Jeanetha Brown-Douglas with JBD Mobile Catering Serving Up Nutrition and Building Community with the Kids at Friendship Court

Thanks to community grants and donor support, Piedmont Housing Alliance is able to work with Jeanetha Brown-Douglas of JBD Mobile Catering to bring healthful, delicious meals to Friendship Court twice a week. This community meal schedule complements the community center afterschool activity and snack program and the Parks & Recreation enrichment program offerings. More than half of all Friendship Court residents are children (most under the age of 12). Nutrition is important to healthy development, but on an average household budget of less than $11,000, food budgets are tight. Jeanetha helps support nutrition and community building. Jeanetha also provides a great example of the creation and growth of a successful small woman-owned business. Piedmont Housing Alliance has worked with JBD Catering after Jeanetha participated in Piedmont Housing Alliance’s VIDA program, which helped her grow her savings and her business.  She graduated from CIC (Community Investment Collaborative), a local business education program offering under-resourced local entrepreneurs education, micro-loans, mentoring, and networking.  Since her first contract, Jeanetha has received other contracts and continues to build her catering business. She is also proud to work with the City of Charlottesville’s Onesty Family Aquatic Center (Meade Pool) to provide healthy snacks to the children and families who frequent the center over the summer months. Jeanetha says, “I love to give back to the kids!”

Having an adequate meal is vital for nutrition, but it is also a way to connect Friendship Court children to community, technology, education, and health.

JBD Mobile Catering helping feed the kids a hot and healthy meal is helping lay the foundation for a successful future of Friendship Court.