Designed to Give - #PaellaforPeace

Photo credit to World Central Kitchen/WCK.org.

This month sees the release of the documentary film We Feed People, directed by Ron Howard, featuring the work of Chef José Andrés, the founder of World Central Kitchen. (WCK is a non-profit organization Narrative Food has been supporting since Russia invaded Ukraine, with 20% donations on all purchases of our individual pantry items.)

Over the past few years we have watched as World Central Kitchen swooped into disaster zones and, against all odds, found ways to feed people in need. From hungry fire fighters to volcano and hurricane victims to, and now war victims -- feeding hundreds of thousands of meals a day in and around Ukraine -- and even bringing comfort and relief to the community in Uvalde, Texas when tragedy recently struck there.

I have watched as chefs I have interacted with over the years courageously join the WCK ranks, fighting with their cooking pots to bring comfort and food to people striken all over the world. Many years ago, I used to buy Ventura-based Chef Tim Kilcoyne's amazing Scratch Ketchup. Next I heard, he was helping WCK feed the firemen during the Thomas Fire. And now, he is in Ukraine as Director of Chef Operations. We regularly visit Bricia Lopez to source Mole from her restaurant Guelaguetza -- and this weekend I saw she was in Uvalde, volunteering with WCK to bring relief to the stricken families there. So while these conflicts are far away, we have local heros who are taking part in a humanitarian mission that is as simple as: "We Feed People".

Food is community, sustenance, and identity and this positive change movement through food is one of the most inspiring movements growing out of the many disasters that keep unfolding around us. On top of their work during disasters, World Central Kitchen builds resilient food systems with locally led solutions. Through locally led approaches, their food resilience programs advance human and environmental health, offer access to professional culinary training, create jobs, and improve food security for the people they serve. Please watch the film (on Disney+), please donate, please do what you can to support their brave efforts.  Learn more at wck.org/resilience, 

In the film, you will see Paella being made on a large scale, in many different settings, and indeed, as a Spanish Chef, Paella is one of Chef José Andrés' signature dishes. So, in honor of Chef José Andrés, this month we are celebrating Paella with our June #PaellaforPeace Pantry Discovery Box, which donates $10 per box to World Central Kitchen. Our #PantryforPeace campaign continues donating 20% of sales of all individual pantry items to WCK as well.

Narrative Food has formally committed to donate 2% of revenues or more to charitable partners each year, meeting the criteria for the Designed to Give Impact Business Model within our B Corp Certification. We are also proud members of 1% for the Planet for our environmental donations.  

If you are a company, and your mission includes giving back, our gift boxes are a great way to communicate your brand identity to your stake-holders through the collateral we can customize just for you, and through the small batch foods we curate into your thoughtful, and delicious, company gifts.