How works World Central Kitchen, which has been feeding Ukrainian migrants since the beginning of the war

On the Polish border, everyone could get them. The organization continues working at the refugee hub and the railway station in Przemysl. After the de-occupation of the northern part of Ukraine, the WCK began their work there. In August, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky hosted a meeting with Jose Andres, the chef and founder of the WCK. He created the initiative to help those affected by the Haiti earthquake.

Socportal asked WCK representatives in Ukraine about how their work is organized and how many Ukrainians they managed to help.

How WCK attracts volunteers

There are several types of work in WCK. This is about 100 team members and contract work, in which people are involved as part of a specific project. About 6 thousand people work in Ukraine - local coordinators, volunteers, cooks, drivers, packers, etc. We make 300,000 portions a day; 12 trains operate across Ukraine and send 20 large trucks and 12 human truck trains daily. Much help; volunteers can work even one day. Therefore, it isn't easy to count the few people involved accurately.

How WCK finds local coordinators

The foundation consists of people whom the American team found on the ground, visiting the cities of our country, regardless of the military situation.

The managers of the World Central Kitchen organization involved those who at that time were already engaged in humanitarian issues and had gained experience in one or another direction over a certain period. Event specialists joined the foundation because on February 25, the jubilee 5th Event Industry Forum was to be held in Lviv, and the main event organizers were in Lviv and were active volunteers (in public organizations, state institutions, or at the Lviv railway station) and they helped to find coordinators on the ground

How is the work

Local coordinators are each responsible for their region (division by regions of Ukraine). On the ground, coordinators find restaurants that will prepare hot meals for the city's needs, displaced persons, hospitals, etc. WCK finances the cost of goods, the work of people, and delivery. The restaurant is paid for each serving made and delivered to the matcher. Such a scheme operates in cities where restaurants can open and fully operate, particularly in Kyiv. In those cities under shelling, for example, Kharkiv, it isn't easy to buy food, so we send them food, but we pay for the work of people, delivery, utility bills, etc.

In addition, WCK funds the packaging and delivery of food packages to meet the needs of people in places where there is no way to prepare hot meals.

We also help with open kitchens and the restoration of equipment for food establishments in the liberated territories. In particular, in Irpen, Bucha, and Gostomel, we supply gas stoves that can be used to cook on the street.

WCK in Ukraine is Ukrainians for Ukrainians, but funding comes from American donors.