PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Members of a Portsmouth-based non-profit were on their way to the Middle East Monday night. Mercy Chefs said they plan to feed anyone in Israel who is hungry, regardless of their religion or background.
Founder and CEO Gary LeBlanc told News 3's Jay Greene some of his team members were in the air Monday night. In fact, they booked plane tickets as soon as the war broke out over the weekend.
One of the challenges is travel since most airlines have paused flights into Israel, LeBlanc said. Mercy Chefs will have to fly to Jordan then they'll eventually be able to fly or drive to Jerusalem.
"Boots will be on the ground [Tuesday] in Jerusalem," LeBlanc told Greene.
Mercy Chefs has already moved money to its partners in Israel, LeBlanc said. He said those agencies alerted Mercy Chefs that there would likely be a severe food shortage and would morph into other areas.
"Sunday, we moved funds, and our partners there, on our behalf, were able to purchase groceries and supplies and get them right into those villages and communities," LeBlanc said.
Another big area of concern is safety, something LeBlanc's team has learned about it during its response to Ukraine which is still ongoing.
"We're going to have drivers and we are going to have security, we're going to have people that know the lay of the land," LeBlanc said. "You just don't want to take a wrong turn and you want someone that's going to know when something just doesn't feel right and they can move out or pull you back."
LeBlanc said another challenge is the ever-changing situation in the Middle East.
"I think our biggest challenge is staying in the moment with what's going on and the ever-changing environment," he said. "Then being flexible enough that we can put our attention to the greatest need."
He said communication and language barriers will also factor into some challenges.
LeBlanc's team will begin with five or six people and could grow to 10 to 12, he said. It all depends on how the situation develops.
"We'll be back in an area of relative safety that will move the product and hot meals forward to the need," LeBlanc said. "We expect to be there as long as the conflict is active and the need is the greatest. I wouldn't be surprised to see us make a long-term commitment in Israel because it's going to be a great period of time restoring some sense of normalcy."
They'll help anyone, no matter who they are, LeBlanc said.
"We don't pick a side," he said. "We serve the people and we fulfill the need."
