September 7, 2005 - The American Bank Center’s in-house caterer, Centerplate, took on the mission of feeding all the victims displaced by Hurricane Katrina staying at city shelters for their first few days in Corpus Christi. The task called for nearly 1,600 hot meals, at its highest level, being prepared three times a day to provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner to the evacuees. Centerplate led this endeavor as soon as the victims first arrived to Corpus Christi on Saturday, September 3, until other organizations were able to join the effort.
The Centerplate staff, along with the help of a few qualified volunteers, begins preparing each day’s food as early as 5 a.m. The large quantities of food have been provided by local contributors such as HEB, the Food Bank of Corpus Christi, Dominos Pizza, and other suppliers. Additional food has been purchased by the City of Corpus Christi and Centerplate. While the supplies of food have been generous, the challenge began in the kitchen. Centerplate manager Michael Baker and Chef Rodrick Jackson began coordinating the efforts before the evacuees arrived to ensure that everyone received three hot meals a day.
The Centerplate staff and volunteers also distributed the meals to the people staying at the American Bank Center Arena. Employees with the city’s Park and Recreation Senior Community Services Department helped distribute the food to the remaining city shelters. As the days progress, other charitable organizations have stepped in to assist in preparing meals for shelters in Corpus Christi.
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