Twitter it, just a little bit

Yes like seemingly everyone else in the country, we joined Twitter this week.



Now, there just isn't I haven't seen all that much "tweeting" about poverty happening out there in the known Twitterverse. These matters are beyond the pale for most Twitterers. And it's not yet easy for me to imagine how to meaningfully communicate about these matters in 140 characters. But I've already found quite a few food banks using it, and some legal aid services using it, [UPDATE] and there seems to be a lot of noise about a film called A Powerful Noise.

So we're not yet sure exactly what we're going to do with this tool. Right now it's just a shiny toy. Suggestions for its use are welcome.

Beyond Bread: The Stimulus Roundup

~Sherita Evans, our Intake Coordinator in Anacostia, is now a citizen journalist for the BBC! Sherita talks about the divide between Federal Washington and low-income Ward 8, along with the river that keeps them apart. Nice job, Sherita!

~DC has one of the best government health insurance programs in the country. Yet, despite this fact, getting low-income residents the care they need remains a daunting challenge. Bread for the City was featured recently on WAMU talking about medical care in DC. Many thanks to Washington Grantmakers Daily for picking up the story as well.

~Did you hear that a Reinvestment Act was just passed? As it turns out, there were a couple pretty significant things in there to help direct-service non-profits. The most notable departure from the old Administration was the reinvestment in the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), a USDA program that either directly or indirectly gives food donations to almost every pantry or soup kitchen in the nation. TEFAP was cut in half under President Bush, causing our food budget to inflate. That program is now back up to normal levels of funding. Here's what we know so far (thanks to the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty):

Homeless Prevention
• $1.5 billion to the HUD Emergency Shelter Grant Program
• $100 million to the FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Grant Program
Food Assistance
• Food stamp benefits will increase by approximately 13%. This increase will phase out over time.
• $100 million for formula grants to states for elderly nutrition services, including Meals on Wheels
• $150 million for the Emergency Food Assistance Program to purchase commodities for food banks
Education
• $70 million for the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program
Disability Payments
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries and veterans receiving disability benefits or pensions from the VA will receive a one-time payment of $250.
Unemployment Benefits
• Increases unemployment benefits by $25 per week
• Continues the extended unemployment benefits program until December 2009 (the program was due to expire in March 2009). The extended unemployment benefits program provides up to 33 weeks of extended benefits.
Earned Income Credit and Child Tax Credit
• Provides additional tax credit to families with three or more children and decreases the marriage penalty for the tax credit
• Decreases the annual income required to claim the Child Tax Credit from $8,000 to $3,000
Assistance to Persons Fleeing Domestic Violence
• $50 million to the transitional housing program authorized by the Violence Against Women Act to assist individuals and families fleeing from domestic violence

Tell them how awesome we are. Also, how awesome we aaaaaare!

Hello, friends! (Well well, you look nice today!)

So we recently received notice that Guidestar, a charity rating organization, is teaming up with some sort of Am-I-Hot-Or-Not site for NPOs called "GreatNonprofits," to post user-generated reviews of thousands of non-profit organizations, including Bread for the City. (In their email to us, they described themselves as "kind of like Yelp, but specifically targeted for nonprofits," although we wonder whether Friendster is the more apt point of comparison.)

Well and so it now falls to us to ask our friends, partners, admirers etc to "testify" for us. Will you pen a review for us? Proffer your thoughts about Bread for the City's mission, services, ethic, and general organizational whatwithal. You might mention about how our service numbers have been expanding at a rate of 10-20% each year for the last three years; or about how we've overhauled our food pantry and conduct cooking classes as part of an initiative to encourage healthy eating in our communities. (You might even mention this blog.) Emoticons and embedded sparkly animated gifs are encouraged.

A client story: unemployed and without insurance

So our country’s decades-old health care problem has become a fully-fledged crisis. In the last few years, demand has been increasing for all of our programs, but the escalation in number of visits to our medical center is by far the most intense: a growth of about 20% annually, for the last three or so years.

Of course, the economic downturn makes this situation much worse. Recent figures put out by the Center for American Progress estimate that about 14,000 people are losing their health insurance every day. It’s a terrifying number. And it's the kind of number that doesn't even do a good job of conveying the reality of the situation. So let's share a story from our medical clinic last week.

