Blog / Food Program

Welcome to “Chairman’s Corner”, where our Board Chair, Paul Taskier, will write about a variety of topics that impact Bread for the City and indeed the community and nation at large. We invite you to Read, Enjoy and Share!

How many times have you gone hungry for more than half a day? Unless you are living in poverty, it’s not very likely.

Most people with adequate incomes have more choices for food than there are meals in the day. We are surrounded by a myriad of options–everything from restaurants to food trucks to fast food and more. Indeed, there is an obesity epidemic from overeating. But there is also unseen hunger.

“I’m in a volunteer corps.” That statement will get you lots of things and get you lots of places. People will give you rides, offer to buy you drinks, or food, and at a party you always get sent home with the leftovers.

It also means that at your placement, you are temporary. This can mean that people are hesitant to get to know you because they know that before long your year of service will be done and you will be leaving.

Working at Bread for the City though, it means something completely different. Being placed at Bread means that for one year, you gain an amazing loving, supportive, and embracing family. Despite the fact that everyone knew when I started that I was going to be here for just a year, they welcomed me. They got to know me, they helped me, and they taught me.

Bread for the City is pleased to welcome back Chef Bob for a cooking demonstration at our SE Center tomorrow, Tuesday, August 4th at 11:00 AM! The demonstration will be led by Chef Bob with Gate Gourmet, an organization that specializes in in-flight catering. All are welcome to attend!

If you follow this blog with any regularity you’ve probably seen several posts focusing on Bread for the City’s campaign to change the third-party referral system for local food pantries. Here a ‘referral’ means a written letter from an agency/organization vouching that a client ‘deserves’ access to food, clothing, furniture, or other goods. Referrals were required as proof of a client’s eligibility – regardless of any primary proofs they could provide on their own (income statements, lease etc).

In 2011, the District announced that it would implement lifetime time limits for receipt of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

TANF is a federal benefit intended to provide income assistance, job training, and other services to low-income families with children. Before 2011, D.C. used local money to continue to provide the benefit for needy families even after they reached the 60-month limit covered by federal dollars.

After a series of gradual reductions, by October 2015 the District plans to terminate all TANF benefits for households who have received TANF for more than 60 months over the course of their lives. Without further action, more than 13,000 children in the District will fall deeper into poverty.

There’s A LOT going on in our Sustainable Agriculture Department!

We’re excited to announce a change that will help reduce and remove barriers for people seeking food resources.