(Washington, DC)  - The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs was awarded a Downtown BID 2008 Downtown Partnership 'Momentum' award on Thursday evening for its pilot demonstration project to enhance vending in Downtown and offer consumers more options.

The initiative created a cluster of three food vendors including On The Fly, DC Central Kitchen’s Capital Carts and Haalcart LLC’s Delle & Campbell’s Halal Luncheonette, and is located at 8th and H Streets NW. The cluster is named "The Lunch Bunch” and offers Downtown workers, residents and visitors a range of unique, convenient and eco-friendly lunchtime offerings.

"We could not have done this project without the support of the Downtown BID and our lunch bunch partners," said DCRA Director Linda K. Argo. "Residents want more options and we're seeking innovative new ways to bring them to the sidewalks of the District of Columbia."

The DC Central Kitchen's Capital Cart program is operated by Khadijah Tate, a January graduate of the agency's culinary job training program. If the pilot cart is successful, Central Kitchen expects to set up its culinary graduates as street vendors, then step back and allow them to run their carts as private businesses.

Information on DCRA's street vending program is available online at dcra.dc.gov.