José Andrés And WCK Have Orthodox Easter Plans For The People Of Ukraine
April 17 marked one of two Easter Sundays that are celebrated in different parts of the world, including Ukraine. Orthodox Easter, observed by eastern Orthodox Christians, falls on April 24 this year (via NBC News). Though the Russian government reportedly opposed calls for an Easter ceasefire, there is a determination to celebrate the weekend, which is meant to be a joyful one for the religious calendar. In the words of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Bohdan Luka, Easter "stands for the hope that everything will turn out all right after all, even if everything looks hopeless," per Deutsche Welle.
World Central Kitchen (WCK), which has been at the forefront of humanitarian activities since fighting broke out, appears to be determined to make the season a good one for the Ukrainians who have remained in the war-torn country. José Andrés, who has been assisting Ukrainians for several weeks now, took to Twitter to share a preview of WCK's Easter baskets, which contained festive bread and Easter eggs. He also shared the caption, "Easter is Sunday in Ukraine! Today our partners started delivering Easter kits to refugees. It is so important to maintain traditions... giving hope that there are still bright moments after 60 days of war. This is Lviv...but we will have presents all over Ukraine!"
Twitter responded to Andrés' Easter post with thanks and donations
José Andrés' post was applauded by many in the Twitterverse, who reached out to thank the chef and WCK for their efforts to try and bring a sense of joy and normalcy to the religious event. "Thank you for trying to make this holy day a little brighter for the little ones who must be so confused," said one user. Another was wowed by the vibrant colors of the Easter eggs on offer, tweeting, "How did you make those eggs?! They are beautiful. Certainly don't seem like they are from a war zone. And those cakes with the fruits & nuts on top look great too. Thank you for all that you do." The tweet also triggered an impromptu donation drive which saw more than a few social media users propose in support of Andrés and his non-profit organization, via Twitter.
Andrés' WCK and their partners, whose work has been showcased under the hashtag #ChefsForUkraine, have been busy trying to feed as many refugees as they can. In one post, WCK shared images of Ukrainians returning to shattered homes and using outdoor kitchens to feed neighbors. The humanitarian team faced grave peril when a World Central Kitchen location got hit by a Russian airstrike. The team does not believe it has been targeted. Instead, Andrés said, "We are in sooo many places that chances % are just higher....that's all."