Mrs. A recently came in to Bread for the City’s medical clinic for the first time. She’d heard about us from a church sister, who encouraged her to check it out. Mrs. A was running out of options; she’s been unemployed for more than a year. She has three grown children, but says “they’ve got families of their own that they’re struggling to bring up.”

Here’s her story:

I worked all my life, since I was 16. Most of my jobs I had for 10 years. I worked at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the American Psychiatric Association. With my skills, I was always able to find a new job within 2 weeks of leaving the old one.

I worked for Fannie Mae for 7 years. They offered me early retirement on September 28, 2007. They paid us a settlement of $25k, and that’s what I’ve been living off of ever since, paying rent and food and my bills, while I look for work every single day. (I’ve got my resume and a flash drive in my purse right now, just in case anything comes up.) I figured I’d find work in weeks, but I haven’t ever seen anything like this. I had insurance through the end of December of 2008. I had to leave my doctor then, and haven’t had medical attention since.

When she finally made it to our clinic, she had $33 to her name.

Mrs. A is scared for the future. At least her trip to Bread for the City gave her some modest (and plainly visible) measure of comfort.

“I thought I’d be warehoused through, you know given pills and shown the door. But I’ve already received real care. They asked me about how I’m living, and what I’m eating, and already they gave me some good advice plus some pills that I needed badly. It was remarkable, and such a relief. And I didn’t know I could get food here – the food will help a lot, it’s fresh and healthy which is important because of my diet.”



Here at Bread for the City, we’re only able to take new patients like Mrs. A at a rate of two or three a day. Dozens more get turned away.

This is the main reason we’re starting our expansion: so that we can conduct more client visits (by almost three times the amount!).

But even our expansion will only meet a fraction of the need. The country needs dramatic leadership from the federal government to galvanize real progress toward a health care infrastructure that will ensure that people like Mrs. A don’t fall through the cracks. Fortunately, it looks like this is President Obama’s very next major task.

A Shout Out for Pronto Press!

It's hard to find good vendors--honest business people who do good work and charge reasonable prices--so I tend to look for recommendations and I always try to spread the word when I find a good one.

If you need a good printer, you should give Jose at Pronto Press a call. He has helped us out (often at the last minute) for invitations, event catalogues, envelopes, letterhead, donation receipts, etc. He is easy to work with, will give good recommendations for ways to trim costs (a must for any non-profit), and delivers on-time. I have been very pleased with the quality of his work and am always grateful for his help. Try Pronto Press out for yourself...and feel free to let Jose know that Bread for the City sent you!

DMH Oversight Hearing- My testimony

Last Thursday, the DC Council's Committee on Health held an Oversight Hearing regarding the Department of Mental Health (DMH). It was a full house!

As I have been writing, DMH is in the process of privatizing their services for severely mentally ill residents. The plan could potentially improve the overall quality and cost-effectiveness of care received in the District, and the savings from privatization would allow the DMH to expand mental health coverage to more people. But in the course of transition, the care of 4,174 mentally ill individuals hangs in the balance.

This transition was a hot topic at the oversight hearing. Service providers and clients alike were on hand to express their concern. In response, Chairman David Catania repeatedly declared that he will maintain vigilant oversight over the situation, and that he won't allow changes that don't result in increased access to mental health services for DC residents.

I testified about this last piece--the importance of using the savings from the closure of the DC CSA to improve and expand the mental health system, especially through the creation of an Alliance mental health benefit.

"...the District has much to gain by ensuring that those who need less intensive care get the care they need. Early detection and treatment of mental illness can prevent or lessen the on-set of severe mental illness....[making people] more likely to maintain stable employment...more likely to follow prescribed treatment for both physical and mental health concerns. It is my sincere hope and recommendation that this committee does everything in its power to ensure that the savings are set aside for their intended purpose—to improve the public mental health system, including the establishment of a mental health benefit for Alliance recipients."

Take a look at my testimony and let me know what you think!

Beyond Bread: Increases in Everything

~Thank you to our friends at DCist for the help these last couple of weeks. They folded Art with a Heart, our annual gala/auction to support our crucial programs, into the Arts Agenda. Then, always a pal, they pointed their readers to our post stating that one of our clients is looking for a vacuum.

~Bread for the City also signed on to an open letter to Congress and the Administration this week asking them to fully fund housing programs. Doing this will have a significant positive impact on the housing market, will reduce homelessness, and will provide stability to many residents living in economic instability. It’s also just a nice thing to do.

