Humanitarian restaurateur José Andrés’ donations to two food programs in D.C. have reached a total of $1.5 million.
Andres has donated an additional $250,000 to FRESHFARM’s FoodPrints food education nonprofit. It brings Andres’ donation to FoodPrints to $500,000.
The announcement comes a month after DC Central Kitchen announced an additional $500,000 donation from Andrés, doubling his support of that program to $1 million.
FRESHFARM is the largest operator of weekly farmers markets in the Mid-Atlantic. Its FoodPrints program has reached 7,500 students across 21 schools, the majority of which are D.C. public schools in underserved communities. Its “Grow Cook Eat Learn” curriculum includes school gardens that students cultivate and use for preparing meals.
“FoodPrints is how we need to be thinking if we want future generations to be healthy and conscientious about food. There’s no more effective or creative program reaching our city’s children,” Andrés said.
A study by George Washington University researchers of past FoodPrints participants found it positively influenced eating habits and food choices well into adulthood.
Andrés’ donations to DC Central Kitchen are for its Healthy Corners initiative, which works with small retailers to stock shelves with healthy food in D.C. neighborhoods that lack access to grocery stores and fresh produce.
Andrés also co-chaired DC Central Kitchen’s fundraising campaign for its new community kitchen and training facility, which opened last year.
