Joe Houston helps unload the Martha’s Table van and pass out groceries two to three times a week — the vehicle is filled with hundreds of food-filled bags to deliver at multiple stops in Wards 7 and 8.

“I want to change the narrative and lead by example so that the community sees and does the same thing,” said Houston, 26, a Ward 8 resident and a Martha’s Table Community Council member. Houston’s organization, Guul Monstru Pathways, partners with the food access nonprofit to provide volunteers to help at pop-up grocery sites and teach fitness classes.

Every week, Monday through Thursday, Martha’s Table distributes groceries in Wards 7 and 8 through a total of 10 grab-and-go grocery sites it has opened during the coronavirus public health emergency. In the past three months, the nonprofit says it has distributed 70,000 free meals (grocery bags contain multiple meals) across the two wards in partnership with organizations including the Capital Area Food Bank, D.C. public and charter schools, the Office of the D.C. Attorney General, and Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White’s office.

On June 10, when Martha’s Table vans pulled up at the W Street SE drop-off location, Houston and Charles Gussom Jr., the assistant director of community development at Martha’s Table, opened the back door to the truck, grabbed a few bags and held them in the air as vehicles passed. “Free groceries, grab-and-go,” Gussom announced.

Drivers hit the brakes, Gussom loaded their cars with bags, and residents smiled, thanking Gussom and Houston. Police officers began to set up cones to help as traffic began to back up. Drivers waited patiently for their turn.

“Y’all have potatoes and onions?” one driver asked.

Grocery bags vary and include a variety of potatoes, onions, bell peppers, chickpeas, black beans, rice, and canned goods. Residents often tell Houston they’ve made sweet potato pie with the food, he said.

There are only three grocery stores total in Wards 7 and 8, where more than 160,000 residents live. In contrast, Ward 1 has nine grocery stores for about 90,000 residents.

And long before the pandemic, shoppers complained about long wait times and lines at the three stores, as well as issues with sanitation, molded produce, and spoiled meat.

In 2017, Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray was “very disappointed” during an unannounced visit to the Safeway in East River Park Shopping Center, one of the ward’s two Safeways, reported The Washington Post. Gray had met with store representatives from corporate headquarters in months before about decreasing wait time and improving service and sanitation. But since that conversation,“No improvements have been made — except maybe the floors have been swept,” Gray said, per the Post.

The lack of grocery stores and quality food options isn’t the only reason Martha’s Table is focusing on Wards 7 and 8. Those communities experienced significantly higher unemployment rates compared to other wards, according to December 2019 city data, with unemployment rates of 8.6 percent and 11.4 percent, respectively. (The city’s overall rate was around 5.6 percent at the time.)

Since the public health emergency began, D.C. has seen a huge increase in unemployment claims — by April, the 56,609 claims filed in 2020 were more than all of 2019’s claims combined.

“A lot of people have lost their jobs and been furloughed,” said Gussom. “A lot of people are in need of healthy food access.”

Each day, Martha’s Table aims to distribute between 200 and 300 bags of groceries at the grab-and-go locations throughout Wards 7 and 8.

“Residents are very appreciative of the help,” said Houston. “Some even tear up and become emotional about receiving free groceries, especially in the past three months.”

Ward 8 resident Bruce, 28, said it is “about the third time I myself have gotten some stuff from y’all. I appreciate it … I work and everything. I got food but still it’s a help. You can never not have enough help here.”

For those who can’t make it to the Martha’s Table distribution sites, some residents are taking the initiative to drop off groceries at their doorsteps, like Ward 7 resident Andre Brooks.

“Pandemic or not, we need this here,” said Brooks. “The lack of grocery stores is nothing new. That’s how they’ve always treated us … Walmart was supposed to come and they backed out. I don’t know if it was because of the crime and stuff, but none of that will change if the businesses don’t come. We are always the last ward to receive and always have to fight for stuff, basic stuff, food, health facilities.”

Brooks is referring to Walmart’s plan to build two stores in Ward 7 — at Capitol Gateway and Skyland Town Center — after opening up two stores in Northwest and one in Northeast. However, in 2016, the big-box retailer backed out of its agreement with the city for the Ward 7 locations, breaking its 2014 lease at Skyland Town Center, where it was supposed to serve as the anchor of the huge project.

Skyland Town Center is moving forward and now has a new grocer set to open there. German supermarket Lidl announced in May 2019 that it will open a 30,000-square-foot store in the long-planned development.

Earlier in 2019, the city broke ground on a mixed-use development property in Ward 8’s Bellevue that will include a Good Food Markets —which will be the ward’s second grocery store.

In the interim, the community members and nonprofits in Wards 7 and 8 are doing what they can to support their neighbors.

Each week, Brooks delivers food to 100 people, he said, including to seniors and people experiencing homelessness.

“I’ve been blessed to continue receiving a paycheck,” Brooks, a school bus driver, said. “Instead of sitting around, I wanted to be productive and serve.”

Brooks said that he tries to ensure none of the food goes to waste. “I tell them, if they can’t use it, give it back,” he said. “I can take it to my food pantry or I take it down to [United Planning Organization]. I make sure everybody gets something, if I have it. I’ll travel to put it out to where I know the need is.”