Beatrice Hot Meals: World Central Kitchen Jambalaya Feeds Isaias-Weary Monroe County

BEATRICE, Ala. — Plates of hot jambalaya, bags of food and cases of water went out to Monroe County residents still recovering from Hurricane Isaias this week, as Beatrice hot meals were served at Beatrice Town Hall by a coalition of town leaders, law enforcement, nonprofits and volunteers.

Beatrice city leaders, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, United Way and other volunteers handed out the meals and supplies. World Central Kitchen prepared the Cajun dish, Alabama Power brought water and food bags, and Feeding the Gulf Coast provided additional food.

A hot meal after days of cleanup

For families who have spent the days since the storm cutting limbs, dragging debris and living without electricity, a hot meal can be more than a convenience. Many households lost the contents of their refrigerators and freezers during extended outages, and cooking can be difficult without power.

Isaias made landfall near Destin, Fla., on the night of Friday, Oct. 9, as a Category 2 hurricane and raced north through South Alabama. Monroe County, along with neighboring Escambia and Conecuh counties, was in the storm’s direct path and took some of the heaviest damage in the state.

Power outages in Monroe County were among the most persistent in Alabama. About 2,500 Alabama Power customers in Monroeville, the county seat, were still in the dark on Monday, Oct. 12, with full restoration there expected by the end of Wednesday, Oct. 14. Rural areas served by long lines through the woods often wait longer.

Who helped

• Town of Beatrice: City leaders hosted the event at Beatrice Town Hall.
• Monroe County Sheriff’s Office: Deputies helped serve residents.
• United Way: Joined in providing meals and supplies.
• World Central Kitchen: Prepared the jambalaya.
• Alabama Power: Brought water and food bags.
• Feeding the Gulf Coast: Provided additional food.
• Volunteers: Helped serve and distribute supplies.

World Central Kitchen across southwest Alabama

World Central Kitchen, the disaster-relief nonprofit founded by chef José Andrés, sends kitchens and food trucks into disaster zones to serve hot meals. The group has been active in southwest Alabama since Isaias. Its team rode out the storm in Pensacola and was ready to serve by Saturday, Oct. 10.

In Escambia County, World Central Kitchen set up a rapid-response mobile kitchen in East Brewton and served 750 meals on Sunday, Oct. 11, and 750 more on Monday, Oct. 12. Its work in Beatrice extends that effort into Monroe County.

Feeding the Gulf Coast’s storm response

Feeding the Gulf Coast, the regional food bank headquartered in Theodore in south Mobile County, has delivered nearly 350,000 pounds of food and emergency aid to families across the region since Isaias, the food bank said this week. A member of the Feeding America network, it serves 24 counties across south Alabama, south Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle, working through church pantries, shelters and community groups.

After disasters, the food bank shifts into emergency mode, moving truckloads of water, nonperishable food and other supplies into affected communities, often in partnership with local churches and nonprofits that already know which families need help most.

The Beatrice meal is one of many relief efforts spread across the three hardest-hit counties. In neighboring Conecuh County, the American Red Cross handed out tarps, shovels, rakes, cleaning supplies and food at Veterans Park in Evergreen. In Escambia County, sheriff’s deputies delivered water and tarps to distribution sites, Samaritan’s Purse set up in Brewton to help with tree removal and roof tarping, and the Alabama Emergency Management Agency sent pallets of bottled water and meals into the area.

About Beatrice

Beatrice is a small town in eastern Monroe County, near Alabama 21. Like much of rural southwest Alabama, the surrounding area is heavily wooded, with timber and farming central to the local economy. In towns this size, the town hall often doubles as the community’s gathering place in an emergency, and local leaders, deputies and church volunteers are usually the first to know which residents need help.

How to get help in Monroe County

• Call 211. The 211 helpline connects residents with food distributions, water, shelter and other recovery resources.
• Report damage. Monroe County residents can report storm damage through the “Citizen Damage Reporter” link on the Monroe County EMA Facebook page, with photos.
• Follow local channels. The town of Beatrice, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Monroe County EMA post information about distributions and services.
• Ask about replacement SNAP benefits. SNAP recipients who lost food because of the storm may be able to request replacement benefits through the Alabama Department of Human Resources.

Food safety after an outage

• Throw out perishable food, including meat, poultry, seafood, milk and leftovers, that has been above 40 degrees for two hours or more.
• A full freezer generally holds a safe temperature for about 48 hours if the door stays closed; a refrigerator keeps food cold for about four hours.
• Never taste food to decide whether it is safe. When in doubt, throw it out.
• Run generators outdoors only, far from doors, windows and vents, to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

How to help

Relief groups say cash donations to established organizations usually go furthest after a disaster, because they can buy food and supplies in bulk and pay for fuel and transportation. People who want to help can give to or volunteer with groups such as Feeding the Gulf Coast, World Central Kitchen and United Way, and should verify any unfamiliar charity before sending money.