GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — It's hard to give help, or get help, when you're hungry.
Consumers Energy believes a full recovery from Tuesday's tornado starts with a full stomach.
“We know it's going to take weeks, months, you know, for some of these people to rebuild, and we're gonna be here to help in any way that we can," said Derek Nofz, the Community Affairs Manager for Consumers Energy SW Michigan.
The energy supplier showed that help in the form of free food Saturday, using the parking lot of the Kalamazoo First Assembly of God Church, where the Red Cross set up its shelter, to provide lunch and dinner to anyone affected by the storm.
That includes those who saw it unfold, like Brenda Gentry, who "hunkered down in place and kind of watched the whole thing." She said it was "kind of scary."
That also includes others who saw it change their life, like Destry Vallar.
“My neighbor gave me a call, told me my house was completely destroyed," he said. "I had to rush home, of course. I came home to a tragedy.”
Vallar is one of 100 people displaced by the storm, officials reported. Consumers Energy said a total of 34,000 lost power.
The company worked around the clock with 175 crews to restore most of that power within 48 hours.
Saturday's meals were their way of showing appreciation for people's patience.
“We wanted to just say thanks for everything that they've been through and just take cooking off their off their agenda for Saturday," Nofz said.
“I think it's amazing," Gentry said. "I think we need to do it for Consumers Energy. I mean, they've done a great job. We lost power, and got it back the next day.”
All the meals were supplied by two food trucks — one from Frances Street Hot Dogs and another from Theresa's Kitchen.
If you'd like to follow any future recovery efforts, you can click this link to take you to the City of Portage's tornado page.
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