The DC Foodies Do Good Group Volunteers at Miriam’s Kitchen
Aiesha Layne, DCFDC Founder Robyn Webb, Laetitia Brock
Everyone loves food, but no one loves it like a foodie. The term “foodie” encompasses a diverse group, including hipster locavores, wholesome homecooks and coupon-crazed cafe diners. Sometimes foodie is even a pejorative, implying a voracious gourmet with a “let-them-eat-cake” attitude. Playing against any negative stereotypes is the group, DC Foodies Do Good (DCFDG). Approximately once a month, DCFDG organizes one food-related volunteer opportunity to give back to the community, and one food-centric social event for festive face-time.
On April 29, DCFDG volunteers prepared and served dinner for guests at Miriam’s Kitchen in DC, which provides “free, homemade meals and high-quality support services to more than 4,000 homeless men and women each year through [their] core programs,” including meals and case management. That evening’s healthy, delicious menu featured some purchased food and some donated from farmers markets: veggie burgers with grilled onions and cheddar on a roll; rosemary potatoes; sautéed, broccoli, carrots and cauliflower; roasted butternut squash; sautéed fresh mixed greens; fresh cucumber, avocado and tomato salad with vinaigrette; grapefruit; and, chunky, warm cinnamon applesauce. Miriam’s Kitchen Chef Steve Badt commented that when the peak season for farmers markets arrives, Miriam’s Kitchen reaps the bounty daily, and uses a large volume of produce directly from markets. He is very resourceful and partly creates menus around what food arrives from their varied sources on a given day (and how ripe it is!).
Chef Steve Badt
Dessert that evening was a varied selection of cupcakes from nearby celebrity bakers, Georgetown Cupcake, who donate their famous treats to Miriam’s Kitchen twice a week. Chef Badt said, “Georgetown Cupcake would donate everyday, but we try to keep our menu lower in sugar for the majority of the meals, and we can do that when we make our own desserts.” When offered a choice between Chocolate Ganache and Coconut, one guest requested the chocolate, exclaiming, “I want to taste that, and see why people stand in those long lines at that store!”
DCFDG is very organized yet flexible, professional yet friendly. Volunteer opportunities are usually a meal preparation and service with work that allow for a range of cooking skills. Past service events have included The Carpenter’s Shelter in Alexandria VA and the Ronald McDonald House in Falls Chuch VA. Foodie social events have included an Oktoberfest beer-and-brat tasting/talk with beer director Greg Engert at Churchkey; and, an artisanal gelato and espresso tasting at Dolcezza. Their next service event is on Friday, May 13: dinner preparation at DC Central Kitchen. The next social event is still in planning stages. To learn more about DCFDG, please visit: http://dcfoodiesdogood.com/
Miriam’s Kitchen was recognized by a Washington City Paper Readers’ Poll as the “Best Place To Volunteer” and attracts a steady flow of energetic, friendly helpers. But, they can always use more help, especially with a new campaign to save endangered DC funding for their programs. DC Mayor Vincent Gray’s proposed cuts for fiscal year 2012 reduces DC homeless services spending by $20.5 million. Miriam’s Kitchen estimates that this will “put more than 1,200 men and women on the streets with no other place to go for shelter.” To learn more about Miriam’s Kitchen—and how to protest proposed DC budget cuts—visit: http://www.miriamskitchen.org/HELP/Advocate/tabid/182/Default.aspx
Category: WHAT YOU MISSED
Elizabeth,
Thank you so much for writing an article about the DC Foodies Do Good and Miriam's Kitchen! We really value our partnership with the DCFDG group, and I know our guests particularly enjoy when they come to volunteer.
Thank you also for mentioning the tough budget crunch homeless services are up against. While this budget decision won't affect funding for Miriam's Kitchen (we receive less than 1% of our funding from government sources), it will drastically affect the services our guests have available to them outside of Miriam's Kitchen. It's important that we try to do all we can to ensure emergency shelters don't close next year, so we thank you for getting the word out!
Thanks again for your support!
--Jenn at Miriam's Kitchen
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