The United States Department of Agriculture Employee Services & Recreation Association (ESRA) is one of the largest employee associations of its kind in the country. ESRA serves over 12,000 USDA employees in the Washington, D.C. metro area and an additional 100,000 employees nationwide. Membership in ESRA is open to all USDA employees (including retirees), their families, and contract employees within the Department. Currently, there is no membership fee.

Formed in 1906, the Association provides a variety of services and programs to USDA employees. In the DC area, ESRA provides services in the USDA Headquarters South Building with the ESRA Store, the ESRA McGills Deli, ESRA Barber Shop/Hair Salon, and the ESRA Dry Cleaners. ESRA also operates fitness centers in the South Building and at the USDA complex in Riverdale, MD.

ESRA is a nonprofit association and is totally self-funded. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors who are USDA employees and represent all the agencies within the Department. Board members are selected by their agencies and are allowed time from their regular jobs to serve as volunteers and perform their duties for the betterment of their fellow employees.

Day-to-day operations are carried out by full-time staff paid for from the various revenue sources of the Association. No funding is provided by USDA. Staff are not federal employees. In 1993, ESRA received the Eastwood Award from the National Employee Services & Recreation Association as the best employee services organization in the country.

For more detailed infomation about the Association, go to these resources:

• ESRA Guide to Services
• Current ESRA Board of Directors.
• Contact ESRA