A Lovely Afternoon at DC Central Kitchen!

By Ying C., AALEAD DC Student
Photos courtesy of Shobana Modur, DC Middle and High School Program Coordinator

AALEADers LOVE community service! From wrapping presents for our holiday parties to serving food for the less fortunate, our youth love giving back to their community.  When AALEADers had the day off from school, they jumped at the chance to volunteer at DC Central Kitchen.  Check out a blog post by one of our youth, Ying, below!

On February 23rd, a couple of AALEADers and I volunteered at the DC Central Kitchen.  Central Kitchen is a non-profit organization which helps reduce hunger for those less fortunate while also serving them very healthy and nutritional meals. They distribute meals every day to homeless shelters and transitional homes.

At Central Kitchen, there were many tasks, which kept us very busy.  We diced peppers, chopped up carrots, washed celery, and sorted the poor strawberries from the ripe ones. This experience was very important because we assisted in preparing meals that would be given out to people who are less fortunate. It was very pleasing to know that we participated in reducing hunger for these people who aren’t as lucky as we are.

Overall, Central Kitchen provided me with a very fun and exciting learning experience that I will definitely need in the future. I learned culinary skills which would provide many benefits for me in life, as well as the struggles that the homeless and at-risk populations face.  Everyone who works there is passionate about their work, hence providing a fun and engaging atmosphere.  I had a lot of fun volunteering and definitely plan to volunteer with DC Central Kitchen in the near future.

Special thanks to our friends at DC Central Kitchen!  We look forward to coming back and volunteering with you again!