WCK's Southern California Wildfire Response (Sept. 2024)

While supporting people impacted by the Line Fire in the mountainous towns of Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear, two other fires in southern California—the Airport and Bridge fires—broke out and demanded immediate attention.

Our teams fanned out and secured local food trucks and restaurant partners to provide meals for evacuees staying at emergency shelters in addition to emergency personnel fighting the blazes. WCK-supported meals were available in areas including Phelan, Lake Elsinore, Lucerne Valley, Wrightwood, and Victorville. When evacuation orders were lifted, WCK strategically positioned teams to provide “welcome home” meals to families returning to their neighborhoods, many of which were still without power.

WCK was also in San Bernardino County in March 2023 when a series of winter storms buried communities under several feet of snow. Inaccessible roads and damage to essential infrastructure forced families to remain in their homes and cut off the region's food supply. We worked closely with many of the same local authorities and previous partners in the county while providing meals for wildfire evacuees.

By the numbers:
* 14,800+ Meals Served
* 3 Wildfires Line, Bridge, and Airport Fires

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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 local restaurants, food trucks, or emergency kitchens, WCK serves comforting meals to survivors of disasters quickly and effectively. We know that good food provides not only nourishment, but also comfort and hope, especially in times of crisis.

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