2020 Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington
HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, & Families
A Wider Circle
| WISH LIST
$125: furniture for the home of 1 individual;
$1000: fuel donation trucks for 2 weeks;
$5000: neighborhood programming for 1 week
|
AWC's holistic approach focuses on neighborhood revitalization, the creation of stable homes, workforce development programming to move families to economic self-sufficiency, and the creation of greater awareness and engagement by the community. The Essential Support Program provides beds, furniture and other basic home goods to those leaving homelessness, fleeing domestic abuse, recovering from disaster, or simply living without the basics that make a home a home. The Workforce Development Program provides wraparound support to job seekers, and the Neighborhood Partnerships Program works within communities to help residents revitalize those communities from within. Employing on-the-ground programs and services, and developing large-scale solutions to root causes, AWC's mission is an ambitious one: to end poverty.
COVID-19 Update:
AWC has continued to provide vital basic need items to thousands of children and adults in the region, adjusting its delivery model to ensure continuity of service in accordance with public health guidelines. It is now able to offer no-contact drop offs for donated items and to host clients for no-contact appointments that allow them to receive essential items for their homes. It has expanded the scope of its workforce development programming, providing support to job seekers as they face an increasingly challenging market. Mark Bergel, President & CEO
10325 Kensington Parkway, #70
Kensington, MD 20895
301-608-3504
contact@awidercircle.org
cfp-dc.org/awc
NATURE: Environment & Animal Services
Audubon Naturalist Society
| WISH LIST
$100: field guides and learning aids for outdoor adult education;
$500: a week of summer camp for 1 child;
$1000: field trip for 100 schoolchildren to the Woodend Sanctuary
|
ANS connects Washington area residents to nature, inspiring them to appreciate, understand, and protect their forests, wetlands, water resources, and open spaces through education, advocacy, and conservation. And that connection with nature can start early. Each year, more than 7,000 children from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade visit ANS's two beautiful sanctuaries, where enthusiastic naturalist teachers emphasize hands-on, interactive learning. GreenKids, a unique collaboration with the Montgomery and Loudon County Public Schools (and plans to expand through metro DC) fosters the development of school environmental resources such as gardens, nature trails, and recycling programs. Protecting and preserving natural habitats and local clean water are all part of ANS’s community outreach plan. In a world of ever-higher environmental stakes, supporting ANS, and the local environment makes natural sense.
COVID-19 Update:
Limited in-person programs for children are being offered this fall. Limited in-person, small group adult and outdoor programs are being held. The Woodend and Rust Nature Sanctuary grounds are open. Visitors are asked to follow social distancing protocols appropriate for outdoors.
Jacky Wershbale, Director of Development
8940 Jones Mill Road
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
301-652-9188
jacky.wershbale@anshome.org
cfp-dc.org/ans
HUMAN SERVICES: Health, Wellness, & Senior Services
Iona Senior Services
| WISH LIST
$100: 1 medical crisis home visit by a nurse care manager;
$500: 1 week of Wellness & Arts programs for an older adult;
$1000: 20 weeks of meal delivery for a home-bound adult
|
For over 40 years, Iona Senior Services has provided support to enable older people – whose numbers are greater now than at any time in history – to stay (and thrive) in their own homes. To respond to the growing needs of older adults, Iona offers a full range of services: adult day programs for some, coordination of in-home and out-of-home services for others; community programs like group meals, fitness classes, visual art and creative writing courses, recreational activities that promote a healthy lifestyle, and meal delivery and volunteer companionship for those who are homebound. The Deborah Blum Client Care Fund helps support seniors whose families can't afford even the most modest fees. Someone's mother, someone's father: your support can make the difference.
COVID-19 Update:
Iona’s vulnerable clients have significant needs, so a food pantry that also includes cleaning and household supplies has expanded and Iona helps clients enroll in the emergency home-delivered meals program and makes available additional food resources. (Microwaves, too, are essential for delivered frozen meals.) Because clients suffer from anxiety and loneliness, programming has expanded to include a more active helpline, clinical case management, support groups, and virtual classes. The focus is on staying safe while meeting needs and combating the urgent issue of social isolation.
Sally White, Executive Director
4125 Albemarle Street NW
Washington, DC 20016
202-895-9448
swhite@iona.org
cfp-dc.org/iona
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
San Miguel School
| WISH LIST
$100: “Take-home Tech Kit” with keyboard, case, headphones and charger for one student;
$500: one student iPad for virtual learning;
$1,000: Hepa air purifiers and filters for 2 classrooms
|
Latino boys are more likely than any other demographic in DC to drop out of high school – but not San Miguel graduates. Enrolling some 90 at-risk Latino youth, immigrants or the sons of immigrants, 90% of whom are poor and arrive two to three years behind grade level, San Miguel serves as a model of innovative Catholic education. Academically rigorous and tuition free, it typically limits classrooms to 15 students, focuses on the mastery of basic skills, and nurtures the physical and emotional well-being of each boy. Breakfast, study hall, and tutoring fill out an extended day and a 200-day school year maintains or accelerates achievement. San Miguel stands by its graduates too, offering ongoing mentoring and high school and college guidance. The results? Last year, 100% of students went on to college prep high schools and attained a 100% graduation rate, nearly twice the rate of local peers.
COVID-19 Update:
San Miguel School reopened on August 31 with a blended program of in-classroom instruction and online learning at home – with strict health and safety protocols in place. "Pods" of 5-7 students alternate with each other, attending in person for two days and studying at home (online and off) for two days. Breakfast and lunch are provided; mask wearing and social distancing are givens; cleaning and disinfecting are completed throughout the day. The opportunity gap is widening during the pandemic – but not for these students.
Maureen Appel, President
7705 Georgia Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20012
202-232-8345, ext. 114
development@sanmigueldc.org
cfp-dc.org/san-miguel
HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, & Families
Center for Adoption Support and Education
| WISH LIST
$100: adoption and foster care webinar for 5 parents;
$500: full-day empowerment workshop for 7 adopted children;
$1000: diagnostic evaluation and 4 therapy sessions for 1 family prior to adoption
|
In 1998, Kathy and Mike Dugan, parents of eight children adopted from the Prince George’s County foster care system, struggled to find a family therapist who understood the impact of trauma and adoption on children’s lives. So the Dugans became unintentional philanthropists: they created CASE, and their vision has since helped thousands of adoptive, foster, and kinship families in the region. Some three-quarters of school-age children in foster care experience abuse, and one-quarter experience PTSD – exacerbated by the trauma of multiple placements. Depression, anxiety, aggression, and fear are common and can challenge a family's survival. CASE offers adoption-competent therapy for children, parents, and families; therapy and case management for children whose age or circumstances create added challenges in finding permanent homes; and training and education for hundreds of professionals about the unique challenges of adoption, foster, and kinship care. If this is your cause, you have found your home.
COVID-19 Update:
When the pandemic hit, direct service staff immediately trained to achieve Level 1 Telebehavioral Health Practitioner certification and consulted with experts on responding to severe clinical symptoms and adapting play therapy to a virtual medium. To meet growing demands for help as the pandemic re-triggered trauma and exacerbated symptoms, CASE offered free access to 13 in-demand webinars (over 4,000 people have participated) and continues to provide parent/caregiver and teen adoptee support groups – at reduced fees to those in need.
Debbie B Riley, LCMFT, Chief Executive Officer
3919 National Drive, Suite 200
Burtonsville, MD 20866
301-476-8525
riley@adoptionsupport.org
cfp-dc.org/case
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
Washington Jesuit Academy
| WISH LIST
$100: one enrichment activity for a trimester;
$500: books and supplies for one WJA student for a year;
$1000: food assistance for a WJA family for a trimester
|
A tuition-free, academically demanding, private middle school (grades 4-8), WJA is all about improving the odds for low-income, underserved boys. Of nearly 300 alumni, 99% are enrolled in or have graduated from high school. And while only 17% of low-income minority students in DC go on to enroll in college, over 70% of WJA alumni do. How does it happen? WJA is a one-stop shop that integrates character education, health and nutrition, counseling services, and mentoring into an 11-hour school day, along with a five-week Summer Enrichment Program. Students play after-school sports, attend evening study hall, eat three nutritious meals with their classmates, and meet with a teacher-mentor each day to discuss challenges and triumphs. In the short term, WJA prepares every student for DC’s college preparatory schools; in the long-term, it supports them through the high school and undergraduate years ... on the road to college graduation.
COVID-19 Update:
WJA has distributed Chromebooks and facilitated internet access, addressed food insecurity, and provided school supplies for at-home learning. New 4th and 5th graders may come to campus twice weekly and a small group of 6th – 8th graders learn virtually on campus where they also get extra support from staff. For most, a successful remote curriculum continues, with additional assistance for students in need. WJA maintains its connection with graduates, offering support and guidance as they too navigate significant changes to their daily lives. William Whitaker, Founder
900 Varnum Street NE
Washington, DC 20017
202-832-7679
cfp-dc.org/wja
HUMAN SERVICES: Basic Needs, Food, & Housing
FACETS Cares
| WISH LIST
$100: identification and county documents for those currently homeless;
$500: school supplies for 5 children in need;
$1000: rental and utility fees for 1 homeless person
|
Fairfax County is one of the wealthiest in the nation, yet over 60,000 people live below the poverty line: requests for food and rental assistance, and help in paying utilities, are in the thousands. Serving over 2,000 people a year, FACETS aims to rapidly re-house those who have lost their homes, and prevent homelessness for those in the most at-risk circumstances. From providing daily on-call services to preventing hypothermia in the brutal winter months, from reaching out to single adults and families in danger of eviction or foreclosure to providing permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals, FACETS believes that a stable home for the county’s most vulnerable people comes first. A Homeless Healthcare program connects individuals to much-needed health and dental services, while Hot Meals serves over 20,000 free meals a year. With an active volunteer base of over 3,000, FACETS serves those in the greatest need – and mobilizes the community to do the same.
COVID-19 Update:
Food distribution from the Daily Hot Meals program doubled almost overnight at the beginning of the pandemic and meets the needs of over 1000 clients; ensuring housing resource availability for clients with speed and urgency has been a top priority. In partnership with Fairfax County, FACETS also operates an Isolation and Quarantine shelter where vulnerable and unhoused people can safely quarantine or isolate while receiving case management support from staff. Tessa Robinette, Development Coordinator
10700 Page Avenue, Building B
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-352-3268
trobinette@facetscares.org
cfp-dc.org/facets
HUMAN SERVICES: Basic Needs, Food, & Housing
The Dwelling Place
| WISH LIST
$100: household cleaning supplies for 4 families;
$500: new mattresses for 2 children;
$1000: security deposit for 2 families
|
Lacking job skills, employment track records, and financial education, and often experiencing mental/behavioral and chronic health disabilities, many low-income, single-parent families find that homelessness is not the start of a struggle, but the continuation of one. The Dwelling Place provides fully furnished housing and support services to help them achieve and maintain self-sufficiency. Families live in one of 10 units, and a case manager works with them to develop a plan for reducing debt, increasing income, and achieving employment and housing. Partnerships bring job search support, credit counseling, holiday assistance, life skills classes, tutoring for kids and advocacy with their schools. Currently, 25 families are being served and the goal is to see them complete the program and move into permanent housing, taking with them apartment furnishings and the skills and confidence to build an independent future. Join them on the journey.
COVID-19 Update:
Prior to COVID-19, families could focus on educational growth, career searching, and professional development, but the pandemic has really challenged the faith in progress and sense of stability among families. Many have endured unemployment and experienced lives lost to COVID-19– and these have magnified issues around food security, financial security, and mental health. The goal now is to prevent regression for current families and hope to assist more families as the crisis unfolds.
Dana Macena, Executive Director
19632 Club House Road, Suite 510
Montgomery Village, MD 20886
240-813-1603
info@tdp-inc.org
cfp-dc.org/dwellingplace
EDUCATION: Mentorship & College Access
Urban Alliance
| WISH LIST
$45: wages for one intern for one day;
$100: incentive for 1 intern to complete UA's capstone event,
$500: long-term support through Alumni Services for 1 intern
|
One in nine young Americans ages 16-24 are considered "disconnected youth": they are neither in school nor working. In partnership with employers, Urban Alliance prepares them for upwardly mobile careers through professional training, paid internships, and supportive adult relationships. After completing a workforce readiness bootcamp, youth report to their internships, where they apply, practice, and reinforce skills learned in training. They attend ongoing professional development workshops that are led by youth development professionals and include peer learning and self-reflection. Interns are matched with a jobsite mentor and a Program Coordinator who provide guidance and support. Each year, 100% of youth who complete the flagship program graduate from high school with concrete plans for the future: college, continued training, or a job; 90% are accepted into college; and 85% remain connected to self-sufficient pathways one-year after completing the program. This is an alliance that deserves your support.
COVID-19 Update:
On March 23rd, Urban Alliance launched the Student Support Fund to ensure interns and their families continued to receive a steady paycheck to cover housing, food, and personal essentials. To keep youth earning and learning, it provided access to technology and rolled out an adapted online curriculum: biweekly learning sessions and smaller virtual sessions with their cohorts on alternating weeks. Offline, participants were assigned tasks to promote mastery of skills. Remote programming continues through the fall with preparations in place for a transition to in-person or hybrid learning as conditions require.
