Mississippi Volunteers Pack 20,000 Meals After Ice Storm

When winter storms knocked out power across Mississippi nearly two weeks ago, volunteers knew recovery would take more than fixing power lines. They'd need to feed families who lost food, income, and hope.

On Friday, Extra Table and Entergy Mississippi volunteers packed 20,000 meals of red beans and rice for storm survivors. The meals will reach families still grappling with food insecurity while crews work to restore electricity across the hardest-hit regions.

Areas around Grenada, Lexington, and south of Batesville took the worst damage. Many residents remain without power as Entergy crews continue restoration work in these communities.

"There are some cases where customers may have had damage to their homes and can't take power yet, but we're ready to work to get them restored as soon as we can," said Haley Fisackerly, president and CEO of Entergy Mississippi. His teams are addressing not just downed lines but home damage that makes properties temporarily unsafe for power restoration.

Extra Table officials say the extended outages have created cascading challenges for families. Lost wages, spoiled food, and ongoing recovery costs are stretching household budgets thin.

The Ripple Effect

Community support is transforming what could have been a crisis of isolation into a story of neighbors helping neighbors. The 20,000 meals represent hours of volunteer labor and proof that people show up when their communities need them most.

Power restoration continues across the state, but the meal packing effort ensures families won't have to choose between paying for repairs and putting food on the table. Volunteers are creating stability one meal at a time.

Anyone wanting to support ongoing recovery efforts can donate to Extra Table by texting ICESTORM to 44321. Every contribution helps volunteers prepare more meals for families still rebuilding after the storms.