By Daniel Poole | Senior Manager, Development Writing and Research
World Central Kitchen (WCK) is first to the frontlines providing meals in response to climate, humanitarian, and community crises. We launched the Climate Disaster Fund in November 2021 as our decade-long commitment to raise and spend $1 billion to support communities impacted by the climate crisis. While there are unknowns for a disaster relief organization—such as when, where, or how many crises will occur—our Climate Disaster Fund gives WCK the resources to activate with the “urgency of now” without having to wait for disaster-specific funding. We are grateful for your support of our climate-related relief work. From November 2023 to February 2024, WCK concluded our response to Hurricane Otis in Mexico and launched relief efforts following three additional climate crises. We closed out 2023 responding to a total of 16 climate crises, serving over five million meals to impacted communities.
Hurricane Otis (October - December 2023): Hurricane Otis hit Acapulco, Mexico last October as a Category 5 storm and caused catastrophic damage and flooding. What started as a tropical depression in the Pacific Ocean rapidly turned into a massive hurricane. When the storm passed, hundreds of thousands of people were left without access to water, fuel, or electricity. Members of WCK’s Relief Team first arrived in Mexico City and organized sandwiches, cases of water, and helicopters to provide immediate relief to impacted communities. WCK airlifted thousands of meals and bottles of water into areas cut off by the storm’s damage. We set up water and meal distribution sites in hard-hit Acapulco, and established a WCK Relief Kitchen to quickly scale our response. Beyond hot meals, we also distributed life sustaining water and other resources such as corn flour to make tortillas, a staple in homes across the region. In total, WCK served more than 5 million meals following Hurricane Otis.
Tornadoes in Tennessee (December 2023): A series of deadly storms and tornadoes tore through Tennessee mid December, displacing and leaving thousands without power. The storms hit central and northern Tennessee, destroying hundreds of homes and killing at least 6 people. One of the tornadoes in Nashville hit with winds reaching 125 miles per hour. Another tornado traveled dozens of miles, causing widespread devastation across two counties. WCK Relief Team members worked with longtime and new food truck and restaurant partners in hard-hit communities. Our teams delivered meals door to door to identify all pockets of need. In total, WCK served more than 20,000 meals.
Tornadoes in Alabama and Florida (January 2024): In early January, severe storms and tornadoes swept across the eastern US, leaving thousands of people without homes and electricity, and damaging roads. WCK arrived in Florida and Alabama, where damage was the most significant, to begin serving meals to the community. With the help of Chef Corps members Emeril and Kelsey, we quickly identified pockets of need and established public distribution sites in both states. We also partnered with 10 local food trucks and restaurants to mobilize and reach more isolated areas that needed our support. In total, we provided more than 14,000 meals to families in need.
Wildfires in Chile (February 2024): In early February, a series of wildfires broke out in the coastal cities of Viña del Mar and Valparaíso in central Chile, becoming the biggest tragedy in the country since a 2010 earthquake. More than 160 blazes destroyed thousands of homes and buildings, and turned entire neighborhoods into ash. WCK’s Relief Team provided meals and water to first responders and thousands of families displaced by the fires, by working together with long-time local partner Fundación Gastronomía Social, mobilizing 20+ restaurants, and establishing two WCK Field Kitchens. Together we provided more than 140,000 meals to impacted communities in the region.
We are so grateful for your support of our climate-related relief efforts!
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