It goes without saying that COVID-19 is a different kind of crisis. We have seen many things over the course of the forty-four years we have been farming. From the waters of the Arctic Circle to the Mid-Western plains of the United States, it was our greatest hope that COVID-19 would not touch us. As this crisis unfolded, we rapidly realized that with the ever-burgeoning number of cases, we had to pay attention and react quickly.
This crisis is different. It is not localized like an earthquake or hurricane or flooding – there is not one specific country, state, or region that we can rush to aid. Unless you lived in the path of the hurricane, the earthquake, drought, fires, terrorism, or wars, you were not impacted. In fact, as difficult as it is to say, we have grown accustomed to watching from afar – seeing images of devastation, hearing the anguished voices, donating to the Red Cross or to World Central Kitchen – and then going on with our days. But this? This one won’t allow us to turn our attention away.
In fact, this disaster is personal – each and every one of us has been impacted in some way or another. What is not different? As usual, the most vulnerable among us has been hit the hardest and will take the longest to recover.
Therefore, it was important for our team at Kvarøy Arctic to support nonprofit organizations working in areas identified as having high numbers of affected individuals and those who are working with the most vulnerable populations in those areas to help build their capacity for response, support, and recovery. These include the restaurant and hospitality communities, food banks, front line workers, rescue missions, the homeless, and those vulnerable to the economic impacts of a pandemic.
The focus on supporting equitable and responsible recovery is crucial in any disaster, but especially this one. We hear the cries for help from chefs desperate to take care of their employees. We are fielding urgent calls from large food service providers assisting health care organizations feeding frontline works. We are jumping in to support restaurants feeding the most vulnerable parts of their community, as well as the workers who are their lifeblood – including hourly wage earners that make up the heart of this economy.
According to FEMA, following a disaster, 90 percent of smaller businesses fail within a year unless they can resume operations within five days. Five days! With that fact in mind, the cascading impacts of the virus are staggering. At Kvarøy Arctic, we made the decision to not feel overwhelmed and immobilized. We had immediate work to do in an effort to keep our farm safe, keep our supply chain moving, and create solutions that would give our family, employees, and communities the support they needed – all while bringing a desperately needed, healthy, sustainable fish to market.
At Kvarøy Arctic, we come from humble roots. Each and every team member in Norway and in the United States are on a journey of lifelong continuous learning. Those learnings have gotten us to where we are today. This crisis has reinforced our mantra as we learned from chefs, thought leaders, and partners about where to give, what support is needed, and where it would have the most impact. We will never be the largest donor, but we will be generous of heart and have impact in our actions, giving whenever and wherever we can.
This is surely a time to come together – to think about the needs in our communities large and small, to check on our family members, neighbors, and friends, to give as generously as we can. As with all disasters, the process of recovery will be long, but together we can strengthen the ability for communities to respond and recover.
There are many organizations that need your help.
Please join us and our partners in supporting the following :
Chef Adam Perry Lang and APL Restaurant donated 200 nutritious salmon meals to Children’s Hospital LA.
Photo Credit: The Meal Bridge LA
ENDING HUNGER
- Food Rescue U.S.
- Food Runners
- Los Angeles Food Bank
- Kitchens For Good
- Three Square
- Manna Food Center Community Food Rescue
- Food For Free
- Greater Cleveland Food Bank
- Houston Food Bank
- ReThink Food
- Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
- Buy One Give One from Jimmy Kimmel, Front Line Foods, St. Joseph Center and Adam Perry Lang
HELPING THE HOMELESS
- COTS
- Coachella Valley Rescue Mission
SUPPORTING CHEFS/RESTAURANTS
- Restaurant Employee Relief Fund
- Project Black and Blue
- Puffer Malarkey Collective Employee Relief Fund
- Prado Restaurant Group. Employee Relief Fund
- Disney Springs The Boathouse Restaurant Employee Meal Program
- Kith/Kin Staff Support
- Sparrow + Wolf Employee Relief Fund
- Pacific Catch Restaurant Group Employee Meal Program
- American Culinary Federation, Colorado
- The Lobster Place
- Park City Culinary Institute – Food and Beverage Meal Program
- One Small Miracle
CARING FOR CHILDREN IN NEED
- CASA – Solano County
- Scott Foundation
- Malibu LEAD
- Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation
- No Kid Hungry
- Gourmet Gorilla
PROVIDING HOPE TO IMMIGRANTS
- Mission Asset Fund
SUPPORTING HEALTHCARE WORKERS
- North Carolina Health Care Assoc.
- Compass Group, United Healthcare Frontline Meals Program