Empowering Relief Efforts: Iridium Partners with World Central Kitchen

MCLEAN, Va., March 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) a leading provider of global voice and data satellite communications, today announced a strategic partnership with World Central Kitchen (WCK), an organization dedicated to providing relief to communities experiencing natural, humanitarian, and climate-driven disasters. This collaboration will strengthen WCK's ability to coordinate and deliver food assistance to communities facing crises, including supporting communications for their frontline relief workers and first responders. Founded in 2010, WCK has served over 450 million meals across six continents in response to humanitarian and climate crises.

When responding to crises around the world, WCK has faced challenges due to lack of reliable local communications infrastructure. In disaster situations, terrestrial communications often quickly become disabled, making it difficult for first responders to quickly and effectively deploy their relief efforts. By partnering with Iridium, WCK is filling these gaps and addressing communication vulnerabilities with reliable, satellite-based services that enable communication in higher risk areas of operations.

With Iridium's truly global, weather-resilient satellite network, the WCK team will stay reliably connected everywhere on the planet. Through this partnership, WCK will benefit from several Iridium^® and Iridium Connected^TM devices, including the Iridium GO! exec^®, Iridium GO!^®, Iridium Extreme^® PTT, and Icom IC-SAT 100. Members of WCK's leadership teams, coordination centers, and on-site staff will rely on this suite of devices using Iridium services for rapid response and real-time critical communications with deployed teams such as local first responders, field leaders and support staff. These lightweight and highly mobile devices will give WCK the ability to use voice call, message, email, and secure group Push-to-Talk communication from anywhere in the world.

"Reliable connectivity is critical for our teams to coordinate relief efforts in the most challenging environments during World Central Kitchen disaster response," says Prianka Nandy, WCK Acting Senior Vice President for Digital & Data. "Having a range of Iridium solutions in place means that our relief teams have access to real-time communications, so they can move fast to bring meals to the communities that need them."

"World Central Kitchen's mission to provide meals in the wake of disasters is critical, especially      where traditional communications are unavailable," said Matt Desch, CEO, Iridium. "By leveraging our truly global network, WCK can better coordinate their relief efforts in even the most challenging of environments. From responding to hurricanes in the Caribbean to supporting communities affected by wildfires, earthquakes or humanitarian disasters, we're proud to support them as they make a real difference during times of great need."

Iridium's unique network of crosslinked, polar-orbiting satellites provide reliable connectivity around the entire globe. Its L-band spectrum provides a strong, weather-resilient connection, making it an ideal communications platform for teams like WCK operating in remote and challenging conditions. Additionally, Iridium's unique satellite architecture dynamically routes communications through geographically dispersed gateways, maintaining connectivity even when local telecom infrastructure is disrupted by natural disasters or other emergencies. This unmatched reliability makes Iridium a preferred choice for many UN agencies and NGOs that depend on secure, mission-critical communications.

To learn more about World Central Kitchen, visit: https://wck.org/
To learn more about Iridium, visit: https://iridium.com

About Iridium Communications Inc.
Iridium^® is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations, and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. In 2024, Iridium acquired Satelles, Inc. and announced the Iridium Satellite Time and Location^® service. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IRDM. For more information about Iridium products, services, and partner solutions, visit www.iridium.com.

About World Central Kitchen
Founded in 2010 by Chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a nonprofit organization that is first to the frontlines providing fresh meals in response to crises. Applying our model of quick action, leveraging local resources, and adapting in real time, WCK has served more than 450 million nourishing meals around the world.

When disaster strikes, WCK's Relief Team mobilizes with the urgency of now to start cooking and serving meals to people in need. By partnering with organizations on the ground and activating a network of local restaurants, food trucks, and emergency kitchens, WCK serves comforting meals to survivors of disasters quickly and effectively. To support regional economies, WCK prioritizes purchasing local ingredients to cook with or distribute directly to families in need.

We know that good food provides not only nourishment, but also comfort and hope, especially in times of crisis. Learn more at wck.org.

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