SUMMER 2011 1

It’s springtime, and we’re gardening -- on our roof. You may find that an-nouncement to be strange, even sur-prising; but it’s true. And we think it’s awesome!

Atop our Southeast Center, we’ve in-stalled rain barrels, a proud little vil-lage of pots, planters, and even a re-purposed kitchen sink that’s currently sprouting a cabbage plant. And our newly-expanded Northwest Center now features the largest rooftop agricul-ture site in the DC area. The Northwest Garden was built in collaboration with dc Greenworks, with thirty raised beds growing as many as a thousand veg-etable plants.

The yield from these gardens, of course, will be just a drop in the bucket compared to all of the food that passes through our pantries. Their true value

Bread for the City introduces green rooftop gardens!

Bread for the City is a community-based nonprofit organization that provides free, comprehensive services to low-income residents of Washington, DC in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. Bread for the City is a 501(c)3 organization and contributions are tax-deductible. Federal ID #26-3407327

SPRING NEWSLETTERCITY HELPINGS

2011

Continued on page 2Continued on page 2

www.breadforthecity.orgfacebook.com/breadforthecity

twitter.com/breadforthecity

A MESSAGE FROM MELISSA

I’m very proud to be writing to you to-day in my official capacity as Bread for the City’s new Food & Clothing Program Director. It’s an especially exciting time to take this leadership role, given how much remarkable growth we’re seeing here at Bread for the City.will be found in the relationships we

build there and the experiences we have. More than a hundred Bread for the City clients have already signed up to help build and maintain these gar-dens, participate in workshops about healthy eating and living, and learn about opportunities to work towards a healthier and more sustainable commu-nity.

For instance, Rosa was a client of Bread for the City’s nearly 20 years ago, and still volunteers with our pantry reg-ularly. It’s been decades since she had space to garden on her own -- and this project brought her out even in wind and rain for an opportunity to dig in the dirt and work with plants. “I haven’t felt this calm and at peace for years!”

Ms Antoinette Jones is also a regular at the site. She digs into the memo-ries of an active childhood on a farm in North Carolina to teach us all about the best ways to grow lots of food in small spaces, and the most delicious and

The need has rarely been greater, and our

capacity to serve is larger than ever.

You see, even though Bread for the City is already DC’s largest food pan-try, we never previously had enough ca-pacity to accommodate the entire city. The need was simply too great for our cramped facilities, so we dedicated our energies to serving people from the communities where those facilities are located.

Of course, we always meet with any-one who walks through our doors look-ing for help. In the past, we would at least be able to provide Northeast visi-tors in need of food assistance with a list of accessible resources in their own community.

2

Melissa from page 1

• 3,500 sq ft atop our NW CeNter

• 30 beds, herb Walls aNd more

• GroWiNG up to 1,000 plaNts

• food harvested by ClieNt GardeNers,

prepared iN our NutritioN Workshops,

shared as samples iN our paNtry

GLANCE

US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack pictured here (on left) with Food and Clothing Program Director Melissa Frazier, Executive Director George Jones, and Patrick Corvington (on right), CEO of The Corporation for National and Community Service (which operates Americorps and Peace Corps, among other programs). Secretary Vilsack came to announce several new anti-hunger initiatives from the USDA, and told us: “You are doing phenomenal work.”

Grow from page 1

Needless to say, we have never been satisfied with this limitation on our service. In fact, our staff often used the word “miserable” to describe it. So we worked for many years towards an expansion that would enable us to see all DC residents.

Now that it’s happened, we anticipate that thousands more families will come through Bread for the City’s doors in the years to come.

This change comes alongside dramatic growth in other programs. The capac-ity of our medical clinic will nearly triple in the coming years, with new programs popping up all over the place -- we’ve even started offering acupuncture! Next up: we’re about to become one of only two sites in the District to offer free vision and dental care. (You’ll hear more about that soon.)

This is a defining moment in Bread for the City’s history. I couldn’t be more pleased to be taking on a leadership role at such an exciting time. I encourage you to come see our facility for yourself, by reaching out to info@breadforthecity.org to set up a tour. Thank you for helping to make all of this possible.

nutritious ways to prepare the food once it’s ready.

You too can join our Community Supported Agriculture project. We’re still in need of soil, pots, planters, and other materials that will make this gar-den grow. We’re also looking for peo-ple to help conduct workshops, skill-shares, and other community events.

