Chef José Andrés expands meal handouts to Maryland stadium complex

BALTIMORE, Md. - Celebrity chef Jose Andres is expanding his humanitarian efforts to feed Baltimore residents during the coronavirus pandemic, with plans to hand out thousands of meals each week near the homes of the Orioles and Ravens.

Download the FOX 5 DC News App for Local Breaking News and Weather

The Baltimore Sun reports that Andres’ nonprofit, World Central Kitchen, plans to hand out between 10,000 and 20,000 packaged meals every Saturday at the Camden Yards stadium complex.

The Salvation Army also is using the facility to deliver thousands of meals per day to seniors. World Central Kitchen has been negotiating for weeks with the Maryland Stadium Authority and Gov. Larry Hogan’s office to use the Camden Yard complex.

“This certainly isn’t how we planned to be using Camden Yards right now, but at the very least, we can use the space to help families in need during this crisis,” the Republican governor said in a statement Thursday.

World Central Kitchen recently began delivering thousands of meals to families from 10 Baltimore schools on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Andres, whose restaurants in the U.S. include The Bazaar, Jaleo and Somni, founded his Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit in 2010. It has served over 15 million meals worldwide after hurricanes, wildfires and other disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic.