WCK reaching hardest-hit communities in Ukraine
World Central Kitchen has provided more than 235 million meals in Ukraine and seven other countries where refugees fled in search of safety since Russia’s full scale invasion of the country began 16 months ago. In that time, our teams have worked closely with the communities we serve to ensure the pressing needs of families enduring the horrors of this war are met.
With more aid organizations now present in large population centers, WCK teams are able to focus on supporting the most isolated, at risk, and hardest-hit regions of the country. As the conflict enters a new phase, we are prioritizing efforts aimed at supporting communities caught between the fighting to provide nourishing meals to the people who need them most—as soon and safely as possible.
WCK first served meals in Poland—where most refugees fleeing Ukraine went—just hours after Russia’s initial attacks in late February 2022. Within days, we served our first meals inside Ukraine, quickly scaling operations with the support of restaurant partners and volunteers to establish one of the largest emergency food responses in the country.
In the early months, millions of people fled their homes. Families that didn’t leave the country altogether found refuge in western Ukraine as it immediately became safer than the country’s east. Our teams supported displaced Ukrainians by providing meals to people temporarily living in shelters or lacking the ability to cook for themselves.
It became clear to WCK teams throughout the country that food needs were shifting as the conflict progressed. So, months later, as the first full winter of the conflict approached, we directed our efforts toward communities preparing to endure the coldest months of the year without access to electricity, heat, and other basic necessities because of Russia’s relentless attacks on energy and water systems.
WCK also established meal distribution centers so families fleeing the conflict could warm up while eating a comforting plate of food. At the same time, we continued providing nourishing meals to frontline and recently liberated regions, to communities that lacked basic infrastructure.
Now, as other organizations have established operations to address mid- to long-term food needs in communities further from the fighting, our teams can prioritize serving civilians impacted by indiscriminate missile and rocket strikes, as well as dealing with prolonged blackouts. We are also moving quickly to support families in newly-liberated areas. WCK teams continue showing up for especially vulnerable populations in southern and eastern Ukraine suffering from acute lack of food—seniors, persons with disabilities, and recently evacuated families.
We are able to reach the hardest-hit towns and villages thanks to the bravery and local expertise of WCK’s Emergency Response Team—our core group of Food Fighters working daily to provide immediate support—following Russian attacks and other emergencies, like flooding caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam.
WCK acts with the urgency of now. We were among the first organizations to step up and support Ukrainians impacted by the invasion and our operations scaled quickly out of overwhelming need throughout the country. By engaging communities and focusing on locally led efforts, we have continually adapted to ensure we provide the support communities require.
Food needs have shifted in the year and a half since the war began, especially as more organizations are providing aid in major cities. Today, lack of consistent access to food impacts specific regions, most in the east and south along the frontline where fighting rages on. WCK, through our Emergency Response Team, is meeting the most pressing needs of families living through some of the darkest times imaginable.
We need support to continue this critical work—donate here. Learn more about our #ChefsForUkraine response here. For real-time updates, follow WCK on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
