WCK reaches milestone of 350 million meals served
World Central Kitchen is honored to have now served 350 million meals worldwide. Right now, WCK Relief Teams are on the ground in Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, Japan, Ukraine, Florida, and Alabama supporting families impacted by conflict and natural disasters.
In Gaza, we have served more than 16 million meals to Palestinian families and others in desperate need. As the conflict enters its third month, WCK teams in Cairo and Gaza are expanding our response to reach as many communities as possible. We are scaling up production at our Rafah Kitchen which is currently preparing 11,000 meals and baking more than 13,000 loaves of bread a day. We plan to double production in the coming days as more of our humanitarian aid trucks reach Gaza. Up to 20 WCK aid trucks are reaching our kitchen and partners each day, delivering food, water, and cooking ingredients like our innovative wood stoves. To ensure meals reach people in need as quickly as possible we have established a network of community kitchens across Gaza. Nine of these kitchens are up and running with seven more soon to cook their first meals. Each is equipped to prepare thousands of meals daily.
In Israel, we have been serving approximately 4,000 hot meals a day, and delivering 3,000 food kits and 500 produce boxes a week to families displaced by the violence. Learn more about our efforts in the Middle East here.
In February, we will mark two years since serving our first plates of food to Ukrainian families fleeing for their safety. We approach this date amid Russia’s escalation of attacks on civilians and residential buildings. WCK teams are serving hot meals to Ukrainian families and first responders immediately following airstrikes in frontline cities. We are distributing fresh winter vegetables to complement dry food kits for families without access to food. Our teams are also providing households with seeds for a second year so they can again harvest vegetables and fruits in home gardens.
WCK responded to the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that shook communities on the Noto Peninsula of Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture. WCK’s Field Kitchen in Wajima is up and running with our team and local Chef Toshiya Ikehata preparing fresh meals for displaced families. We are also working alongside Peace Boat Disaster Relief, supporting their efforts in Suzu. Their volunteers are using WCK-provided ingredients and equipment.
WCK’s Relief Team is on the ground in Florida and Alabama supporting families impacted by a series of storms and tornadoes that swept across the eastern US. We are working alongside Chef Corps member Emeril Lagasse’s team as well as Chef Corps member Kelsey Barnard Clark in the region, and our network of local food truck partners to ensure meals reach people in need.
WCK responds to natural disasters, man-made crises, and humanitarian emergencies around the world. We’re a team of food first responders, mobilizing with the urgency of now to get meals to the people who need them most. Deploying our model of quick action, leveraging local resources, and adapting in real-time, we know that a nourishing meal in a time of crisis is so much more than a plate of food—it’s hope, its dignity, and it’s a sign that someone cares.
To learn more about the people behind our work, explore our Stories of Hope map and video here.
Help us keep cooking for families impacted by disaster.
