Blog

Natalie Randolph, Director of Equity, Justice, and Community at Sidwell Friends School, was recently voted onto the Bread for the City Board of Directors. An alumna of Sidwell Friends, Natalie returned to her alma mater in 2019 following 16 years of service to the District of Columbia – first with the Department of Public Works and then as a middle and high school teacher.

In 2016, Natalie transitioned out of full-time classroom teaching to serve as the Title IX Coordinator for the DC State Athletic Association. It was a fitting post since, during her teaching career, Natalie was the Coolidge High School head football coach.

It is this background in service to her community, as a native Washingtonian, that drew Natalie to continue her civic engagement with Bread for the City. A direct service agency serving Washington, DC residents living on low incomes for almost half a century, Bread for the City is a staple in the DC community. Offering wrap-around services for those experiencing poverty and struggling in the nation’s capital, BFC provides food, clothing, social services, legal assistance and representation, and medical care to about 40,000 households. Their robust advocacy and community organizing department seeks to build the power necessary for change within the community.

When residents were ordered to stay at home at the onset of the COVID-19 public health emergency, Bread for the City kept its doors open and pivoted its food pantry – the largest in DC – to a delivery model, standing up the largest door-to-door food pantry delivery operation in the region. Its medical clinic opened an outdoor, walk-up, barrier-free COVID-19 testing facility and currently serves as one of the DC Department of Health’s COVID-19 vaccination sites.

In her role as a member of the Board of Directors, Natalie will advise an experienced group of community leaders, including CEO George Jones. A tireless advocate for equity and racial justice, Jones has been at the helm at BFC for 25 years. Jones’ efforts have led to the development and opening of a Southeast Center in 2002, in addition to the original location in the Shaw neighborhood of Northwest DC. His vision for BFC’s investment in Southeast DC was realized this past fall when BFC opened a new, state-of-the-art facility on Good Hope Road, SE, bringing their signature medical care across the river for the first time.

Of Randolph, Jones expressed, “We are so fortunate to have a seasoned educator like Natalie join our Board of Directors. A native Washingtonian, as she is, knows what it means for us to be in service to this city and I look forward to the work we’ll do together to expand access to justice and equity for our community.”

The Bread for the City Board is the oversight and governance body of Bread for the City. It is charged with fiduciary responsibility and management of the agency, in service to the community of Washington, DC.