MK 2024 Fall Newsletter by miriamskitchendc

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE: MIRIAM’S KITCHEN’S BOLD STEPS FOR HOUSING JUSTICE

Nine months into the implementation of our newest strategic plan, Miriam’s Kitchen is making significant strides toward our work to end chronic homelessness in Washington, DC. This is in line with our new organizational vision of housing justice— that everyone deserves a safe, affordable place to call home. Our strategy emphasizes guest-centered health initiatives, the exploration of new program facilities, and bridge housing opportunities, all while navigating an increasing need for our services.

One of the most pressing issues we’re addressing is the unprecedented demand for our meals program. Through July, we have served over 86,000 meals, surpassing the total number served in the entire previous fiscal year. This sharp increase in demand has driven our pre-pandemic food costs up by 286%, a rise attributed to both inflation and the growing number of people experiencing homelessness. Despite these challenges, our commitment to providing high-quality meals remains unwavering.

In line with our strategic objectives, we are also focusing on developing guest-centered health initiatives such as a patient navigation program to connect our guests to critical specialty care. You can read more about that in the article on page 4. These initiatives are designed to meet our guests’ physical and mental health needs, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach to service delivery. Additionally, we are actively exploring new program facilities that will allow us to better serve our guests and support the broader mission of ending chronic homelessness.

Another critical area of exploration is bridge housing, which offers a transitional solution for those moving from homelessness to permanent housing. By providing stable, short-term housing, we aim to bridge the gap for our guests, ensuring that they have the necessary support as they transition into permanent homes.

Our journey towards housing justice is ongoing, and while we have made notable progress, there is much more to be done. We remain committed to adapting and evolving our strategies to meet the needs of our guests and to contribute meaningfully to the broader goal of ending chronic homelessness in Washington, DC.

Thank you for supporting us this past fiscal year—and partnering with us again in the next twelve months to work towards ending chronic homelessness in DC!

86,662 (FY24) vs 66,725 (FY23) Meals served

2,655 (FY24) vs 2,284 (FY23) Case management services provided to guests

JOIN US FOR THE 3RD ANNUAL RUN 4MK 2024!

Run 4 MK is back! This fun race has existed in many forms since 2016, and is inspired by Miriam’s Kitchen’s late friend, former guest, and community leader, Waldon Adams. As an avid runner, Waldon completed over 80 races and led MK’s running efforts which inspired so many in the MK community.

This year the race will occur along the C&O Canal in partnership with Bishop’s Events on the morning of November 16th—which kicks off National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week. This course abuts the Outreach’s Team’s territory and with so many ways to get involved, we hope to see you there!

WAYS

Date: November 16th

Time: First race 7:45am

Location: Fletcher’s Cove

Sign up to run or walk with options to join the 5K, 10K, and 500m Fun Run for the kids! You can also join us for a virtual run, if you can’t come in person.

Come, cheer, and celebrate the strides we’ve made and help us get to the finish line of ending chronic homelessness in DC!

Double your impact by signing up to fundraise (use QR code to learn more).

Get your organization involved to be a race sponsor and support our programs as they change lives and the community so everyone in DC has a safe place to call home!

EDWARD’S JOURNEY OF RESILIENCE, HOPE, AND FINDING HOME

Edward Johnson’s journey is one of resilience, hope, and the power of community. At 62, Edward, a DC native, cherishes family, keeping close ties with his siblings through daily texts. But his path has not been easy.

After losing his mother and partner Joyce within months, Edward spiraled into depression and addiction, struggling to care for his son. For over 20 years, he faced housing instability, often moving from one relationship to another just to have a roof over his head. Despite working as a painter and maintenance worker, Edward found himself homeless, living “from pillar to post.”

Determined to change, Edward sought help from his father and entered a six-month recovery program. With support from his family and church, he rebuilt his life and vowed never to use drugs again, even after losing his son at just 31 years old. In 2018, Edward found himself homeless once more, staying at a shelter. That is when Miriam’s Kitchen connected him with Case Manager Tierra Askew, who helped him secure a housing voucher.

