Interview edited for clarity. Aired on KRPS on Tuesday December 14, 2021.

FRED FLETCHER-FIERRO (HOST) : It’s Morning Edition on KRPS, I’m Fred Fletcher-Fierro. The tornadoes that touched down across five states on Friday, was a fresh reminder of residents in the Four States the pure devastation that severe weather can bring in a quick amount of time. On Tuesday, I spoke with Jeff Carney, who along with his wife Nichole owns Bacon Me Krazy in Joplin. The couple has started a Go Fund Me page and is accepting donations, they plan to drive their food trailer to Mayfield, Kentucky leaving this morning to serve hot meals for three days. I first asked Jeff what he was collecting and how someone could help?

JEFF CARNEY (GUEST) : Right now, we’ve got people bringing in toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, blankets, pillows. We have a little girl whose parents just bought her some brand new converse shoes. And instead of keeping them, she brought them in here and wanted to donate them. We have people bringing us some gift cards. I brought some gift cards so that we can hand them out to the people when we get there. So they can go to Walmart and buy the stuff they need to get started, until, you know, insurance and stuff gets them taken care of. We have a GoFundMe page on our Bacon Me Krazy food trailer that they can donate. So when we get down there, we can help feed and pass out gift cards down there also.

FRED : Maybe you can clear this up, but you’re taking your restaurant’s food delivery truck. That’s what you’re taking all this stuff in.

JEFF : Yes, we’ve got a flatbed truck, and we’re loading up all the stuff inside the trailer. We’ll go down there and we’ll serve them hot cheeseburgers and fries. Waters and Gatorades, for the next three days, we’ll be leaving tomorrow. We’ll get down there around two o’clock in the afternoon and serve all night and all day, Wednesday and Thursday, and get back.

FRED : What made you want to step up like this and help out the residents of Mayfield?

JEFF : Well, we were in the Joplin tornado and, you know, our house was damaged and my wife and I remember, waking up one day and there were just a ton of people in our backyard, cleaning up the debris and we went out there talking to them. And there were people from Florida and New York and Kentucky, and just all over the place that came here to volunteer and people were driving around, giving food out. And, uh, it was really helpful whenever it happened to us here. So it’s our time to return the favor.

FRED : And if somebody does want to help, even after you have, what is the best way for them to do that ? Is it to bring something to your restaurant? Is it to go to the GoFundMe page or, or something else after you’ve left?

JEFF : After we’ve left, the best thing would be to go to the GoFundMe page because we can access that, once we’re up there and sponsor some families and stuff and be able to give them the money that away, uh, when we get there, we’re gonna, you know, do some interviews with some families and, uh, see if we can find some sponsors for them.

And on our Facebook page, we’ll go live. So after we leave, that would be the best way to do it.

FRED : And I was wondering, was there somebody that you were in contact with there? Was there a nonprofit organization that you contacted a government agency? Because it looked like on your Facebook page, you referenced somebody saying that, or you should wait a few days before you leave.

JEFF : When I first called, after the tornado and talked to the police station, that lady said that everything was confusing right now. And they’re asking people not to come in until the search and rescue have been done. We’ve, been contacted with,, I think it’s called independence bank

They’re in Mayfield they’re helping us when we get there tomorrow to get set up on their property and to start serving everybody. And then they’re going to take some of our food around and deliver them to the areas that people can’t get to us.

FRED : And how does it feel after a decade and the remembrance of the tornado back in Mayof this year at mercy park, how does it feel, 10 years later, you know, to reach on, reach out and want to help people in other states. I mean, that’s a, it’s quite a feat, especially, well, you know, with fewer than two weeks before.

JEFF : Yeah. That’s, I mean, we all had it back here in Joplin, but that’s what my wife and I were talking about to be done right here at Christmas time. And to lose everything you have and to lose a loved one right here at Christmas time. It’s just, it’s very sad and heartfelt and it just makes us want to go up there and see what we can do.

FRED : Jeff Carney, co-owner of they can be Bacon Me Krazy. I want to thank you for your time and speaking with me.

JEFF : Well, we appreciate your call.