Bread for the City and Zacchaeus Free Clinic were founded in the mid-1970s out of faith-based concerns for the homeless, the hungry and the poor of Washington, DC. Zacchaeus was an outgrowth of the Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV), at that time a group of activist ministries working to ensure that every DC resident had access to food, shelter, clothing, and medical care. Bread for the City was a joint project of the “Emmaus Fellowship,” five neighboring churches (First Baptist, Foundry United Methodist, Luther Place Memorial, Metropolitan A.M.E., and National City Christian) responding to the Biblical injunction to feed the hungry and clothe the naked.

Concerned that many DC residents lacked access to health care, CCNV, with support from George Washington University’s Newman Center, organized a free medical clinic in 1974. Faced with a legal requirement that a physician take responsibility for opening a medical facility, CCNV enlisted Dr. Jack Bresette to assume this role. When Zacchaeus Free Clinic opened its doors in 1974, the clinic operated in cramped basement quarters. It offered merely three examine rooms, a tiny lab and pharmacy, and a $30,000 budget.

The mission of Zacchaus Free Clinic (ZFC) was to provide quality healthcare to the uninsured in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. Each patient was assigned to a patient advocate who met with the doctor to ensure that his or her comprehensive needs were met. Doctors (all volunteers) were addressed by first name, and white coats were prohibited.

However, the clinic’s goals were far greater than its service offerings. ZFC began envisioning a comprehensive system of supportive services all under one roof. Further, ZFC planned one day to provide these services to residents east of the Anacostia River, where the needs of the poor were grossly under met. Ultimately, ZFC split from CCNV and organized as a separate 501(c)(3).

In 1976, Bread for the City began operations in the same neighborhood, also on property provided rent- free by Luther Place Church. The mission of Bread for the City was to provide wholesome food and quality used clothing to Washington’s poor. Volunteers also operated the program until the hire of a full-time director in 1977.

Bread for the City experienced dramatic growth during the 1980s, as the demand for services continued to rise.  The number of people served each month grew from less than 1,000 to more than 3,000.  To meet the growing need, BFC opened satellite sites throughout Northwest DC.  In 1991, BFC opened its first satellite site in Southeast DC, distributing food and clothing from a loaned church basement.  Services grew to include health and nutrition classes, counseling, and referral services.

During the early 1990s, the two burgeoning organizations developed the Jane Addams Social Services Program to help clients of both organizations apply for public benefits.  In 1990, BFC and ZFC were awarded two federal grants to operate outreach activities to help elderly and disabled individuals apply for Food Stamps and Supplemental Security Income.  The launch of this program began the integration of the services offered by the two agencies, a process that would ultimately lead to their merger.

In 1991, legal services were added.  After one year of running the Jane Addams Social Services Program, it became evident that many eligible clients were being denied public benefits.  The Young Lawyers Section of the Bar Association of The District of Columbia approached ZFC with a proposal to supply volunteer attorneys, and the organization leveraged their support to battle these unfounded denials.  The Bread for the City Legal Clinic grew from this initiative, and a full-time legal director was hired in 1993.  Today, the legal clinic represents and advises clients in matters of landlord/tenant, disability and family law.

Also in 1991, Luther Place Church announced that it was ready to move forward with a long-time plan to build low- and moderate-income apartments on the properties operated by BFC and ZFC.  Because they were working closely together and sharing many clients, the two organizations decided to look for space together.  They purchased an abandoned lumber warehouse at 1525 7th Street in the Shaw neighborhood and launched a $1.2 million capital campaign to finance the building’s extensive renovation.

By April 1994, the capital campaign was completed.  The two agencies moved into their new home on 7th Street and started plans for a formal merger.  By 1995 the agencies officially merged, and in 2000 they shortened their name to Bread for the City.  This comprehensive service agency offered food, clothing, medical care, social and legal services to low-income DC residents.

With a six-year record of success in Shaw and a growing demand for services, BFC launched a capital campaign to replicate its model east of the Anacostia River.  Construction of the new Southeast Center began in 2001, and on its first day of operation in October 2002, staff distributed enough groceries to feed more than 3,000.

Dedicated to meeting the comprehensive needs of those it serves, BFC made a commitment to regularly assess community needs and ensure that its service model was relevant to address said needs.  In this vein, BFC established its Representative Payee Program in 2002 in contract with the DC Department of Mental Health.  This remains the only program in the District of Columbia that offers financial management services to residents living with mental illness and subsisting on a Supplemental Security Disability Income check.  This critical program prevents vulnerable adults from mishandling their income and landing on the streets.

Bread for the City did not stop there; we continued our careful assessment and uncovered more community needs.  In 2004 BFC recognized that while there are job training programs in DC, two critical needs remain unmet by these programs: peer support and case management. In response to this need, we developed the Pre-Employment Program (a subset of our Social Services program) where BFC clients gather together to learn about resume composition, workplace etiquette, time management, etc.

Also in 2004, in response to the growing threat of hypertension and diabetes, our medical director developed a health and wellness program titled Fit for Fun.  The program focus is three-fold; with the support of our staff doctor and physician’s assistant, clients commit to diet and nutrition, exercise, and smoking cessation.  Through a combination of weekly check-ins, nutrition and cooking classes and group exercise, clients work toward increased health and wellness.

As an outgrowth of the Fit for Fun Program, Bread for the City made a renewed commitment to the provision of nutritious foods.  Our food director partnered with our medical director to ensure that the most healthful foods within our means are made available for our clients.

These accomplishments led to the 2006 organization of BFC’s Advocacy Program.  While BFC has been advocating on behalf of low-income DC residents since its inception, 2006 marked the official establishment of our Advocacy Program.   The primary objectives of the Advocacy Program are to influence policy and yield systemic change that will impact the root causes of poverty.  The current focus is on housing, nutrition, and client self-advocacy.

Today, Bread for the City offers its six primary programs from our two Centers in Northwest and Southeast DC.  We serve an average of 10,000 DC residents every month, totaling more than 31,000 unique individuals annually.  All of our programs are provided at no cost to the client, and in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.

In 2014, President Barack Obama and the first family handed out groceries to elated clients at the Southeast Center ahead of Thanksgiving
during Holiday Helpings.

In 2015, Bread for the City’s medical clinic became a Federally Qualified Health Center. The status awards federal funding and continues to help the practice sustainably grow its capacity.

The Southeast Center at 1700 Marion Barry Ave SE, opened in 2021, is our most substantial investment to date for the people and communities east of the Anacostia River, where approximately 92% of the population is Black, and 28% live below 100% of the federal poverty line (compared to 46% and 15.5% of the total population of the District). The new facility brings our primary medical, dental, vision care, and behavioral health services east of the Anacostia River for the first time in the organization’s history. In addition, the building includes a learning center that expands the successful Workforce Development Program, a fitness center for community use, and an expanded food pantry designed and clothing boutique both designed with client choice in mind. In addition, space to grow all other existing programs: comprehensive social services, legal advice and representation, and community organizing and advocacy.

In 2023, Bread for the City’s Economic Security team launched CashRx, a pioneering initiative to address social determinants of health and enhance well-being through
direct cash support.