Julia Kent, Chief Development Officer
2030 Q Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-459-4300
jkent@theurbanalliance.org
cfp-dc.org/urbanalliance
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
Aspire! Afterschool Learning
| WISH LIST
$100: 1 year of school supplies for a child;
$500: field trip transportation for 40 students;
$1000: need-based scholarship for 39 weeks of Learning ROCKS!
|
Aspire!'s low-income, immigrant, and refugee families have limited resources and significant challenges. Almost 80% of children are English Language Learners or have learning or behavioral concerns, and fewer than 40% read at grade level. Aspire! reaches over 1,000 students through school partnerships, and over 80 in grades three to five with an intensive, daily, after-school program and summer camp whose major focus is language and literacy. This is particularly important since reading proficiency in third to fifth grade is a key predictor of high school graduation: children who don't read well are four times less likely to graduate high school. AmeriCorps volunteers work with kids during and after school, and workshops help parents support their children's education. Each year, 90% or more improve their reading levels while families grow stronger. It's a great story.
COVID-19 Update:
Nearly 70% of Aspire! families report COVID-related job loss with resulting home and food insecurity – creating additional challenges for children. Providing devices and internet access where needed, and doubling down on direct-service hours, Aspire! is open during the school day (8am-5pm) to ensure that students who need help the most get that help. Staff make sure that students can get online and access their distance learning programs, providing those who need it most with targeted tutoring, and providing important enrichment and social activities throughout the day. Devin Donaldson, Director of Development
PO Box 41318
Arlington, VA 22204
703-379-6488 ext 103
devin@aspireafterschool.org
cfp-dc.org/aspirelearning
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
Main Street Child Development Center
| WISH LIST
$100: 2 nutritious meals and 2 healthy snacks for 10 children;
$500: 1 week of on-site mental health counseling and support;
$1000: 1 piece of new play equipment
|
For over 45 years, Main Street has offered high quality, early childhood education to Fairfax families, most of whom are from low-income circumstances. Experienced teachers and expert staff work with 125 two- to five-year olds a year, using a range of assessments, tools, and developmentally appropriate curricula. With a licensed clinical social worker and Fairfax County Public Schools special education teacher on site, students struggling with chronic stress, behavioral challenges, language and developmental delays get specialized care. All are screened for vision, hearing, and language challenges (and receive glasses and speech therapy if needed). Before-school, after-school, and summer programs for 25 elementary age children keep graduates on track. Parenting workshops, nutrition classes and special events build social bonds – so necessary in today's world. Preparing parents and kids for a better future: that's Main Street's main goal.
COVID-19 Update:
Main Street is open and continuing to fulfill its mission while serving a limited number of children in each classroom due to social distancing measures. New policies and procedures have been put in place to allow for extra cleaning, a new, limited contact check-in procedure, meals served in the classroom (with the elimination of family-style eating), a significant change in staffing to ensure classroom staff do not mix between classrooms, and the inclusion of a full-day virtual learning support program for elementary aged children.
Carol Lieske, Executive Director
4401 Sideburn Road
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-273-1192
clieske@mainstreetcdc.org
cfp-dc.org/mainstreetchild
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
Multicultural Career Intern Program (MCIP)
| WISH LIST
$100: clothing and shoes for a homeless student;
$500: funds for 1 student for academic exchange/study abroad;
$1000: college scholarship for a first generation student
|
This unique partnership between a nonprofit organization (MCIP) and a school (Columbia Heights Educational Campus) enhances academics with year-round support programs. Many of the campus's nearly 1500 students need the support: 80% are "language minority," and 75% of high schoolers work to support themselves or their families. To give them every opportunity for success, MCIP offers an array of services: teen pregnancy and gang prevention, support programs for teen parents and their children, and tutoring in reading, math, and science. Through the Early College program, students simultaneously enroll at the University of the District of Columbia (cost-free) – and graduate with a diploma and an Associate’s degree in hand. Ranked #1 for its rigorous college prep program for low-income students by The Washington Post and named one of twelve “Breakthrough High Schools” in the country for significant student achievement and high graduation and college admission rates, this extraordinary model truly merits your support.
COVID-19 Update:
MCIP has increased its already-significant support to students and families facing homelessness, job loss, healthcare needs, and social services. As classes have moved online, the focus has been on maintaining and enhancing academic learning by designing programs that can be truly effective in supporting the education of the children and youth that the school serves. Maria Tukeva, Executive Director
3101 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20010
(202) 939-7703
mcipoffice@gmail.com
cfp-dc.org/mcip
HUMAN SERVICES: Basic Needs, Food, & Housing
HomeAid Northern Virginia
| WISH LIST
$100: 2021 Wolf Trap event for one family experiencing homelessness;
$500: welcome basket for a family moving into a completed shelter;
$1000: new paint for a unit in the Turnover Program
|
A huge step in getting individuals back on their feet is securing for them a safe and stable place to live. Yet with scarce resources, emergency shelters and homeless service providers struggle to maintain (let alone expand) their facilities. That’s where HomeAid steps in. It connects nonprofit partners with professional homebuilders who can offer the best renovations at the lowest cost. Projects range from minor (small renovations for a transitional housing apartment, food pantry, or even classroom) to major (constructing an entirely new shelter). Each is led by a Builder Captain who collaborates with the client, architect, and engineer to determine the ideal design and then calls on trade partners who provide time and materials at little or no cost. The result? A community venture that utilizes the building industry's vast resources to expand and enrich services for those most in need.
COVID-19 Update:
Construction is an essential service so projects have not stopped: HomeAid follows the safety protocols each builder has in place. More projects are in the pipeline because the need has only grown, as have outreach to and support of the nonprofits that HomeAid serves: substantial gift cards are distributed as are diapers and wipes (part of the Builders for Babies program). With the need for housing on the rise, HomeAid is looking to expand into DC – a new and important undertaking.
Kristyn R Burr, Executive Director & CEO
3684 Centerview Drive, Suite 110B
Chantilly, VA 20151
571-283-6320
kburr@homeaidnova.org
cfp-dc.org/homeaid
HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, & Families
Community Lodgings
| WISH LIST
$100: internet service for one month at three Learning Center sites;
$500: food, necessary cleaning supplies, and PPE for residents;
$1000: housing assistance for a family in transitional or affordable housing
|
In the mostly low-income neighborhood of Arlandria, instability is a fact of life. Rates of unemployment, homelessness, and domestic violence are the highest in the city; only 21% of families are fluent in English; 44% are headed by single parents. Housing is fundamental: 45 units of transitional and affordable housing give homeless and low-income families a stable place to live. But with a stunning 70% of families out of work during the pandemic, supplying food and hygiene supplies has become central. Community outreach helps families with everything from completing applications for SNAP to gaining access to testing. Education programs are conducted remotely (phone, FaceTime, Zoom – whatever works) and the new focus is job readiness programs to help residents return to work. Offering so much more than a place to live, Community Lodgings means critical support in a time of great need.
Lynn Thomas, Executive Director
3912 Elbert Avenue, Suite 108
Alexandria, VA 22305
703-549-4407, ext 101
lynnthomas@community-lodgings.org
cfp-dc.org/communitylodgings
HUMAN SERVICES: Basic Needs, Food, & Housing
Miriam's Kitchen
| WISH LIST
$25: ingredients for 32 meals;
$50: handwarmers and thermal clothing for 44 individuals;
$250: 302 body wipes to allow guests to bathe
|
For the last 37 years, Miriam’s Kitchen has served a nutritious breakfast to men and women in the District who are chronically homeless, feeding more than 4,000 people each year. Today, it offers "more than a meal": Miriam's is a leading advocate for a more effective and efficient homeless services system. In the dining room, where dinner is now served, case managers work one-on-one to meet guests' needs – providing them with clothing and toiletries, connecting them to critical social services, and helping them find jobs and housing. Other community organizations bring their services (healthcare, legal support, HIV testing) on site to further streamline support. But a stable home for all is the ultimate goal, so Miriam’s offers wrap-around care to 217 formerly homeless individuals who now live in Permanent Supportive Housing, helping them integrate into the community and remain safely housed. Ending chronic and veteran homelessness is possible.
COVID-19 Update:
Early decisions to cancel volunteer shifts, serve meals in to-go containers, and install tents, portable bathrooms, and sinks meant that Miriam’s could continue to serve its guests in person while minimizing risk for staff. The Street Outreach Team helped identify medically vulnerable homeless individuals and those experiencing symptoms so that they could be placed into safe housing or isolated. While many providers closed in mid-March, Miriam's was one of three serving meals in person and continuing to help guests experiencing homelessness.
Scott Schenkelberg, President & CEO
2401 Virginia Avenue
Washington, DC 20037
202-452-8926 ext 222
scott@miriamskitchen.org
cfp-dc.org/miriams
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
Liberty's Promise
| WISH LIST
$120: one warm meal each session for one learner;
$1200: 8 week internship for one youth;
$2000: program facilitator to support 35 youth
|
For low-income, young immigrants without a support network, the American Dream remains just a dream. Liberty’s Promise helps them achieve their potential and become active, engaged citizens. Each year, 800 participants take a 10-week civics course to enrich their understanding of American democracy and gain first-hand experience: meeting local leaders (many are immigrants themselves), visiting government and municipal offices, and volunteering in the community. A Spanish language version of the program for English language learners builds skills that will help them succeed. Navigating the path to college and careers is central to the curriculum and some 100 youth also secure 8-week professional internships where they learn about the American workplace. Liberty's Promise has helped thousands of youth from over a hundred countries learn about and feel at home in the US. An investment here builds a stronger America for everyone.
COVID-19 Update:
For many students who have shifted to digital learning, a huge challenge is the loss of physical community and peer engagement – especially challenging for young immigrants. To maintain these important connections, the team has launched both one-on-one and group meetings over Zoom. While the hope is to return to in-person, after-school programming, virtual support will continue until that becomes possible. Mr. Ryan Cassidy, Director of Development & Alumni Relations
2900a Richmond Hwy
Alexandria, VA 22305
202-929-7138
rcassidy@libertyspromise.org
cfp-dc.org/liberty
EDUCATION: Adult Literacy & Learning
YouthBuild Public Charter School
| WISH LIST
$100: food supplies for students in need;
$500: full construction uniform (boots, shirts, coveralls, etc) for 5 students;
$1000: chromebooks for 4 students
|
A small, alternative school, YouthBuild PCS offers 16- to 24-year olds who have dropped out, aged out, or been expelled from traditional high schools, a unique second chance. In an intimate, supportive environment, students take classes in English or Spanish, earn a GED, acquire the skills to be successful in college or the workplace, and navigate the transition to adulthood. And this is no mean feat: 100% are low-income; roughly 30% qualify for special education; approximately 25% are experiencing homelessness; 20% are parents themselves; another third speak little or no English; and most begin with extremely low math and reading skills. Students alternate between the classroom, construction site (building affordable housing units), and service learning opportunities (creating community gardens and cleaning up local rivers). Young people who often feel that they have nothing to offer leave YouthBuild PCS with a different perspective: “I built that,” they say. They have built even more.
COVID-19 Update:
The academic program is fully virtual at present. New students participate in one day of in-person orientation to ensure that they're able to use their Chromebooks and successfully access their student email and learning platforms before they begin connecting from home. If they are comfortable, they also have the option to come in-person during their construction rotation. Chromebooks have been provided for all students who need them.
Claire Libert, Head of School
3220 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20010
202.319.014
claire.libert@youthbuildpcs.org
cfp-dc.org/layc-ybpcs
HUMAN SERVICES: Girls & Women
Girls on the Run of Montgomery County, MD
| WISH LIST
$100: supplies for 1 season for 1 team;
$500: 15 pairs of running sneakers;
$1000:CPR certification for 50 coaches
|
Any girl can be a runner and all can benefit from the healthy, empowering experience of running – and racing toward a goal. Committed to inspiring pre-teen girls to respect themselves and their bodies, GOTR combines training for a 5K road race with uplifting workouts and team-building exercises at over 100 elementary and middle schools. Some 5,000 girls from diverse backgrounds join annually, 25% of whom are on free- or reduced-price lunch and cannot participate in most after-school activities because of the expense; for these young athletes, the program is offered at low to no cost (running shoes included). Committed to "full person" health, GOTR couples physical activity with prevention of high-risk behavior and promotion of self-esteem and body-size satisfaction – and each practice ends with encouragement and positive reinforcement from the all-volunteer coaching team. Let's cheer for these young athletes, all the way to the 5K finish line.
COVID-19 Update:
Two participation options are now available: in-person teams of 10 girls and two to four coaches, with safety precautions in place, for as long as it is safe to meet. If there is a rise in transmission of the virus, teams will seamlessly transition to the virtual curriculum. For those who prefer them, online teams are an option; they meet on a range of platforms with 12 girls and two to four coaches. As they navigate uncharted waters, GOTR is there for the girls. Elizabeth McGlynn, Executive Director
11821 Parklawn Drive Suite 125
Rockville, MD 20852
301-881-3801 ext 100
elizabeth@girlsontherunofmoco.org
cfp-dc.org/gotrmoco
HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, & Families
Housing Up
| WISH LIST
$50: education supplies to support virtual (and in-person) learning;
$250: 1 month of family therapy;
$500: support for 1 family’s household bills and essential needs for 2 months
|
Housing Up develops affordable housing and offers comprehensive support services to nearly 800 homeless and low-income families – building thriving communities and empowering families to transform their lives. Rapid re-housing for those first experiencing homelessness, permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless, and affordable rental housing for low-income, working families means a safe place to live. As a "housing first" organization, Housing Up believes that safe, affordable housing is the first and most important step on the road to independence and stability. Once families are safely housed, comprehensive services follow: job readiness and life skills training, employment and career counseling, mental health support, and youth enrichment programs such as gardening, art clubs, and tutoring. The goal is to make homelessness “rare, brief, and nonrecurring”.
