More than one million meals have been given to people who have fled the war in Ukraine by a US-based nonprofit founded by a celebrity chef.
In just three weeks, World Central Kitchen has set up shop in five countries and opened a massive kitchen in Poland that can cook 100,000 meals per day.
There was no question when we saw it on the news. "We all hopped on a plane immediately and came here to do what we do best", said the organization's relief operations manager.
According to the United Nations, more than 3 million Ukrainians have fled their country since the war began, with many entering neighboring countries like Romania, Moldova, and Hungary. Almost two-thirds of all Ukrainian refugees have entered Poland, which has set up a huge portion of its operations.
Many refugees have nothing but their suitcases and clothes on their back, and this situation is horrible.
She said that they always want to be there to support individuals in situations like that.
—World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) March 15, 2022
Hot meals are being served to refugees at all eight border crossings by the group. It took 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884
Locals have volunteered their time to help serve food, as well as being hired to serve as translators, delivery drivers, and site managers, by the company.
Chef Andr is a Spanish-American who has restaurants in several US cities. It acts as a first responders on the front lines of disasters to make sure people are fed.
Offering hot food with a smile, showing people we are thinking of them and that we are here to help is really important to our mission and how we always aim to operate.
—José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) March 11, 2022
In 2010 after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, and in the year after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Ricans, WCK cooked for them. Even if there are some unique challenges, their experience in disaster response made it possible for them to respond quickly to the war in Ukraine.
In a disaster situation, the event happens and then it's over, and usually her group goes in after the devastating event has ended.
This is an ongoing crisis. Things don't stay the same every day.
They opened the WCK Relief Kitchen because they were seeing a lot of refugees crossing the border. Not to mention 12 massive paella pans, which can cook thousands of meals at a time, were installed in just weeks.
They tend to make soups and stew that can feed a crowd, but they have also offered things like apple sauce and hot chocolate for the many children that have fled the war.
—World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) March 11, 2022
He has been cooking for refugees in Poland and chipping in just like everyone else.
The rest of the team does what he does. He helps cooks the food, he goes to distribution sites, he meets the families we serve, and he is the inspiration behind their whole operation.
The work in eastern Europe is just beginning. One of the simpler aspects of the war is the large-scale response that the group anticipates will be running for a long time.
She said that they were here to help nourish people. This is a very complex situation for many reasons, but what we do is relatively simple.
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