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Operation BBQ Relief: Volunteer group from Missouri helps feed people post-Irma

Posted at 7:47 AM, Sep 18, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-18 08:09:06-04

ESTERO, Fla. (AP) -- A group working out of a parking lot at the Germain Arena has handed out 20,000 meals of pork, turkey and vegetables a day to residents and first responders in the Florida Keys, Naples, Bonita Springs and other parts of Southwest Florida.

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The News-Pressreports that the group's called Operation BBQ Reliefand it's a Missouri-based band of volunteers that travels to disaster areas to cook and hand out authentic barbecue to large groups who need to eat.

There are no food lines at Germain. The group takes large orders from groups of 50 or more, prepares the food on site and takes care of distribution.

The group was founded in 2011 after tornadoes struck Missouri. It made nearly 400,000 meals after Hurricane Harvey before traveling to Florida.