OPERATION BBQ RELIEF INTRODUCES YETI® AS AN OFFICIAL SPONSOR
SPONSORSHIP WILL HELP OBR FEED
DISPLACED FAMILIES AND EMERGENCY PERSONNEL IN DISASTER AREAS
KANSAS CITY, MO (May 25, 2017) – Operation BBQ Relief (OBR), a nonprofit consisting of volunteers from competition barbecue teams who provide hot meals to displaced families and emergency personnel in areas impacted by natural disasters, announces YETI®, a leading premium cooler and drinkware brand, as an official sponsor.
“We are excited to have YETI as the official cooler and drinkware partner of Operation BBQ Relief,” said Stan Hays, co-founder and CEO. “In our brief five year history, we’ve served over a million meals to people in need, and thanks to the support of YETI and other companies we will be positioned to serve millions more.”
“We’re very thankful and fortunate to be able to contribute to such a great cause,” said LeighAnn Bakunas, beer and barbecue marketing manager at YETI. “Alongside Operation BBQ Relief, we’ll strive to help as many people as possible, by providing delicious meals for those in need.”
“Built-for-the-long haul, YETI products fit perfectly with the needs of Operation BBQ Relief. Ensuring that food stays safe is critical, and we now have the capability to send raw food to disaster areas with enough capacity to make a real difference. These coolers give us great flexibility and capacity to store cold food for days in environments without power, and we don’t have to worry about a thing. Not to mention this adds holding hot food capacity and cold drinks for our hard working volunteers,” said Will Cleaver, COO and co-founder of Operation BBQ Relief.
Founded in 2011 in the wake of the devastating tornado in Joplin, Mo., Operation BBQ Relief has since provided over 1,100,000 meals during 35 deployments in 20 states. The organization has 4,500 registered volunteers who travel to hard-hit areas to barbecue and serve food to hungry people. In 2015, co-founder Hays was runner-up on the Food Network show, “Chopped,” in Grill Masters Season 2, and talked about Operation BBQ Relief.
About Operation BBQ Relief
The mission of Operation BBQ Relief is to provide compassion, offer hope and friendship to those whose lives have been affected by disasters across the United States through our expertise in cooking and catering barbecue meals and our ability to quickly mobilize our teams into any area where nature disrupts and tears apart the lives of Americans.
About YETI
Founded in Austin, Texas in 2006, YETI is a leading premium cooler and drinkware brand. The world’s top hunters, anglers, outdoor adventurers, BBQ pitmasters, and ranch and rodeo professionals trust YETI to stand up to the world’s harshest conditions. For more on the company and its full line of products and accessories, visit YETI.com.
OBR Media Contact
David Marks
dmarks@operationbbqrelief.org
610-564-0885
