Blog / Holiday Helpings

Connecting community and art is a unique skill many artists bring to light. It’s incredible how a piece of artwork can get an entire community together, and it’s something Juan Pineda has mastered over the past 20 years. Pineda is a DC-based mural artist who owns Criomatic Designs. He created Bread for the City’s new Holiday Helpings design, which can be seen on t-shirts, mugs, and other merchandise to raise money for low-income DC community members during the holiday season. We sat down with Juan recently to learn more about his work in the community, here’s what he had to say!

Two Holiday Helpings recipients discuss the importance of getting a debit card this year versus a turkey or ham. They talked about the freedom of making their own choices and how it’s a better fit for their family.

The ongoing pandemic continues to devastate underserved communities and the many families who rely on Bread for the City’s services. A nearly 20-year BFC client and DC native, Audrey Station, faces financial challenges exacerbated by recent supply shortages and inflation caused by the pandemic’s lingering effects. Station, who is disabled and bed-bound, is looking forward to receiving her $75 debit card, which will help her provide food and necessities for her family. 

Bread for the City (BFC), a direct service non-profit in the nation’s capital, will serve 15,000 DC families through its annual Holiday Helpings program this season. An almost 30-year tradition, Holiday Helpings runs through November and December each year and, prior to the pandemic, provided families with their holiday turkey or ham and all the trimmings. In 2020 and 2021, the program pivoted to provide direct cash giving through debit cards in order to offer flexibility and choice to families struggling during the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Watch the Holiday Helpings Halftime Show Live, hosted by Poet Taylor from WPGC 95.5. Sponsored by PepsiCo and Amazon. Click here to watch! It’s featuring Friendship Public Charter School marching band, a performance from Mark The Keep and Yearby B, client features, and live interviews with Bread for the City CEO George Jones and Vice President of External Affairs for PepsiCo Kenny Thompson, Jr. It’s hosted by Poet Taylor from WPGC 95.5. #HH2021

#GivingTuesday at Bread for the City starts now! All donations made now through the end of #GivingTuesday will be matched dollar for dollar up to $10,000 by our generous board member Kate Toomey. Don’t miss this opportunity to double your impact this #GivingTuesday and ensure not a penny of Kate’s match goes to waste!

Behind the Scenes of Holiday Helpings is about giving our supporters an update on the progress we’ve made and what our goals are.

Bread for the City (BFC) is excited to announce its annual Holiday Helpings program, a nearly thirty-year tradition that supports area DC families in need through the holidays. Last year, the program transitioned from its tradition of giving out turkeys and other staple holiday food items to embrace a necessary direction to better support over 16,000 DC households by providing critical monetary resources.  In alignment with last year’s progression, BFC will work this year to increase its support in communities hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.