~Care2 picked up the story we posted about trying to change to tax code to encourage farmers to donate excess crops to pantries.

~The New York Times has really been on the ball lately. They ran a good piece on how our country really doesn’t have a health insurance program for the poor despite many people thinking we do (DC, by the way, has one of the best in the country). Equally true was a report on how food pantries are seeing a giant increase in the number of people we’re serving (at BFC, about a 10% increase).

~Bloomberg reports that the number of Americans receiving unemployment benefits is now at 4.99 million.

I'm Speaking at a Social Media Workshop(?)!

The Capital Area Food Bank and the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of DC are sponsoring an online media forum for direct-service non-profits. This is just the kind of helpful information that, I hope, will spur many of our partner organizations to take the plunge into online communications. Also, I'm one of the presenters. If you're interested in coming, you should send an email to Kristin (address listed below). I hope you'll come and check it out!

Social Media at Work
Are you new to blogging and other online social media? Attend this workshop for an introduction to the new technology scene, including blogs, YouTube, Facebook, Change.org, and more! Jennifer Berk from Amplify Public Affairs, LLC will demonstrate how to use these new tools to create connections at work with colleagues, volunteers, donors, and clients. In addition, Matt Siemer from Bread for the City will provide an up-close look at how one of DC’s largest nonprofit social service organizations got started in social media and will provide concrete tips on how to set up and successfully manage a blog. This workshop is co-sponsored by the Capital Area Food Bank and the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of DC and is offered in partnership with the Washington DCJCC and the Morris Cafritz Center for Community Service.

Date: Wednesday, March 4, 10am-12pm
Location: Washington DCJCC, 1529 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

To register, please contact Kristin Boehne at 202-526-5344 ext 294 or boehnek [at] cfoodbank [dot] org.

Art, art, and more art!

You like art, right? And you support Bread for the City's work in the low income communities in DC-- right??

Well since both of those things are totally true, you should come and join Bread for the City at the 19th annual Art With a Heart! This year’s event, which will take place on March 19th at the Capital Hilton Hotel, will feature many one-of-a-kind art pieces available during the evening’s silent auction.

Bid on an exotic piece of pottery or the perfect painting for your office wall. Whatever your taste, we have something for you.If you are looking for a more hands-one experience and want to learn new skills from local artists, bid on an art class, or an afternoon with Pilar Jimenez, a Colombian painter, viewing her private gallery and indulging in homemade tapas.

Come prepared to find a new passion for the pottery, photographs, and paintings on display as you spend the evening relaxing with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and dinner.

If art isn’t really your thing, that’s OK too. We will also have get-aways, restaurants, theatre tickets, and more! Please visit our website to make reservations today. We look forward to seeing you there!

DC DMH: Oversight Hearing TOMORROW!

We've been focusing here on the blog about the upcoming changes to the Department of Mental Health, which is preparing to close the DC Community Services Agency by March 30, 2010, transitioning thousands of mentally ill DC residents into private care.

"[T]he restructuring will ultimately be for the better," I wrote in my first post, but qualified that in my second:

There will need to be vigilant oversight, continued support for consumers and private providers, and DMH will need to be flexible on dates if private sector capacity cannot expand in time to meet the current deadlines.

But you don't just have to take my word for it.

If you want to learn about all the changes yourself, join me tomorrow (Thursday, February 19) at 10 am in the Wilson Building (1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW) for the Committee on Health's Oversight Hearing. It should be enlightening! I'll report back here on the blog next week...

From white to brown rice

When it comes to nutrition counseling, few suggestions I make to Bread for the City clients cause as much a stir as switching from white to brown rice. To many, white rice is a cultural staple food, a non-negotiable part of their diet.

I understand the cultural value of culinary tradition. But I also believe it’s possible to honor and uphold tradition while learning and growing into even healthier lifestyles. Enjoying brown rice and other whole grains is a simple step in that direction.

Most of the healthy parts of grains are found in the outer parts, called the germ and bran. But these parts are removed in the process of turning brown rice into white rice. When the germ and bran go, about three-quarters of the nutrients are lost, too.

Most often, this newly white rice is sold as is. Sometimes customers will find white rice that is “enriched” or “fortified” with vitamins and minerals like the ones that once were in the germ and bran. This is an improvement over standard white rice but these reintegrated vitamins and minerals generally do not work as well in the body as those that were there to begin with. It’s preferable to get these nutrients in their natural forms – by eating whole grains like brown rice, as well as other foods that have not been processed.

