Chef oversees charitable grillers at Comfort VFD as flood recovery continues

COMFORT, Texas - The worst of times is bringing out the best in people as flood response continues in the Texas Hill Country.

Among those offering charitable aid to those in need is a trained chef, cooking and serving food day in and day out at a fire department in Comfort.

Volunteers flock to Texas Hill Country

Dondi Persyn is just one of dozens of Hill Country residents dropping off food at the Comfort Volunteer Fire Department in Kendall County, making sure hungry volunteers and first responders who are assisting in the search and recovery effort get fed.

What they're saying:

"People are coming from all over to volunteer, though, so this is a place where they can stop and get food," said Persyn.

Chef Hawk Sullivan is overseeing the pop-up pit stop, cooking up hundreds of pounds of food with the help of some novice grillers.

"We are moving way more food then we anticipated. We want to feed everybody. We can feed everybody, and we're going to do that," Sullivan said.

With donated barbecue staples like chicken thighs, skirt steak, sausages, turkeys, briskets and endless side dishes, Sullivan and crew are feeding everyone they can. 

Some folks are driving for several hours just to be of service. 

Benji Montemayor and his wife drove some four hours from Rockport to deliver food and supplies to the comfort volunteer fire department.

 "We saw this on TV on July 4th, and we said we need to help somehow," Montemayor said.

They said, having lived through Hurricane Harvey, they know what it's like to feel helpless and disconnected during the aftermath of a natural disaster. They don't want their fellow Texans feeling that way.

Christina Miller also made the trip in from Rockport to assist responders.

"It's really just the right thing to do. Texans being Texans, you know, helping out where you can. We don't have any equipment to go searching for stuff like that, but we can help by bringing food and cooking food. That's what we're going to do.

What's next:

Sullivan says they'll continue feeding folks for as long as it's needed. 

How to help flood victims

What you can do:

Since the search and rescue efforts began in Kerr County and surrounding areas, people across the nation have been looking for ways to support responders and survivors. Here are a few ways you can help.

The main Kerr County relief fund was launched by local nonprofit Community Foundation to help support local response, relief and recovery efforts. Many businesses and organizations who have pledged donations for flood relief are donating directly to this fund. All donations will go right to the organizations helping with the emergency.

Those looking to donate can click here.

The website GoFundMe is also looking to help those in need of assistance. The site has several verified fundraisers from people in need of assistance.

You can see the list here.

To see the full running list of nonprofits and other organizations working towards flood relief, you can visit the FOX story at this link.

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