WCK's Response to Community Displacement in Haiti (May 2025)

Haiti is central to WCK’s history and mission. Chef José Andrés founded the organization in 2010 following the devastating earthquake in Haiti. In addition to the 2010 and 2021 earthquakes, WCK has responded to social and political unrest in Haiti, which has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, disrupted supply chains, and cut off communities for their food sources.

In 2025, gang violence has gripped Haiti, displacing over 1 million people. In addition to hundreds of lives lost, gang attacks have displaced well over 100,000 people in the Artibonite region of Haiti. Displaced families are sheltering in schools and other buildings with limited access to clean food, water and healthcare. WCK is working with long-time local partner Hospital Albert Schweitzer to establish and support Community Kitchens on the HAS campus in Deschapelles, in camps for displaced families, and in surrounding communities such as Petite Rivère and Verrettes.

We have established 20+ community kitchens to provide 2+ million meals and counting for displaced families and local communities near Liancort, Mirebalais, Verrettes, Lachapple, Desarmes, and Petite Riviere. WCK is also serving more meals to children, as schools have been closed for the summer and children come to community kitchens for meals.

WCK and HAS will be continuing this program through the end of 2025. We will be:
- Adding additional community kitchens;
- Serving over 25,000 meals daily;
- Sourcing ingredients from local farmers, butchers, and distributors to stimulate the local economy; and
- Hiring more community members to support this critical initiative.

Haitian women are running most of the kitchens, drawing on their experience as local food vendors to prepare traditional meals their communities know and love, restoring comfort, dignity, and hope one plate at a time. Vendors like Farmer John’s of Haiti supplies much of the meat and protein served.

WCK is first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. When disaster strikes, WCK’s Relief Team mobilizes to the frontlines with the urgency of now to start cooking and provide meals to people in need. By partnering with organizations on the ground and activating a network of food trucks or emergency kitchens, WCK provides freshly made, nutritious meals to communities impacted by disasters quickly and effectively. We know that good food provides not only nourishment, but also comfort and hope, especially in times of crisis.

WCK has provided more than 500 million fresh, nourishing meals for communities around the world. Your donation today will be used to support our emergency food relief efforts.

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