World Central Kitchen facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | WCK |
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| Formation | 2010 |
| Founder | José Andrés |
| Type | Not-for-profit non-governmental organization |
| Purpose | Food security |
| Headquarters | Washington, DC, United States |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a special group that helps people by providing food. It's a non-profit organization, which means it doesn't try to make money. Instead, it focuses on helping people get enough to eat, especially during emergencies.
A famous Spanish-American chef named José Andrés started WCK in 2010. He created it after a big earthquake hit Haiti. Since then, WCK has helped in many other disasters, like Hurricane Harvey, volcano eruptions, and recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. They also help people affected by conflicts, like the ongoing situation in Gaza.
Sadly, some WCK volunteers have been hurt or killed while helping in dangerous areas. This includes a volunteer in Ukraine in 2023 and seven aid workers in Gaza in 2024.
Contents
How World Central Kitchen Helps
WCK works all over the world to give out meals. They have helped in many countries, including Australia, the Bahamas, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Puerto Rico, Ukraine, the United States, Turkey, and Syria.
They also teach people how to cook and prepare food in places like Cambodia, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Zambia, and Peru. This helps communities become stronger and more self-sufficient.
Helping After Natural Disasters
WCK often steps in when natural disasters strike. They set up kitchens and get food to people who need it most.
- Haiti (2010): After the big earthquake, WCK quickly started local kitchens and gave out food. They even helped open a cooking school there a few years later.
- United States (2017): When Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, WCK worked with other groups to provide meals in Houston.
- Puerto Rico (2017): After Hurricane Maria, WCK became a huge help. Chef Andrés and many volunteers organized a big effort to get food to people. They served over two million meals in just one month! They also helped set up special centers to provide clean drinking water.
- California Wildfires (2017, 2018, 2019): WCK helped firefighters and families affected by wildfires, like the Thomas Fire and Camp Fire. They even teamed up with famous chefs to serve Thanksgiving dinner to thousands of people.
- Hawaii (2018): WCK set up a kitchen to help communities affected by a volcano eruption.
- Bahamas (2019): After Hurricane Dorian, WCK opened kitchens to feed people who lost their homes.
- Australia (2020): During the huge bushfires, WCK delivered meals to firefighters and residents in rural areas.
- COVID-19 Pandemic (2020): When the Grand Princess cruise ship was quarantined, WCK fed thousands of passengers. Chef Andrés also turned his own restaurants into soup kitchens to help people affected by the pandemic.
- Turkey and Syria Earthquakes (2023): WCK quickly set up mobile kitchens to help people after the devastating earthquakes.
- Vermont Flood (2023): WCK provided meals to volunteers and residents after a big flood.
- Maui Wildfires (2023): WCK set up kitchens in Maui, providing thousands of meals daily to those who lost everything.
Helping with Food Shortages at Home
WCK also helps people in the United States who are struggling to get food.
- Government Shutdown (2019): When the U.S. government temporarily closed, many federal workers didn't get paid. WCK opened a restaurant in Washington, D.C., to give them free meals.
- COVID-19 Crisis (2020): During the pandemic, WCK worked with restaurants and even used a baseball stadium to prepare and give out free meals to hospital staff and others in need.
Helping in Conflict Zones
WCK bravely helps people in areas affected by war and conflict.
Ukraine (2022–present)
When the conflict started in Ukraine in 2022, Chef Andrés and WCK quickly went to help. They set up kitchens near the borders and even in dangerous areas like Kharkiv to give out meals. By March 2022, they had opened many kitchens to support people fleeing the conflict.
Sadly, some WCK volunteers have been killed in missile strikes while helping people in Ukraine.
Gaza (2023–present)
WCK has been a major helper in the ongoing crisis in Gaza, providing millions of meals. They have sent food by air and by sea.
In March 2024, WCK sent the first boat carrying food to Gaza in nearly 20 years. This was a huge step to get aid to people who desperately needed it. However, on April 2, 2024, WCK had to pause its operations in Gaza after Israeli airstrikes killed seven of their aid workers.
Awards and Recognition
WCK and its founder, José Andrés, have received many important awards for their amazing work:
- James Beard Foundation Award (2018): José Andrés won this award for being a humanitarian.
- Time 100 (2018): Time magazine named José Andrés one of the world's 100 most influential people.
- Princess of Asturias Award (2021): José Andrés received this award for "Concord," recognizing his efforts to bring people together and help.
- Courage and Civility Award (2021): Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, gave José Andrés $100 million for his work with WCK.
- Nobel Peace Prize Nomination (2024): José Andrés and WCK were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by important U.S. politicians, showing how much their work is valued worldwide.
Aid Worker Casualties
Working in conflict zones is very dangerous. Sadly, some brave WCK volunteers have lost their lives while trying to help others.
Ukraine
In 2022 and 2023, several WCK volunteers were killed in missile strikes in Ukraine while working to provide food and support to communities affected by the conflict.
Gaza (2024)
On April 1, 2024, seven WCK employees were killed in Gaza by Israeli airstrikes. These workers included people from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and a Palestinian driver. After this tragic event, WCK announced they would temporarily stop their operations in Gaza.
See also
In Spanish: World Central Kitchen para niños
- We Feed People (a documentary about WCK)