COVID-19 Update:
Contact has been virtual since mid-March, but Housing Up continues to provide essential support to its clients, connecting them with health resources (including mental health), providing food, household, and other essential items, and helping with access to local and federal support programs. Dedicated volunteers and community partners continue to help as well, tutoring children virtually, delivering meals, and providing access to food banks. Job loss and the resulting loss of income among more than 20 percent of families is likely to increase as the scope of the emergency grows.
Christina Peay, Vice President of Philanthropy and Communications
1322 Main Drive, NW
Washington , DC 20012
202-291-5535 ext 414
cpeay@housingup.org
cfp-dc.org/housingup
HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, & Families
Community of Hope
| WISH LIST
$100: employment specialist to help one adult experiencing homelessness;
$500: homelessness prevention interventions;
$1000: one day of dental care for 7 uninsured patients
|
Since 1980, COH has worked to end family homelessness and improve health to make DC more equitable. A continuum of programs – including homelessness prevention, temporary housing, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing – provides over 1000 families with a safe place to live while helping them work toward self-sufficiency. Case management means job support, budgeting, family stability, and behavioral health, all according to need. New programs include one in partnership with Martha's Table and another at one of the seven new shelters developed by the city government to provide dignified, short-term housing for 50 families. Comprehensive health services in Wards 1, 5, and 8 centers mean clients can access everything they need at one location: preventative and routine health care, wellness services, chronic disease management, dental services, counseling, prenatal and specialty care. Ultimately, we are all one community.
COVID-19 Update:
As an anchor organization serving some of the hardest hit areas of the city, COH continues to provide safe, dignified shelter for families experiencing homelessness and support to keep others stably housed. It provides in-person care for high-risk patients (critical care, chronic disease, COVID) with telemedicine taking on a dramatically increased role in general patient care. Emotional wellness services during a time of heightened anxiety is provided via telehealth and limited onsite and teledentistry. COH is committed to being the safety net for the patients and families that rely on it. Leah Garrett , Vice President, Development and Communications
4 Atlantic Street, SW
Washington, DC 20032
202-407-7747
development@cohdc.org
cfp-dc.org/coh
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
Horizons Greater Washington
| WISH LIST
$100: reading books for an entire class;
$500:
$500: STEAM kits for an entire class;
$1000: technology platforms to virtually connect students and teachers
|
In kindergarten, children from low-income households are typically behind their higher-income classmates – 11 months in math and 13 months in reading. Over time, that gap tends to grow: children who read below a basic level in third grade are nearly six times as likely as proficient readers not to graduate from high school on time. Through a unique partnership between public elementary and nearby private schools, Horizons offers Saturday and summer enrichment programs that build problem-solving skills, self-esteem, and a love of learning. In small classes, (5:1 student/teacher ratio) children delve into math, reading, science, arts, and ... swimming. Reading specialists identify struggling students and work with them individually or in small groups. Learning is both hard work and fun, and that lesson sticks: daily attendance rates are over 90%, and 80% of students return each summer. At Horizons, summer learning loss becomes learning gain.
COVID-19 Update:
Horizons successfully pivoted to a virtual summer program. Teachers focused on instruction that strengthened core academic skills while nurturing social and emotional well-being. A "Horizons at Home'' package contained all needed materials, including a tablet or laptop, STEAM kits (KiwiCo Project Crates, Think 3-D kits, or Smithsonian Science Education kits), a hands-on coding project, and art supplies. Virtual field trips, “dryland” training videos from the swim staff, and a weekly speaker series rounded out a highly effective program for kids on whom this crisis is having a disproportionate impact.
Mike Di Marco, Executive Director
3000 Cathedral Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20008
202-939-8885
mdimarco@horizonsgreaterwashington.org
cfp-dc.org/horizons
HUMAN SERVICES: Basic Needs, Food, & Housing
The Brain Foundation
| WISH LIST
$100: a months public transportation for 1 resident;
$500: 6 month's rent for 1 resident;
$5000: a year of utilities for 1 home
|
All too often, those most desperate for housing are farthest from it. NIMH estimates that nearly half of homeless individuals suffer from brain-based diseases and, in Virginia, nearly one in four prison inmates has a mental illness. TBF was established to change those numbers – by educating the public about brain diseases and creating affordable housing for those who suffer from them. Residents live in fully-furnished homes close to grocery stores and public transit, and receive counseling and social work services through partnerships with other providers. While all residents have serious illnesses (including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder), they care for themselves and their homes: cooking, cleaning, and achieving stability. Now with nine four-bedroom homes in Fairfax County serving 36 clients, TBF’s long-term goal is to serve as a model for other organizations – thus expanding the chances for affordable, comfortable homes throughout the country.
COVID-19 Update:
The best way to keep clients comfortable is just to "hunker down." That means no new move-ins that could disrupt residents' lives. Placement partners are encouraged to increase interaction with counselors and virtual house meetings are held to mitigate any roommate squabbles. House rep volunteers send food, bring meals to tenants and help shop for them so that they need not go outside during stricter lock down periods. Little things like that help a great deal. Dallison R Veach, President and CEO
8136 Old Keene Mill Road, Suite B209
Springfield, VA 22152
(703)913-4663
VeachRealty@gmail.com
cfp-dc.org/brainfoundation
HUMAN SERVICES: Basic Needs, Food, & Housing
Rebuilding Together Montgomery County
| WISH LIST
$100: home-installed handrails and grab bars for 1 elderly or disabled homeowner;
$500:1 stove for a low-income family;
$1000: repairs for a heating or HVAC system
|
Working with Montgomery County’s most vulnerable homeowners (seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and families with young children), RTMC annually provides more than 110 low-income households with critical repairs, energy efficiency upgrades, and accessibility modifications – at no cost. Staff and volunteers unite to make homes safe and secure, performing everything from small tasks like installing bathroom handrails to large-scale weatherization projects and system replacements. Because many issues can be avoided with periodic maintenance, RTMC also empowers its clients with information about how to perform minor repairs with their own hands. A Homeowner Resource Packet connects residents to other nonprofits and agencies that provide support – utility bill assistance, tax credits, and emergency food. Your support does more than repair a roof – it keeps them in their homes, safe and sound.
COVID-19 Update:
RTMC depends on volunteers but has had to scale back the number who work at once. Effectively completing needed repairs for neighbors will have to be accomplished under strict social-distancing and other safety guidelines. Outside repairs on homes began in the summer and most work will continue to be focused outside – until indoor work can be managed safely. Maury Peterson, Executive Director
18225-A Flower Hill Way
GAITHERSBURG, MD 20879
301-947-9400 ext. 100
mpeterson@rebuildingtogethermc.org
cfp-dc.org/rtmc
HUMAN SERVICES: Life Skills, Training, & Employment
Per Scholas National Capital Region (NCR)
| WISH LIST
$100: 1 obsolete desktop computer for the hands-on lab;
$500: 4 certification vouchers;
$1000: event space, food, and materials for four hiring fairs
|
Per Scholas connects the dots, offering technology education and training to un/underemployed adults - including, people of color, women, military veterans, and young adults. Its rigorous, full-time, tuition-free training program builds the skills students need to find and retain jobs, manage finances, earn industry-standard credentials and enter the workforce as IT professionals. Leaning in to remote delivery of effective immersive training, coaching, and support services; distributing technology to staff and students in need; and supporting those dealing with unexpected challenges (emergency needs, lack of childcare) has ensured the program could continue to thrive during the pandemic. Per Scholas works closely with IT employers who inform curriculum, provide volunteers, and offer full-time jobs to graduates. At enrollment, students have an average income of less than $10,000; after graduation, 80 percent secure full-time employment around four times that amount. Be part of the transformation.
COVID-19 Update:
Across the region, thousands have lost employment. This makes the job training Per Scholas provides even more critical. 95% of students have made the shift to online learning, continuing to develop the vital skills they need to find new jobs in IT. The transition has not been without challenges: many needed hardware and WiFi to access their courses, and support in dealing with challenging home environments and lack of childcare. But support for greater – both more and better – employment is critical to our region’s recovery.
Bridgette Gray, Interim Managing Director
1400 Spring Street, Suite 501
Silver Spring, MD 21202
202-489-9168
bgray@perscholas.org
cfp-dc.org/perscholas
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
Fairfax Library Foundation
| WISH LIST
$100: 25 picture books for preschoolers;
$1000: program costs for 3 juvenile offenders;
$3750: 50 e-Book licenses for the digital collection
|
Public libraries are the great equalizers in society: all – regardless of income, birthplace, or education – are invited to expand their minds and access critical community resources. As public funding dwindles, organizations like Fairfax Library Foundation make all the difference. The Foundation supports the county’s network of 23 public libraries, providing essential funding for programs and services that benefit more than 1 million residents. Monthly early literacy activities bring volunteers into more than 120 childcare centers and Head Start programs where low-income preschoolers gain essential pre-reading skills. Changing Lives Through Literature offers first-time juvenile offenders an alternative to formal court action, building self-esteem and critical thinking skills ... and drastically reducing recidivism. Funding for new books and materials (more than $100,000 annually) ensures the largest possible selection is available. Libraries are needed more than ever.
COVID-19 Update:
Floor markings, disposable keyboard covers, free masks for those who need them, safe handling of returned, touched, and used materials – including quarantining – make it possible to welcome a limited number of visitors. ("Grab-and-go" is encouraged but not required.) Online literacy activities and storytime for small children, digital events for teens and adults (from Rainbow Teen Book Club, to yoga, to English Language Learning online), all say that the libraries are now "open." Lisa Bryant, Executive Director
12000 Government Center Pkwy, Suite 329
Fairfax, VA 22035
703-324-8300
info@fairfaxlibraryfoundation.org
cfp-dc.org/library
HUMAN SERVICES: Life Skills, Training, & Employment
Street Sense Media
| WISH LIST
$100: visibility vests for 16 vendors;
$500: orientation and training for 10 new vendors;
$1000: 3-month stipend for a vendor to complete a long-form reporting project with a professional journalist-mentor
|
Since 2003, Street Sense Media has been changing the story of homelessness – literally. Its biweekly street newspaper features articles and creative writing about poverty and injustice, authored by homeless and formerly homeless individuals (as well as staff and journalists-in-training), who earn an average of $780 per month selling the newspaper in their communities. At the Media Center, 130 men and women experiencing homelessness participate in free weekly workshops in writing, theater, photography, graphic design, digital marketing, and more. Through a stepping-stone model of increasing responsibility and rigor, participants gradually work toward gainful employment while also building key life skills: setting goals, managing relationships, and making responsible decisions. On-site case managers expedite pathways towards housing and healthcare – and help pave the way toward self-sufficiency. Staff and volunteers view participants not as beneficiaries, but as talented, hard-working colleagues whose voices should be heard.
COVID-19 Update:
Throughout the pandemic, Street Sense Media has served as a vital resource for people experiencing homelessness in Washington, DC. It has remained open throughout the pandemic to provide safe places for unhoused adults to relax, find community, and work toward better futures. After a period of digital-only publication, the Street Sense newspaper is back in print, and vendors have returned to selling – with new safety measures in place. Brian Carome, CEO
1317 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
202-347-2006 ext 601
brian@streetsensemedia.org
cfp-dc.org/streetsense
Page 8
Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
| WISH LIST
$100: gardening gloves and shovels for volunteers;
$500: 3 weeks of nature summer camp for a Ward 7 youth;
$1000: park bench for visitors
|
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, a national park site along the Anacostia River, features 35 ponds of water lilies and lotus along with acres of dynamic tidal marsh – a much-needed refuge from the stresses of daily life for nearly 375,000 annual visitors. FoKAG works in partnership with the National Park Service which without help can run only a bare-bones operation and offerings that too frequently lack the inclusiveness and relevance that the park’s neighbors in Wards 7 and 8 deserve. FoKAG fills the gaps and helps maintain the Gardens as a vital local resource. During the pandemic, FoKAG and NPS have been building the park's volunteer capacity and creating materials and programs to help visitors enjoy the park upon their return: think scavenger hunts for families, plant and animal identification guides, new pedestrian patterns and other guidance to help everyone stay safe. Tina O'Connell, Executive Director
1212 Quincy Street NW
Washington, DC 20011
202-494-0456
tina@fokag.org
cfp-dc.org/fokag
Page 9
NATURE: Environment & Animal Services
Washington Youth Garden
| WISH LIST
$100: 10 grow-at-home kits delivered to students;
$500: 20 boxes of fresh produce for families;
$1000: stipend for 1 DC teen in the Green Ambassador Program
|
In an ordinary year, WYG would offer its year-round gardening programs to 6,500 youth, partner with schools and communities on school gardens, and deliver free science and nutrition curricula to enrich learning. Instead, it has been growing and donating thousands of pounds of arugula, collard greens, turnips, onions, cucumbers, potatoes, tomatoes, squash, okra, and more for DC families in need – through DC Central Kitchen and its partner schools – and 1,200 vegetable seedlings to organizations across the city. For schoolchildren, it added a food forest of edible perennials, two beehives, and grow-at-home kits. DC high school interns work with staff to grow food for donation and build gardens for neighbors, and school gardens have been improved so students will return to renovated outdoor classrooms. Determined to remain flexible during this crisis, WYG is sharing its resources and skills in extraordinary ways.
