Welcome to the 10th annual
Bren + Friends Serve D.C.!
We Invite you to Join us on our 10th annual
Christmas Day of Service!
The holiday season is here, and so is our moment to drive even bigger impact. We are elated to celebrate this year the 10th Annual Bren + Friends Serve Christmas Day of Service — a cornerstone tradition that has grown from a simple idea into a movement of nourishment, service, and community care in the DC region. Each year’s success is made possible by you — the energized network of volunteers, donors, and advocates who show up to be part of something that matters. In 2024, we prepared and served 1,500 freshly cooked meals, expanding our reach and raising the bar on delivery and impact. Now, as we step into our 10th year, we’re locking in even bolder goals — 1,700 meals in 2025 to commemorate this major milestone season. ✨
Ten years later, the “yes” is louder, the mission is stronger, and the impact is growing faster. This is more than a meal drop — it’s a people-first holiday experience fueled by heart, excellence, and shared purpose to serve with dignity and love. We are beyond excited for what we’ll do this year, how we’ll show up, and how many more people will feel the warmth of being truly seen and served. Let’s scale the legacy. Together. ✨
Our Impact At a Glance
(to date)
A snapshot of the lives we’ve touched and the work we’re proud to lead since 2016
Communities Reached:
Washington, DC; Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina
What We Do
Bren + Friends Serve DC is where purpose turns into presence—our signature holiday experience designed to ensure every community member feels genuinely seen, valued, and cared for. This event is fueled by heart work, built on a simple but powerful belief: connection through a warm, freshly cooked meal has the ability to spark hope, restore dignity, and create a sense of belonging during the holidays.
As we mark our 10th anniversary season, we are stepping into our most ambitious year yet, energized by the opportunity to scale our impact across Washington, DC. In 2024, we proudly served 1,500 meals, and this year, we are raising the benchmark to 1,700 meals in 2025 to commemorate a decade of service and community care. This milestone isn’t just a marker of longevity—it’s a testament to what’s possible when people show up for people.
The mission stays consistent and intentional. We set up in parks across the city, creating welcoming, open access points where nourishment and human connection lead the experience. Now, ten years later, the invitation is clearer, the purpose is louder, and the excitement is real. We are locked in, operationally ready, and emotionally aligned for the impact moments ahead.
None of this happens without you—our volunteers, donors, and community champions. Your time and support are the momentum engine behind this work, and we are serious about scaling this people-first legacy with you. We hope you’ll join us again as we step onto the streets—food, warmth, service, and heart leading the way.
How We Started/Our Why
Our family tradition of service began long before we had a name for it. It started when I was a child, helping my family cook warm, home-cooked meals for those in need, teaching the kids in our family that Christmas is about honoring Christ, celebrating the life of Christ, and showing up in service—not wishlists and wrapped gifts. In 2010, that same tradition deepened, shaping the roots of what would eventually evolve into our signature movement today.
In 2016, with hearts set on purpose, we gathered again—my parents, siblings, and a handful of friends—and stepped onto the streets of Washington, DC to bring warmth to the cold. That Christmas Day, we set up at Franklin Square Park and served 200 freshly cooked meals, proving that service delivered with love creates a ripple far bigger than the moment itself.
By 2018, our reach grew across Columbia Heights and Dupont Circle where we served 500 meals in both 2018 and 2019, alongside distributing coats, hats, socks, shoes, and community-donated essentials collected by our expanding volunteer ecosystem.
Today, Bren + Friends stands as the cornerstone of our foundation’s mission—our legacy program, our signature event, and the spark that started everything. Now, as we enter our 10th anniversary year, we are focused on driving even greater impact, delivering more meals, more warmth, and more dignity to the communities we serve, creating moments of connection, care, and celebration that uplift every person we touch.
Our 2025 Goal
This year, as we mark a decade of impact, we’re setting a focused fundraising goal of $15,000 to power smart, safe, and scalable execution for Bren + Friends Serve DC. While our all-star corps of volunteers lead the day-of logistics and physical service delivery, resourcing for efficient, compliant cooking operations requires infrastructure support—and we’d love for you to be part of it. We invite you to contribute a donation in any amount that aligns with your capacity, fueling a streamlined and safety-forward meal experience for our unhoused and underserved community members.
For those stepping into volunteer roles through our sign-up and registration form, expect detailed day briefs delivered via email the week of December 19th and up until Christmas Eve, enabling clarity, coordination, and a high-trust service environment.
Join us for an afternoon of purpose-driven impact, shared joy, and celebration as we scale what ten years of service can accomplish next.
DONATE HERE!💛
Get Involved. You can help us make a difference!
Our organization serves thousands of families and children every year. We are able to grow and have lasting impact through the kindness and generosity of sponsors, partners, and volunteers. We look forward to you getting involved!
Mission Statement
The Bren Herrera Foundation empowers marginalized communities in the Washington, D.C.-area, by providing essential resources, advocacy, and programs that promote dignity, equity, and lasting impact.