WASHINGTON — A D.C. building owner stepped up Friday to make sure food locked inside one of the shuttered Foxtrot Markets did not go to waste.
It took polite persistence from a local food rescue group, Food Rescue DC, but more than a week after the Foxtrot location in Dupont Circle abruptly closed, all the food the company left behind is finally going to good use.
“I was inside the space checking things out, and he banged on the glass,” said property manager Rick Ingleton.
“He” was Michael DuBios, who works with Food Rescue DC. DuBois was on a run when he saw someone inside the Foxtrot location for the first time since the store shut down.
“I thought this was the opportunity to break the Foxtrot barrier," Dubois said.
After unsuccessfully trying to contact Foxtrot managers, Food Rescue DC began working with the property manager from the building’s owner, Kain and Associates, and the owner himself, to collect all the unused food.
“We were worried about what was going to happen to the food inside,” said building owner Patrick Kain. "And wanted to see it go to good use.”
WUSA9 originally reported the perishable items inside the market were in danger of spoiling because the electricity to the refrigerator and freezer appeared to be off. But as volunteers packed everything up Friday, Food Rescue DC discovered although the lights had been turned off, and Foxtrot managers unresponsive to their emails, the refrigerators and freezer had been left on, meaning even the perishable items were able to be saved.
“A lot of people stepped up to make this happen, in a quiet way,” said Kate Urbank, a site manager for Food Rescue DC.
Food Rescue DC said it hopes the Dupont Circle location isn’t the only Foxtrot that will donate its food to at-risk communities.
If you can help, contact them here.
WUSA9 has been unable to reach Foxtrot or its parent company for comment. In all, 10 Foxtrot locations in D.C., Maryland and Virginia shut down.
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