DC Central Kitchen is expanding our reach as the District’s only USDA-recognized permanent food hub through a partnership with educational organization CentroNía.
Over the past four months, the Kitchen has delivered over 6,200 pounds of local produce and protein to CentroNía, a DC nonprofit offering year-round education and support services for low-income children and their families. CentroNía uses product purchased from DCCK to prepare meals for 800 students, ages 3 months through 5th grade, including baby food for infants.
DCCK’s partnership with CentroNía has funneled over $10,000 into the local farm economy. Our team purchases a wide variety of produce from farmers at the Shenandoah Valley Produce Auction, including sweet potatoes, pears, apples, lettuce, and carrots. We also make bi-monthly deliveries of approximately 400 pounds of local chicken drumsticks procured from Capital Meat Company, a processor that works with farms in Maryland and Delaware.
Beyond CentroNía, DCCK is also procuring local produce for Shalom Kosher, a small grocery store in Silver Spring, and for a farmer’s market operated by Floraphile Farms.
Sourcing from DCCK allows community partners to purchase smaller quantities of product at more affordable, wholesale prices.
“Our goal is to source 30% of our ingredients locally,” says Camila Idrovo, CentroNía’s Food and Wellness Program Specialist. “DC Central Kitchen makes it feasible to procure locally at a competitive price.”