After a successful year serving thousands of Washingtonians, distributing more than 1.8 million meals, and enhancing nutritional access, Martha’s Table – headquartered in Southeast D.C. – rings in 2025 with more financial resources and abundance to share, namely a $50,000 grant from global organization, Herbalife Family Foundation (HFF).
Under a continuous partnership of six years, the two nonprofits have worked to champion underserved communities and empower families across the District of Columbia, combating issues like food insecurity among other inequities that bare detrimental effects, particularly east of the river.
“When we think about the level of investment that’s needed to make sure that all D.C. residents are thriving, east of the river hasn’t received as much support as…it could to help actually enhance and strengthen the families that are in the community,” said Tiffany Williams, president and CEO of Martha’s Table. “This 50,000 investment from Herbalife is very timely, and helps us to continue to offer and ramp up services to meet the needs of our community members.”
The $50,000 grant, which Williams considers a “gift,” was made possible through HFF’s Casa Herbalife Program, an initiative that distributed $5 million to 164 nonprofit organizations across 59 countries and territories last year— one of which was Martha’s Table.
According to The Wash, Wards 7 and 8 hold the largest populations of food deserts (51% and 31% respectively). Further, disparities intensify by regional factors such as increased poverty taxes, fewer grocery stores, and health conditions fueled by the lack of nutritional resources and education available.
Under the scope of the grant, Martha’s Table plans to tackle key issues plaguing families in Wards 7 and 8.
“We’re talking about issues of food access, and we’re talking about issues of transportation, both of which are huge challenges for many of the families who live in the community that we serve,” Williams explained. “It’s a unique time for us. I never want to paint a picture as if that community is devoid of strengths–it’s a very vibrant, strong, committed community. They just happen to be on the brunt end of a lot of racial bias and historic inequities.”
As Jenny Perez, Executive Director of the Herbalife Family Foundation told The Informer, a combined approach of access and education is imperative to adequately support youth’s nutritional development, noting how the work in a child’s success “starts with the home,” including parental learning.
“If you don’t have the proper education at home, then it’s going to be hard for you to be able to grow up and make those decisions later in life when it comes to healthy nutrition,” Perez said.
She also highlighted the long-term benefits of prioritizing nutritional health at a young age.
“We know there are studies out there that if a child is hungry, they’re not going to be able to learn. We may not be directly affecting their everyday education, but at the end of the day, by being able to provide food and nutrition, then these kids will be able to develop in a healthy way and be able to learn and continue doing that throughout their lives. To me, it’s more than just food; it goes a long way.”
Heeding the Call for Healthier, Brighter Futures
In addition to the continued mission of advocating for food security for all residents, Williams expressed excitement for Martha’s Table’s next strategic plan, emphasizing the necessity of an all-inclusive “trend” that will allow Washingtonians and nonprofits to thrive collectively.
After Martha’s Table witnessed a 22% increase in visitors over the last year (doubling from 250 people a day to more than 500), the CEO recognized the needs of underserved populations were increasing, and that consumers deserved “the loudest voice” at the table.
“What that looks like is moving beyond just meeting immediate needs, to really understanding the aspirations of our neighbors and designing work programs that support our neighbors moving from instability to thriving, [and] most importantly, continuing to amplify community voice,” she told The Informer.
Perez shared that since partnering with Martha’s Table, the collaborative effort has reached more than 6,000 children in the District of Columbia, with the global organization achieving a personal goal of assisting approximately 200,000 children globally.
With plans to continue expanding services within D.C. and beyond, HFF and Martha’s Table remain at the forefront of transformative programs committed to more than just the benefit of children’s well-being – they’re also impassioned to influence brighter and healthier futures all around.
“For those of us that have easy access to these things, it’s easy for us to forget that these problems exist,” Perez told The Informer. “We tend to kind of live in our own little bubbles sometimes. But I think, even if it’s not HFF or Martha’s Table specifically, it’s just being able to go out into the world and seeing how you can help other people.”