In 2019, Edward moved into his own apartment in Columbia Heights, where he finally found stability. Although managing his new life was challenging, Edward’s current Miriam’s Kitchen Case Manager, Christine Bryant, helped him develop a repayment plan when he fell behind on rent. “Christine is so helpful,” Edward shares. “She brings me food, comes to see me, helps me with paperwork, and we have a very strong relationship.”

Now, Edward is a proud grandfather of six who prays for his grandchildren every day. His home has become a place where his family can visit and gather. Although retired, Edward continues to seek purpose, having worked part-time with Safe Passage, a program ensuring children’s safety before and after school.

Edward’s story reminds us of the profound impact of community support. At Miriam’s Kitchen, we are committed to helping individuals like Edward find stability, hope, and a place to call home. Through compassion and dedication, we can make a difference, one story at a time.

NAVIGATING HEALTH TOGETHER: PATIENT NAVIGATOR PROGRAM

Empowering our guests to take control of their health

At Miriam’s Kitchen, we know that accessing healthcare can be challenging, especially for those experiencing homelessness. That’s why we launched the Patient Navigator Program, where medical students partner with our guests to help them navigate the healthcare system, schedule appointments, provide transportation, and offer support during visits.

This initiative not only ensures access to healthcare but also educates future physicians about the unique challenges our guests face.

Together, we are building a future where everyone receives the care they deserve. To learn more, visit our website: miriamskitchen.org

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

Limani Restaurant

Who: Limani Restaurant –Mediterranean seafood

What: Full dinner service for 250 guests – Limani is coming to MK once a quarter Why Miriam’s Kitchen?

Limani DC, a Greek seafood restaurant named one of the 26 best new restaurants in DC by The Washington Post’s Tom Sietsema, reached out to Miriam’s Kitchen a few months after opening on the Wharf in the Fall of 2023, offering to cater a meal for the food insecure the organization serves. The restaurant’s executive chef and general manager were looking for ways to partner with the community. They appreciated that they have a shared passion with Miriam’s Kitchen to bring healthy, fresh fare to people in the DMV. They

WAYS TO GIVE!

1. Join our monthly giving community: The MK Club.

The MK Club is essential to our work. Monthly gifts fill in any funding gaps that may arise, help us pivot when the environment changes, and make long-term investments in our mission with confidence. Your gifts of $25 a monthly contribution can provide things like gift cards for newly housed residents to purchase everyday items for their new home.

2. Donate a gift of appreciated stock. This option allows you to avoid capital gains tax.

3. If you are 70.5 or over, you can make a gift to Miriam’s Kitchen directly from your

were also moved to hear that Miriam’s Kitchen could use the help since we’ve seen a 30-40% increase in guests since the pandemic.

When Limani DC staff made their first delivery in January 2024, they were shocked to learn they are the first restaurant to donate a full meal at no cost to the organization since the pandemic and only the second to ever donate a full restaurant meal in MK’s 40+ year history.

The first catered meal Limani delivered on January 29 included grilled salmon, grilled chicken, Gemista (tomatoes stuffed with rice, herbs and vegetables), lemon potatoes and horta (boiled greens) for about 200 guests. The second meal served on June 4 was braised beef with peppers, spanikorizo rice (Greek rice with spinach), potato salad, red cabbage salad, roasted vegetables, and roasted chicken.

Limani looks forward to delivering a meal to the organization quarterly.

IRA—satisfying part or all of your required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year—with no tax due on the distribution.

4. Create your legacy. If want to leave your mark by creating a more equitable future where every person has a safe place to call home, please consider:

● Naming Miriam’s Kitchen as a beneficiary. We can be added to your retirement plan, donor advised fund, life insurance policy, bank account, IRA, etc.

● Making a gift to Miriam’s Kitchen in your will or trust.

Please make donations payable to: Miriam’s Kitchen, 2401 Virginia Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20037 Tax ID Number: 52-1331552

If you have included Miriam’s Kitchen in your plans, it would be our honor to personally thank you! For any questions or additional information, please contact Catherine Francis at catherine. francis@miriamskitchen.org

P.S. Thanks to the Robert Schattner Foundation, we have a $50,000 match! This generous opportunity means that every dollar you give will be matched—doubling your impact!

Chef Cheryl’s Fire Roasted

Corn & Seafood Chowder

Looking for a great way to kick off soup weather?

