The University of the District of Columbia’s senior leadership team joined DC Central Kitchen staff and volunteers on Nov. 14 to prepare meals for residents facing food insecurity. The hands-on work — led by President Maurice Edington and First Lady Tonya Barge Edington — underscored the university’s long-standing commitment to community service.
UDC’s partnership with DC Central Kitchen connects students and senior leaders to hands-on volunteer service, preparing healthy meals for communities facing food insecurity across the District. The initiative directly supports UDC’s Delivering on the Promise strategic plan, which emphasizes collaboration, civic engagement and service-centered leadership. Those priorities align closely with DC Central Kitchen’s own mission: addressing hunger while expanding economic opportunity.
“Serving our community is at the heart of who we are as the District’s only public university and an urban land-grant institution,” said Edington. “This collaboration is a powerful reminder that when we come together with purpose, we can strengthen our communities and expand access to opportunity for District residents.”
UDC leaders worked side by side at prep stations — chopping vegetables, assembling meal boxes and organizing supplies. The mood was upbeat, and the experience served as a grounding reminder of the challenges many of our neighbors face daily and the university's role in addressing them.
“Standing shoulder to shoulder in service reminds us that our community’s strength lies in our willingness to show up for one another,” said Mrs. Edington. “It’s a privilege to be here, helping to ensure more people in DC have access to nourishment and hope.”
A highlight of the day was seeing UDC alums contributing from the inside. Chief Impact Officer Ja’Sent Brown (’06) leads DC Central Kitchen’s strategy to drive lasting change across the District alongside her fellow Firebird, Program and Impact Specialist Josiane Yepmo Simo (’22), who said that she was “very excited to have UDC onsite”. In the Kitchen and across the District, UDC graduates are serving the community with purpose and pride.
“DC Central Kitchen uses food as a tool to strengthen bodies, empower minds and build communities,” Brown said. “As the chief impact officer, it’s my privilege to work with individuals who have faced significant barriers to employment — whether due to previous incarceration, addiction or chronic unemployment. I get to witness lives change every day while helping ensure that underserved areas of the city have access to healthy and affordable food,” she said.
Brown credits UDC with preparing her for a career rooted in real-world impact. She credits her professors and their guidance for her job readiness and desire for professional excellence. “It brings me great joy to welcome the school that raised me to my job here today and to demonstrate how I’m using the education, skills and knowledge I gained as a student.”
The visit also sparked conversations about future collaborations. Brown expressed enthusiasm about connecting with UDC programs in nutrition, hospitality, workforce development and business — partnerships that open new service learning and internship pathways for students.
“The question is: How can I ever repay what UDC has sown into me?” Brown said. “Inviting UDC to join me here, working side by side to feed people who are hungry, is how I say thank you — through service to others.”
DC Central Kitchen works to fight hunger and poverty through job training and access to healthy, affordable food. To learn more about its mission or explore volunteer opportunities, visit the organization’s website.