Micronesia Climate Change Alliance and World Central Kitchen collaborated to distribute about 1,700 meals to families in need in the wake of Super Typhoon Champi’s passing, with more distributions to take place in the coming days.
The first distribution took place on Monday as the organizations began their quick response to survey the community’s needs. The food distribution was a community effort with the help of restaurant partners Three Squares, Capitol Kitchen, and Majesty Chinese Restaurant, as well as volunteers and organizers.
Distribution teams were also on track to distribute another 1,800 meals on Tuesday.
According to Co-Executive Director of MCCA and Community Outreach Lead for WCK Maria Hernandez, MCCA had been “closely monitoring the storm” to apply for rapid response grants. But when they learned that the storm had shifted south, they began communicating with WCK so they could get food to Guam’s southern villages.
“People that were already struggling, trying to survive on the island and now have lost everything,” said Hernandez.
“And so just being able to provide a meal has been something that they have just expressed so much gratitude for. So that's one way that we're able to support,” she added.
WCK is a global nonprofit that has worked closely with MCCA and other local and regional organizations to get food to people in crises across the Marianas following the devastation of Super Typhoon Sinlaku and Typhoon Bavi. Their team touched down on Guam for the third time this year on Monday and got right to work.
Hernandez explained that the WCK team will be setting up hubs around the island in the areas with the highest need.
Emotional
Art Consultant for MCCA Rachel Davis spoke about her experience being a part of the distribution team.
A particular moment that stuck with her was when their team came across a mother of 13 children who was struggling to figure out what else she had to cook for her family.
“She (the mother) said, 'you guys are a true blessing to our family',” Davis recalled.
“Being able to do this type of work is truly like hard work, really. But just seeing the different villages suffering was really tough to see,” she added.
Davis also expressed how being a part of the recovery efforts is a representation of how people in the community can “band together and be stronger as a whole.”
“It should also inspire others to come out and support our own local community because if not us, then who,” said Davis.
How you can help
Hernandez said that they are still in need of volunteers to assist with food distributions that they could be continuing through to next week.
If you are interested in volunteering, please send a direct message to @micronesiaclimatealliance or @wckitchen on Instagram or email admin@mccalliance.org.
