‘Food Truck of Love’ serves 2,000 meals per day to first responders
Jeju Air flight 7C2216, arriving from Bangkok, crashed into a runway barrier during landing. The 29 December accident claimed the lives of 179 passengers, including a Rotary member, sending shockwaves throughout the country.
“I couldn’t eat lunch that day,” says Baek, governor of Rotary District 3710, which includes the Muan County in Korea. Her immediate question: How could Rotary help? “My mind kept turning to what role we could play in the aftermath of this tragedy,” she says.
Emergency responders lacked basic necessities like water, hot food, and a warm place to rest, she learned from Geun-Heong Yang, a Rotary member and volunteer firefighter. She also contacted District-3710 Secretary Heng Shim, whose experience in disaster response helped her make a quick and informed decision.
They wasted no time.
Within hours, messages were sent to the district’s volunteer group chat, summoning members who could help. Supplies like bottled water, coffee, ramen, and kimchi were quickly gathered, while team leaders coordinated shifts and transportation.
“In any disaster, the first 24 to 48 hours are vital,” says Shim. “Before government or municipal resources can fully mobilize, there’s a golden window where immediate assistance can make the most impact.”
The district’s Service Above Self Team, a rapid-response unit formed in 2010 to provide aid in times of disaster or crisis, quickly set plans into motion. The team’s Food Truck of Love was ready to deploy, its mobile industrial kitchen capable of preparing up to 200 meals at a time.
Financial help also came swiftly. Rotary District 3710, with the support of 13 other Rotary districts across Korea, mobilized approximately US$30,000–40,000 almost immediately. Funding came from a combination of district grants and contributions from individual Rotarians.
Eight hours after the crash, Rotary vehicles reached the heavily restricted crash site. Rotary was the first volunteer organization to arrive at the scene. While access was denied to many others, including bereaved families and journalists, the Rotary members’ clear purpose and careful preparation ultimately won them entry.
“I assured them that our food truck was fully equipped to provide hot meals and beverages immediately, which would help sustain those doing the hard and heartbreaking work of recovery,” says Baek.
The Food Truck of Love, a supply truck carrying water and food, and a six-passenger SUV packed with 12 volunteers entered, and the Rotarians got to work.
Emergency responders work at the crash site of Jeju Air flight 7C2216 near South Korea’s Muan International Airport.
Photo provided by Rotary District 3710
‘Look for the people in blue Rotary vests’
While Shim has participated in many volunteer efforts, this one was the most heartbreaking, he says.
“Among the deceased was a fellow Rotarian who had traveled with his two sons. His wife and daughter couldn’t join the trip due to other commitments. It was supposed to be a special moment for him to spend time with his sons, especially his youngest, who was in his final year of high school,” says Shim. “Losing all three in this tragedy was unbearably painful.”
Baek says that despite the profound sadness, there were moments of pride and connection.
“We stood shoulder to shoulder with the responders, offering not just food and warmth, but also the assurance that they weren’t alone,” she says.
When someone onsite posted a Thread message noting the Rotary efforts, it was an affirmation to Bae that they were genuinely making a difference.
“They wrote that anyone needing food or warmth should look for the people in blue Rotary vests, because we’d be there offering hot meals and a place to rest,” says Bae.
Continued support
Rotary’s help didn’t end with the recovery operation.
For Bae, who runs a funeral home in nearby Gwangju city, his work continued with the funerals of 22 of the victims.
“It felt profoundly ironic — going from the crash site to arranging the final goodbyes for those who had passed,” Bae says. “I thought the hardest part was being at the site, but in truth, the weeks that followed were even more emotionally draining.”
Recognizing the ongoing trauma faced by the victims’ families, Rotary members have begun new initiatives to provide long-term support. Baek, a professor of counseling, has started organizing sessions for families to address their grief. There are also plans to adapt existing programs to help the children of the victims cope, Shim adds.
Meanwhile, Baek says many local community members, inspired by Rotary’s response to the tragedy, have inquired about becoming Rotary members themselves.
“We’re now helping them form a new club, which will officially charter in February. It’s a reminder that even in the darkest times, there is room for hope and growth,” she says.
Read more about the work Rotary does all over the world.
