NEEDHAM, Mass., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
the Tripadvisor Foundation has revealed an initial
$1 Million grant to support Afghan
refugees. The funding will go towards World Central Kitchen's
mobilization to provide fresh meals supplied by local restaurants
for thousands of Afghan families arriving at Dulles International Airport in Virginia, U.S, air bases in Spain, and other potential locations as the
situation evolves. This effort has already provided over 60,000
meals to people fleeing Afghanistan.
"The humanitarian crisis that the people of Afghanistan have been and are confronting is
heartbreaking" says Stephen Kaufer,
Chairman of the Tripadvisor Foundation and CEO of Tripadvisor.
"These resilient individuals and families evacuating Afghanistan are experiencing a long, harrowing
journey - some traveling up to 48 hours without food. We want those
in need, facing one of the toughest challenges of their lives, to
feel safe, cared for and welcomed upon arrival. We believe in the
power of food to comfort and unite us, which is why we're proud to
partner once again with World Central Kitchen to provide warm meals
for those who have been forced to flee their homes."
Since 2015, the Tripadvisor Foundation and
Tripadvisor® have been committed to helping address the
displacement crisis. Over the past six years, the Tripadvisor
Foundation has donated over $7
Million to leading humanitarian aid and resettlement
organizations globally, helped welcome refugees in communities
across the U.S., engaged their employees and business partners in
addressing the crisis, and more.
World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a nonprofit organization
that uses the power of food to nourish communities and strengthen
economies in times of crisis and beyond. They provide nutritious
meals to communities during natural disasters and other crises, and
invest in local food systems through long-term resilience programs.
While the situation in Afghanistan
is continuing to unfold, WCK is actively responding to immediate
needs by feeding evacuated individuals and families that have been
forced to flee the country. The organization is teaming up with
government agencies and airline companies who are flying thousands
of refugees to processing centers to provide fresh, halal meals
supplied by local restaurants.
"World Central Kitchen is a team of food first responders,
mobilizing with the urgency of now to get meals to those who need
them most. We activated to support the best way we know how: with
fresh, hot meals for the thousands of people fleeing Afghanistan as they arrived in cities around
the world," said Nate Mook, CEO of
World Central Kitchen. "In just the first week serving at
Dulles airport, we provided over
20,000 meals from nine different local restaurants, which prepared
halal meals with flavors from home. More than ever, we know this
meal is so much more than a plate of food, it's a sign that someone
cares. We're grateful for the Tripadvisor Foundation's support and
belief in our mission, which enables us to carry out this critical
work."
The Tripadvisor Foundation's contribution is a continuation of a
partnership that began in 2020, following a $1.5 Million pledge in response to COVID-19. This
included funding for World Central Kitchen's Restaurant for the
People initiative, which helped keep restaurants afloat throughout
the pandemic, along with other organizations assisting front-line
hospitality and restaurant workers.
"We admire World Central Kitchen's approach since they not only
feed people in times of crisis - but also support local restaurants
in impacted communities," says Tali Golan, Director of Social
Impact at Tripadvisor.
As the crisis in Afghanistan –
and others around the world – unfolds, Tripadvisor will continue to
collaborate with its nonprofit partners to support refugees and
communities impacted by crises.
About Tripadvisor Foundation
The Tripadvisor
Foundation works to address some of the most pressing humanitarian
challenges facing global communities. Since 2010, the Foundation
has donated more than $35 million to
nonprofit organizations that strengthen human lives and that are
supported by Tripadvisor employees around the world.
About Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor, the world's largest
travel guidance platform*, helps hundreds of millions of people
each month** become better travelers, from planning to booking to
taking a trip. Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site
and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat
based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more
than 934 million reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million
businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on
accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious
restaurants and discover great places nearby. As a travel guidance
company available in 43 markets and 22 languages, Tripadvisor makes
planning easy no matter the trip type. The subsidiaries of
Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP), own and operate a portfolio of
travel media brands and businesses, operating under various
websites and apps, including the following websites:
www.bokun.io, www.cruisecritic.com, www.flipkey.com,
www.thefork.com, www.helloreco.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk,
www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com,
www.seatguru.com, www.singleplatform.com,
www.vacationhomerentals.com, and www.viator.com.
* Source: SimilarWeb, unique users de-duplicated monthly,
June 2021
** Source: Tripadvisor internal log files
TRIP-G
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SOURCE Tripadvisor