World Central Kitchen, Inc

Hello! Scott here. On November 3rd, I will be running the New York Marathon with two of my friends, Judy & Stuart, with a mission close to my heart. I am raising funds for World Central Kitchen to support disaster relief efforts in North Carolina following the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene.

This cause is deeply personal to me. My good friend, Anna Szpunar, was in Asheville for a wake when the hurricane struck. She witnessed firsthand the horrific destruction and shared stories and pictures that were truly heartbreaking. Yet, amidst the devastation, the incredible community support shone through, showcasing the resilience and solidarity of the people affected.

World Central Kitchen is on the ground providing meals and support to those in need. The funds raised will be used to:

• Provide hot meals to displaced families and first responders.

• Set up mobile kitchens in the hardest-hit areas to ensure access to nutritious food.

• Support local food businesses to help them recover and continue serving their communities.

• Supply essential resources like clean water, cooking equipment, and ingredients.

Every donation, no matter the size, will contribute to bringing relief and hope to those who need it most. Thank you for your generosity and support. Together, we can help rebuild and strengthen these communities.

Here we go, it’s my birth month!!

For my birthday this year, I'd love for you to Donate to World Central Kitchen, a top-rated charity with a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. Their mission is simple but impactful: providing fresh, nourishing meals in response to disasters, helping communities get back on their feet. Your donation would support their efforts to bring comfort and sustenance to those in need when it matters most. It’s a meaningful way to make a difference and help people rebuild their lives.

In response to the devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Seyfarth is launching a matching gift fundraiser to support World Central Kitchen’s relief efforts. For every dollar donated, Seyfarth and its Charitable Foundation will match it, up to $25,000. Together, we can help provide meals and support to those affected by these disasters. Let’s come together and make a difference.

WCK is a nonprofit organization founded in 2010 by Chef José Andrés. WCK is dedicated to providing fresh meals in response to crises, leveraging local resources and adapting quickly to meet the needs of affected communities. Since its inception, WCK has served over 350 million meals worldwide.

WCK is actively involved in the relief efforts for Hurricanes Helene and Milton. They have deployed their Relief Team and Rapid Response Field Kitchen to the affected areas across the southeastern United States. Here are some key points about their involvement:

Pre-positioning and Rapid Response: WCK prepositioned their teams and resources in Tallahassee, Florida, before Hurricane Helene made landfall, and in Ft. Lauderdale before Hurricane Milton. This allowed them to quickly start providing hot meals to those in need.

On-the-Ground Support: WCK’s teams are on the ground in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, delivering meals and assessing the needs of the most impacted communities.

Field Kitchens and Volunteers: They have set up field kitchens and are working with local chefs and volunteers to prepare and distribute meals. For example, in Steinhatchee, Florida, they served nearly 400 meals of chicken and rice to residents shortly after the storm passed.

Community Engagement: WCK is also engaging with local communities to ensure that the food provided meets cultural preferences and dietary needs.

Their efforts are ongoing, and they continue to adapt to the evolving situation to provide the best possible support to those affected by Hurricane Helene and Milton.

Hello Families,

I hope this letter finds you well and I thank you in advance for your time in reading it in its entirety.

I have been at a complete loss, as I’m sure many people have, when it comes to even beginning to fathom the destruction left behind by Hurricane Helene. This area was prepared to see the remnants of Helene in the form of rain and wind but was in no way prepared to brace for the severe weather that decimated entire towns. When I view the videos and photos of the destroyed landscape, the distraught families and the helpless animals, my heart absolutely breaks. Having traveled recently to Smoky Mountain National Park and fallen in love with the breathtaking landscapes along the way, it is absolutely devastating to view the damage depicted in media posted by citizens, first responders and news reporters. There are mountain roads and highways completely washed out by rain and raging flood waters from dams that faulted under the pressure, neighborhoods and communities entirely leveled by mudslides and numerous small mountain communities completely cut off and stranded from the rest of the surrounding areas. These communities are comprised of some of the most helpful, welcoming, and kind hearted people I have ever met while traveling to new areas and the pain they are going through, both as a community and as individuals, is incomprehensible. I cannot help but think how helpless, vulnerable and just exhausted these people are yet they are not dwelling on the negative. Instead, they are helping their neighbors with whatever means they can and they are coming together as a community, giving each other the support and strength to rise above the destruction. They can only do so much, though, with the limited tools and resources that they have left, especially in the most remote areas.

