Spurs and Mercy Chefs team up to honor military families on Veterans Day

Veterans Day “Feed the Force” event at the Frost Bank Center Wednesday hosted by the Spurs, Mercy Chefs and the Adam R. Scripps Family Foundation was planned out and executed with precision and gratitude.

Gary LeBlanc is the founder and CEO of Mercy Chefs said our nation’s military members are the best of our best and should see and feel support.

“We think it’s really important to stand alongside military families and tell them that they’re and they’re appreciated and that we want to honor them. Today especially.” LeBlanc shared.

According to its website, Mercy Chefs is said to be a faith-based, non-profit disaster and humanitarian relief organization and “Feed the Force” is the organization’s nationwide initiative to address food insecurity experienced by military families.

Volunteers ranging from Spurs season ticket holders, Spurs, Mercy Chefs and USAA employees assembled grocery boxes for 1,000 military families from Joint Base San Antonio along with retired veterans.

LeBlanc explained each box was packed with enough groceries to prepare up to 50 meals per family and they also received produce.

Military families at the base said they are thankful for outpouring of love and kindness.

United States Army veteran Antonio Campos was among those that appreciated the gesture.

“Nowadays, everybody needs a little bit of help the way it is right now with the economy, and we’re grateful with people like this sharing so; we can have something going on and we spread it around with our family too,” Campos said.

Patty Rivera is the daughter of U.S. Air Force Veteran who picking up a groceries for her 90 year old father, echoed Campos’ sentiment.

“It’s very important,” Rivera said. “Everyone is struggling these days...it just proves that the military means something to this community.”

LeBlanc shared that many military families struggle make ends meet just like other families. He added that it is another challenge military members and their families must deal as their loved one is away from home.

“When you realize the average enlisted family exists on less than $500 a week, it’s just excruciating to think what they must go through,” LeBlanc said.

Campos and and U.S. Air Force veteran Joe Lozano both said the event is heart warming, knowing the Military City is aware of the challenges.

“They do realize that the military needs a lot of help because they’re in a budget themselves too,” Campos said. “It comes in handy, big time, and we appreciate it.”

Lozano said, “To me, it seems like they want us and they appreciate what we did and what we went through.”

U.S. Navy veteran David Martinez expressed, “It’s very inspiring. It is very humbling.”

Martinez also said, the “Feed the Force” event helped, but more help for veterans is needed.

He said veterans who stepped up to help and serve our country must be encouraged to ask for the help the need, whether it be food, housing, or mental health service and then accept it.

“You shouldn’t feel embarrassed if you need the help. You need to seek the help because there are people that care and there are resources out there for you,” Martinez said. “We got to learn to appreciate each other and come together so we can continue to be the country that we are.”

LeBlanc added, “These men and women and the families that sacrificed so much for us, it’s an incredible honor to be able to come out and tell them thank you in a tangible way.”

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