To make sure that people have food and supplies as soon as possible after a disaster, Feeding the Gulf Coast must be prepared at all times. The proposed generator purchase will ensure that clients served will have the food they need so that they can focus on rebuilding their homes and community after a disaster. A disaster, such as a major hurricane, can mean a loss of property, electricity, or even a home. With loss of electricity comes the costly loss of food. Currently, the Milton facility holds almost 600,000 pounds of food, including over 204,000 pounds of refrigerated product and more than 76,000 pounds of frozen product. Should a catastrophic storm cause a loss of power for an extended period of time, all of that frozen and refrigerated food would have to be distributed immediately or risk going to waste. Recovery becomes a greater challenge when food is not available. Many of the organizations clients live paycheck to paycheck and may not have excess funds to replenish food supplies after a disaster. By providing food to them, Feeding the Gulf Coast is helping families focus on rebuilding their lives and health without having to worry about food. More specifically, they will not have to wait to get that help because Feeding the Gulf Coast is already in the community and will have food waiting for distribution. As long as a generator is in place to preserve the integrity of the food in the Milton facility, Feeding the Gulf Coast’s staff and network of volunteers and feeding programs can begin working right away to feed impacted communities. This will allow the overall community to recover after a disaster.