Thousands of furloughed federal employees are receiving help from five pop-up food distribution centers organized by the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) – an organization previously supported by Enhanced Capital.

The longest federal shutdown in U.S. history is taking a financial toll on the more than a quarter-million federal workers in Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area.

The food bank is actively working to address this need, distributing more than 30,000 pounds of fresh produce so families can spend their money on rent, utilities and life’s other necessities.

“They’re just worried about where to get their food,” CAFB President and CEO Radha Muthiah recently told NPR. “We’ve had someone say, ‘I’ll pay you back after I get my paycheck, but I just need [food] now.’”

The CAFB is the largest organization in the Washington metro area dedicated to providing hunger relief, delivering more than 35 million meals to over 540,000 low-income people annually. Thanks to an expansion project supported by $9.6 million in federal New Market Tax Credit allocation from Enhanced Capital, the food bank was able to grow and continue supporting families in times of need.

Read more about the expansion of the CAFB in a recent case study.

*Photo by Ian Stewart with National Public Radio