MYAKKA CITY, Fla. — Thanksgiving is a hectic time for families, especially in the kitchen.

Toni Sapp, the owner of Silver Star East restaurant in Myakka City, is busier than usual.

“I love it, I love it. Super blessed is how I feel," she said.

This year she’s making 500 meals for victims of Hurricane Ian.

“We are running, we are cooking,” she said.

But she isn’t doing it alone, other organizations started this event together including the restaurant.

“We all just came together — the Farm Bureau Women’s Committee — we all just came together,” she said.

It’s a way to give back to the community after hurricane Ian left families in Myakka City dealing with damages and being displaced from their homes. “Just had a great conversation with a guy that just came this what it's about,” she said.

It’s a day for people to come by and pick up food and enjoy a hot meal. One of those affected by Hurricane Ian was Linda Werlein. She decided to drive by the Silver Star East Restaurant to pick up some meals. Sitting in the car she says “We got a lot of damage.”

She is taking the meals back home, a place she does not even recognize anymore after Hurricane Ian. As she takes a look at her property at the fallen trees she says, “It took a stump out of there about this big the tree was hanging over this building."

She says she had to pay thousands of dollars to fix the damages and to remove the trees, and still has to pay more on top of that.

It can be a lot of work and needs a break every once in a while with a hot meal.

“Oh look at that very good let’s see what else we have here pumpkin pie here we go,” she said. But for Toni the work never ends, “I’m going to have them leave with a hug a smile or they are coming back,” she said.

Because for her it's more than just serving food, it’s her purpose.

“My calling is just become one with others i want them to come in and know they can come just to chat and have coffee,” she said.

She's helping the community one hot meal at a time.