Most importantly of all, your dona-tions make it possible. With a $100 do-nation you can dedicate a pot in our garden, and a $1,000 donation will dedicate an entire bed.

GARDEN AT A

VISIT www.breadforthecity.org/rooftopgarden

to offer your support today.

SUMMER 2011 3

I first came to Bread for the City to volunteer as an undergrad at Howard University. From then on, when I thought of service in DC, I immediately thought of Bread for the City. In some commu-nities it’s hard enough to find medical and legal services, let alone food -- and for them to be all encompassed in one space, it’s just really exceptional.

MEET BREAD FOR THE CITY’S FIRST JOB DEVELOPER, MALTON EDwARDS

We’re pleased to introduce Malton Edwards IV! Malton comes to us from Hartford, Connecticut, and has a masters in public administration from Howard University, with a minor in economic development and urban planning.

Now I’m working here as the first job developer in Bread for the City’s Pre-Employment Program; also known as PEP. PEP helps clients build job readi-ness skills, self confidence and self es-teem. We look at the whole person and identify their needs. From what I can see, being a professional job developer is about three things: Development, Research, Advocacy.

By developing a person – getting them ready, building their portfolio, and bringing them through a personal meta-morphosis – we’re able to prepare them for the job that they desire (not just the one that we can fit them into).

By engaging in research, we can see what’s out there. Using the web and our networking skills and even just a cold telephone call -- that’s what helps us find the opportunities for our clients.

Then, advocacy. That part is actually going out to the employers and advo-cating for the clients and our program itself. We talk to employers about our clients, and we talk to them about our services and our program, so that they know and trust us. Even if they don’t hire a particular applicant whose resume they have in hand, they know about us in the future.

And it’s starting to work. The classes in our Pre-Employment Program are still small -- just eight people. But we’ve al-ready helped six find jobs. (That may not seem like a big number, but given how challenging our job market is here -- and how many challenges our clients face along the way -- it’s no small feat.)

In this, like everything, Bread for the City takes a holistic approach: it’s not just trying to help you to find a job, but about helping you become a whole person.

“In this, like everything, Bread for the City takes a holistic approach: it’s

not just trying to help you to find a job, but about helping you become a

whole person.”

Eric is a 46-year-old native Washingtonian. He used to work in utilities, and also has experi-ence as a mechanic. But he lost his job years ago, and eventually his home. His life just went off track.

“I took a few job training pro-grams,” Eric says. “But they just give you the classes and once you’re done, that’s that. It’s over.” And that wasn’t enough.

Eric didn’t even have proper shoes, for instance. And that’s what brought him to Bread for the City.

“I came here in search of clothes,” Eric recalls. “I saw a flyer for the Pre-Employment Program and was initially a little skepti-cal, because I’d just completed the computer training course and it didn’t get me anywhere. But Stacey [Smith, a Bread for the City social worker] came to talk to me

P R E P FO RSUCCESS

Eric, a client of our Pre-Employment Program. Eric graduated and successfully found a job!

Continued on page 7

From the shelter to the job

4

We look forward to seeing you at Art with a Heart 2012! For sponsorship opportunities,

please contact Emily Schneider at eschneider@breadforthecity.org

or (202) 480-8908

Our annual gala is always a blast, but this year was exceptional. Art with a Heart 2011 raised nearly $330,000 -- our most successful yet!

So, what will we do with all this money?

Your generosity will help us to provide:- over 80,000 meals

- over 630 medical visits- over 2,000 social service visits

- over 1,700 hours of legal service

That is a lot! A heartfelt thanks to everyone who made it all possible: Cynthia Krus and the plan-

ning committee, our sponsors, and our hosts, Jones Day. We hope to see you all again next year!

CHAMPION ($25,000)

avalere Health

Venable LLp

LEADER ($15,000-$24,999)

Mark & Cindy aron

MOTIVATOR ($10,000-$14,999)

Covington & Burling LLp

CsX Corporation

MCN Build

turner Construction

CHAIRMAN ($5,000-$9,999)

alston + Bird LLp

aronson & Company

rosalind & donald Cohen

ellen fitzsimmons & Greg rogowski

ART wITH A HEART 2011

Kraft food

Cynthia Krus & George Corey

ellen Look and tony Cavalieri

Nestle, usa

steptoe & Johnson

sutherland, asbill and Brennan LLp

White and Case LLp

ADVOCATE ($2,500-$4,999)

Bureau of National affairs, Inc.