Words cannot express how grateful I am that we live in a country where there are companies and groups of individuals available to those affected by natural disasters like this most recent hurricane. There are countless well-known organizations like Red Cross and FEMA, along with others, that are assisting these communities with basic necessities, reunification with family members and caring for the sick and injured. I personally know an emergency medicine doctor who is part of one of the local teams that was deployed to Western North Carolina, just outside of Asheville. His family is SPV alumni and I am lucky to still be close with the family even though their children are now in elementary school. His team of doctors and medical professionals takes turns being “on call” and are then sent to the affected areas for up to two weeks at a time to relieve the hospital and medical staff members in the hardest hit communities. As they finish their deployment, another team is preparing to replace them at their makeshift medical center. While I am beyond proud to say that I know someone so selfless who has a personal effort with boots on the ground in the epicenter of the disaster relief, I realize that this is not a task attainable by most. When I asked the family how we could help from home, they mentioned a specific organization that was even there assisting residents before he and his medical team could get there. This company is called World Central Kitchen.

World Central Kitchen (WCK) has been delivering food, water and resources to those affected in the hardest hit areas of natural disasters around the world. They work tirelessly to provide individuals with basic human needs and are able to do so based on the generosity of others. At the end of the day, whether you are hospital staff, a local citizen who lost their home or first responders getting the stranded to safety, everyone needs food and water. This organization is making a world of difference closer to home in a location where individuals have close to nothing left. I would like to help them in this endeavor by raising funds to assist in their aid efforts in NC and surrounding states impacted by the latest storms as I am not able to be there in person and help directly. Unfortunately, with another storm on the way, there is an even greater need for these donations.

It is my hope that by reaching out to families on a a school level, we can work as a team to raise as many funds as possible to help these families and communities in need as well as the first responders coming to their rescue. It is not lost on me that money is tight in this economy and that not everyone has a lot to give but even if we were all able to donate even five dollars, imagine the difference it would make for those in need. I realize that while we may all still want for something, we are beyond fortunate to have the basic necessities and needs such as our infrastructure, families, shelter and food. This would also be a great learning opportunity for children as we can have the discussion about wants versus needs as well as helping those in need. Below is a link to the GoFundMe that I have set up with World Central Kitchen as the beneficiary. I will gladly provide any information needed to families that would like more information on this organization.

Thank you in advance for reading all of this information and for your consideration.

Amanda

World Central Kitchen provides fresh, chef-prepared meals to families after hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and more.

Join me in helping them provide nourishing plates of food during someone’s greatest time of need. I know someone in North Carolina who was directly affected by Helene, and many of you may also know friends or family who have been affected.

WCK teams are in Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Mexico, Gaza, Lebanon, Israel, and Ukraine right now. They help people anywhere in the world following disasters—natural or man-made. When disaster strikes, WCK’s Relief Team mobilizes with the urgency of now to start cooking and serving meals to people in need. By partnering with organizations on the ground and activating a network of local restaurants, food trucks, and emergency kitchens, WCK serves comforting meals to survivors of disasters quickly and effectively. To support regional economies, WCK prioritizes purchasing local ingredients to cook with or distribute directly to families in need. You can learn more about them by watching the movie "We Feed People" on Disney+. Their motto is, “Wherever there’s a fight so hungry people may eat, we will be there – we must be there.”

Any funds raised here will be directly sent to WCK, only they will have access to the funds. Any donations are also tax deductible.

ECS Cares has launched a drive to support those whose lives have been devastated by Hurricane Helene. If you’d like to pitch in, your donation will help provide essential aid and meals during this difficult time. To ensure that our contributions make a meaningful difference, we've chosen to give through the World Central Kitchen.

We aim to raise $5,000 in employee donations, which ECS will match. No donation is too small! Every dollar counts and, together, we can help rebuild lives and restore hope.

