Rocky Mount catering business brings hope to new year for QVC employees and first responders

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (WTVD) -- Local catering company Pap's gave back some of the best foods for QVC employees and first responders at the Sam's Club in Rocky Mount on Tuesday.

More than a week ago hundreds of QVC employees woke to news their jobs at the facility were no more when it went up in flames.

Not only did they lose their income they also lost one of their fellow coworkers.

Tuesday employees are still working to figure out what the next step will be, but Pap's catering wants to take away some of the worry.

Pap's catering prepared enough food for 450 plates to go to employees, their families and first responders in the area.

"It hurts because we wasn't coworkers, we was family, after 21 years your family," said Demetrius Bess. "That's your home away from home"

Today is the first time Bess has been back with his work family and they're still in shock

"It was a big shocker because I've been at QVC off and on for a while, so it still hasn't actually hit that this is actually real," said Bernessa Jones.

Pap's catering co- owner Willie Battle said it was his father's passion to help feed people, and it is his passion to help those in need.

"I pray that it impacts them a lot and I pray that after today someone else is doing something tomorrow because it's going to take just more than today to help get these people through what they are going through," said Battle.

QVC employees say this is the reunion they needed, and they are hopeful going into the new year.