We are sharing Joann Condino’s spoken words from the private screening of “We Feed People” on April 29th, a fundraiser for World Central Kitchen.

Feb 24: Russia invades Ukraine
Feb 25: Chef Andres and WCK are there Feeding People
This poet writes: Sunday February 27

Days are defined by
what tasks are done.
Weekdays – official workdays
Weekends – chore days
There is a rhythm
There is comfort in the pattern.

There is solace in routine:
We schedule meals
when to wash our hair
paint our nails
When to exercise
When to drink tea
When to breathe deeply
When to hope
When to love

Then war comes
No routine
No comfort
No solace

New pattern
Fear, Death
Homelessness, Smoke, Guns
Hunger
Weekdays – Weekends-Every day

This artist
Sees on social media

Flags and sunflowers
Solidarity expressed for our eyes
but no action really

Then – Seamstresses Volunteers
Marching through the tunnel of trees
Take up arms
Arms of linen – thread – wood blocks
Turning towels into money
To date $50,000 sent to WCK

Neighbor to neighbor
friend to friend to friend
from Hawaii to Puerto Rico
From Canada to France
Tea towels become our tanks
Neighbors become an army of
volunteers.

WCK feeds people
We feed money to WCK
We are no longer in silent solidarity
We are an army
We have the power to say yes
Power is in giving

Chef Andres’s Spirit of yes
Power of yes permeates WCK

The incredible staff
& Volunteers at WCK never stopped
supporting us.
Helping us Helping them

My begging for this opportunity
For our community to see
We Feed People here
at our Theatre went forward
after many negative responses.

WCK gave us this experience
Because like Jose Andres-
there is never a No … there is
always a way FOR A YES

Tunnel of Trees initiative to date
because of you is over $12,000.00

As Chef Andres says
All the people of the world
are Ukrainians now

Chef Andres says
“We are the food fighters”

I say –
We must fuel the food fighters