Brianne Studer, Director of Programs
3501 New York Avenue NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-918-1885
education@washingtonyouthgarden.org
cfp-dc.org/wyg
Animal Welfare League of Arlington
| WISH LIST
$100: food for 20 shelter animals for 1 day;
$500: surgeries to spay/neuter 3 animals;
$1000: emergency lifesaving care for 1 dog with parvovirus
|
Like most everything these days, the field of animal welfare is changing. At AWLA, most animals are being housed outside the shelter in foster homes, and with staff working remotely, adoptions are handled virtually. Low-cost community services are offered, when possible, in the community rather than the shelter: rabies vaccine and microchip clinics; workshops to help pet owners keep and care for their animals; a spay/neuter surgery voucher program; grants for emergency veterinary assistance; and safekeeping for pets of Arlington County residents experiencing a health or housing crisis – clearly critical during the pandemic. (When staff members enter unsafe homes, PPE is a must.) AWLA also offers everything from trainings designed to prevent pet surrender to estate planning for pet owners – crucial services today. Animals, too, need care during a health crisis: AWLA has the will and the way. Samuel Wolbert, President & CEO
2650 S Arlington Mill Drive
Arlington, VA 22206
703-931-9241 ext 214
donate@awla.org
cfp-dc.org/awla
New Partners Community Solar
| WISH LIST
$100: virtual solar presentation for 1 classroom;
$500: credits to halve electric bills for 1 household;
$1000: 5 solar panels for residents with low incomes
|
New Partners operates at the intersection of a critical environmental goal (combating climate change) and a critical social goal (addressing the economic needs of vulnerable populations). It produces clean, renewable energy in a variety of locations – south-facing walls, shade canopies, green roofs – partnering with nonprofit affordable housing developers, and distributing all energy benefits to families and individuals with low incomes, many of whom are disproportionately affected by pollution and climate change. (Respiratory illnesses like childhood asthma are aggravated by pollution and traditional energy costs make already-expensive housing even less affordable.) New Partners also promotes job training that enables residents with low incomes and returning citizens to participate in, and benefit from, the green economy. While building access has been challenging and new projects now take more time, New Partners is committed to ongoing development and to the new jobs that will help us recover.
Sasha Srivastava, Executive Director
799 9th Street NW, Suite 500
Washington , DC 20001
9072276329
sasha@npsolar.org
cfp-dc.org/newpartners
Page 12
CULTURE: Youth & Community Arts
Dance Place
| WISH LIST
$100: virtual artistic workshop for the youth program;
$250: weekly stipends for instructors teaching virtually;
$1000: technology for youth in virtual programs
|
A cultural anchor in the Brookland/Edgewood neighborhood, Dance Place is a theater, dance school, and community cultural center in one – an extraordinary combination. The thriving arts campus typically hosts a 36-week presenting season, with performances by national and international touring artists as well as established and emerging DC-based companies, while its world-class school offers everything from youth to adult dance training. Now, along with its presentation series, its six-week, tuition-free, youth summer camp, and the Dance Africa DC festival, programming has moved online, at least through the end of the year. Some participants lack access to the technology that makes all of this available – a problem for many nonprofits during COVID-19. But Dance Place is actively working to be a Northeast DC and dance community resource for accessible programming – invaluable to community members seeking support and inspiration in troubling times.
Christopher K Morgan, Executive Artistic Director
3225 8th Street, NE
Washington, DC 20017
202-269-1600
development@danceplace.org
cfp-dc.org/danceplace
Page 13
CULTURE: Performing, Literary, & Visual Arts
1st Stage
| WISH LIST
$100: open captioning for patrons for 1 production;
$500: 1 wireless over-ear microphone/bodypack;
$1000: health insurance for 1 performer per production
|
In an ordinary year, 1st Stage would mount 165 performances for 15,000 audience members in an intimate, 110-seat venue. Dynamic, compelling, modern plays written and performed by professionals from diverse backgrounds would excite audiences and spark community conversations on topics like social justice, mental health, and education that would deepen and enrich understanding. But this is no ordinary year. 1st Stage now invites artists and professionals in the field to participate in online conversations that keep audiences connected and engaged – programs like Performers in Quarantine, Life of a Solo Artist, and Artistic Directors in Conversation. Its Solo Playwright Commissions will provide funds for 10-12 artists to create one-person performances – a pipeline for the annual Logan Festival that will also provide financial resources to artists in uncertain times. During a pandemic, theaters are likely among the last venues to reopen: let's not forget them.
Alex Levy, Artistic Director
PO Box 9384
Tysons, VA 22102
703-854-1856
heidifortune@1ststage.org
cfp-dc.org/1ststage
NATURE
Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital
| WISH LIST
$250: honorarium for one panelist;
$500: rental and screening rights for two films;
$1000: activation and use of our Online Festival virtual screening platform
|
The public health crisis forced DCEFF to cancel its live Festival of 167 films (142 DC, US, and world premieres). Without access to brick-and-mortar venues, it launched its first-ever Online Festival on March 17th. World-class documentarians tackled a broad spectrum of topics – from climate activism to parkland preservation, ocean health, animal conservation, indigenous rights, plastic pollution, and many other critical environmental topics. Despite the short lead time, 79 films (nearly half the original roster) drew 121,000+ visitors from every continent on earth. The successful Online Festival will now be presented annually alongside the live Annual Festival (tentatively rescheduled for March 2021), accompanied by an expanded roster of virtual programming. This year’s youth program for 1,000 DC students is contingent on public health conditions, but the hope is to bring it back. Promoting environmental stewardship through film: we can't afford to stop.
Christopher Head, Executive Director
1800 M Street, NW, P.O. Box 33309
Washington, DC 20033
202-342-2564
chris@dceff.org
cfp-dc.org/dceff
CULTURE: Youth & Community Arts
interPLAY Orchestra
| WISH LIST
$100: sheet music/CDs for 2 orchestra members;
$500: instruments for 2 members;
$1000: annual tuition scholarship for 1 member
|
Each season – at least each ordinary season – means interPLAY Orchestra presents up to three concerts at the Music Center at Strathmore featuring everything from Bartok concertos to Brazilian jazz. Alongside renowned musicians from nationally-recognized orchestras and jazz ensembles, members play drums, bells, and tambourines – and most have moderate to severe cognitive, intellectual, or physical disabilities. Reading music is not required, and most musicians learn their parts through intense listening, repetition, and mastering one note at a time. But the music has gone (mostly) quiet. Since mid-March, Monday evening rehearsals – essential both for cognitive stimulation and social interaction – have gone virtual, and this vulnerable population will be playing from home until the virus is gone. interPLAY is exploring ways to present a virtual concert to ensure that the show goes on and members are celebrated. The day will come. Ken Silverstein, Managing Director
6777 Surreywood Lane
Bethesda, MD 20817
301-570-6664
kensilverstein1@gmail.com
cfp-dc.org/interplay
Page 14
The Andrew Keegan Theatre
| WISH LIST
$100: scholarship for a low-income PLAY-RAH-KA student;
$500: 10 mainstage production tickets for low-income residents;
$1000: artist sponsorship for a mainstage play
|
When the Keegan ceased all in-theater and in-school programming, it began assessing ways to offer Keegan PLAY-RAH-KA (revelry or merrymaking in Gaelic – a party you don't want to miss) for young children and families, and weekly online education classes taught by professional teaching artists for a variety of age groups. Virtual summer camp began in June (with scholarships available for those in need), a welcome opportunity for stir-crazy children to engage in creative activities – and give their parents a break. The Boiler Room Series, named for the location in which it was first held, will likely include new works, readings, cabarets, and festivals – virtual as necessary, in-person when possible. In 2020-21 the Keegan is focusing on plays with small casts and hoping to reopen with the lost spring season. Here's to Hedwig and the Angry Inch. May he reappear. Mark A Rhea, Founder & Producing Artistic Director
1742 Church Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
202-265-3767
grants@keegantheatre.com
cfp-dc.org/keegan
Page 15
Dance Loft on 14/MOVEIUS Contemporary Ballet
| WISH LIST
$100: one virtual bilingual World Dance class;
$250: virtual screening of GLACIER, a climate change ballet;
$1000: dance curriculum at partner public school
|
Dance Loft on 14 was created in response to the critical shortage of accessible rehearsal and performance space in DC and has since become the primary rental house for grassroots, professional dance and theater companies and for emerging artists. Its parent company, MOVEIUS Contemporary Ballet, presents politically-engaged choreography, rendering it unique among ballet-based ensembles. Its early childhood outreach program offers a dance curriculum to four Ward 4 preschools/kindergartens and its middle school program serves predominantly Latino and Spanish-speaking families, teaching dance forms such as Salsa and Folklorico in a bilingual format. The focus on cultural equity is intentional and critical, as opportunities in dance are almost non-existent in low-income schools. While the pandemic has moved these programs online and put a temporary halt to use of the Loft, imagination will reveal new ways of using space and bringing dancers joyfully back together.
Diana Movius, Founding Executive & Artistic Director
4618 14th Street NW, Suite Fl2
Washington, DC 20011
202-621-3670
diana@danceloft14.org
cfp-dc.org/danceloft
CULTURE: Performing, Literary, and Visual Arts
Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, DC
| WISH LIST
$100: full-season scholarship for a youth chorus member;
$1000: outreach event for a fellow LGBTQ+ nonprofit;
$2500: editing and licensing for an online video
|
Singing in choral mode – typically a healthy, joyous, and community-affirming activity – is now a high-risk one for spreading the coronavirus. So choruses like GMCW with its 300 participants, are facing very significant challenges, as are performing arts groups across the region and the country: it will likely be among the last to return full-tilt. In the meantime, it is exploring options to continue its mission-based performances via smaller ensembles that protect the safety and well-being of members and audiences but keep the music alive. GMCW has also increased its virtual footprint, including brand new videos and quality online offerings like the streaming release of its March 2019 concert, Let Freedom Sing, a celebration of the Black and African American influence on music. This is a tough time for those who participate in and benefit from the arts. Let's keep them alive.
Justin Fyala, Executive Director
1140 3rd Street NE, 2nd Floor
Washington, DC 20002
202-293-1548
jfyala@gmcw.org
cfp-dc.org/gmcw
CULTURE: Performing, Literary, & Visual Arts
GALA Hispanic Theatre
| WISH LIST
$150: tickets for a family of 4 to attend a production;
$500: scholarship support for 2 students in Paso Nuevo;
$2000: "supporting angel" for a main stage show
|
A unique fusion of professional bilingual theater, youth development, and community development in the transitioning neighborhood of Columbia Heights, GALA mounts a wide range of works by artists from Spain, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the US. Early in the pandemic, it recorded video interviews with actors, directors, playwrights, and Latinx arts leaders to share with patrons. Its summer youth program offered a hybrid of virtual work and small, in-person groups in a controlled setting. Many of GALA's young people live in small apartments with multiple generations and need their time at the theater where mentoring and creative learning is offered in the (safe and healthy) Paso Nuevo program. When the season opens, with hygiene measures and social distancing in place (274 seats reduced to 70), GALA will face a major challenge that a caring community's generosity can help to address.
Rebecca Read Medrano, Executive Director
2437 15th Street NW
Washington, DC 20010
202-234-7174
rebecca@galatheatre.org
cfp-dc.org/gala
Page 16
CULTURE: Youth & Community Arts
DC Youth Orchestra Program
| WISH LIST
$100: 1 virtual rehearsal for a full ensemble;
$500: 1 year of financial aid for a family in need;
$1000: rehearsal and classroom space for summer initiatives
|
DCYOP is the only program in the region that makes high-quality music education available to all interested students regardless of their circumstances. From pre-K–12th grade, 600+ students from over 200 schools and all DC wards progress from introductory lessons to advanced chamber music instruction and concert performances. Tuition is need-based and starts at just $25. Full programming moved online by late March: teaching artists called students individually; group lessons, sectionals, and ensemble rehearsals were arranged and conducted virtually; a local recording studio began producing virtual concerts that are watched and shared online by students' families and friends. Interactive programming is offered throughout the week so that kids stay connected with the larger musical community. Without DCYOP, the vast majority would never learn a musical instrument, develop life skills, and, importantly, play in an orchestra – something they desperately yearn to do again.
Elizabeth Schurgin, Executive Director
1120 20th Street NW, Suite 200N
Washington, DC 20036
202-795-8550
development@dcyop.org
cfp-dc.org/dcyop
Page 17
CULTURE: Performing, Literary, and Visual Arts
BlackRock Center for the Arts
| WISH LIST
$150: art supplies for 1 child;
$500: COVID-19 kits for 5 families;
$1000: food, formula, and other essentials for 8 families
|
In response to the pandemic, and working together with community partners and volunteers, BlackRock transformed its art gallery into the Upcounty Consolidation Hub. It provides food, infant and adult diapers, toiletries, and other essential items to some 750 families weekly. A family coping with COVID-19 receives a special kit containing face masks, thermometers, soups, Tylenol, Gatorade, and other essential items. A virtual visual arts class, BlackRock In A Box, is designed for children in grades 3-8; the box of art supplies is inspired by weekly themes like "love the skin you're in," and "the future is bright." Staff who once managed gallery exhibits, arts education, and performances began managing programs virtually while working side by side with partners to serve the community in ways that no one had ever envisioned. It's all about collaboration, connection, and coming together in a time of crisis.
