neighborhood news
Meet Meredith Jacobs Food Truck Vendor and Volunteer
A
s a Georgetown University graduate, Meredith Jacobs did not plan to become ensconced in Ward 7 and morph into an entrepreneur within the food industry. It just sort of happened. “I came to D.C. to go to college and only became interested in the food business and this specific area after interning at the Southeast White House,” said Jacobs, 29, who has resided East of the River for the last seven
Meredith Jacobs and Babette Williams.
by Anthony D. Diallo
years, first in Fort Davis and most recently at her present address in Penn Branch. This spot has proven to be an ideal location to live, practice philanthropy and operate her growing food truck business, Granny’s Kitchen.
Early Life
Jacobs was born in South Carolina to parents who originally hailed from Alabama, which remains the home of Jacobs’ beloved seventy-something year old grandmother, Lill Allen, who is heralded as a gifted cook and who was instrumental in developing Jacobs’ love for creating mouth-watering southern cuisine. Her time in South Carolina was brief as Jacob’s parents, international missionaries, moved the family to Nepal, an exotic Asian country nestled between China and India. Jacobs did not return to America until she arrived at Georgetown U. in 2009 where she earned an undergraduate degree four years later in International Business.
L to R: The Granny’s Kitchen food truck. Southern breakfast. Satisfied patrons of Granny’s Kitchen with Meredith Jacobs (left).
22
E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m
The Southeast White House – DC Dream Center
Jacobs began volunteering at the Southeast White House after graduation after she was introduced to the nonprofit through her church. DC Dream Center (DCDC), housed in 10,000 square feet of new construction, opened in 2017 as an extension to the Southeast White House located at 2909 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Where the Southeast White House concentrated on providing meals and mentorship to families in Ward 7, DCDC offers the same services plus legal aid, an after-school program, community computer lab, indoor basketball court and a dance studio among other services. DCDC is located behind the Southeast White House at 2826 Q Street, SE. Jacobs honed her culinary skills by working in three restaurants between the years 2014 and 2019. She started as a team member and eventually worked her way to manager at the Shake Shack. She was a server and trainer at Farmers and Distillers and a server at All Set. It was during a chance encounter at the Southeast White House that Jacobs met another volunteer, Babette Williams, the main cook. They quickly became friends. Jacobs knew that she had found a culinary kindred spirit after tasting the retired Howard University caterer’s scrumptious homemade meals. “I met Meredith one night after cooking for all the volunteers that were working for the Southeast White House,”
