With Oriole Park at Camden Yards currently vacant due to the delayed MLB season, the stadium is finding new ways to serve the community. Acclaimed chef Jose Andres, who is based out of Washington, DC, is bringing his non-profit World Central Kitchen to the Baltimore ballpark to feed families in need during the global health crisis.
Camden Yards will serve as a community kitchen beginning April 25 and return on a weekly basis as long as there is need to distribute some 10,000 to 20,000 fresh, packaged meals each Saturday.
“This certainly isn’t how we planned to be using Camden Yards right now, but at the very least, we can use the space to help families in need during this crisis,” said Maryland Governor Larry Hogan in a release. “I want to thank Chef Jose Andres and World Central Kitchen for partnering with us, and Chairman Tom Kelso and the Maryland Stadium Authority, for spearheading this community-wide effort. We are all in this together, and we are going to get through this together.”
The effort will require approximately 50 volunteers in addition to the World Central Kitchen team and social distancing measures will be put in place at the site.
“We’re honored and proud to start serving freshly made meals from historic Camden Yards in Baltimore, definitely one of the most beautiful stadiums in the country,” shared World Central Kitchen CEO Nate Mook. “WCK has been working with Baltimore City Public Schools to set up family pickup sites at schools throughout the city, but we know that some families need access to meals on the weekend – so we are teaming up with the Orioles, the Maryland Stadium Authority, and the City of Baltimore to help those families.”
Andres’ launch of World Central Kitchen at Camden Yards comes weeks after he took over Nationals Park to feed vulnerable D.C. communities. The chef has also used five of his local restaurants as community kitchens by offering discounted take-out meals during the pandemic.
