Blog

Gabby grew up in the DC area, but it wasn't until her tenure at the Capital Area Food Bank as the 2019 Hunger Lifeline Intern that she found a new perspective on the food insecurity prevalent in her community. Now, she is further inspired to pursue a career in public health and social justice.

Akiema’s job helps her pay the family’s bills, but it doesn’t leave much left over for food. She used to worry about how she’d make sure her kids got enough to eat, especially over the summer and after school. Today, though, that’s changed. Read more to learn how.

Ever wonder what the Food Bank’s Summer Meals program looks like in action? Take an inside look at mealtime for Community Services Foundation, a CAFB partner that hosts a summer camp and provides free breakfast and lunch for kids throughout the summer.

Rob Schulman’s love for gardening brought him to the Capital Area Food Bank. The knowledge that he’s making an impact for his neighbors keeps him coming back, and it inspired him to start an own urban garden of his own.

Audrey Walker says breakfast is the “key to giving our kids a kick start for the day.” She should know. As Director of Youth Services at Jubilee Housing—one of the Food Bank’s nonprofit partners —Audrey runs the summer camp where kids are provided breakfast and lunch every day through the Capital Area Food Bank summer meals program.

If you’ve had a chance to follow along on the blog in the last couple of months, you may have already learned how to create your very own urban container garden and what you can plant in it. This month, if your garden is reaching full bloom, the next question is: “What can I do with all this food?”

When Justin came to the United States from Ghana nine years ago, he dreamed of working hard and building a family. That dream came true as he gained employment in the food industry, got married, and had three children. But with a growing family came a growing budget, and that budget soon stretched to its limits.

Principal Clint Mitchell recognizes the distant look in children’s eyes when they can’t concentrate, and he knows that an empty stomach is often the cause. When he came on board at Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School, he got to work making sure his school provided hunger solutions – both during the academic year and the summer months when school is out.

Every day, Cierra Peterson greets each child with a smile as they come through the door at Little Lights, an after-school program that partners with the Capital Area Food Bank to provide nutritious meals to the kids who attend. The daily interactions are special to her, and she knows firsthand how much positive impact it can have on children’s lives.