It has been eight long weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine. The outcome of this conflict is not clear. The Ukrainians are doing their best to defend their country with the armaments supplied to them. The Russian forces are relentless, yet not achieving their goals. During all of this time World Central Kitchen has been feeding the displaced citizens of this beleaguered nation.
A week ago, on a Saturday and around noon Ukraine time, a Russian missile hit a section of Kharkiv where the World Central Kitchen had set up one of its operations. This relief kitchen was severely damaged as was the immediate neighborhood. Sadly seven civilians reportedly died in this attack. None of the WCK staff were killed but four are still recovering from burns in the hospital. With grim determination the organization is picking up and moving to a nearby location to continue their work under the most difficult of circumstances.
World Kitchen responds to the great need.
World Central Kitchen is a not-for-profit non-governmental organization formed originally to provide meals in the wake of natural disasters. Founded in 2010 by celebrity chef José Andrés, their meals were first prepared for the survivors of an earthquake in Haiti. Since then they have responded to emergencies in Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Zambia, Peru, Cuba, Uganda, the Bahamas, Cambodia, and the United States. Funded by government grants and individual contributions, this organization is clearly one of the humanitarian wonders of the world.
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  #04 SUN CAN 7/13/1969 José Andrés |
José Andrés was born on a Sunday in the zodiac sign of Cancer. The Sun rules his INNER Self and the Moon governs his OUTER Self. Those with the #04 SUN CAN Signature possess an air of confidence and often find themselves in responsible positions. It might be one’s offspring or pampered pets that engages their attention, or it could be an operation of some size.
This Dayology analysis is probably the most perfect of all of the delineations that we have ever attempted. This week’s subject reflects his planetary rulers in the clearest fashion. The Sun is meant to be “someone” in the sense of contributing to or managing something important. Those with this signature who push people around do not understand their inherent power to bestow. And the Moon inclinations in their fullest capacity are to comfort and nourish other beings.
The personal nature of José Andrés is composed of qualities of all the above. The Spanish-born chef arrived in the U.S.A. at the age of 21 and shortly was hired to lead the kitchen at Jaleo, a new tapas establishment in Washington, D.C. His first cookbook, Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America, was published in 2005 and he starred in his own television show Vamos a Cocinar, in Spain. Soon he was opening restaurants in Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Puerto Rico.
He is also a chef with convictions. Scheduled in 2016 to open a restaurant in the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, Andrés nixed the deal after Donald Trump made disparaging remarks about undocumented Mexicans. His suggestion that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) be used during the COVID-19 pandemic was criticized by right- wing legislators. This policy was adopted by President Biden’s COVID-19 response plan.
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Andrés is also one of the first two recipients of the $100 million Courage and Civility Award. originated by Jeff Bezos. He is using this money in Ukraine, which is his biggest operation to date. Right now WCK works in more than 90 Ukrainian cities and towns, as well as in Poland, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Spain. This organization delivers 300,000 meals a day and has transported 6.1 million pounds of food to support the Ukrainian effort.
“And when you deliver food to people who haven’t had real food in more than 30 days, you see the sorrow and the happiness — the horror of what they experienced and the happiness of liberation — not a real happiness, but a contained happiness. It’s difficult to explain but you see it in their eyes.”
“Is it scary? Of course. It’s a war,”
“You can be hit by a bomb or missile at any time.
But people need our help.”
