15,000+ Meals & Growing: WCK Responds to Hurricane Fiona

 

WCK follows the path of Hurricane Fiona with fresh meals for impacted communities After making its way across parts of the Caribbean as a tropical storm, Hurricane Fiona intensified into a Category 1 storm just as it slammed into Puerto Rico's southern coast on Sunday. All of the territory was left without power just two days before the fifth anniversary of the devastating Hurricane María. The storm moved slowly across the island dumping upwards of 30 inches of rain, which caused catastrophic damage including landslides in some regions. WCK's #ChefsForPuertoRico team—whose roots date back to our María response—prepared sandwiches ahead of the storm making landfall, and then as soon as it was safe to do so, we began cooking. Within hours, our team was providing nourishing meals from our Field Kitchen in San Juan. Now also partnering with local restaurants and food trucks, we are serving 10,000 meals a day. Our capacity will continue to grow as we establish additional kitchens in the south of the island. HELP US SERVE MEALS In the city of Higüey, Dominican Republic, WCK brought freshly made sandwiches for families getting on a bus to evacuate to a secure shelter due to the hurricane. We’re serving more meals each day as we scale up to meet the need of people impacted. While heavy rains were still affecting Puerto Rico, Hurricane Fiona made landfall in eastern Dominican Republic on Monday, changing its path and hitting a much larger swath of the island than originally anticipated. Our Relief Team set up operations on the island two days before the storm hit and began supporting communities as early as we could. We are getting a Relief Kitchen operational and have partnered with restaurants to ensure displaced families in the heavily-affected town of Boca de Yuma have access to nourishing meals.  The storm intensified into a Category 3 hurricane by the time it hit the Turks and Caicos Islands on Tuesday, and it’s expected to gain strength before it reaches Bermuda. WCK’s Relief Team is monitoring and getting ready to support any affected islands as needs arise. Critical food for liberated towns around Kharkiv After six long months of Russian occupation, the Ukrainian military liberated a large region near Kharkiv last week. WCK’s Relief Team immediately jumped in to support communities that have been living under occupation, bringing fresh food and meal kits as soon as it was safe to do so.  As Russian troops have withdrawn, the condition residents are living in is dire. Under occupation, food is being withheld from families, so WCK arrives as soon as possible to help fill gaps as food systems recover. Kharkiv and surrounding cities were without power last weekend after a missile strike hit a thermal power plant. Many residents have no running water. In Chuhuiv, dozens of people have been working together to clean up and repair their village hospital after it was hit in a Russian missile strike. Ukrainians throughout the region are readjusting to sleeping above ground after weeks or months of hiding in basements. As WCK brought in food, some people were afraid to speak with our team—they couldn’t believe support had finally arrived after such a dark time. Read more about what WCK is doing to support families in these communities.    Remnants of Typhoon Merbok hit Alaska’s coastal communities The remnants of Typhoon Merbok hit Alaska's western coast over the weekend, bringing heavy winds and causing severe flooding. Some homes were pushed off their foundations and critical infrastructure supplying water and power was damaged. To support families, WCK has been flying water, sandwiches, fresh fruit, and supplies to communities including Golovin, Unalakleet, and Hooper Bay. Thankfully all airstrips are in use, so we've been able to reach people in need of support.  Fresh meals for families in Pakistan following floods What was once vast swaths of fertile land and homes in Pakistan is now submerged in water. The heavier than usual seasonal rains that affected a third of the country are said to have been partially due to climate change—the crisis may have increased the intensity of rainfall by up to 50% according to experts. Establishing a Field Kitchen in the hard-hit northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, WCK’s local Relief Team is cooking thousands of meals for displaced families living in camps and to patients receiving care at clinics. Hot meals alongside fresh fruit are being hand delivered—at times requiring our team to cross through streams to reach people on the other side. We're now working to increase capacity and serve more daily meals. Although floodwaters have begun to recede, Pakistani officials warn the entire process may take three to six months.  Investing for the long-term in Jackson, Mississippi After delivering more than 230,000 gallons of water to Jackson, Mississippi residents, WCK’s Relief Team continues supporting the installation of water tanks at all 59 of the city’s public school sites. The 600-gallon capacity tanks will help schools be ready to provide clean, potable water should another crisis arise. We’re working with the schools and local authorities to ensure the tanks are installed correctly for the long-term, minimizing disruption in the event of another water emergency. Support WCK's work around the world here. For the latest, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. 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