The 2000s
With a six-year record of success in Shaw and a growing demand for services, BFC launched a capital campaign to replicate its model east of the Anacostia River. Construction of the new Southeast Center began in 2001, and on its first day of operation in October 2002, staff distributed enough groceries to feed more than 3,000.
Dedicated to meeting the comprehensive needs of those it serves, BFC made a commitment to regularly assess community needs and ensure that its service model was relevant to address said needs. In this vein, BFC established its Representative Payee Program in 2002 in contract with the DC Department of Mental Health. This remains the only program in the District of Columbia that offers financial management services to residents living with mental illness and subsisting on a Supplemental Security Disability Income check. This critical program prevents vulnerable adults from mishandling their income and landing on the streets.
Bread for the City did not stop there; we continued our careful assessment and uncovered more community needs. In 2004 BFC recognized that while there are job training programs in DC, two critical needs remain unmet by these programs: peer support and case management. In response to this need, we developed the Pre-Employment Program (a subset of our Social Services program) where BFC clients gather together to learn about resume composition, workplace etiquette, time management, etc.
Also in 2004, in response to the growing threat of hypertension and diabetes, our medical director developed a health and wellness program titled Fit for Fun. The program focus is three-fold; with the support of our staff doctor and physician’s assistant, clients commit to diet and nutrition, exercise, and smoking cessation. Through a combination of weekly check-ins, nutrition and cooking classes and group exercise, clients work toward increased health and wellness.
As an outgrowth of the Fit for Fun Program, Bread for the City made a renewed commitment to the provision of nutritious foods. Our food director partnered with our medical director to ensure that the most healthful foods within our means are made available for our clients.
These accomplishments led to the 2006 organization of BFC’s Advocacy Program. While BFC has been advocating on behalf of low-income DC residents since its inception, 2006 marked the official establishment of our Advocacy Program. The primary objectives of the Advocacy Program are to influence policy and yield systemic change that will impact the root causes of poverty. The current focus is on housing, nutrition, and client self-advocacy.
Today, Bread for the City offers its six primary programs from our two Centers in Northwest and Southeast DC. We serve an average of 10,000 DC residents every month, totaling more than 31,000 unique individuals annually. All of our programs are provided at no cost to the client, and in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.