Jose Andres, a Spanish chef and owner of several restaurants in the United States, founded the charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) in 2010 with his wife Patricia. Since then, WCK has become a global force in the fight against hunger, providing food and aid to victims of natural disasters, refugees and those suffering from conflict around the world.
Continuation of the material below the video
WCK began its activities by providing meals to victims of the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. Over time, the organization expanded its activities to provide food and aid to victims of natural disasters and conflicts in Nicaragua, Peru, Cambodia and Cuba.
During Russia’s full-scale assault on Ukraine, WCK provided tens of millions of reinforcements to Ukrainians. The organization gained the support of famous figures, such as actress Jennifer Aniston, who appealed for support for WCK.
Support for Ukrainian refugees in Poland
WCK does not limit itself only to assistance abroad. The organization also helped feed Ukrainian refugees in Poland. In February 2022, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited the Warsaw branch of WCK. In March, President Joe Biden visited the WCK booth at the National Stadium, thanking crew members for their work and calling Andres a friend.
In March this year, WCK organized the first humanitarian transport to the Gaza Strip by sea from Cyprus. A second aid shipment, containing 332 tons of food, was scheduled to arrive there this week.
WCK also does not forget about those in need in the United States, providing food aid during the coronavirus pandemic.
Andres, who owns a minibar restaurant in Washington, D.C., has earned two Michelin stars. In 2015, he received the National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama, and in 2021 he was the recipient of the Courage and Civility Award, presented by Jeff Bezos. This award, worth $100 million, is earmarked for a charity of the winner’s choice.
How did the tragedy happen?
Medical services in the Gaza Strip reported the attack on World Central Kitchen employees. A source in Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, said the dead were four foreigners – from Poland, Australia and Great Britain. The citizenship of the fourth person has not been determined.
An Israeli missile hit the car of World Central Kitchen employees just after it crossed the border of the northern Gaza Strip. The organization’s staff helped deliver aid that had arrived a few hours earlier by ship from Cyprus.