For those who are open to trying brown rice, I offer the following advice: Transition slowly.

For a couple of weeks, one should cook a combination of ¼ brown rice and ¾ white rice. Then make the switch to ½ brown and ½ white, staying with that combination for two weeks. Then change it to ¾ brown and ¼ white. And after two more weeks of that, finally, try 100% brown rice. Usually, making the move this way gives a person enough time to adjust, and the less drastic change is one that sticks.

And in case you’re wondering, no, a little white rice from time to time is not a big deal for the average person in fine health. But if white rice is a staple part of a diet that generally includes lots of processed carbohydrates and other foods, making the switch to brown rice could be an easy step toward improving your health.

One simple brown rice dish I made a while back with a Bread for the City cooking class is called mujadara. This is a Syrian Jewish recipe that always receives excellent reviews:

Mujadara

Ingredients:

2 cups of long-grain or basmati brown rice
1 cup of brown or green lentils, preferably French green lentils
2 medium onions
Olive oil
Cinnamon
Salt

Instructions:

Cook rice and lentils according to package instructions. If cooking time is same, do it in one pot; if different, you’ll need to use two pots.
Pour olive oil in pan, just enough to coat the bottom.
Lightly sautee 2 medium onions in pan until caramelized.
Mix in 2 t of cinnamon and a dash of salt with onion sautee.
Combine rice, lentils, and onion sautee, adding more cinnamon to flavor if desired.

So as I say to my clients: give it a shot. You might enjoy the heartier texture. And maybe the best part is: brown rice actually keeps you full longer than white rice. One of the many benefits of whole grains…

Dr Slosberg, Bread for the City super volunteer

Dr. Bernard Slosberg has been a familiar face around here for 13 years now. One of our most dedicated and effective volunteers, Dr. Slosberg has been working two volunteer shifts a week in our medical clinic since retiring in 2001.

In addition to providing care to our patients, Dr. Slosberg has mentored scores of younger doctors, medical students, and residents. He even took a course at Johns Hopkins about teaching medical students, and in fact eventually ended up teaching that very course himself.

After years of volunteering, Dr. Slosberg and his wife are now also donors to Bread for the City – and they manage their giving in several different ways: through a charitable remainder trust, a charitable gift annuity, and a donor advised fund. These gifts are also partially matched through Dr. Slosberg’s former employer. Bread for the City is also a beneficiary in his final will and testament (though these funds we don’t expect to receive for a long time).

“I would like to change the whole system,” he says of his commitment to helping those less fortunate, “but I’m realistic enough to know that I can’t do that. So I do what I can. Life has been very, very good to me so I’m trying to give something back.”

And so yesterday was a bittersweet one here at Bread for the City, when Dr. Slosberg “graduated” from our medical clinic. He won’t be a stranger from here on out – he will be joining us for the Groundbreaking of our Northwest Center expansion, and he is looking forward to see the expansion of our medical clinic firsthand.

“The medical clinic in the last five years has made such major progress – great new staff, automated record-keeping, new procedures, and they’re going to be so effective in the new clinic. When this expansion is done, they’ll able to stretch out and really settle in, and it will make all this so much more effective. They’re on a great trajectory.”

Right when I asked him about his fondest memory of working here at Bread for the City, a little boy ran into the room; the boy looked at Dr. Slosberg for a moment, waved, and turned around to run out. Bernard sighed and said with a smile, “every day.”

What's going on with DC DMH? (Part 2)

As I started to explain in my last mental health post, DC's Department of Mental Health (DMH) is undergoing some major changes.

In an effort to provide better services to a wider range of people, DMH has decided to close the public agencies that provide mental health treatment to severely mentally ill (known as the DC CSA) effective March 31, 2010. The plan is that the 4,174 patients who are currently receiving direct services from the DC CSA--40% of public mental health patients--will be transitioned over the next year to private providers.

This is a big deal. It will be a big undertaking with lots of room for error. I look forward to highlighting potential obstacles that DMH will need to address in future posts (and welcome comments, guest-bloggers, etc. to do a better job than I can do), but for now I will try to explain the plan from the DMH perspective.

