WCK responds to biggest California earthquake in 20 years
Our Chef Relief Team first arrived in Ridgecrest, California last week after the area was shaken by a 6.4 earthquake. Late Friday evening, while our team was on the ground assessing needs with the Red Cross and local officials, a second — and much larger — earthquake hit. Recorded as a magnitude 7.1, this second earthquake was 11 times stronger than the first, causing extensive damage to Ridgecrest and surrounding towns.
WCK’s Director of Chef Operations, Tim Kilcoyne, went outside and found a home ablaze and electricity out across the city. After making sure his family was safe, Tim and other members of our Relief Team immediately jumped into action, knowing that thousands of affected residents and first responders would need hot meals over the coming days.
Our #ChefsForCalifornia team had a kitchen up and running within hours at Murray Middle School thanks to Ridgecrest officials who opened the doors for us. By lunchtime on Saturday, fresh meals were being delivered to the Red Cross shelter housing evacuees, as well as first responders at the Ridgecrest Emergency Operations Center.
We are also delivering meals door-to-door out into the community with the help of local residents. None of this work would be possible without the incredible volunteers who show up to our kitchen to support their neighbors, along with your donations that keep World Central Kitchen going.
WCK continues to serve families affected by the earthquakes in both Ridgecrest and Trona, a small community 30 minutes east, which experienced the worst of the damage.
