Bread for the City

Happy New Year, neighbor! 🎉 As we enter 2025, we're gearing up for another year of advocating for low-income residents in DC. But before we dive into the challenges ahead, we want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible progress we made in 2024. From expanding our services to strengthening our community partnerships, we couldn’t have achieved these milestones without the support of our dedicated staff, partners, and supporters.💚 Take a look at our Top 24 Moments of 2024 to see how we’re making a lasting impact together: https://lnkd.in/eqQ8Vwiu.

Every donation until the clock strikes midnight tonight will be matched, so your gift goes twice as far in supporting our neighbors in need. Let’s start 2025 strong—together, we can ensure no one in DC is left behind. 💚Donate now and make double the difference: https://lnkd.in/ejE6PwH5

My thoughts on today's Point in Time annual homeless census results: TODAY: The yearly homeless census data is out. Homelessness is going up because rent keeps going up, and more and more people are struggling to get by. This does not mean that housing does not solve homelessness, it does. This means there isn't enough housing to go around. Instead of focusing on real solutions like housing + help, over 100 cities & 6 states have passed backwards, simple minded, and expensive anti-camping laws. These will make homelessness worse. 1 in 5 ppl spend all of their income on rent. 1 in 4 worry about becoming homelessness in the near future. 50% of renters pay more than they can afford in rent. It's the housing. 32% of people experiencing homelessness are Black. Black people make up 12% of the US population and 21% of the population living in poverty. It's the sky high cost of housing, and it's also racism and oppression. The Trump admin will force more ppl into homelessness and keep them homeless longer. His proposed detention camps and nationwide camping ban are recipes for a very expensive disaster. If elected officials want to see fewer people sleeping outside, the must make sure that everybody's housing and other basic needs are met.

Thank you to Monumental Sports & Entertainment for including Bread for the City in today's ground breaking ceremony for the future of the Capital One Arena. As a partner of the MSE Foundation and DMPED, and to cheer on corporate partner Clark Construction Group, I am looking forward to following the project's progress.

We're looking for a compassionate Community Health Nurse to join our team in Washington, DC. You'll provide clinical support and health education and lead our harm reduction initiatives while advancing our mission to fight poverty and promote racial equity. If you're an RN passionate about public health and social justice, apply now! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eFWqntWP #HealthcareJobs #PublicHealth #DCJobs

🍠 I thought this was going to be a post about sweet potatoes, but something more magical happened today. Disclaimer: If you’ve never read one of my long-winded LinkedIn posts before, I get it—but I promise this one is worth your time. 🥖 Today, I was called to volunteer at Bread for the City in DC, applying some of my monthly community service hours from EAB to help prepare food for my neighbors. When I arrived, a woman mentioned that she had lost something, but ironically, I didn’t hear what she said. 🦻 While I was discussing volunteerism with another individual, I shared my perspective that it’s not just about organized efforts like what we were doing but also about informal acts, like helping a neighbor, a friend, your grandma. As I said "grandma," a woman approached me and said, "This grandma needs help." She explained that her hearing aids were brand new and she was still getting used to them, so she hadn’t noticed when or where one had fallen. 📲 I proceeded to help her download her hearing aid app and connect to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Through this process, we were able to confirm that the hearing aid was in a given room in the center, but we weren’t able to ping the sound so that we could locate it more easily. 🌊 In my family, we have had several instances of losing jewelry and even my friend’s glasses in the ocean, then finding them days later. I’m not sure if it’s attention to detail, an innate sense or energy with objects, or what, but it’s a gift my family has to connect people with their most treasured possessions. 🍎 After I confirmed that the hearing aid was in a given room, I began to search under the pallets of food, shelves, refrigerators. Often, I found scraps of plastic that resembled the hearing aid that she was looking for. Finally, I turned my flashlight on and looked under a refrigerator and thought I saw it. Without getting too excited or indicating that I found it, I grabbed it from underneath. 🫶 When I brought the hearing aid over to her, she burst into tears, kissed me, and hugged me. She told me that she had saved up for years to buy these hearing aids and that she did not have the words to express her gratitude. Similarly, my grandmother lost her new hearing aids in her home a year ago and was completely distraught because they are expensive and difficult to replace. 🧚♀️ The synchronicity of this experience is a very comforting reminder of how each of our strengths can be *just* the thing someone needs. If you got this far, *please consider regularly volunteering in your community and engaging with your neighbors, informally and formally.* If you’d like, feel free use this thread to share how you give back and support your community to help inspire others. 🎁 I’m so grateful that I was called to be in community today and help others. With so much gratitude, happy holidays everyone. You are a gift! #Volunteer #CommunityImpact #StrongerTogether #GiveBack

A huge thank you to Boston Consulting Group (BCG) for their incredible support during Holiday Helpings. Right before Thanksgiving, their team packed over 100 bags of holiday groceries, spreading cheer and meeting critical needs in our community. Your generosity continues to make a difference, and we’re so grateful!

Over the past few weeks, employees organized a winter clothing drive through the Bates White Community Connection to support Bread for the City. Employees donated more than 1,000 articles of clothing, shoes, household items and appliances, linens, and unused hygiene products. Bread for the City is a non-profit with a mission to help and empower low-income DC residents by providing food, clothing, medical care, legal and social services, and community organizing/public advocacy. Learn more about our community initiatives: https://ow.ly/s8EQ50PQKMK #beyondexpertsbetterexperience #BWCC

Yesterday, the Southeast Children's Fund DC LEAD program had the incredible opportunity to give back to our community in celebration of International Volunteer Day. Our time spent at Bread for the City was not only meaningful but also a powerful reminder of the collective impact we can have when we come together to serve those in need—especially during the holiday season. Bread for the City plays a vital role in addressing the challenges faced by many residents in Washington, DC. From providing food, clothing, and medical care to offering legal and social services, this organization is a cornerstone of support for so many. Their mission aligns closely with our values at SCF DC LEAD. We are inspired by the transformative work they do and are so grateful to have had the chance to contribute to their efforts. The energy, passion, and purpose we witnessed yesterday reinforce why partnerships like this matter. We can't wait to partner with Bread for the City again to continue making a difference in the lives of those who need it most. 💙 #InternationalVolunteerDay #DCLEAD #BreadForTheCity #CommunityImpact #HolidayGiving #SoutheastChildrensFund

It's #GivingTuesday - have you supported your favorite nonprofit with a gift today? Here's why I think you should: -Giving Tuesday is a global day of generosity, where millions of people come together to support causes they care about. By participating, your donation can maximize impact with collective giving. And who doesn't love a bigger impact? -Nonprofits rely on donations to sustain their work. On Giving Tuesday, donations are often amplified through matching campaigns, which can significantly increase the funds raised, providing long-term support. Reaching these goals promotes the overall brand of the organization. If you love your favorite nonprofit, giving today can boost their visibility. -Participating in Giving Tuesday helps promote a culture of giving and kindness, encouraging others to recognize the importance of supporting causes that drive positive change. It's a wonderful time of year to show that the holidays are not just about consumption but also building a culture of generosity. -Finally, helping others is just the right thing to do, this time of year, and all year! If you want your gift to matter after the holiday decorations are packed up, become a sustaining or monthly donor at your favorite charity. It's a win-win! Becoming a sustaining member today ALSO counts towards most Giving Tuesday goals. And, if you need some inspiration, learn more about all the ways Bread for the City is supporting community members and donate to our Giving Tuesday campaign - in just a few short clicks, your gift will go directly into the work the community needs AND be doubled by a matching donor, all before midnight tonight! https://lnkd.in/enCUjyiD