Our First Visit to Miriam’s Kitchen

Allison and I made our first visit to Miriam’s Kitchen in DC yesterday, and we brought with us 36 new winter hats.

The Twice As Warm clothing items that you have purchased have made it possible for us to make this trip and provide 36 new winter hats to people in need.

Since 1983, Miriam’s Kitchen has provided free, homemade meals and high-quality support services to more than 4,000 homeless men and women each year.

Over 200 active volunteers help them serve breakfast and dinner each weekday for their guests in need. They are also led by two full-time executive chefs, who work very hard to provide the most nutritious meals possible for their guests, who may not know when or where their next meal will come from.

During our tour, we were welcomed into the kitchen with music playing as the volunteers prepared the meal. One of the extra perks of being a volunteer is the you learn how to cook and prepare a variety of meals by professional chefs!

But the guests don’t just come for the food. Miriam’s Kitchen also offers art therapy, yoga, creative writing classes, and advocacy groups. Case workers are there to greet each guest and assist them with anything they may need. They set up their guests with a mailing address and phone number and help them find job opportunities. They also help guests register to vote. Lawyers, psychiatrists, and physicians make regular visits to assist their guests. There is a real sense of community here, in a very warm and welcoming atmosphere for guests that often feel disconnected or neglected from their community.

Many people don’t understand how close we all are to becoming homeless. It can happen to anyone. There is a story behind every person experiencing homelessness. It is extremely difficult to come out of homelessness, which is why it is so important for us to support groups like Miriam’s Kitchen to assist our neighbors in need.

This short video is a great overview of Miriam’s Kitchen, and will give you an inside look at the great work that they do for people in need.

Miriam’s Kitchen is very active on twitter or facebook, so be sure to connect with them there!

To learn more about volunteering at Miriam’s Kitchen, visit this link.

To donate to Miriam’s Kitchen, visit this link.

Hope you enjoyed learning more about Miriam’s Kitchen! We’ll be featuring more amazing groups on this blog throughout the year so stay tuned!

If you liked this post, share this link with your friends in an email, on facebook, or twitter! If you have any questions or comments, leave a comment below or email me directly.

Thanks,

Brian