Miriam's Kitchen: Powered by Wind

Submitted by Miriam's Kitchen on April 20, 2012 - 1:11pm

Many people probably think of Miriam's Kitchen as a "soup kitchen."

But if you know us well (or perhaps read our Executive Director's recent interview in Washington Life) you know that term doesn't quite capture the depth or quality of our services.

What it also doesn't capture is our commitment to creating a better community here in Washington, DC.

We strive to be good neighbors and believe that part of our responsibility includes ensuring we are kind to our environment.

That's why we're proud to celebrate Earth Day this weekend and report on some of our efforts to reduce our impact on the environment.

  • We are proud tenants of Western Presbyterian Church--our home since our founding in 1983 and a building that is 100% powered by renewable energy. 93-95% of our energy comes from wind power, while 5-7% comes from solar panels on our roof.
  • We compost more than half of all our waste--saving more than 100,000 pounds of trash from entering surrounding landfills each year.
  • What we can't compost is often recycled. Our kitchen sends our cardboard and plastic waste to a recycling center each week, and by accepting gently-used men's clothing for our guests we're helping to save even more items from heading to the landfill.
  • We use non-toxic and vinegar-based cleaners instead of harmful chemicals as much as possible to ensure our dining room is safe for our guests.
  • Our administrative offices are also committed to reducing our environmental impact. We've cut down on bulky mailings, have moved many of our processes (like signing up to volunteer) online to save paper, and work to conserve energy as much as we can.
  • Finally, we compost nearly 100% of the waste generated at our annual gala, 100 Bowls of Compassion. Our plates, utensils and napkins are all compostable, making our event on May 10th one of the "greenest" around!

We're committed to improving our community--both by working to end chronic homelessness in DC and by being the best neighbors we can be.

Thanks for all you do to support these vitally important efforts.