Michael F. Curtin Jr. Talks Food Insecurity and Poverty Solutions in America

Media contact: Noelle Lemoine, communications assistant; tele: (413) 597-4277; email: [email protected]

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., September 14, 2015—Michael F. Curtin, Jr. ’86, executive director of D.C. Central Kitchen and 2015 Bicentennial Medalist, will speak at Williams College on Friday, Sept. 18, about his experience in engineering path-breaking solutions to alleviate food insecurity, health disparities and poverty in America. The talk will begin at 2 p.m. in the Paresky Center Auditorium.

Curtin, along with four other accomplished alumni, will be awarded a Williams College Bicentennial Medal on Saturday, Sept. 19. He joins Jonathon E. Fielding ’64, Kristin J. Forbes ’92, Hernando Garzon ’84, and Claudia B. Ranking ’86. All will be presented the medal by President Adam Falk and College Council Co-Presidents Jesús Espinoza ’16 and Marcus Christian ’16.

Groundbreaking programs led by Curtin, as CEO of D.C. Central Kitchen, train formerly homeless and incarcerated adults for culinary careers and provide millions of healthy meals to at-risk populations.

After graduating from Williams College in 1986 and before working at D.C. Central Kitchen, Curtin worked as a teacher in Osaka, Japan. Later, he led a 20-year career in hospitality, with numerous notable achievements including owning and operating his own restaurant, The Broad Street Grill in Falls Church, Va.

Since Curtin joined the D.C. Central Kitchen in 2004, the social enterprise program has expanded thirteen-fold. With his leadership, the program’s portfolio has grown to provide healthy school meals, and rebuild urban food systems. D.C. Central Kitchen prepares more than 10,000 meals each day and employs over 150 employees; many of whom are graduates from the Kitchen’s nationally recognized Culinary Job Training Program.

In 2008, Curtin launched an initiative to purchase produce “seconds” from local farmers at a deep discount, bringing fresh and often organic produce to those who would not otherwise receive it and reducing the organization’s food expenditures while producing more meals.

In 2010, D.C. Central Kitchen was named the winner of the Green Business Award for Innovation from the Washington Business Journal and Curtin won the Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman EXCEL Award that “recognizes and spotlights outstanding leadership among Washington area nonprofit chief executives.” In 2012, D.C. Central Kitchen was honored with the D.C. Chamber of Commerce Community Impact Award.

To learn more about Mike Curtin and D.C. Central Kitchen, visit their website at http://www.dccentralkitchen.org

This talk is free and open to the public.

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Published September 14, 2015