2:57 PM

Bread for the City Ended Its Annual ‘Holiday Helpings’ Early Due To Unprecedented Demand

Amanda Michelle Gomez | https://twitter.com/amanduhgomez

Bread for the City unexpectedly announced it would end its annual Holiday Helpings program early. The decades-old event assists D.C. residents who need extra support during the pricey holiday season with a free turkey and a $50 gift card. It typically kicks off at the start of the month and runs through Wednesday, Nov. 23. But Bread for the City ended several days early on Friday, Nov. 18 because they couldn’t keep pace with the unprecedented demand.

The nonprofit, which serves low-income residents year-round, initially estimated that 12,000 people would participate in Holiday Helpings, roughly the same number as before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the organization’s Chief Development Officer Ashley Domm. But within the first two days of the month-long program, she says 2,400 people visited the Northwest and Southeast centers of the nonprofit. By the end of the day on Thursday, Nov. 17, Bread for the City had served at least 16,000 people — already 33.3% more than anticipated.

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