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The First Responders BBQ: How a Simple Act of Honour Is Changing Cities
What started as one barbecue at a police station in Mississauga has grown into a multiplying movement — serving 3,000+ first responders across Canada and even reaching Nairobi, Kenya.
What does it look like when the Church blesses people with no strings attached? Sometimes it looks like showing up with a barbecue, quality food, and a genuine desire to honour those who serve our communities every day.
That is the heart behind the First Responders BBQ.
The Origin
Founded by Brian Prill in 2020, the movement began during a season when police, firefighters, and paramedics were carrying extraordinary pressure. The pandemic was high. Public criticism was rising. First responders were feeling exhausted and deeply unappreciated.
Rather than respond to tension with more tension, this initiative chose honour. The vision was simple: gather volunteers, prepare excellent food, go to first responders, and communicate one clear message — we are grateful for you.
No hamburgers or hotdogs. If first responders are expected to bring their best when they respond to a call, then we should bring our best when we serve them. Honour should feel like honour.
— Brian Prill, FounderGrowth Timeline
Initiative launched at 1 police station in Mississauga with 6 church and community groups. Goal: send a message of appreciation to first responders (Police, Fire, Paramedics) during COVID and social unrest.
Expanded to cover all Police, Fire, and Paramedics in Mississauga, plus added one police station in Brampton.
Extended to all police stations in Mississauga (2 stations), all police stations in Brampton (2 stations), and one station in Toronto.
Held September 16. Expanded to 8 stations: 3 police stations in Brampton, 3 in Mississauga, 11 Division in Toronto, and RCMP K Division in Cochrane, AB. Also expanded internationally to Nairobi, Kenya. Officers began understanding the genuine nature of the initiative.
Held September 21. Over 1,200 meals served. Events in Brampton (2 divisions), Mississauga (2 divisions), Toronto (11 Division), and expanded to Newmarket (York Regional Police - 1st District). Expanded to include all By-Law Enforcement Officers. First communication with Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Held September 20. Served over 3,000 meals. Locations included Peel Region, York Region (District 1), and multiple Toronto divisions (11, 23, 41, 42, & 43). New BBQs in Toronto Divisions 23 and 42. Movement expanded to Calgary, AB and Prince George, BC.
More Than a Meal
The BBQ is not just about food. It is about restoring relationships. In the language of Transform Our World, this is a practical way of confronting relational poverty — rebuilding trust between communities and the people who serve them.
- BBQs are held on the third Saturday of September, the week before Police Memorial Day
- Food must be excellent — quality chicken, corn, and catered meals, never generic
- Businesses, suppliers, churches, and donors all contribute — the Ekklesia in action
- Costco provided nearly $800 in gift cards; Maple Lodge Farms donated chicken; local suppliers provided tents and corn
What Happens When Honour Shows Up
At first, many first responders were skeptical. People in these roles are used to pressure, criticism, and mixed motives. But over time, something shifted.
Officers who arrived guarded and serious often left completely different. Their posture changed. Their faces changed. They said things like: Thank you. We appreciate this. No one does this for us.
— Marlon, Event OrganizerA staff superintendent told Brian that officers were beginning to realize the Christians behind these BBQs were genuine. For Brian, that was deeply significant — a visible expression of Jesus' words that people would know His disciples by their love.
One captain looked at the scene and said: This doesn't happen. Different stations were sitting together, talking, connecting, and actually enjoying space together.
— Event WitnessThe BBQs also became almost therapeutic. Once conversations started, first responders began sharing stories from their work — things they had seen, things they had carried. Sometimes the Kingdom looks like creating a safe place where people can exhale.
Children, Police, and a Different Story
Pastor Derek described watching police officers and families interact in a completely different atmosphere. One officer saw a little girl and brought her a teddy bear. Children were around the police cars, unafraid, curious, joyful. Officers turned on their sirens and the crowd cheered.
In a culture where fear and suspicion can define relationships between authority and community, these moments tell a different story. They create new memories. They restore humanity. And in at least one case, a man at the BBQ spent a long time talking with a police officer and believed the officer may have given his life to the Lord.
A Prototype That Reached Nairobi
One of the most remarkable developments: this prototype did not stay in Canada. Pastor Derek reported that the First Responders BBQ was replicated in Nairobi, Kenya. More than 100 police officers attended from five different stations.
The chief of police told them that in the history of Kenya, nothing like this had happened before. No one had ever invited police officers to a meal like that.
— Pastor DerekA simple act of honour, born in Canada during a difficult cultural moment, became a Kingdom prototype that crossed continents. You do not need a massive organization to begin. You need love, honour, partnership, and the willingness to serve.
Watch this short video to see the First Responders BBQ in action and hear directly from those who have experienced the impact of this Kingdom initiative.
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Outcomes So Far
3,000+ first responders served across Canada since 2020
Expanded from 1 station to multiple cities across 3 provinces
Replicated internationally in Nairobi, Kenya with 100+ officers
Restored trust between faith communities and first responders
Created safe spaces for first responders to connect and decompress
Opened doors for deeper relationship and spiritual conversations
Could This Happen in Your City?
Maybe your city needs a First Responders BBQ. Maybe your town needs a way to honour police, firefighters, paramedics, or hospital staff. What would happen if people in your area began serving first responders with no agenda other than gratitude and genuine care?
If you want to start a First Responders BBQ in your area or learn more about how to get involved, visit 1strespondersbbq.com or contact Brian Prill directly at [email protected]. When the Ekklesia shows up in practical love, cities change.