Hurricane Katrina: Denis Leary and Frigidaire

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Actor Denis Leary of Rescue Me has a non-profit called Leary Firefighters Foundation that helps firefighters around the country with equipment and training. This season, Leary has been busy rebuilding New Orleans' firehouses since Hurricane Katrina destroyed 22 out of 33 firehouses. The foundation has teamed up with Frigidaire to complete the restoration of the remaining 11 firehouses and get firefighters out of temporary trailers. Fires are up 300% since the hurricane – so getting firehouses open is a priority. Firehouses run on the food their kitchens produce. According to a foundation press release: Eleven of the newly renovated kitchens will be outfitted with a full suite of Frigidaire Professional Series EasyCare™ Genuine Stainless Steel appliances for the stylish look of stainless without the messy fingerprints. All kitchen suites include a refrigerator, freestanding range, microwave, and icemaker. Each house also will receive three additional refrigerators, so off-duty firefighters have a place to store their food until their next shift. The laundry room will get a lift, as well, with energy-efficient Frigidaire Affinity™ front-loading washers and dryers, allowing firemen to launder their gear immediately after returning from a blaze. The firefighters have provided a list of good kitchen safety tips -- some made sound obvious, like keeping a fire extinguisher. However, it's a good reminder to check that everyone in a household who uses the kitchen knows how to use it. Check out Captain Mike Gowland's Frigidaire Firehouse Gumbo recipe. As we celebrate at parties, rush to buy last minute gifts, and hum Holiday songs to ourselves, it behooves us to remember less fortunate souls. We do this by donating to a charity, doing a good deed, or helping someone in need. Restaurants have led the way in generosity, considering the narrow profit margins in the industry compared to others. Food is comforting and nourishing and serves to continually remind those in the business how essential their roll in society is. If you are worried that this story is practically an advertisement for Frigidaire -- fear not. Think of it as encouragement for other corporations to continue reach out to hard-hit communities and donate their goods and services. Previous articles: [Hurricane Katrina - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef