McDonalds workers take in more than 50 people during storm

AMHERST, N.Y. (WKBW) — It was around 2:00 p.m. Friday when Jeffrey Spangler, Kristin Kosha and Amanda Kendall were closing up the McDonalds on Sweet Home Road and Sheridan Drive in Amherst, when the snow started flying and the winds were whipping.

“It wasn’t safe to drive,” said Kosha. “We had to make the right choice for us and our other manager with us.”

Knowing they had a warm place to stay, and plenty of food, Kosha opened up an invitation to anyone stuck on the streets to come to the McDonalds.

“We accepted the fact that we weren’t going home, so we might as well open up,” she said. “We figured someone might need some help.”

It wasn’t long before Amherst Police and fire were dropping off stranded motorists at the McDonalds, and into their care.

“I didn’t think it would go as big as it did. I thought 10-15 people, but we were full,” she said.

In fact, more than 50 people throughout the Christmas weekend sought shelter inside the food chain. Kosha, Spangler and Kendall making sure everyone had what they needed to stay fed, and warm.

“We fed them, had the coffee’s going,” she said. “Hot chocolates. Saturday we had the Bills game on. They chatted amongst themselves, mingled and we kept them fed.”

The team took in people from all over Western New York, even a baby as young as 7 months old.

“You don’t really think about it at the time,” she said. “It’s just common sense. You do what you have to do. You have a warm building and no one is in it…why would you not open it up?”

“We were more worried about helping people and making sure everyone else was okay, and being prepared for what possibly could happen next. We wanted to be there and ready to help them,” Spangler said.

Snow Angels, doing what they can for neighbors in need.