September 2025 Donor Spotlights
Support from around the world helps ensure our Relief Team can act with urgency and serve meals to families impacted by disaster when and where they need them.
United Airlines: Good Leads the Way
When crises strike, speed and access are everything. Through in-kind travel and generous cash support, United Airlines helps World Central Kitchen be first to the frontlines and serve meals within 24-48 hours after a crisis. Each year, United uses its vast route network to fly WCK team members around the world. Since 2021, United has donated more than 51 million miles for WCK’s mission.
In 2024, United supported 10 WCK emergency responses, helping us serve over 90 million meals – including:
- Japan: Flying our teams within days of a devastating earthquake, where more than 85,000 meals were served to families and search-and-rescue teams.
- Chile: Mobilizing our team after catastrophic wildfires,serving over 140,000 meals to residents and first responders.
- Southeastern United States: Deploying quickly after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, to distribute over 1.9 million nourishing meals and provide fresh water to impacted communities.
United’s commitment extends far beyond flights and logistics. When MileagePlus members donate miles, they help our team deploy rapidly in the wake of a crisis—and United frequently amplifies that generosity by matching miles and cash donations. And when disasters strike, United’s commitment extends beyond the skies—their employees volunteer alongside our teams on the ground, serving meals with dignity and compassion. They have also celebrated our shared commitment to communities by featuring the WCK documentary We Feed People inflight, sharing our story with travelers worldwide..
By leveraging their vast network and resources, United helps WCK extend our reach and unite people in service and compassion at the moments they are needed most. Their partnership has enabled us to serve millions of comforting meals—helping us respond faster, operate more efficiently, and make a greater impact when it matters most.
Get Involved
Interested in joining our growing community of impact-driven partners? Reach out to Tracy Ganti, Director of Corporation & Foundation Relations, at tganti@wck.org to learn how your organization can partner with WCK to create meaningful campaigns for your community.
A Night of Flavor and Community
On July 24, the National Building Museum came alive for Washingtonian’s Best of Washington, transforming into a vibrant summer festival that brought together more than 60 of the region’s top restaurants, culinary partners, and mixologists. Guests moved from table to table sampling signature dishes, enjoying live music, and taking in the festive atmosphere. The energy was palpable as food lovers, chefs, and community members gathered under one roof to celebrate the very best of DC’s culinary scene.
For World Central Kitchen, the evening was more than a showcase of extraordinary food. It was a powerful reminder of how the culinary community can come together to make a difference. Many of our Chef Corps members and long-time partners joined in, lending their talents to create an event that was as heart-filled as it was flavorful.
We are deeply grateful to Washingtonian for their partnership and for bringing together this incredible community in support of our mission. Thanks to their leadership and the generosity of everyone who attended, a portion of the proceeds from the night is helping WCK provide meals to communities in crisis around the world. We are so thankful to all who helped turn a celebration of flavor into a force for good.
Get Involved
Reach out to Matt Tripsas, Director of Community Fundraising, at Matthew@wck.org to learn how you can bring your community together to support WCK or host a fundraising event.
The Flora L. Thornton Foundation: Present in Times of Crisis
When the January 7, 2025 wildfire tore through Eaton Canyon in Altadena, California, it left unimaginable devastation in its path. Over nine thousand homes and structures were destroyed and nineteen lives were lost. For Jen, a trustee of the Flora L. Thornton Foundation, the fire came dangerously close to home.
“I was one of the lucky ones. My house was spared, but I was unable to return for ten days,” Jen shared. “From my temporary housing five miles away, I drove almost every day for months back to my community, always passing by two WCK sites. One day I stopped to see what was happening. There was clean water, food trucks, volunteers, empathy, and compassion. From the very beginning, WCK was there, present in the community, feeding the community. WCK showed up and stayed.”
That lasting presence left a deep impression. Jen had heard of World Central Kitchen before, but it was experiencing our team’s work firsthand in Altadena, and seeing us remain on the ground for months, that solidified her commitment to supporting our mission.
“I have been fortunate and am grateful,” she says. “Part of giving back to me is staying humble and kind, stepping in when you can, helping when you can, and following through. It is about being part of something bigger than yourself and knowing that even small acts of generosity can ripple outward to make a real difference.”
When asked to describe WCK’s impact in one word, Jen did not hesitate: “Present.”
The Flora L. Thornton Foundation’s generosity helps make it possible for World Central Kitchen to be there for communities when they need it most, showing up quickly, staying for the long haul, and ensuring that no one faces a crisis alone.
