WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Hy-Vee announced on Tuesday that its has deployed a team of 37 employees in a caravan of 19 vehicles carrying 327,000 bottles of water and more than 220,000 snack bars and breakfast items to help victims of the devastating tornadoes that ripped through Kentucky and Tennessee this weekend.

Randy Edeker

The disaster recovery team left Hy-Vee’s headquarters in West Des Moines, Iowa, mid-morning on Monday, stopping at Hy-Vee’s Distribution Center located in Chariton, Iowa, before driving the nearly 500 miles to Mayfield, Kentucky. In Mayfield, the team will partner with local emergency operations centers and nonprofits to distribute the snacks and water, as well as assist in recovery efforts.

The caravan consists of 10 Hy-Vee semitrailers, Hy-Vee’s disaster command center, six disaster recovery pickup trucks and two SUVs.

“As soon as we learned of the incredible tornado devastation in parts of Kentucky and Tennessee, we knew we had to send relief,” says Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee’s chairman and CEO. “In times of great need, like these, it’s important that we help in the way we know best – by providing essentials like food and water as well as a helping hand.”

The team will visit other impacted areas in Kentucky and Tennessee and expects to be on the ground providing aid for several days this week. Footage of the team departing this morning is available for download here