Let’s meet the challenge, make a difference, and come together as a community to show our support for those affected by Hurricane Helene.

I live in Grand Junction,Colorado. This community is very friendly, compassionate and generous. I wanted to raise money for hurricane folks who have lost their homes and community. Our generosity is infinite. Please support the World Central Kitchen Charity to support not only our hurricane affected citizens all over the world who rely on our support.

Want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money to benefit World Central Kitchen, Inc, and any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me.

More information about World Central Kitchen, Inc: Founded in 2010 by Chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a nonprofit organization that is first to the frontlines providing fresh meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Applying our model of quick action, leveraging local resources, and adapting in real time, WCK has served hundreds of millions of nourishing meals around the world.

We know that good food provides not only nourishment, but also comfort and hope, especially in times of crisis. Learn more at wck.org.

As friends of Chris' older brothers, we got to watch Chris grow from a little kid who was always quick with a joke, had a trademark hardy laugh, seemed to know and love just about everyone, and above all was a kind soul. He then grew up to be the exact same hilarious and loud laughing person that everyone loved but was just slightly older.

A quick look at the messages of condolence on Instagram and you see the same phrases and words over and over, "kind to everyone", "put a smile on everyone's face", and "lit up the room the second he walked in."

Simply, Chris lived. Every day. And he helped all of us live a funnier and more love-filled life.

One of Chris' passions was the culinary arts. The man could cook. Whether rocking basketball shorts and working the grill at a cookout, or in his chef's coat and delighting a restaurant full of paying customers, Chris could bring people together over a delicious meal.

To honor Chris' memory, we are raising funds to support a cause we know he would have loved dearly. World Central Kitchen provides hot, fresh meals to people in crisis. Funds donated in his name will go directly to this wonderful organization, and ensure that Chris' legacy of bettering people's lives through a good meal continues.

Chris, we love you, we will miss you, but we will never forget you, and never let you be forgotten.

-Mike P, Scott, Bobby, Mike T, Andrew, Jesse, Hartman, Walls

Hi all - I'm running 100 miles (I mean, in one go) the week of July 22nd to benefit World Central Kitchen, Inc. Basically I'm running from my house in Chevy Chase, MD to nearabout West Virginia, and back. Please ... come join me for part or all ... and please, please, please help by supporting WCK. Any donation will help make an impact, and thanks in advance for your contribution to this important organization that helps a lot of people.

More information about World Central Kitchen, Inc:

Founded in 2010 by Chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a nonprofit organization that is first to the frontlines providing fresh meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Applying our model of quick action, leveraging local resources, and adapting in real time, WCK has served hundreds of millions of nourishing meals around the world. WCK knows that good food provides not only nourishment, but also comfort and hope, especially in times of crisis. Learn more at wck.org.

World Central Kitchen (WCK) mourns the tragic loss of Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, Lalzawmi (Zomi) Frankcom, Damian Soból, Jacob Flickinger, John Chapman, James (Jim) Henderson, and James Kirby, who dedicated their lives to serving others. These selfless individuals exemplified the true spirit of compassion and courage, and risked their lives daily to provide assistance and relief to those in dire need.

On April 1, the team was hit by an IDF strike on their way back from a food delivery mission. These heroes paid the ultimate price for their service to humanity, leaving behind grieving families who must cope with the loss of their loved ones while struggling with financial burdens. This collective effort is in addition to WCK’s contributions to the families and aims to alleviate some of the financial hardships their families may face as they navigate life without their beloved family members. Funds raised from this campaign will be distributed equally among them.

Your contribution, no matter how small, will make a meaningful impact. By coming together as a community, we help ease their burden during this time of profound grief.

Thank you for your generosity and compassion.

Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25, Palestine, WCK Relief Team

Lalzawmi (Zomi) Frankcom, 43, Australia: WCK Relief Team Lead

Damian Sobol, 35, Poland: WCK Relief Team

Jacob Flickinger, 33, US; Canada, Relief Team

John Chapman, 57, UK, WCK Security Team

James Kirby, 47, UK, WCK Security Team

James (Jim) Henderson, 33, UK, WCK Security Team