Barry Farm is today known for the 432 dilapidated housing units built in 1943 by the National Capital Housing Administration. However, the African American community traces its history to 1867 when the Freedmen’s Bureau acquired 375 acres of land in Southeast DC. This land was divided into smaller plots and purchased by African Americans over time.
A railroad line built in 1913 created a physical and social barrier separating Barry Farm and the surrounding community from much of DC. The construction of the Suitland Parkway in the 1950s further isolated these communities. These geographic barriers reinforced political disenfranchisement and social isolation resulting in housing, health, wealth and education disparities which persist to this day. To help address these disparities, City First provided $12 Million in NMTC financing to support the new construction and relocation of the Martha’s Table headquarters from Ward 2 to Ward 8.
Located at 2375 Elvans Road, SE, less than a mile from Barry Farm, Martha’s Table’s new headquarters anchors a 54,000 SF non-profit community service campus at the Commons at Stanton Square that will enable a near 40% increase in the number of clients served. The Commons houses Martha’s Table’s successful food, education and community support programs along with other critical services provided by Community of Hope and other non-profit partners.