At our new state-of-the-art headquarters, The Michael R. Klein Center for Jobs & Justice in Southwest DC, we finally have the space we need to order, store, and process more fresh, local farm products than ever before. With 2,000 square feet of purpose-built cold storage, complete with packaging belts, blast chillers, and shelving features, we’re proud to have the region’s most efficient, intentional system for providing locally grown farm products to people facing food insecurity.
Local growing season is upon us. Dozens of small and mid-size family farms across the region need our investment. By receiving purchasing commitments from DC Central Kitchen now, these farms can plan what to grow, how to hire, and when our trucks can arrive to pick up items fresh from the field.
We did the math, and between now and the end of 2023, it will cost $600,000 to keep our refrigerators full of healthy ingredients from our partner farms. A generous anonymous donor has pledged to match all donations up to $300,000 between now and June 30. That means we’re halfway there! Will you give and have your donation doubled today?
According to an Oregon State University study, an investment of $600,000 in local farms by an operation like ours will quickly generate 150% of that sum in wages and additional farm sales across our region.
By purchasing in bulk, and in advance, we’ll also protect our operation against future inflationary shocks as we provide nutritious meals up to 7 days a week at more than 150 locations across our city this year.
In a city where nearly 150,000 people are struggling to purchase food, these investments can have a profound impact on combatting hunger in our community. DC faces some of the nation’s highest rates of food insecurity among seniors and children, but every day our dedicated staff serves thousands of meals to students and community members across the District. But we can’t do it without fresh food in the fridge. Will you please give generously today so we can start filling our fridges now and generate more transformational results all year long?