When a disaster happens, whether it’s a tornado, a hurricane, a flood or something else, one thing remains constant — people need a way to eat. And now Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief has a way to start handing out hot meals faster — a new Quick Response Kitchen.

“In essence, it’s built just like a food truck, so it has some of the same equipment we use in the Big Kitchen but also a gas stove and a serving window,” said Mark Wakefield, state disaster relief strategist.

ABDR’s Big Kitchen feeding unit can churn out 20,000 meals a day but can take two or three days to set up. The Quick Response Kitchen can be ready to go quickly with easy meals like hamburgers, hot dogs or chili and can serve up to 1,000 meals each day.

“We are excited to have the addition of our Quick Response Kitchen because it’s going to allow us to minister to survivors within the first 24 to 48 hours after a disaster, which can be their most critical time of need,” Mark said. “We feel like it will round out our ministry by allowing us to not only assess their needs for recovery but also provide meals for them as they come to terms with their situation.”