Our 3rd Annual DC Central Kitchen Cafe Day was a wonderful opportunity for the community to come out in support of our social enterprise cafes at all three locations throughout the city. Guests were able to learn about multiple facets of DC Central Kitchen—including our Culinary Job Training program, Healthy Corners, and volunteering—while enjoying $1 coffees, $2 strawberry lemonades, and samples of delicious pastries from some of our favorite social enterprise bakeries!
We were joined at Marianne’s by special guests Zach Leonsis of Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation and the Wizards’ mascot G-Wiz for a $25,000 check presentation as part of the morning’s festivities! MSE and the Monumental Sports Foundation have been longtime supporters of the Kitchen. In addition to sponsoring this year’s Cafe Day, members of the organization volunteer monthly at the Klein Center and have been an integral part of Culinary Job Training program for years.
We were also joined by fellow social enterprise Emma’s Torch who offered guests delectable samples of their sweet and savory pastries throughout the morning. In a bit of serendipity, Emma’s Torch Teaching Chef Justin Edwards attended to spread the word about their organization and mission, but he’s no stranger to DC Central Kitchen. Chef Edwards is a 2007 graduate of DCCK’s Culinary Job Training program, and a student of the cafe’s namesake, Marianne Ali.
The festivities continued at our first cafe at the Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC) in Southeast DC, which marks its sixth anniversary this month. In addition to delicious cookies from Sunflower Bakery, our Community Partnerships & Growth team led information sessions for seniors and Opportunity Youth about DCCK programs throughout the day.
Back at the Klein Center for Jobs & Justice, GreenIsland Bakery was on hand to distribute delicious samples of their shortbread cookies and bars, while our Guest Experiences team shared information about volunteering opportunities.
CEO Mike Curtin, Jr. took the opportunity on DCCK Cafe Day for a special announcement. Starting Monday, March 17th, all Federal employees and government contractors who have been impacted by recent events will receive a 50% discount off their total bill at any of our cafes until further notice.