The Implementation Plan DMH released last month provides the framework for how they expect all of these changes to take place. Here are the highlights:

• Transition will happen in two phases: 2,500 consumers are expected to be transitioned to private providers by August 1, 2009 and then the rest by March 2010


• Consumers will have the opportunity to choose their new provider
  
• Beginning next month, there will be provider fairs, letters, ads, etc. to help educate the patients on what is happening and help them choose their new provider. Providers are encouraged to do their own outreach to the patients as well.


• The private sector is not ready for this transition. Many private providers will need additional funding to help expand their capacity to serve these new patients--some need to hire new providers, some need bigger buildings, etc.


• Once a consumer has chosen a new provider, then that provider will receive a pre-established "transition rate" from the District to help them increase their capacity so that they are ready to care for the patient after the transition. These extra funds are available within the current DMH budget.


• A practice group of current DC CSA psychiatrists will continue to be employed by DMH, but will provide services at private provider offices


• DC CSA treatment teams and outreach groups are working to ensure that care is uninterrupted and that everyone transitions smoothly


• In the mean time, DC CSA will continue to provide needed services, especially for same day urgent care needs and for those who will only need short-term care.

Once the transition is complete, the DC CSA will be much smaller and hopefully DMH will be more effective, but given the current lack of capacity in the private sector, this will not be an easy process. There will need to be vigilant oversight, continued support for consumers and private providers, and DMH will need to be flexible on dates if private sector capacity cannot expand in time to meet the current deadlines.

Stay tuned to learn more about the end product goal and potential obstacles DMH will need to address...

Client Request: Vacuum Cleaner

Back in September, one of our case managers was working with someone who needed a vacuum because major renovations were causing dust to pour into her apartment. Thanks to our readers and a helping hand from DCist, we had a vacuum dropped off for this person within 24 hours. The person we were helping was humbled by the generosity of our readers, as was our staff.

With that said, I have to send out another plea. The same woman came in yesterday and said that, unfortunately, the vacuum broke! If you have a good, reliable vacuum that you would be willing to donate, please contact me (Matt) at msiemer [at] breadforthecity [dot] org

Beyond Bread: A Look at Last Week

First, a warm thanks from Bread for the City to Georgetown University’s Chinese Student Alliance and the Georgetown Emergency Response Medical Service. The two groups teamed up to do a food drive to benefit Bread for the City, and became the first group in BFC history to deliver their meals in an ambulance--talk about life saving!

~Our blog was busy last week, and luckily so were our supporters. It was announced that Bread for the City would be getting an extra $1.35 million from the DCPCA to be put toward the expansion of our Northwest Center. DCMud and Washington Grantmakers Daily helped us get the word out that the expansion will double the size of our current location, triple the size of our Medical Clinic, and provide a much better continuum of care for the low-income residents we serve.

~We also posted about a strange hiccup in the tax code that, Sharon thinks, is part of what prevents local farmers from connecting with area food pantries. Donations of fresh produce are always a huge help to direct-service providers, but as Grist points out, the cost of labor and fuel it would take to make the donation isn’t deductable, which prohibits many local farmers from working with pantries and soup kitchens. Believe me, this is a topic we’re going to revisit as we start working with local farms to set up gleanings.

~Bread for the City’s clothing room is going to be getting some help! Coup de Foudre Lingerie is going to be holding a bra drive for their customers.

~Thanks to DCist for linking to my write-up of Greg and I going to look at Matthew Thompson’s art exhibit at MLK Library. The trip turned out to be something of a debacle, and we’re still trying to live down Sommer calling us the boys from Bread for the City.

Also in the news: The Earth Times covered Bread for the City’s own Dr. Randi winning the American Medical Association’s Pride in the Profession Award! The Washington Post had three interesting things: the latest unemployment numbers (598,000 jobs lost in January alone), a report stating that more schools are reporting children who are homeless. and a story on how the long lines are causing big delays getting unemployment benefits to the people who need it. In better news, President Obama signed an expansion of SCHIP into law last week.

"What We Mean By Housing"

Today, Bread for the City signed on to the open letter sent to Congress by the National Low Income Housing Coalition. The letter asks for the stimulus bill to contain $35 billion of funding for affordable housing - and it's such compelling and urgent stuff that we're just going to go ahead and post the text right here:

All agree that housing is the root of the current economic crisis, but housing is much more than the private home ownership market. The economic recovery bill now under debate will do a great deal to promote growth in that market, but not nearly enough to help low income families and individuals struggling to pay the rent.

