Today, World Central Kitchen reached the milestone of one million hot meals distributed every day in Gaza, reflecting months of sustained work by WCK teams and Palestinian partners operating under extraordinarily challenging conditions. This accomplishment underscores the scale of humanitarian need in Gaza and the critical role of consistent access, local leadership, and community-driven kitchens in delivering food with dignity during an ongoing crisis. 

This milestone has been made possible by the tireless efforts of staff at six WCK Field Kitchens, three mobile bakeries, a growing network of more than 60 community kitchens, and four local restaurant partners working together to deliver meals every day. By combining multiple, community-led models of food distribution, WCK has been able to reach families across Gaza with consistency and dignity. In addition to over 220 million hot meals, WCK has distributed more than six million gallons of clean water, 73 million loaves of bread, and over 730,000 supply kits to hospitals.

World Central Kitchen founder, José Andrés, says: 

“Today, we reached one million hot meals a day in Gaza. It’s not a statistic. It’s Palestinians feeding Palestinians, cooking with dignity under impossible conditions. It’s communities refusing to give up on one another.

“Reaching this milestone is only possible because local cooks, bakers, drivers, and volunteers show up every single day, even when everything around them is uncertain. From neighborhood kitchens to large field operations, this network exists because people inside Gaza are determined to care for their own. It’s at times like these, in the worst conditions, that we see the very best of humanity.

“One million meals a day means families can breathe, children can focus on being children, and communities can find a small measure of stability amid chaos. Food alone cannot end this crisis, but without food there is no health, no hope, no reconstruction, no path forward.

“Today we honor this achievement—and tomorrow, we keep cooking. Because feeding people is the most basic act of humanity, and Gaza still needs the world to show up.”

World Central Kitchen (WCK) has been responding to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza since November 2023, delivering lifesaving food assistance to families affected by the war and widespread displacement. Through six field kitchens, more than 60 community kitchens and numerous partnerships, WCK provides hot meals, food kits, fresh fruits, formula milk, gluten free products, bread, and potable water across Gaza. To date, WCK has served over 272 million meals, standing alongside communities with dignity, care, and solidarity during one of the most challenging periods they have faced. 

For more information or media enquiries, please contact:  

Roberta Alves, Director of Media Relations at ralves@worldcentralkitchen.org or +1 202.400.7483

Our full media team is reachable at press@wck.org