April, 2019
After Cyclone Idai struck and devastated Africa’s southern coast and rapid snowmelt combined with intense rains led to catastrophic flooding in the American Midwest, the World Central Kitchen team activated both #ChefsForMozambique and #ChefsForNebraska. The team has also been working since late February to feed refugees traveling from Venezuela to Colombia, and alongside dozens of volunteers they have served almost 200,000 meals there so far. WCK’s local team in Guatemala also recently activated after wildfires broke out around the city of Antigua, and delivered bagged meals to firefighters and first responders.
The situation in Mozambique is dire: the cyclone slammed into the country’s coast, flooding many square miles, killing hundreds of people and displacing hundreds of thousands. WCK’s Chef Relief Team quickly activated to understand the extent of the destruction, and within days set up feeding operations. They now have two active kitchens delivering meals to camps and schools, and are serving up to 10,000 meals a day. José has been on the ground with the team; follow along on his Twitter account for updates.
In the midwestern U.S., the #ChefsForNebraska team set up operations in Fremont, Nebraska, after flooding due to snowmelt and rain. Some families and communities were stranded by the rising waters, and it was difficult to get food, water, and supplies to them. The team delivered both bagged lunches and ingredients for meals to the Oglala Lakota Nation in South Dakota, which was affected by the disastrous combination of a bomb cyclone, snow, wind, and rain that cut off some communities for up to 10 days. The team delivered meals and supplies by whatever means necessary – car, truck, horse, or ATV. In total, the WCK team served 10,000 meals in Nebraska and delivered 6,000 meals to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
In Colombia, the need for food has increased as more refugees flee Venezuela. The team there is currently serving 5,000 people a day, and will continue to serve as long as there is a need. The #ChefsForVenezuela team also partnered with the Colombian Health Department to train and certify volunteers and staff in proper food handling procedures, sanitation, and food safety.
Learn more about these missions on WCK’s Instagram and Twitter. To support these and all other World Central Kitchen missions, visit worldcentralkitchen.org and donate.
