When Hurricane Isaias struck the Florida Panhandle in early October 2026, it displaced thousands of families and knocked out power to more than 900,000 people. With kitchens dark and grocery stores shuttered, hot meals became a critical need. Answering a call from a fellow disaster-response group, volunteers from Churches of Scientology Disaster Response CSDR) deployed to Okaloosa County to help fill that gap.
The request came from Operation BBQ Relief, a nonprofit that sends volunteer pit masters and mobile kitchens to disaster zones. CSDR, a partner of the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD), sent teams from the Tampa Bay area to work behind the scenes at the relief group’s base. There, the “yellow shirts” of the Volunteer Ministers prepared food boxes, unloaded and loaded trucks, labeled boxes and assisted with distribution alongside the “red shirts” of Operation BBQ Relief.
“We often forget or don’t know about all that goes on behind the scenes in bringing relief to those impacted by disasters,” said Doyle Mills, the lead CSDR Volunteer Minister. He added that despite the hard work, helping serve some of the more than 270,000 hot meals delivered after the hurricane until power was restored “was a real joy.”
The collaboration illustrates the principles NVOAD promotes—Communication, Coordination, Collaboration and Cooperation—among organizations that respond to disasters. For residents of the Panhandle, the partnership meant that meals reached the hardest-hit areas faster, and that families already coping with loss and displacement did not have to worry about where their next meal would come from.
The effort also highlights the role of volunteer networks in filling gaps when official resources are stretched. CSDR was formed after 9/11 and is based in Washington, DC; its Volunteer Ministers have responded to tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and wildfires. The Volunteer Ministers program, sponsored by the Church of Scientology International, operates in more than 170 countries under the motto “Something Can Be Done About It.”
As extreme weather events grow more frequent and intense, such cross-organizational cooperation is likely to become more important. The Isaias response shows how nonprofits with different specialties—one providing food and equipment, the other providing manpower and logistics—can combine strengths to serve survivors. For businesses and donors, the lesson is that disaster relief depends on a web of partners, and that supporting volunteer infrastructure can pay off when the next storm hits.
