The Waffle House 'Jump Team' is on the ground in Wilmington and feeding first responders

Greg P. | 6:54 PM on September 14, 2018

Amazing.

A Waffle House in Wilmington, NC stayed open during Florence today with the help of a “jump team,” employees from other states who come into disaster zones to help keep the restaurants open so local employees can stay with their families.

In this case, the restaurant was feeding first responders and the Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore:

Trevor and Ryan, members of the @WaffleHouse jump team from Augusta, Ga., in Wilmington taking care of first responders and @JimCantore #HurricanFlorence pic.twitter.com/QcEUYPexHw

— Waffle House News (@WaffleHouseNews) September 14, 2018

These heroes are from Augusta, GA:

WAFFLE HOUSE JUMP TEAM | This is Trevor and Ryan. They’re at a @WaffleHouse in Wilmington, N.C. cooking basically in the dark for first responders and anyone that’s hungry — including @JimCantore. The best part about this — they’re from the Augusta area. @WRDW_WAGT pic.twitter.com/Bcwn1bqkx4

— Jason Raven (@JasonWRDW) September 14, 2018

But it gets better. According to the Los Angeles Times, a Waffle House became a shelter after some individuals were turned away from a government shelter for having no ID:

Christopher Phillips and Brandi DiCello had nowhere to go. The shelters, they said, wouldn’t take people without ID cards.

Eventually, Phillips asked a Waffle House employee if they could stay the night.

The employee nodded. "We’ll take care of y’all." https://t.co/L4rgkpUAB8

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) September 14, 2018

From the LA Times:

Outside, Christopher Phillips, 45, a homeless man who calls himself Crazy J, and Brandi DiCello, a 29-year-old who ended up stranded in Wilmington without her wallet as she tried to connect with her mom and daughter, sheltered under the awning.

They had nowhere to go. The shelters, they said, wouldn’t take in people without ID cards.

“I’ve only got 10 dollars left,” Phillips said. “The Red Carpet [Inn] is charging $95 a night.”

Eventually, he went up to Matt, the Waffle House employee, with a question: Could they stay the night at the Waffle House once the hurricane started to hit?

Matt nodded.

“We’ll take care of y’all,” he said.