The Three Perennial Martha’s Table Community Events

Dedicated to giving back to the community, Matthew Vlasic supports multiple philanthropic organizations. One of the organizations that Matthew Vlasic supports is Martha’s Table, which combats hunger throughout the District of Columbia. Each year, Martha’s Table holds three regular events to raise funds and awareness.

The oldest event is Sips & Suppers, which was started by Alice Waters in 2009. This weekend focuses on developing sustainable and local solutions to the challenges of homelessness and hunger. Since its inception, the event has raised more than $2 million to support programs at Martha’s Table and DC Central Kitchen.

Since 2013, Martha’s Table has run a series of Casseroles & Conversations events, which create a space for talking about the challenges faced by low-income families, as well as the link between diet-related illness and income.

This October will mark the third annual One Pot Suppers event, which invites community members to throw their own one-pot suppers on a given day to increase conversations about hunger and raise money for key Martha’s Table initiatives.

The Joe’s Champs Program at Fight for Children

 



Matthew Vlasic provides support to multiple charities that work on key issues related to children’s health. One of the organizations that Matthew Vlasic supports is Fight for Children, which focuses on improving education in the District of Columbia. One of Fight for Children’s key programs is Joe’s Champs, which provides training for elementary school leaders to provide more effective education. This program affirms the importance of early childhood education for long-term academic success.

Individuals chosen for the program participate in 110 hours of professional development over the course of two years. These hours are spent working closely with childhood education experts to learn about child development and how to align curricula appropriately. Trained leaders then return to their schools and create monthly forums for sharing what they learned, deepening collective understanding of key issues. Participants also have the chance to learn and share during the bi-annual Fight for Children conferences.

People can apply for the program if they have worked at least one year at a school that primarily serves families with low-income backgrounds.