Lynn Andreas Arndt, CEO
12901 Town Commons Drive
Germantown, MD 20874
240-912-1054
larndt@blackrockcenter.org
cfp-dc.org/blackrock
CULTURE: Community Arts
CREATE Arts Center
| WISH LIST
$100: COVID-related technology upgrade;
$500: 8 art therapy sessions for a youth with autism;
$2000: scholarships for 8 low-income students for 1 year
|
CREATE Arts provides high quality, affordable programs that are as diverse as the community it serves. Professional teaching artists offer an eclectic array of mediums, from collage to cartooning – and in ordinary times offer customized experiences after school for at-risk children (most are low-income, non-native English speakers) and programs at community centers, homeless shelters, and retirement homes. CREATE's licensed art therapists offer hope and healing to people living with severe mental health challenges, including cancer survivors, veterans, and children living with autism. On March 17th, it ceased on-site programs and began working online, knowing well that art therapists are a lifeline for people coping with isolation, anxiety, and depression – both in ordinary and extraordinary times. Investing in technology, anticipating a combination of online and on-site programming for art education and art therapy, CREATE will be there for the people it serves.
Linda Marson, Executive Director
914 Silver Spring Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20854
301-588-2787
create@createartscenter.org
cfp-dc.org/create
CULTURE: Youth & Community Arts
Arts on the Block
| WISH LIST
$100: mosaic supplies for 10 youth projects;
$500: resume workshop and training for 25 youth;
$1000: 3-month studio intensive training for 1 apprentice
|
AOB moved quickly to address the needs of its young people, many of whom have been experiencing the destabilization of their parents’ jobs, their own lay-offs, and worries about medically compromised family members. Typically a team-centered, studio-based initiative that emphasizes social inclusion, emotional development, and professional achievement, its signature program, Pour Your Art Out, engages disconnected, ethnically diverse, low-to-middle-income youth (ages 15-21) in entrepreneurial arts-based workforce training. Within 48 hours, the program team set art and design challenges and scheduled daily chat sessions for the crew. Fortunately, in the digital design studio, Design Your Future, individualized workflows and tasks for each crew member were already outlined and enabled youth to take the next steps toward meeting career and learning milestones. At a time when hope is in short supply and challenges seem insurmountable, AOB means inclusion, collaboration, and … connection.
Anne L'Ecuyer, Executive Director
8720 Georgia Avenue, Suite 503
Silver Spring, MD 20910
202-528-9278
alecuyer@artsontheblock.com
cfp-dc.org/block
Page 20
EDUCATION: Mentorship & College Access
For Love of Children
| WISH LIST
$100: school supplies for 2 students;
$500: books for 1 college student;
$1000: campus tours for 50 students (when tours resume)
|
By the end of fifth grade, low-income children are nearly three grades behind their more affluent peers, so FLOC works to mitigate the challenges, offering a continuum of support that guides students from first grade through college and beyond. It intentionally targets neighborhoods with the lowest reading and math levels, and FLOC’s one-to-one match approach (virtual since mid-March) provides two hours each of individualized support in reading or math or both every week. A college and career readiness program offers 14 weekly workshops – financial aid, school selection, admissions, stress and time management, and more – to prepare youth and families for success. Juniors and seniors get assistance with college and job applications, free test prep, personalized application support, and access to scholarship funds. At a time when traditional schooling has been upended, individualized support can make all the difference in the world.
Brandelyn Anderson, Executive Director
1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
Washington , DC 20003
(202) 349-3513
banderson@floc.org
cfp-dc.org/floc
Page 21
FAME-Foundation for the Advancement of Music & Education, Inc.
| WISH LIST
$100: instrument repair for a low-income student;
$500: day-long piano workshop for 6 students;
$1000: individualized academic tutoring for 12
|
Supporting 1,200 Prince George’s County students and over 300 in Montgomery County and Alexandria, FAME addresses the need for quality academic and music education. When school closings meant students were asked to complete homework packets with little or no access to their teachers, FAME's team rallied and developed FAME Online Learning: music sectionals, music theory, music workshops, and expanded academic tutoring. Group music instruction moved to individual instruction, stressing peer review, critical listening, advanced ear training, age-specific piano classes, and sessions for advanced students preparing for auditions and college. The most extensive addition has been an online assignment collection that includes parent supervision and engagement. Parents access student submissions for practice assignments, completed homework, both music and academic class agendas, and student performances. Supporting academically promising and musically talented kids in a time of great uncertainty: that's FAME's forte. A Toni Lewis, Executive Director
7100 Quisinberry Way
Bowie, MD 20720
301-805-5358
info@famemusic.org
cfp-dc.org/fame
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
Horton's Kids
| WISH LIST
$100: at-home educational enrichment packets for 10 children;
$250: a week of snack bags for 25 kids;
$1000: a week of food for 10 families
|
After three decades of partnership, the people of Wellington Park trust Horton's Kids, so when in-person programming was suspended, no one considered closing the doors. The families here (average annual income under $10,000) are among the most adversely affected by a public health crisis. School closings meant the loss of nourishing food and left children at risk of falling further behind in their studies. An emergency food pantry (and supplies) helped meet basic needs, while case managers and therapists offered families advice about receiving aid checks, filing for unemployment, and getting access to medical care. Trained staff and volunteers connected with children virtually, providing coaching and motivation to complete schoolwork. Hopeful about the ability to reopen in person, Horton's Kids will resume its tutoring, mentoring, and post-secondary success work, serving 500 children (and their families) – and being the lifeline they deserve. Erica Ahdoot, Executive Director
400 Virginia Avenue SW, Suite C-130
Washington, DC 20024
202-544-5033 ext 15
erica@hortonskids.org
cfp-dc.org/hortons
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
826DC
| WISH LIST
$100: enhanced subscriptions for virtual programming;
$1000: professional development for distance learning;
$5000: printing for Young Authors' Book Club
|
Strong writing skills are fundamental to future success, but even before the pandemic, only 35% of DCPS students were writing at a proficient level. Now, there is an urgent demand for effective remote learning that is focused both on social-emotional needs and on the substantial learning loss precipitated by school closures. Grounded in feedback sought immediately following the shelter-in-place order, 826DC provided teachers with creative writing curricula for distance teaching. A STEM-based summer program – the popular ReWriting the Stars (which mimics the experience of going to space camp) – helped students fight summer learning loss and provided the blueprint for remote fall learning. But real strength and effectiveness in this work requires investment in digital learning resources and professional development, something for which no one had planned. 826DC is poised (and committed) to address the challenge – with your help, please.
Zachary Clark, Executive Director
3333 14th Street NW, Suite M-120
Washington, DC 20010
202-525-1057
info@826dc.org
cfp-dc.org/826dc
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Peace of Mind
| WISH LIST
$100: 3 annual conference scholarships;
$500: curriculum, storybooks, journals for 1 classroom;
$1000: professional development for 2 schools
|
PoM helps educators teach mindfulness, neuroscience, gratitude, empathy, and conflict resolution – not just to help kids self-regulate (though they do self-regulate), but as tools of liberation. Students notice and manage their feelings and work out conflicts before they escalate; teachers create kinder, more inclusive schools; together they are positioned to create a more peaceful and equitable world. PoM is developing its classroom-based curriculum for delivery online as well as in print, continuing to build a video library of resources that can be used by educators in the classroom and by students and families at home, creating model classes for teachers to watch as they prepare lessons, and offering virtual professional development sessions for educators in Fall 2020 (and beyond, if necessary). As health conditions permit, this work returns to the classroom, where it is much needed in a contentious world.
Cheryl Cole Dodwell, Executive Director
5540 Nevada Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20015
240 273 8084
cheryl@dodwell.net
cfp-dc.org/pom
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
Communities In Schools of the Nation's Capital
| WISH LIST
$100: activities and snacks for improved behavior;
$500: uniforms and hygiene products for 1 student;
$4000: emergency basic needs for an entire school
|
CIS steps in where the need is greatest, working in fourteen schools where 96% of kids are low-income or poor. Highly-trained site coordinators develop comprehensive drop-out prevention plans, coordinated with school staff, families, and community partners to fully support the “ABCs” of attendance, behavior, and coursework. Those most vulnerable to dropping out receive targeted case management. With schools closed, regular check-ins went virtual, caseloads inevitably grew, and gift cards for basic needs (food and hygiene products) were added to homework packets. During the summer, staff implemented plans to create a strong start to the school year (wherever students are learning) – working to identify students most in need of academic and social support. This new environment is a tough one for students, but CIS is working to keep them engaged and to meet their needs during a frightening and difficult time.
Rustin Lewis, Executive Director
1023 31st Street NW, Suite 510
Washington, DC 20007
202.333.2277
admin@cisnationscapital.org
cfp-dc.org/cis
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
KID Museum
| WISH LIST
$100: educational supply kit and materials for 1 student;
$500: semester of after-school programming for 1 child;
$1000: live-streamed learning experience for 25 children
|
While the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted its traditional programs, KID Museum moved quickly to design virtual offerings that introduce students to STEM and 21st-century skills in coding, design engineering, and 3D modeling – activating them as “makers” who build agency, confidence, and creative problem-solving in the process. For example, participants learn online to experiment with coding or 3D design, but those skills are developed in "off-screen," open-ended building experiences or design challenges that inspire them to create personally meaningful projects. Youth also connect with instructors and classmates as collaborators throughout the process. The museum's signature inquiry- and exploration-based approach is preserved even in a remote learning environment. Week-long virtual summer camps; free, DIY, creative projects that keep kids and families engaged at home; paid, real-time, instructor-led programs: isn't it amazing what creativity and ingenuity can produce? Cara Lesser, Founder & Executive Director
6400 Democracy Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20817
301-897-5437
cara.lesser@kid-museum.org
cfp-dc.org/kidmuseum
Page 24
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
Passion for Learning
| WISH LIST
$100: 4 project kits for students at home;
$500: 20 headphone sets for online learning;
$1000: stipend for a high school or college student assistant
|
Starting in the critical middle school years, P4L offers tech enrichment programs to low-income students and students of color – who are vastly underrepresented in the field. Its free, hands-on, after-school sessions on coding, programming, digital art, filmmaking, video game development, electronics, and robotics are designed both to connect to youth culture and to help students develop skills they can use to build a future. When schools closed in March, P4L made sure its families had access to food while also ensuring students had the technology they needed to continue their work. Instructors retooled, offering programs on video platforms and delivering kits for hands-on electronics/robotics projects kids could do (with coaching) at home. Programs will remain virtual through fall 2020 but the long-term uncertainty is what makes things hardest. As one leader remarked, “we are designing the plane while flying it.” Cynthia Rubenstein, Executive Director
1210 Woodside Parkway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
202-246-4409
c.rubenstein@p4learning.org
cfp-dc.org/p4learning
Page 25
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
Inspired Child (formerly Inner City-Inner Child)
| WISH LIST
$100: backpacks full of books for 4 children;
$500: art and school supplies for 25 students;
$1000: virtual arts residency for 1 PK classroom
|
The COVID-19 crisis is a potential catastrophe for our nation’s youngest children, especially those in the most economically challenged communities. The early years, ages birth to five, are crucial to their development and school readiness. Inspired Child plays a vital role here, providing age-appropriate, meaningful content to educators, families, and children learning at home. When it is safe to gather, in-person residencies, family workshops, and arts-based professional development will be underway again. In the interim, books, art materials, and emergency relief supplies are delivered to families (social distance is observed!); instruction, music, and movement videos are available on YouTube; and early childhood music, movement, and visual art classes are conducted on Zoom. One-on-one coaching fosters dialogue between teaching artists and classroom teachers, while online workshops for teachers and parents keep everyone safe and connected until those all-important social interactions can resume. Ingrid Zimmer, Executive Director
3133 Dumbarton Street NW
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 965-2000
ingrid@dumbartonartsed.org
cfp-dc.org/icic
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
An Open Book Foundation
| WISH LIST
$100: visiting author’s hardcover books for a school library;
$500: books for a library visit with 2 classes;
$1000: illustrator presentation and books for an entire grade level
|
Students benefit from discovering stories, characters, and creators that reflect their own life experiences and cultures –and that can help nurture a lifelong love of learning. But inequalities in our educational system, and in the publishing industry, prevent too many from seeing themselves as readers and writers. When school buildings closed in March, AOB began serving its community with high-interest, age-appropriate books (80,000 have been distributed since 2010) whose delivery could be timed to coincide with meal or instructional packet pickups. While its traditional, in-school author and illustrator events could no longer be held, AOB began offering virtual visits to online classrooms – because students need to see award-winning authors and illustrators with whom they can connect as role models. A flexible, dynamic programming structure that can be easily adapted makes AOB ready for anything as the new school year unfolds. Dara La Porte & Heidi Powell, Founding Directors
5901 Utah Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20015
202-686-7115
info@anopenbookfound.org
cfp-dc.org/aob
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
Teaching for Change
| WISH LIST
$100: digital recruitment of 1,000+ teachers for online programs;
$500: master class with a go-go musician or scholar;
$1000: anti-bias, anti-racist children’s books
|
While most claim to welcome all families and to honor diversity, day-to-day practices in schools with children of color, low-income youth, and immigrant youth fall far short of the ideal. Teaching for Change plays a central role in grassroots education reform in the DC region. Its Zinn Education Project brings the history of working people, people of color, and organized social movements into the classroom. It also makes available the best selection of multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators. Curricular innovation, powerful professional development for teachers, and meaningful parent engagement are now even more critical as racial bias and injustice have emerged as urgent national issues. In our COVID-19 world, staff have reformatted lessons for user-friendliness, supported engagement with harder-to-reach families, and moved parent engagement and teacher workshops online – until the day when schools can permanently reopen.
