TX Chick-fil-A restaurants opened on Sunday for first responders, tornado victims

ROCKWALL, TX (WTVM) - Several Texas towns recently ravaged by tornadoes got an unexpected and helpful hand from a popular fast-food chain.

With severe weather that included blizzards, tornadoes and flooding hitting much of Texas, three different tornadoes killed 11 and damaged several homes and buildings, according to CNN, and left many without shelter.

Then rescuers stepped up - and opened the restaurant known for their Sunday closures to shelter and feed folks in devastated areas.

One restaurant in Rockwall, TX was shown serving first responders and tornado survivors.

"This morning Chick-fil-A is breaking their own rule and cooking on a Sunday. For the best reason possible, to help feed those first responders and people in need affected by last night's tornadoes," wrote Jarad Guynes on Dec. 27.

His original post has more than 27,600 shares.

Chick-fil-A spokesperson Amanda Hannah explained the decision to CNBC in an email statement on Monday.

"The locations were not open to the public, but team members from various restaurants in the area did volunteer to prepare and distribute free food to responders and others affected by the tornadoes - serving those in need during this tragic event," Hannah said.

The restaurant has a staunch policy on being closed on Sundays, to allow employees to rest, worship and be with their families.

Chick-fil-A was founded by the late Truett Cathy in Hapeville, GA in 1946. To date, the "inventors of the chicken sandwich" have more than 1,900 restaurants in 42 states and Washington, DC, according to their website.

And this isn't the first time a Chick-fil-A franchise has been in the spotlight for helping a person in need. In January 2015, Mark Meadows, a Chick-fil-A owner in Birmingham, helped a man who entered his store looking to work for food. Meadows also fed commuters stuck on Highway 280 in Alabama in 2014 during a snowstorm.

When reached for additional comment on Tuesday, a Chick-fil-A spokesperson had nothing else to add. The owner of the Chick-fil-A in Rockwall, TX and Guynes have also been reached for comment.

A manager at the Chick-fil-A in Rockwall, TX confirmed that their location was one that opened on Sunday.