I recently passed my two-year anniversary at DC Greens. The occasion has given me an opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary impact this organization has every day.
Over the past two years, I have come to appreciate what makes DC Greens such a unique organization. Through programs like Produce Rx and The Well at Oxon Run, our community engagement efforts, and our collaboration with partners across the District, we improve lives today while also helping shape the broader systems that influence health, food access, and equity in the future.
I am proud of the people who make that work possible. That includes our wonderful, mission-driven staff. Their talent, creativity, and commitment propel our work forward and make it possible for us to serve our community as effectively as we do.
One example is Rekha Gomilar, whose thoughtful and inspiring blog is featured this month. During her time as our 2026 Dietetics Intern, Rekha co-led a nutrition education workshop on fiber alongside our Produce Rx Coordinator Rita Ackah. She also supported key projects across both of our programs by upgrading program materials, creating nutrition education resources, and developing resources for new participants.
I am also deeply grateful for our volunteers, whose generosity of time and talent strengthens every aspect of our work and extends our reach across D.C.
While much of our work takes place through programs and partnerships in the community, DC Greens has long recognized that achieving lasting improvements in health equity and food access also requires attention to the policies, institutions, and systems that shape people’s lives.
From our founding, we have sought to contribute to broader changes that help build a healthier and more equitable District. As I mentioned last month, DC Greens has a long history of advancing food policy and advocating for a healthier and more equitable District. That work continues today.
One example is our participation in the DC Food Forum, a nonpartisan coalition of organizations working to ensure candidates engage seriously with issues of food access, nutrition, equity, and sustainability. Together, the coalition recently distributed a questionnaire to candidates running for mayor. (I encourage everyone to read the candidates’ responses.)
Food policy does not always receive the public attention it deserves, but decisions about nutrition, health care, school meals, food access, urban agriculture, and economic opportunity have real consequences for District residents.
In her response to the questionnaire, Janeese Lewis George articulated several positions that align with priorities long championed by DC Greens. On Food Is Medicine, she wrote:
“I support DC’s Produce Rx program and will work as Mayor to expand the use of healthy food prescriptions, medically tailored meals, and nutrition incentive programs as a core part of health care delivery through DC’s Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) and our network of hospitals and health clinics.”
She also emphasized the importance of urban agriculture, noting that:
“DC’s urban farms serve as both critical food sources and community gathering spaces.”
As the organization that operates Produce Rx and The Well at Oxon Run, it is encouraging to see these priorities reflected in the public conversation about the District’s future. Whether through Food Is Medicine initiatives, support for urban agriculture, or other policy innovations, meaningful progress requires partnership among government, community organizations, health care providers, and residents.
As I begin my third year with DC Greens, I am energized by the opportunities ahead and deeply grateful for the opportunity to do this work alongside such dedicated staff, seasonal team members, volunteers, partners, supporters, and community members. Thank you for being part of this journey.
P.S. I hope you’ll consider joining the team at The Well at Oxon Run and me for our next Wellness Market Day this Saturday, August 29, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. It would be wonderful to greet you in person.
