It is hard to accept that children and families are hungry in the nation's capital. When the pandemic hit, the WNDC Educational Foundation (EF) learned that one of the schools we work with needed food for affected students and families. We launched
Food*4*DC*Kids and over the last year, we prepared and delivered more than 19,000 healthy and delicious meals and boxes of groceries to DC students and families!
Many people are making this program possible. Generous donors—WNDC members and non-members alike—have donated funds to cover staff, packaging, and staple foods. Rotary has made significant contributions to support the program with a Washington Foundation Community Service Grant, individual and club donations, and volunteer time.
Chef Iris Galeas and the dedicated WNDC kitchen staff prepared and packed delicious, nutritious meals over the last year. In April, the Arts Club of Washington and their noted chef Patrick Orange took on the job of preparing wonderful dinners for needy students and families.
Celestial Manna and Francis in the Schools have been routinely providing protein, produce, and many other products. Route 11 donated potato chips. And many farmers at the DuPont Circle FreshFarm Market have provided wonderful fresh produce and other products: Anchor Nursery, Atwater Breads, Chicano Sol, Deep Roots Farm, Gardeners' Gourmet, Garners' Produce, Smith Meadows, Spring Valley Farm & Orchard, and Toigo Orchards. On National Service Day, hundreds of individuals donated non-perishable groceries and supplies which we delivered to Ballou High School in Anacostia.
The Columbia Heights Educational Campus delivers the prepared meals to its neediest students and families. CHEC is an extraordinary school. In better times, CHEC students are regulars at EF’s International Women's Day and other programs; we have provided computers to graduating seniors and EF’s civic education calendars to their classrooms; and supported them in other ways. Last June, EF’s Vice President Rosalyn Overstreet Gonzalez hosted a deeply moving on-line gala honoring CHEC principal Maria Tukeva and seniors graduating in the midst of the pandemic and heading to some of the finest colleges in the country. Many graduates are the first in their families to attend college.
Please Help Us Keep Food*4*DC*Kids Going!
Some families that we have served have been fortunate; they have recovered from COVID; some are back at work. Others are less fortunate. We are working with CHEC and Ballou to define how the program will evolve and how we can best serve DC kids in the next school year.
We appreciate your contributions! If you wish to support Food*4*DC*Kids, go to DONATE or send checks to WNDC–Educational Foundation, 1526 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036.
