Homeowners in several Burke neighborhoods have a lot of work ahead of them after trees, branches and downed power lines slammed into homes, cars and fences during a severe thunderstorm on Monday (June 22).
But as residents waited for the power to come back on the next day, the disaster relief nonprofit founded by celebrity chef José Andrés made sure that there was at least one thing they wouldn’t have to worry about: dinner.
Working with partners at Taco Bamba’s Fairfax location, World Central Kitchen distributed 130 meals in about two hours to people affected by the microburst. With peak winds at 90 mph, the thunderstorm created a downburst that uprooted trees, tore off the roofs of townhomes and a local business park building, and took out power lines, according to the National Weather Service.
“We were able to just fill in the gaps to give folks some comfort,” said Naomie Germain, a distribution manager for World Central Kitchen, who helped give out the meals in the Chatham neighborhood yesterday (Tuesday).
Given that the nonprofit has staff in D.C., dispatching them to Burke was an easy call, Germain said.
World Central Kitchen has an established partnership with Taco Bamba — a fast-casual taqueria started in Falls Church by local chef Victor Albisu — so the two organizations were able to work out logistics of the food distribution by noon. The restaurant had meals ready to go for residents by 1:30 p.m.
“When we have those connections, we’re able to be boots on the ground, with food in hand.” Germain said.
Staff handed out plates with two tacos — a choice of chicken tinga, birria, carnitas, or veggie — paired with sides of rice, beans, and salsa to residents. One family told them about a tree that fell on their car; another woman showed them the damage resulting from a massive tree that fell on her home.
World Central Kitchen operates under the philosophy that “good food provides not only nourishment, but also comfort and hope, especially in times of crisis.” It is perhaps best known for its relief efforts in the wake of disasters such as Hurricane Maria, and on behalf of people suffering from hunger due to war in places such as Ukraine and Gaza.
While some people were surprised to see them, most community members were still grappling with a certain amount of shock yesterday, Germain said.
“I think the whole neighborhood is trying to figure out, how did this happen?” she said.
