As part of the California State Society’s community outreach efforts, the SS volunteers once a month at DC Central Kitchen. The mission of the Kitchen is to use food as a tool to strengthen bodies, empower minds, and build communities.

Volunteer Information

The California State Society volunteers once a month at DC Central Kitchen. This is a great way to spend you Sundays giving back to the comunity while visiting with your friends! So think about getting a friend or two to volunteer with you.

Sign Up to Volunteer

If you would like to volunteer you must sign up ahead of time. So, please contact Katie Wheeler Mathews at 202-624-5275 or kmathews@wdc.ca.gov.

The CSS only gets 6 slots for each volunteer shift. So, if you have to cancel last minute please let us know right away as we will have to fill you spot.

Time

Volunteer shifts are once a month on Sundays from 8:45am-12:oopm. A pre-shift orientation is given for volunteers. Please arrive 15 minutes early (8:45 for morning volunteers) so that we may begin on time.

Location

DC Central Kitchen is located on the ground floor of the Federal City Shelter at 425 Second Street NW. The Federal City Shelter is a three story gray building on the southeast corner of Second and E Streets NW.

Please note that the Central Kitchen cannot be entered from Second Street. The entrance to the Central Kitchen is at the back of this building, down the service road off of E Street NW and is marked by a large sign. It looks like a service/delivery entrance.

Driving from Northwest D.C.

Heading east on Massachusetts Avenue, NW, turn right onto Ninth Street NW, then turn left onto E Street NW. Follow E Street, cross Second Street NW, then take an immediate right down the service road, just after the building or behind the building.

Driving from North Capital Street

Heading south on North Capitol Street, cross Massachusetts Avenue, then take a right onto E Street NW. Cross New Jersey Avenue and First Street NW, then take a left into the service road just before the building. If you come to 2nd St. NW, you’ve gone too far.

Driving from 395 North

On 395, take the D Street NW / U.S. Capitol exit. Stay in the right lane, and look for the D Street NW ramp which is marked by a small sign; do not follow the exit for the U.S. Senate. Take the D Street NW exit (which will put you on Second Street NW), and at the first traffic light go straight for one block, then take a right on E Street, then take the immediate right down the service road, just behind the building.

Driving from 66 East

Take 66 across the Roosevelt Bridge into the District. Follow Constitution Avenue (Route 50) to Sixth Street NW and take a left. Go straight for several blocks and take a right onto E Street NW. Follow E Street, cross Second Street NW, then take an immediate right down the service road, just behind the building.

Parking At The Kitchen

On Sundays, there is free metered parking along E Street NW, 1st Street NW and New Jersey Avenue NW, all within a block of the Kitchen.

Metrorail

• Judiciary Square
  • Take the Red Line to the Judiciary Square stop. Exit onto Fourth Street NW, and turn around at the top of the escalator. Walk to E Street NW and take a right onto it. Stay on E Street, crossing 3rd St. and 2nd St. Turn right onto the service road, just behind the building.
• Union Station
  • Take the Red Line to Union Station. As you exit the metro stop, take a right and proceed downhill toward Massachusetts Ave. Turn Left at the corner of North Capitol St. and Massachusetts Ave. Walk 1 block and turn right onto E St. NW. Walk 2 1/2 blocks west toward 2nd Street NW. Turn left onto the service road off of E St NW between 1st St. NW and 2nd St. NW.

Guidelines for Volunteers

Age Requirements

Volunteers must be 12 years of age or older.

Dress Code

To work in the kitchen volunteers must wear:

• long pants
• closed-toed shoes
• shirts with sleeves (short sleeves are okay, tank tops are not)
• a hat or other head covering (hairnets are provided)
• midriff shirts are not allowed

Due to health-code regulations, volunteers who do not follow this dress code cannot work in the Kitchen.

2011 DC Central Kitchen Volunteer Dates

• Sunday, January 23, 2011
• Sunday, February 23, 2011
• Sunday, March, 13, 2011
• Sunday, April 10, 2011
• Sunday, May15, 2011
• Sunday, June 12, 2011
• Sunday, July 17, 2011
• Sunday, August 7, 2011
• Sunday, September 25, 2011
• Sunday, October 23, 2011
• Sunday, November 6, 2011
• Sunday, December 11, 2011

About DC Central Kitchen

The mission of DC Central Kitchen is to use food as a tool to strengthen bodies, empower minds, and build communities.

DC Central Kitchen’s multi-faceted programming uses food as nutritional sustenance, as fuel for the minds, and as a training tool for the unemployed. Together, these three uses of food present a powerful front against the dangerous cycles of poverty, and against the stereotypes surrounding hunger in America.

Volunteers are an integral part of DC Central Kitchen. Each year, more than 6,000 volunteers work side-by-side with the men and women of the Culinary Job Training program, preparing over 4,000 meals a day, 365 days a year. Volunteers assist with food preparation, chopping vegetables, sorting produce, mixing salads, portioning meals, de-bonding meat and sorting cans.

The Kitchen also welcomes service partnerships with local businesses, government agencies, community groups and fraternal organizations.

Feedback from CSS Members

“There aren’t many better ways to spend your time than volunteering with the California State Soceity and meeting new people. And you won’t find many more deserving charities than the DC Central.” ~ Yuri Beckelman

“Volunteering with DC Central Kitchen was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had since moving to the East Coast. Not only did I leave feeling better for helping others but I was able to meet fun people from my state. The California State Society did a wonderful job coordinating all the volunteers into one common goal – to help the less fortunate among us.” ~ Brian Kaveney

Contact Information

For more information about the California State Society, please email info@californiastatesociety.com.

To sign-up to volunteer with the CSS, please contact Katie Wheeler Mathews at 202-624-5275 or kmathews@wdc.ca.gov. For more information about DC Central Kitchen visit: www.dccentralkitchen.org.