This week’s Community Organizers Hall of Famer (HOF) is alive and well and doing great things in Washington, DC. He is Robert Egger, founder and president of D.C. Central Kitchen just blocks away from the U.S. Capitol. D.C. Central Kitchen trains unemployed men and women in marketable culinary skills and converts foods donated by restuarants, hotels and caterers into balanced meals. Since opening in 1989, the Kitchen has distributed 17.4 million meals and helped over 605 men and women gain full-time employment.

I got a chance to visit with Robert at the D.C. Central Kitchen a week ago. High school volunteers, staff, chefs, nutritionists, and supporters who keep the kitchen’s burners going share this HOF highlight. I was impressed with the Kitchen’s social entrepreneurial model, and its direct outreach to the Hill across the aisles. Members of Congress and the Senate have walked through the Kitchen for more than a taste of what this organization can do and what needs to be done to address hunger in the United States. Robert is clear on mission and dishes equal portions of critique about service as seen in his commentary on the Service Nation Forum with candidates McCain and Obama (held in NYC 9/11/008). Go to www.robertegger.org for more blog entries and videos.

D.C. Central Kitchen’s motto is “combating hunger – creating opportunity.” Let’s make this goal viral. Pass it on.