The undersigned organizations want to call attention to what we mean by housing. We mean enough homes renting at affordable prices so that our nation’s lowest income families and individuals are assured of safe and decent places to live.

We urge the House and Senate to approach conference negotiations on the economic recovery package with an eye toward balancing the long-standing and unmet need for decent, affordable homes for households with the lowest incomes who have no other options with the desire to include costly fixes for a home owner market still in flux that will benefit higher income households who have many other options.

Today, hundreds of thousands of people are on waiting lists for rental assistance, which are only getter longer as unemployment and foreclosures grow. Tonight, more than 745,000 people are homeless.

As the recession progresses, the number of people losing their jobs and subsequently falling below the poverty line is projected to increase by 10 million people over the next two to three years.

One tragic result of increasing poverty is increased homelessness. One in 10 people living below the federal poverty level will become homeless at some point over the course of a year. We project at least 800,000 new homeless people, including children and seniors, this year unless action is taken now. School districts across the country are already seeing sharp increases in the number of homeless children and youth.

No federal low income housing programs are entitlements. But, the House and Senate economic recovery bills do include housing subsidies for homebuyers of any income level that are not constrained by an appropriated amount. We urge Congress to equally address the nation’s poorest families. As the mortgage crisis continues unabated, rental homes that low income households can afford are more necessary than ever.

In any recent year, the funds provided in the economic recovery bill would represent significant resources to HUD housing programs. But today, the unemployed, low wage workers, low income seniors, and people with disabilities are experiencing severe housing affordability challenges. When we compare the attention paid to homeownership in the bill to the resources provided to programs serving the nation’s most vulnerable people, we are dismayed and disappointed that those households for whom stable homes are most threatened in today’s economy have been largely overlooked.

In one fell swoop, the amendment the Senate adopted to allow a $15,000 homeownership tax credit eclipsed more than twice over the total amount the bill allocates for low and moderate-income housing. Quite simply, the housing elements of the bill are now heavily skewed towards middle and upper income people and the lowest income people are left out.

The projected cost of the home ownership tax credit is $35 billion. The undersigned organizations encourage Congress to keep the funding for low income housing programs in the bill AND increase funding for these programs to at least $35 billion.

Together, we can create jobs, provide affordable homes and prevent a massive spike in homelessness.

###
Many thanks to the NLIHC for this sign-on push. Um, if it's before Monday at 5pm when you read this, you still can have your organization sign on at this page.

"It's up to you--New York, New York"

Don’t miss out on your opportunity to bid on an amazing New York City get-away package in the live auction at Art With a Heart 2009! This year’s Art With a Heart event, which will be held on March 19th at the Capital Hilton Hotel, will showcase several unbeatable get-away packages.

For anyone who loves the bright lights of Times Square and the glamor of 5th Avenue, this 3-night stay in NYC is the auction item for you. The evening’s highest bidder, and a guest of their choice, will walk away with an amazing 3- night stay in their very own NYC apartment on the Upper West Side, overlooking the Hudson River. Imagine spending a few days enjoying all of the exciting sights and activities that NYC has to offer.

Not only will you and a guest explore the culture and charisma of the Big Apple, but you will also walk away with tickets to the "Colbert Report", hosted by comedian Steven Colbert, "The Daily Show", hosted by Jon Stewart, and passes for a visit to the Museum of Modern Art. Who could pass up this chance?

If this sounds like your kind of vacation, then make your Art with a Heart reservations today!

Greg & Matt Look at Art

Greg, quietly reading, approximately three seconds before the security guard kicked him out.

Yesterday Greg and I took a field trip down to the MLK Library to see Matthew Thompson's art exhibit, Hier ist die Future. The installation is meant to be a reflection on Resurrection City, a six week encampment that was constructed on the National Mall during the summer of 1968 by the Southern Leadership Conference (led by Martin Luther King Jr.). Drawing about 2,800 demonstrators, Resurrection City was an attempt to expose the government's failure to address homelessness. Thompson's title, when translated, means "yesterday is the future," a sobering thought.

Though the timing of Thompson's exhibition is very pertinent (with DC's recent closure of homeless shelters, cuts to the Housing First Program, and a national housing crisis), the placement is equally important. While Thompson's work is on display, MLK Library is in the process of implementing new policies specifically targeting the homeless population. Thompson, regrettably, fails to mention any of these factors in his artist's statement.

