Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce Archewell partnership with World Central Kitchen

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have announced their non-profit, the Archewell foundation, has partnered with World Central Kitchen to build relief centers that will feed people in disaster-stricken areas.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced the new partnership on Sunday, with Bloomberg first reporting that the project will see the couple’s foundation work with chef José Andrés and his non-profit World Central Kitchen to build a series of Community Relief Centers around the world.

The permanent structures, built with an undisclosed financial commitment from the Archewell foundation, will be activated during times of crisis, such as natural disasters, to “act as quickly-activated service kitchens,” according to a spokesperson for Archewell.

However, the structures will also be able to provide support to the local communities during non-disaster times, as they will be able to transition into “food distribution hubs, schools, clinics, or safe community gathering spots for families and kids”.

Andrés first founded World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit that provides food to communities in disaster zones, in 2010 following an earthquake in Haiti.

The organisation has since distributed more than 50 million meals, including to those in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria and survivors of the deadly wildfires in California.

“The health of our communities depends on our ability to connect to our shared humanity. When we think about Chef Andrés and his incredible team at World Central Kitchen, we're reminded that even during a year of unimaginable hardship, there are so many amazing people willing - and working tirelessly - to support each other. World Central Kitchen inspires us through compassion in action," the duke and duchess said in a statement.

The first of the Community Relief Centers is currently being built in Dominica, which was hit by hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. According to Bloomberg, the center is expected to open in early 2021.

The second center will be located in Puerto Rico, with the locations for the additional two centers expected to be announced soon.

In a statement, chef Andrés expressed his excitement over the partnership and the “vital work” that will be accomplished as a result.

He said: “This year, I’ve seen many, many examples of neighbors supporting neighbors, of communities coming together to get through tough times. At our root, we believe in one another, in doing what's right for strangers as much as we do for our friends and family. World Central Kitchen and I, we see a world that’s full of dignity, empathy, and humanity. We believe in the healing power of food, and we like to say wherever there's a fight so hungry people may eat, we will be there.

“We are more energised than ever to continue this vital work, and we're proud that it will be hand in hand with Archewell Foundation and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. I have come to know both of them well, and believe that their values are directly aligned with what we stand for at World Central Kitchen.”

Meghan and Harry, who moved to California with their son Archie in March, first announced the launch of Archewell in April, shortly after officially stepping down from their roles as senior members of the royal family.

Previously, both the duke and duchess have worked on community relief efforts, with Prince Harry working with Team Rubicon to support local relief efforts in Nepal following the earthquake in 2015 and Meghan working with women from the Hubb Community Kitchen following the Grenfell fire.