Weber and Operation BBQ Relief to Prepare 4,000 Grilled Thanksgiving Meals for Marillac St. Vincent Families and Seniors

PALATINE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Weber Inc. (NYSE:WEBR), the global leader in outdoor cooking innovation, technology, and products, and Corporate Social Partner Operation BBQ Relief announced today they will grill and distribute 4,000 Thanksgiving meals to the families of Chicago-based Marillac St. Vincent on November 22, 2022. Operation BBQ Relief is a national non-profit that provides the comfort of warm meals to communities and first responders in times of need. Weber has supported Marillac St. Vincent Family Services for more than 25 years.

“Gathering together around a warm meal and connecting with loved ones has been at the heart of Weber since our founding 70 years ago,” said Jennifer Bonuso, President, Americas, at Weber. “Over three days, our Weber and Operation BBQ Relief team will grill and pack meals at our Weber global headquarters in Palatine and then distribute those meals to the community at Marillac’s Social Center in East Garfield Park, Chicago. We are incredibly grateful to our partners, Operation BBQ Relief and Marillac St. Vincent, for making this meal delivery effort possible.”

“Weber and Marillac St. Vincent have worked together for decades,” said Deanna Hallagan, Executive Director at Marillac Social Center. “It’s wonderful to extend our partnership, with Operation BBQ Relief’s help, during this important time of gratitude and connection, and when food insecurity affects our community so significantly.”

“We are proud to work with Weber and Marillac to bring comfort and care to thousands of families in Chicago through the power of barbecue,” said David Marks, Head of Business Development, at Operation BBQ Relief. “We recently worked with the Weber Grill Academy and hundreds of volunteers to support communities in South Florida impacted by Hurricane Ian. And when Weber requested we come together to serve others in their hometown of Chicago this Thanksgiving, we jumped at the opportunity to bring our fleet to the Windy City.”

More than 100 Weber employees, Grill Masters, and Operation BBQ Relief personnel will smoke approximately 1,600 pounds of turkey breast meat along with green beans, mashed potatoes, and sweet potatoes over November 20-21, 2022. In addition, Weber, Operation BBQ Relief, and Marillac St. Vincent volunteers will distribute 4,000 meals through a drive-up process on November 22, from noon until 3:00 PM at Marillac Social Center, located at 212 S. Francisco Ave., Chicago, IL 60612.

ABOUT WEBER

Weber Inc. headquartered in Palatine, Ill., is the world’s leading barbecue brand. The Company’s founder George Stephen, Sr., established the outdoor cooking category when he invented the original kettle charcoal grill 70 years ago. Weber offers a comprehensive, innovative product portfolio, including charcoal, gas, pellet, and electric grills, smokers, and accessories designed to help outdoor cooking enthusiasts discover what’s possible. Weber offers its barbecue grills and accessories, services, and experiences to a passionate community of millions across 78 countries.

ABOUT MARILLAC ST. VINCENT FAMILY SERVICES

Marillac St. Vincent Family Services is a comprehensive, multi-generational human service organization based in Chicago, serving tens of thousands of individuals through early childhood education, youth enrichment, and community outreach services.

ABOUT OPERATION BBQ RELIEF

Operation BBQ Relief is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports communities following natural disasters with hot barbeque meals to those in need and on the front lines. After the devastating tornado in Joplin, Mo. in May 2011, competitive pitmasters from eight different states answered the call to feed displaced families and first responders and served over 120,000 meals over 13 days. This experience was the catalyst that started what Operation BBQ Relief is today. With the help of more than 14,000 volunteers, Operation BBQ Relief has provided over 10 million meals throughout the United States. Armed with a caravan of cooks, mobile pits, kitchens and volunteers, Operation BBQ Relief delivers the healing power of BBQ in times of need, feeding first responders and communities affected by natural disasters along with year-round efforts to fight hunger through The Always Serving Project® and Camp OBR™ programs. For more information, visit obr.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @opbbqrelief.

Disclaimer: Operation BBQ Relief, as a 501(c)(3) public charity, acknowledges and recognizes Weber’s incredible support of its charitable mission and this educational program. Their collaboration on this project is not an endorsement.