Feeding Families, First Responders After Irma

Another Big Taste Grill has rolled into Florida, serving communities devastated by Hurricane Irma, with warm bratwursts and a relief from recovery efforts.

The 65-foot Big Taste Grill left its main tour out West, and detoured to Florida after Labor Day. It’s preparing to serve several thousand bratwursts to support several Florida communities. We’re ready to grill up to 750 brats at one time or 2,500 brats per hour if needed. The brats are donated by Johnsonville, and several retailers are also donating food and drink items. All will be provided at no charge to hurricane victims, and disaster-relief workers and volunteers, as they rebuild and restore their lives and communities.

Another Johnsonville Big Taste Grill is also in Texas, wrapping up a three-week relief effort in dozens of communities there, which are also rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey smashed that state last month. That grill will return out West, to return to its regularly scheduled tour through the end of October.

“The devastation here is hard to see,” said Grillmaster Suzy Shelstad after arriving in Florida. “Many people have come here saying it’s the first warm food they’ve had since Irma hit. So we’re very happy to be here and provide a bit of nourishment and a hug as these residents begin the rebuilding process.”