When Greg and I went to see the installation yesterday, we were surprised to find that there were no signs marking the exhibit, which looks like it was plopped in the middle of the Great Hall with the same care one uses to throw down an area rug. Not seeing ropes or other indicators that make you think an object is to be viewed and not touched, my guy Greg went up and made himself at home--sitting on the chair provided inside the structure, and reading the book sitting right next to the chair looking, for all the world, like someone wanted you to read it.

About ten minutes later, a security guard came busting in and told Greg that he couldn't sit in the chair or read the book. Apparently we were supposed to know that, but I don't know how.

The supporting materials I saw gave sparse, cursory context to either Resurrection City or the artwork itself. The artist's statement was also not helpful, consisting mostly of academic information about how the encampment was constructed. Greg tells me that all of the best information is in the book (written by Matthew Thompson about the exhibit), which is apparently restricted despite its presence inside a library. Without access to either the structure or the book that held the information we were looking for, our visit came to an abrupt and unsatisfying end. That's probably a metaphor for something, but I don't know exactly what for.

Hier ist die Future will remain in the Great Hall of MLK Library until February 28th.

It's Art with a Heart time!

It's coming up on that time again. What time? Art with a Heart time!

Art with a Heart is Bread for the City's signature fundraising event. Now in it's 19th year, this year's event will be held on Thursday, March 19th at the Capital Hilton (16th & K Street NW) at 6 pm.

Here's how it goes: from 6-7:30 pm guests can peruse our wonderful silent auction items placing bids, enjoying wine or cocktails, and hors d'oeuvres. At 7:30 the silent auction ends and we will move into the Presidential ballroom for dinner and the exciting live auction. By 9 or 9:30 we will have you checked out with your winnings and on your way home...we know it's a work night.

Please visit our website for more information, including a sneak preview of some of our auction items. If you have questions, please let me know...and make your reservations today! (Don't forget to bring friends...)

So fresh and so free

This year, Bread for the City is going where we’ve never gone before. To the fields!

As part of our still new nutrition initiative, we’re striving to include fresh produce in every bag of groceries we provide to our low-income clients. It adds up to a lot of produce, which, of course, is way more expensive than the typical canned fruits and vegetables we provide.

So I’ve been exploring ways to get our produce for free. It’s not an easy task, but actually, that’s not because of scarcity. Free fresh produce is out there, we just have to get it to our pantry.

Within an hour’s drive of our city, literally tons of fresh fruits and vegetables will be grown this year that will never make it to market for one reason or another. (For instance, major supermarkets turn away curvy cucumbers since they don’t stack well. But for the record, curvy cucumbers are still delicious!) In a country where about half of all food grown is wasted, the gap between the field and the market is where a shockingly large amount of the loss occurs.

I don’t blame the farmers for this. Many are committed to ensuring that their excess food goes to those in need. And from my experience in calling hundreds of farmers to find produce for our pantry, I learned that among those who are not already donating their surplus, most are delighted at the idea of using this food to feed the hungry. The reason they have not been doing it all along typically is that when food won’t sell on the market, they do not have the resources to harvest, box, and deliver it to charities like Bread for the City.

So this year, we’re planning a new kind of community involvement: trips to the farm. Consider this post the first seed, so to speak, that I’m planting to get you to start thinking about your day in the fields, enjoying the fresh air and collecting crops to feed DC’s poor. Maybe you can organize a group of friends for a day of gleaning, or maybe you can solicit your workplace, gym, local hang-out, or place of worship to do the same. Perhaps your child’s school wants to do it as a day of summer fun so that the kids can see each other over the long break. Bring one, bring all. You’re needed, and you’re going to have a good time in the process.

In the meantime, though, this experience has left me with a nagging and frustrating question. We have in this country a growing hunger crisis; farmers are struggling to make ends meet; and there is a staggering amount of wasted food. Why not create real incentives for farmers to donate their surplus to charities like Bread for the City? I’ve been looking into this question, and the tax code is not exactly straightforward on the matter. But suffice it to say that in many cases farmers have no more tax incentive to donate food than they do to just plow over it.

This might be something that smart tax policy reform could change for the better. I’ll write more about the tax matter here soon. Stay tuned, and in the meantime, you can learn much more about wasted food at Jonathan Bloom’s Wasted Food blog. And please contact me if you’re interested in volunteering to help us get some produce.