June 20 is World Refugee Day—a time to raise awareness and come together to support families who have been forced to flee home. Extreme poverty, violence, and lack of access to basic necessities like food and medicine have displaced more than 80 million people around the world, including many children.
Since late 2018, WCK has supported refugees arriving at the US-Mexico border in need of a hot plate of food. A few months later, our team set up a kitchen in Cúcuta, Colombia to support thousands of Venezuelans leaving home—often walking for days or weeks at a time—on the journey to a new life. Our team is now also in and around Caracas, Venezuela, serving daily meals to children living in incredibly difficult circumstances.
In honor of World Refugee Day, WCK is asking our community of supporters to sign up for a monthly donation—no matter how large or small—to help us continue supporting these families through some of the hardest days of their lives.
“Build longer tables, not higher walls.”
— Chef José Andrés
Become a monthly donor and you'll be entered for a chance to win two front row tickets to see Marc Anthony on his upcoming U.S. tour! Bring a guest to enjoy the concert of your choice* and remember the show by taking home a personalized guitar - signed by Marc Anthony!
About WCK’s work with refugee families
At the US-Mexico Border
In November 2018, as families seeking asylum at the US-Mexico border saw wait times of up to two months for an interview, WCK established a kitchen in Tijuana. After serving tens of thousands of meals to people stuck in local shelters, we made a long-term commitment to provide daily meals for these families facing an uncertain future—our team has been cooking ever since. WCK has also provided meals for families seeking asylum in the U.S. in Matamoros and Ciudad Juárez, and we remain ready to reactivate at a moment’s notice if needed. To date, we have served more than 950,000 meals to families at the border.
In Colombia & Venezuela
In recent years, more than five million Venezuelans have fled home, making it one of the worst refugee crises in the world. People in Venezuela face extreme poverty and lack access to food, medicine, and basic essential services. WCK first activated in the Colombian border city of Cúcuta in February 2019 where families fleeing Venezuela often begin their long journey to a new life—on foot. WCK has continued to provide close to 1,000 meals a day to Venezuelans in need from our kitchen in Cúcuta. In July 2019, our Relief Team expanded efforts to start providing meals in and around Caracas, focusing on children in need of nourishing meals. To date, we have served nearly three million meals to children and other vulnerable communities in Venezuela.
Want to help fundraise for WCK?
You can set up an online fundraiser and rally your community to bring hope to people risking everything for the opportunity of a better life. A toolkit with everything you need to set up a fundraising page is here, along with resources for spreading the word. If you have any questions about fundraising, please contact Xandy McKinley from our team, she will be happy to help.
*Terms and Conditions: Concert date and location to be mutually agreed upon by July 31, 2021, valid for Marc Anthony's Fall 2021 U.S. tour. Tickets are non-transferable and not available for resale; any travel and lodging are the responsibility of the winner. World Central Kitchen is not liable for any occurrences at the event. Shipping and handling for the guitar are the responsibility of World Central Kitchen.