Support Strong Communities

Ms. Phyllis is a mother of four and a grandmother of four. “I’m a single mom, still surviving… Martha’s Table makes sure they provide for the neighborhood each and every day,” she shared. 

As a resident of Southeast D.C., Ms. Phyllis faced barriers to accessing healthy food even before the pandemic. There is only one full-service grocery store in Southeast D.C.’s Ward 8, compared to 10 stores in Northwest D.C.’s Ward 1. 

So, she turned to Martha’s Table for fresh fruits, vegetables, and shelf-stable items to best support her family. “I love the way that Martha’s Table doesn’t turn anyone down. And if there is anything humanly possible they can do for you, they make sure they do it,” Ms. Phyllis shared. 

Then, Ms. Phyllis signed up to volunteer with Martha’s Table to help her neighbors access healthy food. Neighbors like Ms. Phyllis are our why and our how.

“More people need help than before…lots of people have lost their job; a lot of people have lost their way of feeding their family. I love how we come together as one and let people know that we are still here for them in this time of need. 

“Martha’s Table makes you feel so comfortable. ‘C’mon in and get a bag of food; come tomorrow if you need to.’ I love that. That’s inspirational. That makes you feel like, ‘I need help,  I’m going to Martha’s Table.’ You make people feel welcome, and I love to be a part of that,” Ms. Phyllis shared. 

With help from caring people like you, we continue to support 5,000 families like Ms. Phyllis’s EACH WEEK. Thank you for helping keep D.C. strong.

“More people need help than before…I love how we come together as one and let people know that we are still here for them in this time of need.”

—Ms. Phyllis, MT Volunteer and Market Shopper

Ra’Chelle first visited Martha’s Table while volunteering with her church in 2014. When Martha’s Table opened our headquarters in Southeast D.C., she quickly enrolled her son in our early education program.

Martha’s Table believes every child should have the opportunity to thrive. With the help of our donors and caring teachers, Martha’s Tale provides nationally accredited early education from birth through five years of age. But we don’t stop there. We also support strong parents and caregivers with essential resources and engagement programs.

“It is up to you to decide to use the resources and the community around you. Always remember your reason WHY. Mine has always been for my kids to be better,” Ra’Chelle reflected. 

Ra’Chelle and her family quickly got the support they needed at Martha’s Table. She became involved with our parent engagement programs, got speech therapy support for her son, and regularly picked up no-cost healthy groceries for her family at our market. Ra’Chelle also stepped up as a member of the Martha’s Table Parent Council, leading initiatives to build connections among parents.

“I’ve seen so many positive changes in my son. He is using more words and engaging with other children his age,” Ra’Chelle shared.

When the COVID-19 crisis hit our community, she was forced to close her salon and was unable to file for unemployment.

Generous neighbors like you have allowed us to take bold action to keep families like Ra’Chelle’s strong. We launched our first ever direct cash assistance program, providing $9,000 to EACH family enrolled in our education program to ensure they could weather the storm. 

The bold impact of this program led Martha’s Table to form the THRIVE East of the River partnership with peer nonprofits in Southeast D.C. Together, we are providing 500 families with:

• $5,500 in direct-cash assistance,
• weekly supply of healthy food, and
• cleaning supplies and essential household goods

“I am thankful to have Martha’s Table standing with me,” Ra’Chelle shared with a sigh of relief, “Martha’s Table is an organization that does an amazing part to support their parents, children, staff, and community with so many resources.”

Your gift today will help strong families like Ra’Chelle’s thrive.

“I’ve seen so many positive changes in my son…I am thankful to have Martha’s Table standing with me.”

—Ra’Chelle, Mother of a child at MT

With the help of our generous donors and kind volunteers, Martha’s Table prepares a freshly made meal every day for our McKenna’s Wagon program. At 4:30, volunteers help pack up our bright blue vans and roll out to deliver meals to 200+ neighbors experiencing hunger or housing insecurity downtown.

We keep our promise 365 days a year…no matter the cold of winter storms, heat of late summer days, and isolation of pandemic restrictions. 

One night, we were stopped in our tracks by one of our neighbors.

After all our guests had received their free meals, this neighbor approached us and asked, “Do you take cash?”

Our team member shared that there is no cost for our meals. The neighbor then shared that his friend had sadly passed away. He was left with their remaining possessions…including $60 cash.

The neighbor choked up with emotion and explained, “He was the one who brought me to McKenna’s Wagon in the first place—I’ve been able to eat because of him and because of you.”

He turned his pockets inside out and found $23. He handed us his only twenty-dollar bill and insisted on making the donation in memory of his friend. 

We are deeply grateful for this neighbor…and ALL the neighbors who step up to be a part of our community. With your help, we will ensure every Washingtonian has access to the healthy food they need and feels the support of our community.