During this rainy month, we are doing something different for our “Dare to Believe” column. Instead of one man and one woman, we are featuring an organization known for rendering aid during and after devastating natural and manmade disasters.
Chef José Andrés and his wife Patricia founded the World Central Kitchen (WCK) respond to natural and manmade disasters all over the world providing freshly prepared meals to first responders and the people impacted by these disasters. They provide a sense of normalcy and community amid the devastation, as families, friends, neighbors, and strangers join volunteers to prepare and share meals – 600 million meals and counting since 2010. WCK volunteers also educate communities about food relief and safe and sustainable cooking practices while respecting their diets and customs.
Major Manmade and Natural Disasters WCK has responded to:
· Haitian Earthquake 2010
· Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
· Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico
· World COVID Crisis
· Ukraine
· Southern California Wildfires
· The Venezuelan Refugee Crisis
· North Carolina U.S.A.
· Democratic Republic of the Congo
· Gaza
· Israel
· Lebanon
· Hawaii, U.S.A.
· Serving Meals to furloughed federal workers in 2025 in Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and New York, U.S.A.
· Serving Meals to T.S.A. and Airport Workers during the current Partial Government Shutdown in the United States – Washington D.C., Austin, New Orleans, and Houston areas
The list goes on and on. It’s impossible to calculate how many lives the WCK has saved, but their mission is ongoing.
To find out more about this wonderful organization, make a donation or find out about opportunities to become a volunteer, go to World Central Kitchen | WCK
You can also help support their mission by purchasing The World Central Kitchen Cookbook by José Andrés from their website, independent bookstores or major retailers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.