Deborah Menkart, Executive Director
1832 11th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-588-7205
info@teachingforchange.org
cfp-dc.org/teachingforchange
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EDUCATION: Mentorship & College Access
New Futures
| WISH LIST
$100: community college campus parking or Metro fees for 1 student;
$500: 1 laptop or tablet;
$1000: books to complete associate degree course work
|
New Futures supports youth on a pathway to well-paying, professionally satisfying jobs. Community college degrees (often the best, first step toward a career or subsequent degree) or vocational certifications are the keys. In the current environment, its under-resourced young people are navigating lost jobs and wages (a Scholar Emergency Fund helps with basic needs) and experiencing the challenging transition to distance learning. Signature workshops and events on teamwork, time-management, and communications; networking opportunities to prepare students for careers in in-demand industries like healthcare and information technology; advising to help them stay on track – all moved to virtual delivery. Onboarding workshops and convenings for the fall cohort have been re-envisioned for safety and effectiveness. Let's ensure that under-resourced young people can earn the credentials, build the networks, and launch the careers that will secure and protect their livelihoods well into the future. Julie Anne Green, Executive Director
641 S Street NW, Third Floor
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 384-5854
info@newfuturesdc.org
cfp-dc.org/newfutures
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LAYC Career Academy Public Charter School
| WISH LIST
$250: 10 gift cards to Walmart or Target for basic needs;
$1000: college tuition assistance for 1 student;
$2500: laptops for 5 students
|
Career Academy was founded in response to a severe shortage of educational options for older DC youth who have either dropped out, earned a diploma but remain unprepared for college or work, or are immigrants seeking safety and educational opportunity in the US. Over 60% are homeless, some are young parents, and many have lost their jobs at restaurants and in retail. All have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. In March, the Academy began offering distance learning, opened two food and hygiene distribution centers on campus, offered every student a laptop, and deployed counselors and support specialists to contact each student daily. Raising reading levels so that students can be trained for jobs that will be available in healthcare for over-burdened hospitals, in IT to support teleworking, and in other high-demand fields is a top priority. These young people deserve your support. Nicole Hanrahan, Executive Director
3224 16th Street NW
Washington , DC 20010
202-319-2228
nicole@laycca.org
cfp-dc.org/layc
BEACON for Adult Literacy
| WISH LIST
$100: scholarship for 1 student for a semester;
$500: 4 months of classroom WiFi;
$1000: full year of training for 130 volunteers
|
BEACON serves a vulnerable population of immigrants and refugees who are not eligible for or cannot afford other adult education programs. Learning English and making progress on educational and employment goals can have an enormous impact on their lives and the security of their families. Typically, BEACON offers eight levels of instruction in three semesters, classes in technology literacy and work readiness, citizenship panels for test aspirants, and pre-literacy classes for the five percent of students who have no schooling. Responding rapidly when spring classes were canceled, BEACON offered a free 10-week, four-level, cellphone-compatible class (about half of students lack tablets or laptops). Experienced teachers created timely content on topics like COVID-19 and the 2020 Census. Developing best practices for future online offerings was a top priority: it's a new world out there, and BEACON will be ready for whatever comes next. Cecilia Dwyer, Executive Director
9535 Linton Hall Road
Bristow, VA 20136
703-368-7491
cdwyer@osbva.org
cfp-dc.org/beacon
EDUCATION: Adult Literacy & Learning
Montgomery County Coalition for Adult English Literacy
| WISH LIST
$100: 1 teacher toolkit for ESOL instructor;
$500: 2 Chromebooks for English Language Learners;
$1000: 20 licenses for smartphone English learning apps
|
Montgomery County’s cultural diversity is one of its greatest assets, yet nearly 130,000 residents have limited English proficiency – a challenge that affects everything from health outcomes, to civic engagement, to career development (incorporating English language skills into advice about workforce development has become critical). A problem of this scale requires a coordinated response so MCAEL strengthens a network of some 70 adult English literacy providers, streamlining and leveraging resources, funding, and programs so that partner organizations can focus on providing high-quality instruction. When in-person classes moved online, MCAEL worked on the transition, exploring the best ways to keep virtual learners engaged and offering free professional development to help instructors build skills and improve techniques. A comprehensive understanding of the technology needs of coalition members has been a top priority as well – because turning barriers into bridges has never been more important.
Kathy Stevens, Executive Director
9210 Corporate Boulevard, Suite 480
Rockville, MD 20850
301-881-1136
kstevens@mcael.org
cfp-dc.org/mocoadultliteracy
Page 31
HUMAN SERVICES: Life Skills, Training, & Employment
Red Wiggler Community Farm
| WISH LIST
$100: gardening tools (not shared) for 2 growers;
$500: rain gear for 10 growers;
$1000: 12 deliveries of vegetables to adults living in group homes
|
Red Wiggler staff and growers were considered "essential" from day one of the shutdown. They are running on all cylinders – increasing vegetable harvests for the Neighbors in Need (pre-COVID, Farm to Food Bank) program and developing new partners in their hyper-local community of Clarksburg/Damascus and Germantown. Harvests began in April and will continue through December, helping to address the serious food shortage faced by many families during the pandemic. Initially, Red Wiggler staggered its growers – individuals with disabilities who gain confidence, social skills, and a paycheck by weeding, planting beds, harvesting, and selling – so that they, like the rest of us, could learn to work while social distancing. As things opened up, more growers and volunteers returned to this certified organic farm to get the farming and harvesting done and distributed: their work is more critical now than ever.
Woody Woodroof, Founder & Executive Director
23400 Ridge Road
Germantown, MD 20876
301-802-2386
woody@redwiggler.org
cfp-dc.org/redwiggler
HUMAN SERVICES: Hunger, Homelessness, and Housing
Rebuilding Together DC Alexandria
| WISH LIST
$100: 2 grab bars for elderly clients;
$500: 3 new electrical outlets;
$800: 1 working refrigerator for stockpiling food
|
Rebuilding Together improves the homes – and lives – of seniors, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and families. All are low-income, 77% are Black, and the average age is 74: most are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19. And the pandemic has exacerbated safety concerns: no matter the condition, clients must stay in their homes. With its volunteer service days postponed, many home repairs were put on hold. Some can wait; others cannot. Emergency needs like roofing repairs, bathroom leaks, grab bars, and handrails can turn into much larger problems, so skilled contractors have been hired and materials, including safety gear, have been purchased – unplanned and challenging costs. As public health guidelines relax, RT will add virtual home visits and inspections to limit human contact, slowly reintroduce volunteer activities, and restart outdoor projects. Construction isn't a virtual activity but RT finds its way. Katharine Dixon, President & CEO
700 Princess Street, Suite 206
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-836-1021
mk@rebuildingtogetherdca.org
cfp-dc.org/rebuildingdcalexandria
HUMAN SERVICES: Community & Civic Engagement
Food Recovery Network
| WISH LIST
$100: recovery/donation of 100 meals;
$285: student tuition for food recovery conference;
$1000: start-up costs for 1 campus chapter
|
FRN was born when several University of Maryland students noticed that campus dining halls were wasting nutritious food while community members were going hungry. So when campuses suddenly closed last spring, the food warriors didn’t stop. Recovering surplus food (nationally, more than four million pounds) and donating it to nonprofits is critically important, especially when food insecurity escalates. So FRN began working in other areas of the food system: it contacted farmers to support getting fresh food to those in need – without student leaders as hands on the ground. Companies with canceled events (and there were many) reached out to learn how they could do the right thing and donate unused food to hunger-fighting nonprofits. Pilot programs and partnerships launched in the fall to keep students engaged in the work: there is no wavering passion for food recovery – despite the tremendous uncertainty.
Regina Anderson, Executive Director
1100 H Street NW, Suite 520
Washington , DC 20005
(207) 838-4818
development@foodrecoverynetwork.org
cfp-dc.org/frn
Page 33
HUMAN SERVICES: Hunger/Homelessness/Housing
L'Arche Greater Washington, D.C.
| WISH LIST
$100: 1 dinner for core members and assistants;
$500: groceries for 1 L'Arche home for a week;
$1000: 1 week of extra staff hours during quarantine
|
For adults with intellectual disabilities – "core members" – L’Arche offers lifelong homes that meet social and medical needs. Daily activities are centered on residents who take the lead in making decisions, setting schedules, running household meetings, and setting annual goals. Central to the mission is developing inclusive communities: core members, live-in assistants, interns, and volunteers form a team and create a widened circle of friends. But with social distancing and quarantine protocols in place (and with most off-site jobs suspended) increased isolation from the larger community is a concerning fact of life for residents. For staff, it means many more hours of daily support and activities. Nearly half of L'Arche's residents are 65 and older, many with underlying conditions, so they are among those at greatest risk of contracting the novel coronavirus. In this time of need, they need our support.
Sara Kellenberg, Development Coordinator
P.O. Box 21471
Washington, DC 20009
sarakellenberg@larche-gwdc.org
cfp-dc.org/larche
Destiny, Power & Purpose
| WISH LIST
$500: ID and birth certificates for 20 individuals;
$1000: 1 month of recovery housing;
$2500: grocery gift cards for 50 clients
|
DPP is the sole provider of case management and recovery support for individuals in residential, outpatient, and jail-based substance abuse programs. The goal is to break the cycle of repeated engagements with treatment programs (and the justice system) by connecting clients with the support and assistance they need. As the “system navigator” in Prince George’s County, DPP helps with basic needs (birth certificates, IDs, food, clothing, toiletries), health and mental health, housing, employment, and social services – creating a holistic support system and establishing relationships within the recovery community that will foster a healthy lifestyle. When the pandemic began, the referral/intake process shifted to phone and email, and needs escalated – for grocery gift cards, prescriptions, clothing, telephone service to maintain contact with DPP, healthcare providers, parole officers, and potential employers. During COVID-19, this vital, hard work is just ... harder.