City first Bank of dC

Joe & Lynn Horning

Jones day

sidley austin LLp

Craig & Belinda stevens

Wachovia, a Wells fargo Company

PROVIDER ($1,000-$2,499)

rudy & Lucy arkin

arnold & porter

B.K. Miller Meats and Liquor, Inc.

Chartered Health plan

fried, frank, Harris, shriver & Jacobson LLp

Gensler

the George Washington university office of Community-Based partnerships

Hollingsworth LLp

JaIr LyNCH development partners

richard C. & suzanne M. Johnson

Betsy Linsert

oleen pinnacle Healthcare Consulting

packer List, Inc.

pepco energy services, Inc.

ellen & roy rosenthal

scribner Hall & thompson, LLC

emily spitzer & eric Lewis

paul & Claudia taskier

david & adrienne umansky

Verizon

Art With A HeartSPONSORS

NExT YEAR’S ART wITH A HEART

SUMMER 2011 5

Art With A HeartCONTRIBUTORS

Thanks to Jessica Del Vecchio (http://jessicadelvecchio.com/) for generously donating her time and photography talent.

Art With a HeartCOMMITTEECynthia Krus, Chair

Mary ChristieRoz Cohen

Terri GinsbergCarol Khalil

Miriam KriegerLisa Morgan

Rachel MurphreeMary Payne

Clem RastatterMichael J. ReillyCacy Williams

ARTdiana eichlerGallery 2000pat Goslee fine art + designH. Jenna KlimchakLas Vegas Convention and Visitors authorityLinda LovellHoward MendelsonBetsey Mulloyeleanor K. WangWeber fine artCynthia young

POTTERY & CRAFTSted BayerLorrie BerkowitzMary Christieann LeonardLiz LescaultCynthia MankeHoward MendelsonLaura peeryKanika sircard

FINE JEwELRYthe Goldsmithsthe Mandarin Jewelry Boxtheresa schehl

HOTELS & GETAwAYSamerican airlines

Mary and don Harringtonscott HartranftKimpton HotelsMary ann KrusMandarin orientalanne seymoursouthwest airlinesus airwaysVamoose Bus

THEATRE & ENTERTAINMENTarena stagedumbarton Concertsthe embassy seriesdavid Massey Kathy scarboroughsignature theatertheater Jthe Washington BalletWashington revelsWoolly Mammoth theatre Company

RESTAURANTS & FOODaCKCChef Geoff’sCurbside CupcakesLouie dweckfounding farmersGreat american restaurantsoccasions Cateringpaul’s Wine & LiqourW. Millar & Co. Cateringyola dCZoe’s Chocolates

UP CLOSE & PERSONALGwen efillpardon the Interruption

SPORTSakridgedC unitedrr donnelleyWashington Nationals

HEALTH & wELLNESS

VIda fitness

BASkETS AND ARRANGEMENTSamaryllis floral + designBehnke’s NurseryMary a. Christiethe Grooming LoungeMichael J. reillydavid & adrienne umansky

6

This year, we are saying goodbye to some fantastic members of our Board of Directors -- and also welcoming some new ones on board!

Laura Tuell ParcherLaura Tuell Parcher was Secretary of the Board of Directors,

and chaired our Strategic Planning Committee. Laura has worked with Bread for the City for more than a decade, and has served DC’s poorest residents through pro bono and financial support for even longer. In 2010, Laura was recognized by the Oleander Foundation for her efforts to help asylum seekers access justice, and was also previously named Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year by the DC Bar.

Rosalind C. CohenRosalind C. Cohen has done everything you can think of

for Bread for the City: She held several leadership roles from the office of Vice-President on our Board of Directors to six years as Chair of the planning committee for our annual Art with a Heart fundraising event. Roz has rallied at the Wilson Building in support of safety net services, packed grocery bags to be distributed in our food pantries, and attended countless fundraising events encouraging friends and strangers to support our programs—programs she has personally supported for two decades.

Mark AronMark Aron is a great friend and tireless advocate of Bread

for the City. Not only has Mark held the office of President of our Board of Directors, but he has volunteered in almost all of our programs. Mark conducts intakes every week at our Southeast Center -- one of a very small core of dedicated volunteers who do so -- and he is game for pretty much everything else too. Not only does Mark give generously to Bread for the City, but he gets others to do the same. In recent years, Mark has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars from foundations, corporations, individuals, and religious organizations.

