Advocacy - Bread for the City

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Building Power for Change

Bread for the City is a social justice organization, and we strive to help our clients build power in their own communities. In 2015, we launched our Advocacy Department to provide support to client-led campaigns that aim to end the drain of affordable housing in DC. We do this by training clients and community leaders in community organizing. These leaders then organize on their own, reaching out to their own networks to connect with people that our staff could not. As a result of this approach, we are able to turn up in significant numbers when needed: at rallies, council hearings, etc.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our community organizers have been working to advocate for a #JustRecovery, and have coordinated our efforts to support grassroots mutual aid networks across the city. 

It is this type of grassroots movement that, when sustained over a period of years, leads to real change.

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BFC Icon Advocacy Blog

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Statement from Bread for the City on Mass Shooting in Buffalo, New York
Bread for the City calls on all leaders at every level of government to not only condemn this act of violence, but to condemn white nationalism and th...

Get Involved

Delay the Demolition of DC General

In the blog post above, BFC’s advocacy director, Aja Taylor, shares our concern about the DC General closure in the midst of behind-schedule replacement shelters and other concerns. You can help, too!

1. Sign and share this petition!

2. Share the blog! Things like this happen without much intervention because so many DC residents are unaware of what’s going on.

3. Let Mayor Bowser know how you feel! Call 202-727-2643, email, and/or tweet to encourage Mayor Bowser to delay the demolition of DC General.

#Right2DC

There is a crisis in our city–the displacement of thousands of long-time residents due to the destruction of affordable housing. To support those impacted by this crisis, Bread for the City has launched an ambitious housing advocacy campaign, aimed at engaging the communities in which we work to build a powerful base of voters, organizers, artists, and others to fight to create and preserve affordable housing in the District.

Leveraging this powerful base, the #Right2DC campaign builds coalitions, engages storytelling as a tool for narrative shift, directly engages public officials, and re-energizes DC residents around civic engagement and homegrown organizing in a city with a rich history of both. We help support the grassroots leadership and create the political will necessary to rectify the conditions that perpetuate poverty in the District, starting with access to affordable housing.

We commit to flexibility, shared leadership and to practicing these core values as we work to develop strategies, priorities and co-create this campaign with our base.

Testimony

March 14, 2018
Testimony of Aja Taylor (on behalf of Bread for the City) to the Committee on Human Services
Public Hearing on the Homeless Shelter Replacement Act of 2017 and the Closure of DC General Family Shelter

Advocacy & Community Organizing Staff

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Aja Taylor

Advocacy Director

Ms. Taylor joined Bread for the City as a Community Organizer in the Community Lawyering Project in 2012, and became the organization’s first-ever Advocacy Director in the fall of 2015.

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Terri Acker

Client and Community Organizer

Over the past 30 days, DDOT has been working with District agencies and partners to help collect the public’s input to update moveDC, DDOT’s long-range transportation plan. DDOT is soliciting the public’s input through a survey that will help them prioritize where and how they spend billions of transportation dollars over the next 25 years.

Client Advisory Council

Bread for the City’s Client Advisory Council offers feedback and insight to help the organization to better provide meaningful and impactful programming and services. The CAC also works with staff on outreach efforts and accountability.

2019 – 2020 Officers
President – Vivian Mercer
Vice President – Michelle Woodward
Secretary – Christie Gardner
Treasurer – Tony Lawson
Sergeant at Arms – Charles Crews

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Give Today!

Bread for the City’s services are made possible through the support of thousands of donors like you. Without your support, we would not be able to provide the food, clothing, social, legal, advocacy, and medical services that we do to 10,000 DC residents every month. Thank you!

How can I help?