Every time our community has faced hardship, you have been by our side. As we enter a new chapter with the Trump presidency, we’re all too aware of what’s at stake. Policy shifts could present significant challenges for the people of Washington, DC—especially families living with low incomes, people of color, women, and the LGBTQIA+ community who rely on our services.

• Yes, our medical team is concerned about potential federal funding cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and reproductive care.
• Yes, our legal team anticipates an increased threat of deportation and fear for our undocumented neighbors.
• Yes, our social services team worries about the criteria changing for those who qualify for low-income housing and food stamps.
• Yes, our food team monitors potential changes in the farm bill that could impact the fresh produce we provide.
• Yes, our advocacy department hears the fears of losing DC’s lawmaking autonomy.

These concerns are serious. But we must remember: We’ve faced seemingly insurmountable challenges before—and together, we’ve overcome both the obstacles and the sense of despair.

As the renowned author, educator, and social critic bell hooks reminds us, “community is where we learn to practice love and hope”, and “healing happens in the context of community.”

By coming together, we are building a strong, dependable foundation for future generations. A foundation that is especially needed as we face uncertainty.

• You stood with us during D.C.’s crack cocaine epidemic and helped us stay rooted in the neighborhoods that needed us most. We sounded the alarm to the Department of Health about a rise in HIV among people using crack cocaine. Recognizing the need for harm reduction, we became the first clinic in D.C. to integrate a needle exchange program directly into our medical clinic—a pioneering step in treating needle exchange as preventive medicine.

• From the first government shutdown in 1981 to the longest one yet in 2018-2019, we came together to feed furloughed federal workers facing pay uncertainty.
• The 2008 financial crisis did not stop our community from rallying together to provide vital, stabilizing services and resources to those who needed them most.
• In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, you joined us in our fight against state-sanctioned violence, marching in the streets and calling for change. We stopped traffic on 7th street, outside our NW Center, every day for 9 minutes and 18 seconds to remind people to reflect on George Floyd’s death.

• As COVID-19 ravaged our communities and disproportionately impacted Black neighborhoods in D.C., your support made it possible for us to respond swiftly and uniquely. When testing was limited to specific criteria and mostly available through drive-up sites, we offered free, walk-up COVID testing to anyone who self-identified as needing it—making sure our community, including those without cars, had access during a time of great uncertainty. Together, we provided millions of meals, administered vaccines, and helped prevent evictions—ensuring stability and dignity for our community even during D.C.’s shutdown and the ongoing pandemic that followed.

For 50 years, Bread for the City has remained steadfast in our mission—providing services with dignity, respect, and justice. We’ve been a beacon of hope, and with your help, we are confident we will continue to meet these new challenges. Because we’ve done it before.

Join Us on This Journey:
If you want to follow along with us and our continued response to any threat against the rights of our community—and how you can make a difference—sign up below.

Together, we will rise.