WCK delivers thousands of gallons of water and fresh food to hard hit Southeastern US
Five full WCK tanker trucks of drinking water are on the way to families in Asheville, North Carolina, providing much needed relief after Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic impact on the Appalachian community.
The 6,200-gallon tankers of water have just left World Central Kitchen’s operational hub in Asheville—Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ, owned and operated by Chef Jamie McDonald, a longtime chef partner of WCK who has cooked with us around the world following crises including in Poland, Morocco, and Türkiye.
The trucks are capable of making multiple trips to Asheville in a 24-hour period, providing up to 100,000 gallons a day. That’s more than one gallon of water per-day for each person living in the area. This water is a lifeline to Asheville and surrounding communities, which have been facing an acute water shortage for days, due to infrastructure damage.
WCK is currently operating in four states: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Fueled as always by our Chef Corps members, restaurant and food truck partners, and volunteers, WCK is working shoulder-to-shoulder with local communities to blanket the devastated region with much needed food and water aid.
Food trucks are ideal in emergency feeding moments because WCK can send them directly to where the need is the greatest. We are currently partnered with 35 food trucks offering free meals: 24 in Florida, 8 in Georgia, and 3 in Tennessee.
So far, 16 restaurant partners across North Carolina and Tennessee have joined the effort, already providing tens of thousands of hot meals and sandwiches to families in need. Chef Corps members Katie Button and Meherwan Irani were the first to get cooking in Asheville, preparing meals that come with hope for their neighbors.
To reach those stranded when roads and bridges were destroyed by Helene, WCK is using two helicopters to deliver food that is then carried by truck, ATV, or by foot to final destinations. These “last-mile” deliveries ensure we reach everyone who needs nourishment.
We plan to increase hot meal distribution shortly as additional partner kitchens join the effort. Scouting operations by air and land will also remain a priority as we work to fully assess the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Helene.
Check our social media channels for the latest information on where to pick up meals in your community or how to get involved as a volunteer.
Help us continue providing meals to families in need.
