I consider myself part of a new trend in the District of Columbia. I am a young professional living in the heart of the town, ushering in an urban revitalization of the federal city. While it has been amazing to see street car tracks laid down, new bars and restaurants opening their doors and even a craft beer revolution taking place inside the city’s boarders, it is impossible to look past the crowds of homeless individuals crowding the Starburst Plaza near H St. or the Martin Luther King Library on G St.
Yesterday, I had the chance to help those in need while volunteering through United Builds at DC Central Kitchen on 2nd St. NW.
A motley crew of D.C. United staff members including the Assistant Equipment Manager, Box Office Manager, and Director of Information Technology toiled in the massive kitchen preparing meals that would feed over 2,000 individuals.
How can 2,000 meals be prepared in less than three hours? Well, it certainly wasn’t easy.
I personally cut over 500 pieces of bread that would be used to make sandwiches to distribute through DC Central Kitchen’s various outlets. When the bread was all prepared we moved our efforts to pressing turkey patties. For over an hour I kept my hands wrist-deep in ground turkey, pressing over 400 patties on my own! After we finished our responsibilities, the group from D.C. United had prepared the elements for over 2,000 meals which would be distributed within a 24 hour period. While the work was tiring, it was rewarding to leave the facility knowing thousands in need would have a warm meal to eat because of our efforts.
DC Central Kitchen prepares over 10,000 meals per day and is open 365 days a year as “hunger takes no off days.” The facility relies on a base of volunteers to cut bread, chop vegetables, pound turkey patties and everything else that goes with feeding the masses. I highly recommend the experience to those looking to effectively donate their time. For more information visit http://www.dccentralkitchen.org/.
