The Food Fighters: DC Central Kitchen's First Twenty-Five Years on the Front Lines of Hunger and Poverty

Robert Egger wasnt impressed when his fiancée dragged him out one night to help feed homeless men and women on the streets of Washington DC. That was twenty-five years ago and it wasnt that the cocky nightclub manager didnt want to help people--he just felt that the process was more meaningful to those serving the meals than those receiving them. He vowed to come up with something better.. Egger named his gritty front-line nonprofit DC Central Kitchen and today it has become a national model for feeding and empowering people in need. By teaming up with chefs convicts addicts and other staffers seeking second chances Egger has helped DCs homeless and hungry population trade drugs crime and dependency for culinary careers--and fed thousands in the process.. Written by a DC Central Kitchen insider The Food Fighters shows how Eggers innovative approach to combating hunger and creating opportunity has changed lives and why the organization is more relevant today than ever before. This retrospective goes beyond the simplistic moralizing used to describe the work of many nonprofits by interviewing dozens of DC Central Kitchen leaders staff clients and stakeholders from the past two-and-a-half decades. It captures the personal and organizational struggles of DC Central Kitchen offering new insights about what doing good really means and what we expect of those who do it.. The women and men of DC Central Kitchen are in the business of changing lives. I have felt first-hand the energy and enthusiasm in that basement kitchen and its infectious. This book is a testament to what is possible when we break down stereotypes rethink old models and challenge ourselves to become true agents of change. --Carla Hall co-host of ABCs The ChewRobert Egger and DC Central Kitchen ... changed my life and I have never looked back. Their story will open a door to a new way of thinking about bringing dignity and hope to those in need. --José Andrés James Beard award winner chef and owner of ThinkFoodGroup