Mayberg Foundation Celebrates Food & Friends' Major Expansion Groundbreaking
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Food & Friends, a Mayberg Foundation partner, held a groundbreaking ceremony on July 13 for an 18- to 24-month building expansion and renovation that will add 17,000 square feet to its current 24,000-square-foot facility. The project, the culmination of a $30 million fundraising campaign, will allow Food & Friends to double its medically tailored meal production capacity over the next 10 years—building on a 2025 in which the organization prepared more than 2.2 million meals for over 6,200 clients, dependents, and caregivers.
Mayberg Foundation Rising Trustee David Mayberg, a volunteer and supporter of Food & Friends, attended the ceremony. He was first introduced to the organization by the late Juaqin “Jocko” Fajardo, and his involvement grew into support through his discretionary fund. Food & Friends now receives an annual grant through the Foundation's DMV Human Services portfolio, marking this expansion as a meaningful next chapter for the organization.
"Food & Friends has demonstrated that the impact of its work extends far beyond the delivery of groceries. It creates a broader community built on service, engagement, and genuine human connection," David said. "This expansion will only deepen that impact, giving Food & Friends the space to welcome more neighbors into that community and to support the staff and volunteers who make it possible."
For the Mayberg Foundation, the partnership reflects values at the heart of its giving. As Mayberg Foundation Chairman and Trustee Louis Mayberg put it, Food & Friends' mission "aligns with our Jewish value of helping those less fortunate and visiting the sick."