Deborah A Corley, Executive Officer
3731 Branch Avenue Suite 206
Temple Hills, MD 20748
(301)420-2383 ext 101
info@destinypowerpurpose.org
cfp-dc.org/dpp
HUMAN SERVICES: Basic Needs, Food, & Housing
The Father McKenna Center
| WISH LIST
$100: midday meal for 50 men;
$500: supplemental groceries for 100 families;
$1000: 30 nights for 1 man in the Hypothermia/Transition Program
|
Every day, 70-80 men seek assistance at the Father McKenna Center where they receive food, clothing, and other basic services while they work with case managers to end their homelessness. From November to April, 15-20 men are guaranteed a bed, shower, and meal as they work toward the same end. But these are not ordinary times. The Food Pantry, which typically serves 200+ families in Ward 6, continues to operate, and a Community Food Hub, in partnership with Capital Area Food Bank, now distributes groceries to thousands of DC residents. To comply with HHS guidelines, the men’s day program closed in March. It reopened on July 20th following new cleaning protocols and ensuring social distancing. The Center reached for this goal because it knew that guests are among the most vulnerable in our city – and need our help. Kimberly K Cox, President
19 Eye Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 842-1112 ext 101
cmelekian@fathermckennacenter.org
cfp-dc.org/mckenna
Page 35
HUMAN SERVICES: Basic Needs, Food, & Housing
Thrive DC
| WISH LIST
$100: 1 months medical transportation and Rx co-pays for 5 people;
$500: 1 month's workforce development support for 1 client;
$1000: 2 weeks' groceries for all clients
|
Thrive DC welcomes our most vulnerable neighbors: some are homeless or jobless; some suffer from mental illness or substance abuse (or both); others are victims of sexual or domestic abuse; many live with chronic health problems. Most have suffered disproportionately during the pandemic and, until the indoor meal program can fully reopen, Thrive continues to help them via email and phone, connecting them with job training, substance abuse counseling, reentry and victim services, and shelter. It helps clients file for unemployment, offers mail services, groceries, snack foods, hygiene and personal care items, prescription assistance, stipends for workforce development clients, and connections to employment opportunities that have emerged during COVID-19 (cleaning services, retail, and warehouse jobs). Thrive offers support to clients who are struggling mentally and emotionally, reaching out to reduce isolation and help ease anxieties associated with this unprecedented crisis. Alicia Horton, Executive Director
1525 Newton Street, Suite G1
Washington, DC 20010
(202) 503-1522
development@thrivedc.org
cfp-dc.org/thrive
HUMAN SERVICES: Basic Needs, Food, & Housing
Shepherd's Table
| WISH LIST
$100: 1 person's meals for a full week (19 meals);
$500: eye exams and glasses for 7 patients;
$1000: complete meal for 150 people from a local restaurant
|
Overnight, Shepherd's Table transformed its core meal program into a "to-go" model. Three meals a day became brunch and dinner, supplemented with afternoon sandwiches and snacks provided by community members wanting to help. A tent and picnic tables in the parking lot allow for social distancing, offer protection from the weather, and make a vital service comfortably available to those who have nowhere else to go. A new Neighbors Helping Neighbors initiative has purchased food from neighboring restaurants, a win-win partnership that has brought income to struggling restaurants while ensuring guests have nutritious, hot, healthy meals. The Resource Center changed its hours but has remained open, providing critical services such as mail, toiletries, PPE, help with paying for prescription medicine, bus tokens, and more. In its 36+ year history, Shepherd’s Table has never missed a meal service – and COVID-19 hasn’t stopped it. Manuel Hidalgo, Executive Director
8106 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-585-6463 ext 201
info@shepherdstable.org
cfp-dc.org/shepherdstable
Casa Ruby
| WISH LIST
$100: 1 cot for the low barrier shelter;
$250: 2-night emergency hotel stay for a victim of a hate crime;
$1000: 250 hot meals for crisis support center clients
|
Casa Ruby is DC’s only Black and Brown, Trans-led, bilingual, multicultural organization serving the most vulnerable individuals in the city – Trans women of color and LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness. Now they are needed more than ever. Stable living arrangements – from shelter for a night to long-term housing (along with intensive case management) – meet the needs of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The 24-hour drop-in respite home and safe space provides food, shelter, and health services. Assistance for LGBTQ immigrants transitioning into a new country, and therapeutic and mental health support for survivors of sexual, physical, or emotional violence are all provided. It’s tough stuff, but clients simply don’t have the means to meet virtually so health guidelines are followed and the doors are open 24/7. Clients cannot call from home: Casa Ruby is their home. Alexis Blackmon, Executive Director
7530 Georgia Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20012
202-878-2540
alexis@casaruby.org
cfp-dc.org/ruby
Page 37
Yachad
| WISH LIST
$250: 2 grab bars or accessible toilet fixture;
$500: oven, refrigerator, washing machine, or dryer repair;
$1000: faulty electrical and plumbing leak repair
|
Yachad mobilizes volunteers, invests financial resources, and remediates substandard conditions for lower-income homeowners in DC and Prince George's County. In partnership with an asthma home visiting program, it delivers mattress and pillow covers, air filters, and HEPA vacuums to clients. Exterior work like roof repairs can be safely handled even with COVID-19 in the neighborhood, and pest extermination, an "essential service," can proceed. But with most volunteers temporarily sidelined, Yachad had to adapt. It began providing harm reduction education materials via video and phone, and creatively reframed its core service delivery model: hiring paid contractors who work faster and already have PPE (though this requires additional funds) enabled Yachad to address critical repairs. A new "navigator" program trained remote community members to help families apply for city services. Volunteers are ready to return to action – when it is safe to be together.
Audrey Lyon, Executive Director
8720 Georgia Avenue, Suite 705
Silver Spring, MD 20910
202-296-8563
audrey@yachad-dc.org
cfp-dc.org/yachad
HUMAN SERVICES: Basic Needs, Food, & Housing
Charlie's Place at St. Margaret's
| WISH LIST
$100: 50 bagged lunches (sandwich, protein bar, fruit, and bottled water);
$150: masks, hand sanitizers, or toiletries for 50 guests;
$200: PPE for staff and volunteers
|
For 30 years, Charlie's Place has served breakfast to all who walk through its doors, providing more than 350,000 meals to our homeless and working poor neighbors in the Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan neighborhoods. To observe social distancing guidelines, some services, like art therapy and yoga, paused on March 17th: sit-down breakfasts became hot meals-to-go or bagged lunches containing bottled water, fruit, nutritious snacks, masks, toiletries, and sanitizer. (Sit-down meals will re-emerge when possible.) Housing, employment, and medical referrals are still available, and a physician is on-site on Wednesdays. Clothing donations are up, and guests have access to bathroom facilities and phone charging. Neighbors who have fallen on hard times receive bagged groceries and every Tuesday Charlie's Place passes out bagged lunches and clothing in Franklin Park. Here, hardship is met with generosity, fellowship, and compassion.
Marie Graves, Director of External Affairs
1820 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-929-0100
mgraves@stmargaretsdc.org
cfp-dc.org/charlies
HUMAN SERVICES: Basic Needs, Food, & Housing
Calvary Women's Services
| WISH LIST
$100: 2 weeks of transportation to a new job;
$1000: 1 month of safe housing;
$3800: 2 weeks of educational classes for all Calvary women
|
The women who come to Calvary have always been among the most vulnerable members of the DC community – survivors of trauma, in recovery from addiction, living with mental illness, or suffering from chronic health conditions. In the age of COVID, they are more vulnerable than ever. Calvary has always helped them find comprehensive care: permanent and transitional housing, mental health and addiction recovery services, healthy meals, education, job readiness programs, life skills classes, and a sisterhood of support. But the pandemic has proved challenging: a spike in cases of domestic violence will likely increase homelessness and job loss threatens progress. Looking ahead means keeping housing safe and helping women whose progress was derailed get back on track. With hygiene practices in place, Calvary continues to provide a safe place for homeless women: you can ensure that it will do so tomorrow. Kristine Thompson, Chief Executive Officer
1217 Good Hope Road, SE
Washington, DC 20020
(202) 678-2341 ext. 230
info@calvaryservices.org
cfp-dc.org/calvary
Page 38
Adoptions Together
| WISH LIST
$250: weekend on-call crisis support;
$400: weekly virtual parent support group;
$1000: 2 months adoption-competent counseling for one family
|
Every night, more than 2,000 children in our region go to sleep in state foster care without a family of their own. Since its founding three decades ago, Adoptions Together has welcomed every child in need of a family and helped women with unintended pregnancies plan for their future. All children, no matter their race, medical condition, or gender are served. No child is turned away. Finding parents for them, and nurturing their new families is central to the mission. Specializing in the complex needs of adoption, attachment, trauma, counseling and education services are provided throughout the region to all in need. During the pandemic, an increase in reported crises among families raising children with histories of trauma has meant wrapping additional levels of support around them. Creating stable families, especially in difficult times, is a challenge we must choose to meet.
Janice Goldwater, Founder & CEO
4061 Powder Mill Road, Suite 320
Calverton, MD 20705
301-422-5125
mdevine@adoptionstogether.org
cfp-dc.org/adoptionstogether
Page 39
HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, & Families
SMYAL
| WISH LIST
$100: COVID relief support for 1 homeless youth;
$500:1 month's Little SMYAL's programming for youth ages 6-12 ;
$1000:virtual leadership camp for 75 youth
|
COVID-19 has presented SMYAL with both challenges and opportunities. It continues to operate its supervised supportive housing program – hygiene and social distancing protocols in place – for 26 LGBTQ youth. Other programs have shifted to virtual platforms, allowing SMYAL to expand its reach and empower LGBTQ youth from across the region and country, many of whom come from homes that are not supportive of who they are. A national conference for queer and trans youth, daily topic-oriented chat rooms and drop-in programs connect youth with their peers and build community. A Youth Care Navigation Hotline helps them identify food, mental, sexual, and health resources during COVID-19. A Little SMYAL's program provides culturally- and age-appropriate programming for youth ages 6-12. Facebook live discussion panels with other youth-serving professionals from across the country mean sharing best practices on serving youth – during very uncertain times. Jason Laney, Development Director
410 7th Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003
202-567-3155
jason.laney@smyal.org
cfp-dc.org/smyal
First Tee of Greater Washington, DC
| WISH LIST
$100: scholarship for a 6-week life skills experience course;
$500: junior golf equipment for 6 participants;
$1000: an entire year of programming for 1 student
|
First Tee brings to communities an affordable and accessible program that marries sport with character education for youth ages 7-18. Golf is the context for teaching the core values of honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy, and judgment – all in the context of improving family and community relationships. Diversity is critical, so no one is turned away for inability to pay. When golf courses were closed to the public, First Tee began thinking about summer access and availability for a modified six-week program. It also created a year-long Players Perks Program with activities that reward getting outside, staying active, connecting life skills to golf, and learning more about the sport. Of course, the goal is to get everyone back onto the course, playing, honing skills, and learning important life lessons – as soon as it is safe to do so.
Clint Sanchez, Executive Director
2020 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 106
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 479-2588
csanchez@thefirstteedc.org
cfp-dc.org/firsttee
HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, & Families
Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program
| WISH LIST
$100: 1 "virtual horsemanship" lesson for riders unable to take in-person lessons;
$500: dental care for 2 horses;
$1000: 10 hours of therapeutic riding
|
People with disabilities often struggle with social isolation, even in the best of times. In the worst of times, their struggle is compounded. Indeed, many riders and families who benefit from the freedom and physical improvement that riding at NVTRP provides, still say they value the social benefits as much, if not more: the farm is where they have their greatest social interaction. All that disappeared in mid-March. A Stay Connected website emerged in its place, along with a rotating list of equine-related activities and resources, "virtual horsemanship" sessions, and a Good-night Farm event so riders could drive through and interact with the horses from their cars. NVTRP also began sourcing supplies – hand sanitizer and masks, but also additional horse tack such as lead ropes that can be disinfected between riders – all in preparation for the much-longed-for full reopening. Kelsey Gallagher, Executive Director
6429 Clifton Road
Clifton, VA 20124
(703) 764-0269
office@nvtrp.org
cfp-dc.org/nvtrp
Page 40
HER Resiliency Center
| WISH LIST
$100: life skills workshops for 4 young women;
$250: daily transportation to workshops for 8 women for a month;
$500: training for 20 women and their mentors
|
HER supports vulnerable young women ages 18 to 25 who have aged out of foster care with no support, have experienced homelessness, drug addiction, early pregnancy, sexual exploitation, or other traumas. Their needs only escalated when the pandemic hit because street life became even more dangerous. Maintaining on-foot outreach in all eight wards of the District, conducting wellness checks, assisting with shelter access, providing food, and supporting basic needs (hygiene products, snacks, food gift cards, and even underclothes), HER also continued its one-to-one support for those in crisis and virtual support to ensure that others continue on their journey in a positive way. As the world reopens, in-person individualized skills development, sexual health workshops, and education, employment, and housing assistance resume. 95% of HER women will be empowered to make progress on their personally identified goal plan – even in a brutal year.
Natasha Guynes, Founder & President
1140 Third Street NE, 2nd Floor, #2146
Washington, DC 20002
202-643-7831
natasha@herresiliency.org
cfp-dc.org/her
Page 41
HUMAN SERVICES: Girls and Women
DC Rape Crisis Center
| WISH LIST
$100: metro cards for clients;
$500: art supplies for support groups;
$1000: 5 weighted blankets to help reduce stress
|
DCRCC offers free, confidential, trauma-informed counseling and case management to survivors of sexual violence and their friends, family, and partners. Trained advocates provide crisis intervention, support, advocacy, and referrals 24/7, 365 days a year. DCRCC also elevates public awareness – given new urgency by the #MeToo movement – and advocates for improved policies by giving voice to survivors and speaking directly to social justice issues like racism that greatly exacerbate trauma. Not surprisingly, the pandemic has created a surge in client requests and the move to telehealth has made a painful situation even more painful. In response, DCRCC has expanded its hotline and added staff to meet the increase in callers and requests for therapy. Cleaning supplies, PPE, self-care items, iPads for clients in Wards 5, 7 and 8 who lack access to technology – will help bring survivors the support they deserve.
Indira Henard, Executive Director
PO Box 42734
Washington, DC 20015
202-470-1201
indira@dcrcc.org
cfp-dc.org/dcrcc
The Northwest Center
| WISH LIST
$100: SIDS education for 2 families;
$500: goal-planning and material aid for 5 families;
$1000: 1 month of transitional housing for a homeless pregnant woman
|
In 2018, DC had the nation’s highest maternal mortality rate, more than double the national average. The mortality rate for infants of Brown and Black mothers was three to five times that of white mothers. The first step in reversing the trend is accessing early prenatal care, so NWC helps women obtain health insurance, connects them to the care they need, and educates them about SIDS, which accounts for 4.6% of infant deaths in DC. Whether they are living in the Maternity Home or accessing services at the Pregnancy Center, women identify needs and goals, learn parenting skills, receive material assistance like food and diapers (ongoing during the pandemic, especially for quarantined families and those with underlying health conditions) and get connected to community resources (childcare, educational support, job training and placement). Even in pandemics, babies will be born and mothers will need help.
