By Daniel Poole | Development Manager
WCK’s pandemic response continues to prioritize our free text-to-order program called WCK Direct, which uses technology to enable households experiencing food insecurity to order meals directly from local, participating restaurants. Originally piloted in New York City last summer, WCK has expanded the program to Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland, and Washington, DC. Across the five cities, we have served more than 200,000 meals through WCK Direct.
WCK has collaborated with community-based partners to identify families and individuals in need. Strong partnerships with local organizations and leaders help WCK understand the needs at the community level and ensure our work is locally-led and informed. One community-based partner in Chicago shared with us, “The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated food insecurity in the communities we serve and WCK helped us address the need seamlessly. WCK’s willingness to handle all of the logistics around food allowed us to focus on our mission of providing after-school and summer programming opportunities to teens in Chicago.”
We have partnered with 25+ local restaurants through WCK Direct that we pay to prepare meals, prioritizing independent and minority-owned businesses. Our partnerships put vital resources back into restaurants that have been affected by the pandemic and help them provide support for their neighbors. Located in the Bronx, Accra Restaurant specializes in traditional West African cuisine. Georgina, the owner pictured above, shared: "To those suffering from this pandemic, I want them to know that help is just around the corner. Help is here...We are so lucky to be a part of World Central Kitchen and to be able to give hope to my neighbors. When I got this space, I said to myself, 'Anybody, everybody who walks in and is hungry, please, let me serve them. Nobody will be in need at my table.’”
Thank you for supporting WCK and fueling our work!
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