Here at CookIt, we are overwhelmed with many emotions about the devastating events occurring in Ukraine. Like many of you, we’re sad, angry, and looking for ways to help. We realize it can be difficult to know how to help from afar, so we’ve compiled a list of 6 amazing food and hunger-targeted organizations. Donations can be made through their websites or social media pages.
Founded by chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen (WCK) launched an immediate response to Russia’s invasion. This organization was one of the first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Restaurants around the world are using the tag #ChefsForUkraine to show their support for WCK by donating a portion of their proceeds to the organization.
Conflict is the main driver of hunger and food insecurity in the world. The World Food Program (WFP) is on the ground inside Ukraine and neighboring countries to provide critical food assistance to those affected by this devastating war.
Founded by Eastern European chefs Olia Hercules, Alissa Timoshkina, and Zuza Zak, this campaign is raising funds for Unicef UK’s Ukraine appeal and providing a platform on which Ukrainian families and their supporters can share recipes and stories, celebrating the country’s rich, complex and diverse culinary heritage.
In response to the current crisis, Bakers Against Racism (BAR) launched Bake for Ukraine, an emergency bake sale that calls upon people from all walks of life to host at-home bake sales and donate the proceeds to organizations in need.
The European Food Banks Federation (FEBA) brings together a network of over 300 Food Banks which are committed to fight against food waste and to reduce food insecurity. FEBA is currently prioritizing those affected by the war by supporting food banks in Ukraine and neighboring countries through the campaign #AllTogether4Ukraine.
CARE is working in countries all over the world to save lives, defeat poverty, and achieve social justice. This organization recently launched the Ukraine Crisis Fund in order to provide food, water, hygiene kits, psychosocial support, and cash assistance — prioritizing women and girls, families, and the elderly.
Our founder @lauriebuck sat down with CJ Bruce on @themissingingredientagency podcast to talk about building creator businesses that last!
A few things covered:
🍳 What a decade+ in food media (@bonappetitmag, Fine Cooking, @betterhomesandgardens) taught Laurie about the creator economy
🤝 What actually makes a brand + creator partnership work
📊 Why conversion isn’t the whole story when it comes to measuring influence
🤖 Her take on AI and whether it’s coming for creator jobs
📈 Why the smartest creators are building beyond brand deals - a website, a product, a book, something that’s truly theirs
Full episode is live now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music! 🎧
P.S. - CJ is looking to feature more food & beverage creators on the show - real conversations about building a business beyond brand deals. If that’s you (or someone on our roster reading this), reach out and we’ll make the intro!
Yesterday, we turned 11! 🎉 While we were busy celebrating, we were reflecting on how this past year has been our most exciting yet. We’ve grown in ways we didn’t expect - and the biggest sign of that? The CookIt Collective, our ground-breaking initiative focused on helping our creators grow beyond social media and build lasting businesses, brands, and opportunities. Not just partnerships - cookbooks, products, websites and more built with our invite-only network of trusted experts - the best in their field. More to come on that! Here’s to 11 years, and everything still to come. 🥂
Last week at CookIt, Talent Coordinator @carly_halper joined @bitsbitesblog and @thecookingmawma at the @nationalrestaurantshow in Chicago - continuing CookIt’s work of showing up alongside its roster, connecting with brands, and supporting their growth across the industry!
In case you missed it, we were on the ground at @natprodexpo West a couple weeks ago, walking the convention alongside some of the incredible talent on our roster, including Ronica from @mymanabites!
While there, Ronica connected in person with @wisecode.ai - an app that lets you scan any food label and instantly breaks down ingredients, reveals how processed it really is, and delivers a clear, science-backed nutrition score. 📱
She captured content on-site, filmed quick sound bites for the brand’s internal and social use, and seamlessly incorporated Expo West footage into her sponsored post - elevating the partnership with a level of authenticity and real-world storytelling you just can’t replicate off-site!
Last week, Talent Coordinator Carly Halper was joined by Katie of @bitsbitesblog from the CookIt roster to attend @theinspiredhomeshow, a premier event for home and housewares brands. It was another successful event - making new connections with brands in person, learning more about their marketing and campaign strategies for the year, and introducing CookIt to the community. 🎉
Exploring the show floor, we connected with both familiar brands from last year and new ones, including @haden_usa, @brodandtaylor, and Gibson Homeware. It was clear that many brands are increasingly embracing influencer marketing, especially for new product launches, recognizing the value of influencer partnerships alongside more traditional approaches. With so many brands open to collaboration and innovation, we’re excited for what’s ahead - stay tuned for upcoming partnerships and opportunities!
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