Artichoke & Company prepares 15,000 meals through Hurricane Milton relief

Southwest Florida caterer Artichoke & Company prepared 15,000 hot meals for first responders, volunteers and victims of Hurricane Milton in the Sarasota, Tampa and Orlando areas.

To ensure meals arrived hot and fresh for those in need, the caterer partnered with World Central Kitchen to airlift the food on Friday, Oct. 11, to Central Florida. Helicopters made stops in Sarasota, Brandon, Brooksville and other communities impacted by Hurricane Milton.

“We always want to give back to our community, whether it’s after a natural disaster like a hurricane or just providing support for local nonprofits,” said Riley Gorman, director of events and weddings for Artichoke & Company. “It’s important for us to show the community we’re there for them, and that’s how we do it – through the food.”

Artichoke & Company staff began preparing the meals before dawn on Thursday, Oct. 10, working under generator power at times as electricity service was sporadic. The meals, which consisted of chicken, beef, rice, vegetables and other items, were delivered Friday via multiple trucks to the Lee Health Sports Complex in Fort Myers, where volunteers then packed helicopters for their quick journeys into neighbors severely impacted by the storm.