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

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