You’ve seen the headlines. You know hunger is in the news and it’s affecting more people in our city and region. Behind the national news about massive layoffs, political stand-offs, and sweeping budget bills are real local challenges. Here are the facts:
- A 26% spike in unemployment in our nation’s capital
- $23,000,000 suddenly cut from area farmers who were helping to feed hungry families
- 44% of full-service casual restaurant owners expecting to close this year
- Growing concerns about how single mothers, seniors, and veterans will meet their basic needs.
These are huge issues. DC Central Kitchen is taking them on with a simple idea: More food and more jobs, right now.
We are undertaking unprecedented levels of meal production, expanded job training services, and 24-hour-a-day operations. We’re ready to serve 4.5 million meals and train 180 people for real careers this year. But we need your help to make this idea a reality.
You can make these results possible with a generous gift while all donations are being fully matched up to $300,000 between now and October 30, thanks to a pledge from a committed local family!
We’re not saying DC Central Kitchen can solve the problems of hunger and poverty by ourselves. What we can all do is take care of our neighbors. Our farmers need someone to buy their produce. People without jobs need emergency meals and free training for real careers. People with jobs that don’t pay enough need healthy food they can actually afford, like the discounted fruits and vegetables we deliver to 57 corner stores. Thousands of children are turning to the 55 school-based food pantries we help stock because they don’t have enough groceries at home. Seniors and veterans shouldn’t have to deal with waitlists for home-delivered meals. Those are all things we can solve. Right now. Together.
When times are tough, people expect DC Central Kitchen to find ways to do even more. And those are the times when we turn to you.
With your generous support, we will push through this difficult chapter in DC’s history together—with more food and more jobs, right now. Please consider making a gift today and helping us spread the word.
