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Prince Harry and Meghan announce partnership with food charity
By Rich McKay
Atlanta: Prince Harry and Meghan have embarked on a partnership with the World Central Kitchen and its celebrity chef to feed the hungry in disaster-stricken areas around the world.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's non-profit group, the Archewell Foundation, is teaming up with celebrity chef Jose Andres to build a series of Community Relief Centres.
The centres will be permanent structures that can be opened quickly as service kitchens during emergencies such as natural disasters, and also serve as food distribution hubs, schools and medical clinics.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have announced the first project of their charity Archewell.Credit: Time/AP
"The health of our communities depends on our ability to connect with our shared humanity," the royal couple said in a statement to the press on Sunday, US time. "When we think about Chef Andres and his incredible team at World Central Kitchen, we're reminded that even during a year of unimaginable hardship, there are so many amazing people willing and working tirelessly to support each other."
The first of four centres is slated to open in 2021 on the Caribbean Island of Dominica, which was hit by both Hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017. The second will be built in Puerto Rico, which was also hard hit by the storms.
World Central Kitchen volunteers, left, distribute food in Cucuta, Colombia.Credit: Bloomberg
They would not comment on the amount of money they're contributing to the effort. The cost of each centre will vary depending on the location, but Nate Mook, CEO of World Central Kitchen, estimated that each set-up would require an initial investment of at least $US50,000 ($65,000) to get up and running.
World Central Kitchen has distributed 50 million meals in 17 countries since it started in 2010. In 2018, Andrés was nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize.
The royals' charity will seek support from other groups to build more such centres around the world.
The Sussexes stepped down from their roles as senior working members of the royal family at the end of March and moved to California where have largely eschewed the public spotlight.
Reuters, Bloomberg