimes just throwing money at a problem isn’t enough. Boots on the ground is much more fulfilling, and in some ways more important in the days and weeks following a disaster. I believe that once they have experienced how rewarding it is to help those in need directly, people will want to continue with OBR.”
To register to volunteer with Operation BBQ Relief, download our “OBR Volunteers” smartphone app or visit our website at https://operationbbqrelief.org/volunteer-obr.
