#ChefsForAmerica Update: Week Two
As the nation begins to reckon with the magnitude of COVID-19 and its mounting effect on the lives of so many, WCK is continuing to grow and develop our #ChefsForAmerica response across the country. Our founder José Andrés laid out his America Eats Now plan in a New York Times op-ed this week, proposing a solution for feeding the most vulnerable in the nation – the elderly, schoolchildren, and marginalized communities – through restaurants. This approach has the ability to prop up the entire food industry and its workers. It’s mutually supportive, and a plan we are working to implement day by day as we adapt to our new realities. Here is a rundown of what we’ve done so far.
New York City
Our initial effort to provide those in need in The Bronx with free grab-and-go meals, launched with the support of Robert Smith and Vista Equity Partners, has grown and expanded around the city in Harlem and Queens. In Harlem, we’re working with Chef Marcus Samuelsson and his beautiful restaurant Red Rooster, as well as Reverend Al Sharpton, to provide the individually-packaged meals for families in need. We’ve also just launched operations in Newark, New Jersey with more locations to come.
Los Angeles
In partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District and the LA Red Cross, we are handing out 20,000 meals each day to children and their families as schools remain closed. We are now serving meals at 60 different schools across the region from Long Beach to the San Fernando Valley, and we’ll continue ramping up our efforts in Los Angeles thanks to generous donations from Katie McGrath & JJ Abrams Family Foundation and Phil and Monica Rosenthal, Rosenthal Family Foundation.
Washington, DC
This week, our local team in DC has been cooking up thousands of meals a day for senior centers, schools and other vulnerable communities throughout the city. Some meals on the menu included a creamy tomato pasta with spring vegetables, basil & parmesan and a cilantro rice bowl with spiced chickpeas and spinach topped with citrus vinaigrette and crispy tortillas!
Little Rock
In Little Rock, Arkansas, we are working with the Clinton Library to prepare fresh, hot meals for surrounding communities. Using a fleet of food trucks, we are able to deliver thousands of meals to those who need them most each day. And as with all of our efforts right now, we are practicing social distancing!
Oakland
In Oakland, we are feeding a group of incredible health workers in the city, partnering with local restaurants Nyum Bai, Reem’s California, and Los Cilantros – whose three chefs Nite Yun, Reem Assil, and Dilsa Lugo came through the La Cocina restaurant incubator program.
Around the Country, Around the World
We have also started feeding efforts in New Orleans; St. John (USVI); Fairfax, Virginia; Boston; and Madrid, Spain — this is a worldwide effort. We will continue to grow and expand our work in this incredibly challenging and complex time. Together, we will get through this, and we can have an even stronger impact with the support of our community. To donate to our efforts, click here.
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