House of Ruth

Just as improving food access is essential to creating a strong local food system, nutrition education is equally critical to achieving the FRESHFARM mission. You'll find this work at our FoodPrints schools and with community organizations that support families. Our partnership with House of Ruth is a great example. Our community engagement team works directly with House of Ruth families to create joyful experiences that excite them about growing, preparing, and enjoying fresh, local whole foods. Thanks, House of Ruth, for all that you do and for helping us nourish our food future, one child at a time!

Supporting access to fruits and vegetables for kids at early ages and assisting staff and caretakers is a key strategy for FRESHFARM. We believe in spreading the joy of gardening and cooking to kids and parents alike, and we’ve been honored to partner with House of Ruth for five fantastic years. From delivering food from local farmers, and cultivating an edible garden with the kids to hosting fun-filled cooking demos, our mission is to create hands-on learning experiences that inspire healthier eating habits and foster community connections. Thank you to House of Ruth for these wonderful memories and continued collaboration. Here's to many more years of nurturing healthy habits and joyful moments together! 🌟🥗👨👩👧👦

Peach tomato panzanella salad, anyone? It's as mouthwateringly delicious and refreshing as it sounds! Parents and kids had an absolute blast preparing it with our wonderful FRESHFARM partners. Just in time for July 4th, the FRESHFARM team spent a delightful afternoon at Kidspace, showing the kids how to whip up this scrumptious salad. They chopped juicy tomatoes, tore aromatic basil leaves, and shook up vinaigrette – turning it into an impromptu dance party! Thank you to FRESHFARM—our amazing Kidspace partners for five fantastic years! From cultivating an edible garden with the kids to hosting fun-filled cooking demos, they spread the joy of gardening and cooking to kids and parents alike.

Our program participants at House of Ruth are still buzzing with excitement over their new HOKA shoes, thanks to an incredible collaboration with It's From The Sole and the Kinnect Foundation (KITH). Click here to discover how our sneaker store experience came to life: https://lnkd.in/eG2zYcN6

Thank you for having us! We look forward to more opportunities to connect and collaborate in the future!

Walking in someone else's shoes? Not an opportunity that many of us receive in life. Fitting someone for a new pair of shoes... 👟 Now that is something that can and did happen. Last month, House of Ruth teamed up with It's From The Sole and Kinnect Foundation (KITH) to bring a sneaker store experience to the women participating in House of Ruth programs. Over 100 brand-new pairs of HOKA shoes were donated. Each woman was personally fitted for a pair and walked out not only with those sneakers but also socks. Kneeling before these women--learning how to fit someone for sneakers--helping each woman fit just the right fit. I cannot begin to describe what that experience meant. How connected I felt to each woman. Thank you, Andre Mcdonnell, Francess Henry, and Sharifa Murdock for making this event possible! We look forward to our next partnership.

Thank you, Christine, for championing our work for a second Deloitte Impact Day. Your dedication and support are invaluable to us. House of Ruth is excited to continue growing our impact each year with your collaboration.

In this month’s “Note from Sandra,” House of Ruth President & CEO, Sandra Jackson, highlights the transformative impact of in-kind support and community partnerships from the perspective of Maria, a program participant. Click here to read more from Sandra's note: https://lnkd.in/dF7ndfqq

Last week, a Turkish delegation of doctors and psychologists, who are visiting the US through the US Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program, spent a morning with House of Ruth leadership and program managers.    Our teams exchanged valuable knowledge on planning for and responding to gender-based violence in disaster scenarios. Following a robust conversation, the delegation toured Kidspace, our nationally accredited child and family development center. The tour included our therapy observation rooms, where families receive multi-generational therapy through our partnership with MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.    A highlight of the morning: When no interpretation was needed as these clinical experts spoke the shared language of their profession. Thank you to our partners at the U.S. Department of State and American Councils for International Education for bringing us together! We look forward to more opportunities to meet with our peers across the globe.

A heartfelt thank you to Eaton DC for providing incredible volunteer support at our Shoe Experience event! Your team’s dedication and enthusiasm made a huge difference, allowing us to fit more women with new shoes. Thank you!