This article was originally published in BFC's Fall 2007 newsletter.
 When we opened the doors of our brand new center in Southeast on the morning of October 21, 2002, people flooded the lobby – eager to meet the staff and enter the brand new green building, situated on what was once a used car lot.
Five years later, we have served thousands of families and individuals in need. Many come to us after a long and painful journey seeking adequate housing, food, clothing or public assistance. They come to us in search of help, and to the best of our ability, help is what we provide. ‘Dignity’ and ‘Respect’ are terms rarely used when referring to the treatment of Anacostia residents. For years, DC citizens east of the Anacostia River have suffered indignities disproportionate to the rest of the city. The area is often perceived as more destitute and dangerous than other areas of the city. These neglected communities are plagued by many challenges including low literacy rates, little or no access to healthy and nutritious food, and rapidly vanishing affordable housing units. For years, these negative perceptions were re-enforced by the fact that there were few social services programs that even ventured to address the need in Anacostia. For example, as recently as 2001 there was only one legal services office in all of Southeast. However, in October 2002 Bread for the City took a step towards breaking down apprehensions about Southeast. We did not just station a few employees here, but built an entire service center, offering comprehensive services including food and clothing distribution, legal advice and representation, social services, and medical care. Today, the Southeast Center is bursting with activity, as the continuing needs of the community are met. There are many reasons why community members visit our Center. Some pick up a monthly three-day supply of groceries, others engage in one-on-one counseling sessions, and others shop for essential items from the free clothing room. We recognize that the needs of those we serve are wide-ranging and constantly changing, and we rely on community feedback to ensure that we are meeting current needs. We listened when the community said they needed a place to hold meetings, and now groups like the Unity Diabetes Education Group meet once a week at our Center. We listened when the community said their children needed a place go to in the event of an emergency, and are now the designated safe haven for children at the local elementary school. We listened when the community asked for help entering the workforce, and started our Pre-Employment Program. Vytas V. Vergeer, BFC’s legal clinic director, has been at our Southeast center since its inception: “As the first employee assigned to the new center, as the guy who literally put the desks together, I couldn't be prouder. Over the last five years, I have had the honor of serving thousands of Southeast residents right in their neighborhood, many or most of whom would not otherwise have received the help they needed.  Other agencies have since established offices in our neighborhood, providing an array of needed services to the residents here. I am confident, however, that BFC building a successful site in Southeast played at least a little part in their decision to come over here; that we were the leaders in a small, but important movement to fully recognize this diverse and vibrant community.”
As we move forward, we will continue to serve in the Bread for the City way: going above and beyond the call of duty and always treating everyone with dignity and respect. We are honored to have served Anacostia residents for the past five years, and look forward to discovering what we can achieve in the next five.
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