Chef Cheryl grabbed ingredients from our new (and improved!) refrigerated storage to create this savory fire roasted corn and seafood chowder!

Ingredients:

4 ears white corn

1 large onion

1 leek (white part only)

4 stalks celery

1 red bell pepper

1 jalapeño pepper

1 large Idaho potato

1 slice bacon

Cooking Instructions:

Peel off husk of corn and remove the beard

Brush with olive oil, season

Grill or cook over direct fire on high heat to brown corn on all sides; let cool slightly

Cut kernels off the cob, set aside

Cut onion, leek, celery, bell peppers and potato into small pieces

Cut across grain of bacon into thin strips

Place bacon in pot, on medium-low heat and sweat bacon to render some fat

Add onions, leeks, celery, peppers, corn, herb bundle and garlic to pot; sweat to slightly soften vegetables

Add chicken stock; enough to cover all vegetables simmer until vegetables are soft

Add potatoes, cook until soft

Place 1/3 of the soup into a blender; Puree and place back into the pot

Remove herb bundle

Add heavy cream, season to taste

1 herb bundle (bay leaf, peppercorns & thyme)

6 cloves garlic (chopped)

1-2 quarts chicken stock

½ cup heavy cream

1 lb. jumbo lump crab meat (optional)

½ to 1 lb. shrimp, chopped (optional)

Other seafood (if desired)

Salt & pepper to taste

A Note From an MK Dining Room Volunteer

August 13, 2024, 5:40 pm.

In a little corner of the world one finds a home— called Miriam’s Kitchen.

Here, everyone is welcome, no matter what corner of the world they are from.

Notes: If you don’t eat bacon, substitute vegetable oil. Seafood is optional; it still tastes delicious without it! You can also substitute chicken stock with a rich, flavorful vegetable stock.

Color, gender, race or other—all, each and every single one, are welcome.

Bodies are fed with fresh, nutritious food—to revive any tired soul.

Speaking of soul—our Chef—The Chef—tells us we are here to help feed the body and soul.

Love and respect are on the menu— as are eye contact and a smile.

With deep, deep gratitude for this piece of heaven on earth.

Bahareh Sharghi

RESILIENT ADVOCACY: REFLECTING AND RECOMMITTING

As we close our fiscal year, we find ourselves reflecting on an especially challenging spring advocacy season. Despite significant setbacks, including Mayor Muriel Bowser’s cuts to DC’s social safety net in the FY25 budget—many of which the DC Council was unable to restore—we are proud of our efforts to stand up for those most impacted. While the budget underinvests in proven solutions to ending chronic homelessness and even cuts critical services like homeless street outreach, we fought tirelessly to raise the alarm and secured additional funding for Permanent Supportive Housing.

This spring also brought a wave of encampment evictions, displacing many of our guests and compounding the already demanding work of our outreach staff. While we could not stop these evictions, we elevated our advocacy to the national stage, gained high-level media attention, and supported our unsheltered guests through their most difficult transitions.

We are proud of what we accomplished: organizing a Week of Action in record time to oppose budget cuts, supporting Guest Advisory Board member Wesley

UPCOMING EVENTS

OCTOBER

● Friday, 10/18: GW Acapella Palooza

● Saturday, 10/26: Halloweekend at The Perch

● Saturday, 10/26: AU Concert

NOVEMBER

● Saturday, 11/16: Run 4 MK

DECEMBER

● Thursday, 12/5: MK Open House

JANUARY

● TBD: PIT (Point-In-Time Count)

Thomas in sharing his story on CNN, presenting at national conferences on our leadership and outreach efforts, and highlighting the criminalization of homelessness at our Beat the Heat event.

As we step into the fall, our commitment is stronger than ever. We are dedicated to securing critical housing resources in DC’s budget, addressing systemic gaps, and shifting the narrative around homelessness in our city. We are excited to welcome our new Policy Director, Andy Wassenich, who brings seven years of experience from our outreach team. This fall, we will celebrate a decade of leadership in The Way Home Campaign, continue advocating for housing and services for returning citizens, and launch a narrative change strategy to reshape how homelessness is understood in DC.

Thank you for standing with us. Your support fuels our fight, and we look forward to continuing this important work together. Follow us @thewayhomedc or connect with us via email to stay involved. Together, we are driving change.