WCK’s Chef Relief Team in Australia amid Bushfires
In early January, as the massive bushfires in New South Wales, Australia spread into more populated areas, WCK’s Chef Relief Team deployed to assess the situation.
The fires in Australia pose unique challenges for our relief efforts. The affected communities are small and spread very far apart, often a several-hour drive from one another. After initially working alongside local organization OzHarvest to deliver meals, we set up a WCK kitchen at Eastwood’s, our partner restaurant in Bermagui, about 230 miles south of Sydney.
Now, our Relief Team is cooking two meals a day and delivering them to hundreds of firefighters and affected families in Cobargo, Quaama, Narooma, Mogo, and more. Our Relief Team adapts in real time, identifying more communities in need and quickly showing up to serve a hot meal.
When delivering fresh meals to Merrimans Local Aboriginal Land Council in New South Wales, we met Alicia and Nyamba, whose family (along with many others here) was evacuated but has since returned home as power is back on. They’ve been eating canned food since the new year so were excited for a fresh, hot meal. And, the day we met them was Nyamba’s 7th birthday!
On another meal delivery, we met Bruce. He stayed to protect his house from the fires and is now in Cobargo. He is 78 and Gall is 2! Bruce was so appreciative for a fresh meal.He couldn’t believe someone came to check on him — and that we are going to be back with food every day!
Additionally, our Relief Team has been cooking and providing daily meals to the staff of the Mogo Zoo, which houses about 200 exotic animals. The team of the zoo managed to save all their animals from the fires, and they continue to show up to work everyday to care for them.
WCK will continue to cook and serve meals to communities affected by the fires. For real-time updates, please follow us here.
