Feed the Hungry - McKenna's Wagon

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Martha's Table Food Program In 2008, we served a total of 580,903 meals and snacks. Specifically, our food programs provide a daily meal, 365 days a year for approximately 1200 homeless families and individuals in Washington, DC, 365 daily meals and snacks for the 229 low income or homeless toddlers in our daycare and after-school learning programs, groceries and emergency food once a month to approximately 260 families and individuals, and a holiday meal served here at Martha's Table three times a year (Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter) to a total of 6500 meals to low-income or homeless individuals. In addition, every weekend we deliver over 170 meals to neighborhood senior citizens who are not able to come to us. Because many other non-profits doing great work for low-income and homeless children do not have kitchen facilities, we also collaborate with local family homeless shelters and other after-school programs to provide daily meals to their clients.

DONATION GUIDLINES

- make the most of your donation by following these guidelines.

Canned & Non-Perishable Food Items

1. Planning -

• If you are planning a food drive please call (202-328-6608 x214) or email (drecachinas@marthastable.org) us in advance. We can give you more details on specific needs, pick-up and delivery times, etc.

2. Packing and Transport -

• We may be able to provide plastic containers for transport if you call or email us in advance.
• If we do not have plastic container available please pack them in boxes, canned goods in one box and non-perishable soft container items in another.
• Please DO NOT use paper or plastic bags to transport food items, they often rip and damage containers
• Please pack glass items together
• If you find any containers that have been broken or broken please discard of them before packing.

3. Recording and Organizing -

• Please note expiration date on canned goods before donating them
• Mark all plastic containers or boxes with a count and description of what is inside. this can be a simple as CANNED GOODS or NON-PERISHABLE FOOD (soft packages).
• PLEASE COMPLETE a In-Kind Food Donation Form whenever you donate, we must verify donations for audit purposes.
• Provide a description, count and estimated value of what you are donating.
• When packing a variety of canned or non-perishable items estimate the weight rather than list each item

Fresh and Prepared Food Items

1. Planning -

• If you are planning to prepare sandwiches or other fresh food for us please contact Demetri Recachinas at 202-328-6608 x 214 or drecachinas@marthastable.org
• We will gladly visit your group or community service committee to discuss Martha's Table, our needs and how your support affects Martha's Table. You can contact Dominick Musso or Kimberly Lyons at 202-328-6608.
• We welcome reminder calls and emails on scheduled pick ups and deliveries.
• With repsect to prepared foods, please consider how long it has been since the items have been heated or refridgerated before donating them. If you have any questions regarding food safety please called Demetri Recachinas at 202-328-6608.

2. Preparing, Packing and Transport -

• We may be able to provide plastic containers for transport if you call or email us in advance.
• For Sandwich Makers - If we do not have plastic contianers available, please transport them in paper cardboard boxes (copier boxes work great!).
• For Vegetable Cutters - please transport them in cardboard boxes or the provided plastic containers, make sure they are lined with plastic, this makes it easier to transfer them to other containers in our refridgerator.
• We and our clients appreciate healthier types of ingredients; whole wheat bread, lean meats, fresh fruit (instead of typical dessert food) that are soft textured fruits, they are easier to chew.
• When transporting sandwiches with cheese or meat, pleaes be aware of the time that they are refridgerated
• With respect to sandwiches, please do NOT apply condiments.
• Please seperate sandwiches by type: peanut butter and jelly or meat and cheese.

3. Recording and Organizing -

• Please note expiration date on canned goods before donating them
• Mark all plastic containers or boxes with a count and description of what is inside. this can be a simple as CANNED GOODS or NON-PERISHABLE FOOD (soft packages).
• PLEASE COMPLETE a In-Kind Food Donation Form whenever you donate, we must verify donations for audit purposes.
• Provide a description, count and estimated value of what you are donating.
• When donating fresh vegetables please list an estimated weight on the inkind donation form.

By The Numbers - 2008

• We served 513,503 sandwiches in 2008.
• We served a total of 580,913 meals to individuals in the community and to children in our programs.
• There was a 62% increase in the numbers of lunch sandwiches served on the weekends from from January 2008 to December 2008.

McKenna's Wagon is a mobile soup kitchen that operates seven days a week, 365 days a year. Each night the vans, driven and staffed by volunteers, roll out to five locations around the city serving sandwiches, soup, a dessert and tea.

Volunteers working at Martha's Table and at their churches, synagogues and work places need to prepare daily at least 3000 sandwiches, 65 gallons of soups and 65 gallons of beverages. Food ingredients are donated by grocery chains, food stores, cafeterias, bakeries and private groups. Your donations of food, vegetables, and fruit can help. Please check our wish list.

McKenna's Wagon vans leave Martha's Table at 5:00pm each evening stopping at the following locations to give out food and drinks everyday:

• 5:30pm - 6:00 pm 4th and L St.

• 5:20pm - 5:45pm Pennsylvania Ave and 19th St. NW
• 6:00pm - 6:30pm 15th and K St. NW

• 5:15pm - 6:00 pm Sacred Heart Church, 16th and Park Road (Mon thru Fri)

To learn more about volunteer activities please contact our volunteer coordinator at 202-328-6608.

Volunteers are critical to the success of Martha's Table. Volunteers range in age from elementary students to retirees. Schools, church groups, civic groups, business and law offices, employees from many businesses around the Washington, DC, metro area make up the corps of 4,000 regular volunteers and the approximate 4,000 additional individuals and groups that give occasional service. We also have volunteers coming from many churches and youth groups from around the US. In addition, we have had visits from international groups from Hungary, Africa, Russia, Latin America, China, and Japan.

Peanut Product Notice

The recent recall of a large number of peanut-based products has been published and while the list covers 106 pages and hundreds of products, it does NOT include peanut butter spread except those made by Parnell's Pride, Grande Gourmet, and King Hut brands. We will only serve peanut butter made by manufacturers other than Parnell's Pride, Grende Gourmet and King Hut brands on any of our sandwiches until further notice.

Thanks, Dominick Musso, Director of Facilities and Food Programs

To get an inside look at photos, see videos and read stories about Martha's Table's programs please check out our blog.

www.marthastableblog.blogspot.com In-Kind%20Food%20Donation%20Record.doc