DC Central Kitchen

Ming

DC Central Kitchen is the nation’s first and leading community kitchen that recycles food from around Washington, D.C. They create great impact by combating hunger and creating opportunity for the unemployed. They welcome volunteers as "Hungerfighters" in helping to transform wasted food into balanced meals for our community.

Diana Weiss

The entrance is around the back of the building. My group of 30 volunteers had a wonderful time with the kitchen staff helping prepare meals. It was inspiring and humbling.

J Adams

For the last 5 years since I moved to DC, I've been volunteering at the DC Central Kitchen. I first did it during holidays and times of unemployment--so as to remember my blessings. The staff is incredible and as a professional person--it is so wonderful to work with my hands, peeling potatoes, cleaning fish or making a vat of vegetable soup with a thousand different ingredients in it. The foreman are respectful and professional and though the work is hard--you leave the kitchen feeling gratified that your labor contributed to the almost 5,000 meals PER DAY prepared for needy families in DC. So volunteer!

Corrie Davidson

This amazing organization is not only a leader in sustainability (repurposing leftover food, "imperfect" food items, and local farm goods), they are a shining example of a high-functioning social services organization building up the local community. They distribute healthy meals to a number of other organizations around the area (including schools), offer job training and life counseling for displaced persons, and are empowering student volunteers across America to implement their own "food recycling" programs, eliminating waste and serving the community. “Please note that DC Central Kitchen cannot be entered from 2nd Street. The entrance to the Central Kitchen is at the back of this building, down the service road off of E Street NW.”