Community Offerings by TTA
“Love is an action, never simply a feeling.”
— bell hooks
Baskets of Love
Rooted in compassion and collective care, Baskets of Love is one of The Tasty Alternative’s longest-standing community initiatives — a seasonal outreach project that provides thoughtfully curated care packages to families across the Greater Washington, DC area. Each basket may include baked goods, school supplies, hygiene products, household goods, and handwritten notes of encouragement, all lovingly gathered and delivered in the spirit of dignity and mutual support.
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First launched in 2014 in partnership with the Howard University School of Divinity, Baskets of Love began as a grassroots effort during Co-Founder Veronique MacRae’s time as a graduate student committed to faith-rooted service. Since then, the program has grown through ongoing collaborations, including with Housing Up (formerly Transitional Housing Corporation) and The Potter’s House in Washington, DC — two organizations that share our mission of community uplift and holistic support.
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Whether through door-to-door deliveries, pop-up distribution events, or partnerships with local shelters and community centers, Baskets of Love continues to embody the heart of The Tasty Alternative: nourishing the body and soul while reminding families that they are seen, supported, and never alone.
On the Concrete
On the Concrete is a quiet offering. No cameras. No press. No announcements. Just the consistent act of meeting real needs wherever we encounter them — with food, with presence, with love.
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Born from a commitment to mutual care and resource stewardship, this initiative focuses on serving unhoused members of the DC community through informal food distribution. After catering events, we prepare to-go meals from surplus food to ensure nothing goes to waste. We hand-deliver these meals directly to individuals and small communities across the city — often in places where public resources fall short or where support is increasingly hard to find.
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In recent years, the work has grown more challenging. The criminalization of homelessness, along with the spread of hostile architecture and the removal of encampments, has displaced many of our neighbors. Still, we remain committed — whether by walking the city with meals in hand, purchasing food during off-hours, sharing conversation and prayer, or simply being present with those society often chooses not to see.
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On the Concrete is not a campaign. It’s a practice of radical empathy. A recognition of shared humanity. A call to care for our brothers, sisters, and siblings without condition.
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