The Brad Clark Meal Delivery Program is named in honor of philanthropist Brad Clark, who donated $5 million to Food & Friends in November of 2020. Prior to this transformational gift, Brad was a generous supporter of our annual operations, had purchased two new refrigerated vans for our meal delivery program and provided funding so that we could brand all ten delivery vans with a special design that includes our logo and tagline—Delivering hope one meal at a time. Home delivery is a defining element of Food & Friends’ service and it is only fitting that this central program be named after someone who has invested so generously in our delivery fleet and operations.
Included in the Brad Clark Meal Delivery program are our staff of professional delivery drivers, dedicated delivery coordinators who oversee both staff and volunteer-led deliveries, ten refrigerated delivery vans and a host of other operational tools, software and equipment that allow us to reach our clients safely, efficiently, and most importantly, with care. Our delivery area covers 6,172 square miles of Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia, made up of hundreds of unique delivery routes. On average, each van travels 300 miles per week, completing 180 deliveries per day! And while our staff is critical in leading this complex operation, over 60% of our deliveries are completed by volunteers. It is a true team effort.
We believe in a community where everyone who is seriously ill has the nourishment they need to manage their illness. Brad’s investment supports all facets of our daily operations and will allow for program growth and expansion, impacting tens of thousands of people in the next five years.
“There are so many people in the D.C. area who do not have the ability to either feed themselves nutritious meals that can sustain them through an illness or the financial resources to purchase them. Food & Friends is essential to keeping this community healthy and cared for. My trust in Food & Friends and its devoted staff is founded in the very evident integrity in which they carry out their mission in the world. My hope through this gift is that it will enable Food & Friends to expand its reach and lead others to become involved in such a noble task.”
– Brad Clark
“The delivery team is the face of Food & Friends and it is very important that we represent the organization with honor, respect, and compassion. We are accountable for delivering hope, one meal at a time, and ensuring that every client has a ‘friend’ to support them throughout.”
– Danny Conway, Director of Delivery and Weekend Operations
Brad was the founder and Artistic Director of the recently closed Maryland Lyric Opera. Also an accomplished pianist, Brad earned a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from the University of Maryland and a Master of Music in musicology and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in collaborative piano from the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at The Catholic University of America. He is the son of Alice B. Clark and the late A. James Clark who was Chairman and CEO of Clark Construction and was a well-known philanthropist. Brad’s $5 million gift supports all aspects of our operations, including new staff positions, program growth and building expansion.
Brad was very close to his maternal grandfather, Sam Bratton, who significantly influenced his view of community service. As a child, Brad would often accompany his grandfather to downtown D.C., where they would use his grandfather’s station wagon to distribute clothing and food to those who needed it. In this spirit and to honor Sam’s loving memory, $500,000 of Brad’s gift has been directed to establish the Samuel P. Bratton Endowment for Direct Service, creating a lasting legacy that will support Food & Friends’ mission and help neighbors in need for generations to come.