Marie HoffmanMarie Hoffman has a great depth of experience in devel-

opment of largescale public health projects in Latin America, through the DC chapter of Engineers Without Borders. She found Bread for the City in the course of research on local providers of comprehensive assistance, and has been an unusually dedicated volunteer in our medical clinic for three years. Marie advised on the development of our Health Resource Room and literacy programming.

outGoiNG board members iNComiNG board members

BREAD’S BOARD: CHANGES AFOOT!

Michael BlueMichael Blue first came to Bread for the City as a bike mes-

senger, when he would be called to run our clients’ health insurance documents to agencies across town. Years later, Michael and his wife, Marnette, are both clients (he insists that our Dr. Randi saved Marnette’s life). And Michael has been increasingly active in our community -- from speaking at the groundbreaking event for our Northwest Center ex-pansion, to engaging with the media and advising the Client Advisory Board.

SUMMER 2011 7

Bring friends and family!Please RSVP by July 11th to rsvp@breadforthecity.org

or call 202-480-8908

4TH ANNUAL PARkING LOT PICNIC

Learn about all that we accomplished this year, and all that we’re going to do next!

Tour our new facilities, including our rooftop garden!Eat some BBQ, listen to some music, and have some fun!

NORTHwEST CENTER: 1525 7TH STREET Nw

THURSDAY, JULY 21ST FROM 6:00 TO 8:00PM

and I decided to do the program.”

“At first,” Eric says, “I actually found the PEP program to be kind of slow. Real basic stuff. But even-tually I realized we were dealing with big questions. Not just ‘how do you go walking down the street looking for jobs?’ but ‘what do you need to get it done?’ ‘How do you feel about yourself?’ ‘What will it take to get you where you want to be?’”

In the course of PEP, Eric ac-quired the clothes, customs, and even simple confidence that he’d need to get a job. “You need all kinds of means to get up from the bottom,” says Eric. “And Bread can help you get it covered.”

“It’s been awesome to see Eric’s success,” says Stacey Smith. “He comes in here from the homeless shelter, he shaves and puts on a suit and tie and heads out with a Blackberry like a professional. It’s a transformation, like Clark Kent to Superman.”

Even with this transformation, however, getting a job can still re-quire a lot of support. Among other places, Eric applied for a cook po-sition at the Hard Rock Cafe; when he called back to inquire about it, however, they told him that that they couldn’t find his application.

“In the past, that would have been it - end of story. But Malton followed up with me and then fol-lowed up with them and made sure that I was right where I needed to be.”

And surely enough, Eric now has a job at the Hard Rock Cafe -- and he’s working with one of our case managers to find permanent hous-ing. We’re excited to see all the progress yet to come from Eric, our other PEP participants, and our job development program as a whole!

Eric’s Story From page 6

SAVE THE DATE:

VISIT www.breadforthecity.org/rooftopgarden

to offer your support today.

8

Frank Asher from Old City Green for his garden support

Elena Alvarez and Carolina Valencia for translation assistance

The Art with a Heart Committee for planning an awesome event

Jessica Del Vecchio and Michelle Lindsay for fantastic photography

Nelson Gibson for accounting assistance

Harrison Pham for assistance with community engagement

Chimu Titi and Anna Melton for Southeast rooftop garden leadership

Kristin Henrikson at Delaney McKinney for mentoring in divorce cases

David S. Goldberg from Family Mediation Services, Inc.

Sgt Jonathan Podorsky MPD for steadfast engagement with our Southeast Center

Gifts of the Good Earth for their self-watering growing containers

Allison Burket and Abbie Steiner for food justice organizing

Dionne Reeder of the Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative

Deborah Watson for a year of essential volunteering at our Southeast front desk.

And receive immediate action alerts by subscribing to our email list. Email bulletin@breadforthecity.org

with the subject line “subscribe!”Thank you for your support.

BREAD IS ON THE wEBStay abreast of our updates by following us:

www.twitter.com/breadforthecity

www.facebook.com/breadforthecity

wISHLISTAdobe InDesign software

Silverware sets

Easy to read books for adult learners

Gift cards (to book stores, Target, CVS, etc)

SmarTrip cards

Cleaning supplies/laundry detergent

Feminine hygiene products

Framed art suitable for meeting rooms

Plastic storage containers (of all sizes)

Small paper shredder

Lockable file cabinet

Plus-sized winter clothes

Pots for planting

Soil

USB drives

THANk YOUNw CENTER:

1525 7th street, NWWashiNGtoN, dC 20001

202.265.2400

SE CENTER:1640 Good hope road, seWashiNGtoN, dC 20020

202.561.8587