Bread for the City Breaks Ground on Expanded Facility

By Sommer Mathis
DCIst
March 25, 2009

Local service non-profit Bread for the City broke ground this morning on construction of a greatly expanded facility next to its current 7th Street NW location. The organization provides needy D.C. residents with food and clothing assistance, medical care, and legal and social services.

D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C. Council member David Catania (I-At Large), and DC Primary Care Association CEO Sharon Baskerville were all on hand for the ceremony, along with Bread for the City officials.

The new $8 million facility, largely paid for with D.C. government funds, will double the capacity of Bread for the City's medical clinic and legal services center, along with adding a dental practice. As D.C. Wire reported today, the groundbreaking comes on the heels of cutbacks at the organization, including closing on Fridays and reducing staff salaries. The changes come amid increased demand for the non-profit's services thanks to the recession.

"For those for whom there is a constant recession, Bread for the City does it all," Norton said at the ceremony.