Mars Inc. Grants $1 Million to World Central Kitchen for Venezuela

Mars, Incorporated provided a $1 million grant through the Mars Impact Fund to World Central Kitchen to support relief efforts following dual earthquakes in northern Venezuela. The funding is designed to facilitate the delivery of more than 200,000 fresh meals to families affected by the disasters.

World Central Kitchen has already distributed nearly 500,000 meals across the states of Carabobo, La Guaira, and Miranda by leveraging a network of more than 50 local restaurant partners. In addition to the financial grant, Mars South American businesses donated over 5 tons of food products and provided support for Venezuelan associates residing in Brazil. Search and rescue operations also received corporate backing, with the Royal Canin Foundation funding canine teams from Mexico and Argentina, while Mars, VCA Charities, and Royal Canin U.S. sponsored the Los Angeles Task Force 2 Urban Search and Rescue team.

Michelle Grogg, Executive Director of the Mars Impact Fund, stated that "In times of crisis, Mars believes we have a responsibility to utilize our global resources to support the recovery of impacted communities." Tunde Wackman, Chief Development Officer at World Central Kitchen, noted that the grant allows the organization to "keep showing up for families across Venezuela with fresh, nourishing meals."

This coordinated injection of capital and logistics is expected to scale the existing food infrastructure in the region, shifting the relief effort from immediate emergency response to a more sustainable recovery phase for the hardest-hit northern provinces.