“When you talk about food and water, people don’t want a solution one week from now, one month from now. The solution has to be now.”
These are the words of José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, the organisation that has made the transfer of humanitarian aid from Cyprus to Gaza possible.
In 2010, José Andrés, a chef, headed to Haiti following a devastating earthquake, to use his culinary skills to help the disaster-stricken people there.
“It wasn’t just about feeding people in need—it was about listening, learning, and cooking side by side with the people impacted by the crisis. This is the real meaning of comfort food, and it’s the core value that José, along with his wife Patricia, used at the centre of founding World Central Kitchen,” the organisation’s website states.
WCK operates as a non-profit that provides fresh meals to disaster and conflict-affected areas. According to its website, by applying its rapid action model and leveraging local resources, it has served over 350 million nutritious meals worldwide.
In the event of a natural disaster or war, the WCK Relief Team is mobilised to begin cooking and serving meals to those in need. By collaborating with local groups and activating a network of restaurants, food trucks, or emergency kitchens, WCK serves comforting meals to disaster survivors.
Also, to support regional economies, WCK prioritises buying local ingredients to cook or distribute directly to families in need.
“Food is essential to life every single day, all over the world—and it is more important than ever in a crisis. Not only is a thoughtful, freshly prepared meal one less thing someone has to worry about in the wake of a disaster, it is a reminder that you are not alone, someone is thinking about you, and someone cares. Food has the power to be the nourishment and hope we need to pick ourselves back up in the darkest times,” WCK states.
WCK-provided aid has set sail for Gaza on the @openarms_fund boat. We dispatched almost 200 tons of food—rice, flour, legumes, canned veggies & proteins. Alongside the @UAEAid & @CyprusMFA, our Relief Team is working to send as many aid boats as possible.#ChefsForThePeople pic.twitter.com/oypXF8WbDH
— World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) March 12, 2024
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