Susan Gallucci, LICSW, Executive Director
2702 Ontario Road NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-483-2857
kelly@northwestcenter.net
cfp-dc.org/nwcenter
EDUCATION: Youth Education & Enrichment
Girls on the Run - DC
| WISH LIST
$100: coach bag for one team (includes practice materials);
$500: running shoes for all girls on 1 full-scholarship team;
$1000: 3 girls' scholarships for 1 season
|
GOTR pairs character education with running instruction, giving girls in all eight wards of DC and in Prince George's County the skills and encouragement they need to meet life’s challenges. Last spring, when the pandemic made running in after-school teams impossible, GOTR at Home offered twice-weekly virtual instruction for exercise and creative activities tied to core values: celebrating commonalities and differences, standing up for oneself and others, identifying emotions, and managing stress. Fall planning includes twice-weekly virtual lessons that connect girls with dedicated coaches and teammates from their site (plus some ward-based teams with community coaches) and a fluid program that moves seamlessly between in-person and virtual sessions should schools open and close. Having 75% of participants on scholarship is tough because some girls have no devices, but GOTR is determined to address the challenge. Let's help them. Devoria Armstead, Executive Director
900 Brentwood Road NE #90824
Washington, DC 20090
202-607-2288
devoria@gotrdc.org
cfp-dc.org/gotrdc
Page 43
HUMAN SERVICES: Health, Wellness, & Senior Services
Arlington Free Clinic
| WISH LIST
$100: 30 day supply of post-op meds;
$500: automatic blood pressure cuff;
$1000: 10 ThinPrep pap tests with HPV typing
|
AFC has provided free, high-quality healthcare to low-income, uninsured Arlington County adults for more than 25 years, and though COVID-19 turned its world upside down, it knew that patients facing cancer, diabetes, or heart disease still needed treatment. With volunteers sheltering at home (they conduct virtual appointments, medical reviews, and serve as telephone interpreters) AFC’s part-time nurse practitioner began working full-time and retired staff nurses returned to screen patients, address mental health needs, and develop crisis response protocols. Dental staff see emergency cases and flex into other roles as needed. Many patients are struggling with access to food, transportation, and other emergency needs so AFC connects them to local resources. As we move through this crisis, so much is unpredictable: what was true yesterday is outdated today. What’s certain is that AFC will continue meeting the healthcare needs of our community’s most vulnerable neighbors. Nancy White, President
2921 11th Street South
Arlington, VA 22204
703-979-1425 ext 120
nwhite@arlingtonfreeclinic.org
cfp-dc.org/afc
Northwest Neighbors Village
| WISH LIST
$100: vetting and training materials for 1 volunteer;
$500: 5 hours of crisis intervention/case management;
$1000: 2 subsidized memberships for low-income seniors
|
Programs that help older people remain active, healthy, and engaged are fundamental to aging well. Yoga, dance, and group walks; art tours, lectures, and book groups – all keep mind and body alive. At NNV, professional staff connect older residents with services, and neighbors fill in the gaps – transportation, errands, home repairs, and friendly visits. But all this is put to the test by a virus that places elderly residents in its crosshairs. NNV moved quickly from in-person to contactless volunteer services and programming. Volunteers check on the well-being of members, identify and meet needs, and alert staff to concerns. Zoom programming (preceded by tutorials on using it) and a community listserv and webpage connect members and families. Now, socially distanced front porch visits, outdoor walks, and transportation to medical appointments are all in place - real steps toward recovery. Stephanie Chong, LICSW, Executive Director
4901 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 277
Washington , DC 20008
202.935.6060
info@nnvdc.org
cfp-dc.org/nnv
HUMAN SERVICES: Health, Wellness, & Senior Services
Arts for the Aging
| WISH LIST
$100: art supplies delivered to older adults and caregivers;
$500: virtual workshop for 20 for 1 month;
$1000: teaching artist-led series for 20 seniors and caregivers
|
Because of the vulnerability of older adults to COVID-19, in-person services for the aging will be among the last to return. So AFTA moved its programs to live-streamed and pre-recorded participatory workshops in music, movement, and painting. The new "pandemic-resilient" workshops rolled out first with longtime teaching artists, client communities, and caregivers and, as capacity allows, will roll out to others. Because the digital divide is particularly evident in long-term care, low-income communities, and communities of color, AFTA creates programs that reach across the divide: heART Kits delivered with meals to older adults and caregivers at home, and more live and pre-recorded programs such as poetry and short story workshops are forthcoming. Dubbed a model in lifelong learning and creative aging by the NEA, AFTA knows that the arts can lift spirits and engage minds ... no matter what crises we face.
Janine Tursini, Director & CEO
15800 Crabbs Branch Way, Suite 300
Rockville, MD 20855
301-255-0103
jtursini@aftaarts.org
cfp-dc.org/afta
Page 44
HUMAN SERVICES: Health, Wellness, & Senior Services
Culmore Clinic
| WISH LIST
$100: co-pays for 1 year for 5 patients;
$500: lab fees for 1 year for 10 patients;
$1000: 2 months of clinical expenses (gauze, gloves, gowns, pulse oximeters, etc)
|
Like many health providers, Culmore Clinic has transitioned to telemedicine – and extended both days of operation (from two to six) and numbers of hours worked by nurses and the nurse practitioner who monitor patients’ wellbeing. A new pickup service provides medications to patients with chronic conditions – who are also given masks and gloves, plus meals and food parcels supplied by a partner. Home delivery (including pulse oximeters and blood-pressure cuffs) is available for patients experiencing symptoms of the virus. For those suffering financial hardship and tapping available funds for rent, Culmore uses its Breaking Barriers Fund to purchase medications that alleviate symptoms. Located in a largely Hispanic community that has been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, Culmore also tests patients at its site. The need for affordable, culturally-sensitive medical care is dire – and during COVID-19, the need is only growing. Anne-Lise Quinn, PhD, Executive Director
6165 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22044
571-535-9360
anneliseq@culmoreclinic.org
cfp-dc.org/culmore
Page 45
Christ House
| WISH LIST
$100: 1 medical exam and social services conversation;
$500: counseling for a 9-week substance use disorder course;
$1000: 1 month's medical supplies
|
Christ House provides comprehensive and compassionate healthcare to the sick and homeless in DC who are too sick to be on the streets but not sick enough to be in the hospital. A 24-hour, 33-bed, nursing and respite care home, its work has continued unabated during the pandemic. With strict adherence to safety protocols, it partners with local homeless outreach teams to identify and refer men who would benefit from nursing care, admitting individuals who test negative and those who are recovering after isolation. It also provides telemedicine support to homeless sites where vulnerable individuals have been relocated out of congregate settings and where patients are quarantined after testing positive or while awaiting results. Christ House is committed to maintaining a posture of hospitality while reducing the risk to its vulnerable patients – a challenge to which it is determined to rise.
Mary Jordan, Executive Director & CEO
1717 Columbia Road NW
Washington, DC 20009
202.328.1100
development@christhouse.org
cfp-dc.org/christhouse
HUMAN SERVICES: Health, Wellness, & Senior Services
Brain Injury Services
| WISH LIST
$50: basic hygiene supplies (gloves, wipes, masks);
$100: 1 assistive technology support session;
$300: 1 pediatric therapy session
|
A car accident, a stroke, a war injury, a terrible fall: whatever the cause, a traumatic brain injury has a life-altering impact. Annually assisting over 500 individuals and families throughout Northern Virginia and the Rappahannock and Winchester areas, BIS empowers survivors with the resources, skills, and support they need to lead fulfilling lives. Nine core programs (using cutting-edge technologies and therapeutic methods) meet their varied needs. When the pandemic began, one-on-one case management, individual and family counseling, day programs, assistive technology, supportive employment services, and respite and self-care classes for caregivers moved online. Many clients still need devices and wifi access, and special precautions will need to be in place for already injured clients to return in person. But these person-centered services matter: they empower survivors and foster independence and dignity – even more critical in challenging times.
Denise Hyater, Executive Director
8136 Old Keene Mill Road, Suite B102
Springfield, VA 22152
703 451-8881
dhyater@braininjurysvcs.org
cfp-dc.org/bis
NAMI Prince George's County, MD
| WISH LIST
$100: health and safety supplies for 50 volunteers;
$500: helpline improvements as demand for services increases;
$1000: technology investment for distance learning
|
NAMI PGC has always worked to raise awareness about the importance of mental health as well as the signs of mental illness and the community-based resources that can address it. COVID-19 has made this work both more challenging and more urgent. It has meant retooling the Helpline to share resources that address virus-related mental health concerns and finding ways to assist volunteer program leaders and support group participants who are experiencing distress caused by isolation and fear. Discovering innovative ways to continue its critical mental health advocacy, education, and training services in our new socially-distanced world is yet another challenge. For individuals most at risk of mental illness or substance abuse – children and youth, the elderly, veterans and their families, caretakers, individuals in the criminal justice system, and the homeless – NAMI is committed to the community it has always served.
JB Moore, Executive Director
9701 Apollo Drive - Suite 100
Largo, MD 20774
(240) 487-3418
jb.moore@namipgc.org
cfp-dc.org/nami
Page 46
AsylumWorks
| WISH LIST
$100: job readiness training supplies for 15 asylum seekers;
$500: speaking stipends for 10 client ambassadors;
$1000: new client welcome bags for 75 asylum seekers
|
At the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, 145 countries agreed to respect the rights of refugees – today’s asylum seekers – while the merits of their legal claims were considered. Surviving persecution, violence, and war, they arrive with few resources: nearly half have an income of $0. AsylumWorks provides them and their families with holistic services that complement the work of immigration legal providers – an approach that has been shown to dramatically improve legal outcomes. Before the pandemic, most clients were on track to become self-sufficient. By April, 70% had lost their jobs and were again in need. To complement the core work, a “friendly neighbor” initiative matches clients with supportive volunteers, and an emergency food and medicine fund helps out. But more help is needed. We are all learning what isolation and loneliness feel like: asylum seekers know it only too well. Joan Hodges-Wu, Founder & Executive Director
2121 Decatur Place NW, Suite 4
Washington, DC 20008
443-823-8715
sarah.priddy@asylumworks.org
cfp-dc.org/asylumworks
Page 47
Many Languages One Voice
| WISH LIST
$600: monthly stipend for a vulnerable member;
$1000: financial support for 1 family that lost its income;
$5000: 1 community organizing fellowship
|
MLOV builds power in DC immigrant and refugee communities and since March has responded to a surge in demand for services. It immediately called for the closure of the ICA-Farmville detention center so that community members could safely self-quarantine, and it remains on call to advocate for the release of those detained or undergoing deportation. MLOV distributes monthly stipends ($600-$800) to its most vulnerable members (ineligible for government aid) and trains street vendors as public health promoters who distribute food, hand sanitizer, masks, and gloves to hundreds of vendors and their families. Its Birth to Three campaign addresses the root causes of inequities in the childcare system and tests innovative solutions, while its Youth Action Team meets (in-person or virtually) to engage in a social justice/racial equity campaign. In conditions already inhospitable, COVID-19 has created new challenges: MLOV rises to meet them.
Malauna Steele, Interim Executive Director
c/o Josephine Butler Parks Center, 2437 15th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
malauna@mlovdc.org
cfp-dc.org/mlov
Solutions in Hometown Connections
| WISH LIST
$100: ESL curriculum and supplies for 3 remote learners;
$500: 1 month of play-based learning for children;
$1000: 2 months of English class for 10 women
|
Most refugee families encounter tremendous language, economic, and cultural challenges upon arrival in the US. Through a network of tutors and community groups, SHC eases the transition. Families – from 21 different countries including Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and countries of the African continent – receive English language instruction and educational programs, learn to navigate services, receive help with naturalization exams, and get connected to a warm and inclusive community. To meet the needs of immigrant and refugee mothers and their young children, a family-friendly program combines one-on-one language tutoring (in-home and at a walkable distance before the pandemic; remotely – with books, notebooks, and supplies provided during the pandemic; a hybrid model is likely for the fall). While mothers learn, young children benefit from activities that prepare them for the transition to school. Now more than ever, we need to stay connected. Merritt Groeschel, CEO
4423 Lehigh Road, Box 458
College Park, MD 20740
301-615-1034
donations@shconnections.org
cfp-dc.org/solutions
HUMAN SERVICES: Immigrant & Refugee Services
Central American Resource Center
| WISH LIST
$100: financial literacy skills for 25 Latinas creating COVID budgets;
$500: virtual housing rights sessions for 500;
$1000: rental assistance applications for 20 families
|
One in ten Washingtonians is Latino, and the majority are immigrants; many have fled violence at home, and all are seeking better opportunities. They face a host of challenges, including limited English skills, unstable employment and housing, low wages, and now COVID-19 – which has not only hit this community hard but made accessing help more difficult. Legal services and consultations to resolve immigration status, secure work authorization, gain permanent residency, and prepare for tests and interviews could not be held in person. Instead, clients have been paired with volunteer tutors to accomplish what they can – until CARECEN's doors reopen. The housing program has added assistance in completing unemployment and emergency rent assistance applications, as well as the disbursement of funds to the undocumented community. Our neighbors were under pressure before the pandemic; let's help them now.
Abel Nunez, Executive Director
1460 Columbia Road, NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-328-9799 ext 202
carecen@carecendc.org
cfp-dc.org/carecen
Page 49
Armed Services Arts Partnership
| WISH LIST
$100: sketchbooks and art supplies for one Fundamentals of Drawing class;
$500: 8-week arts class for one veteran;
$1000: performance showcasing 12 alumni
|
Traumatic experiences in military service, social and emotional difficulties in transitioning to civilian life, constant moves, deployments: all these contribute to a lost sense of purpose and to social isolation – even more profound when social distancing is the norm. In our post-9/11 years, arts-based initiatives have emerged as among the most promising interventions for veterans and their families. Working in partnership with both veterans’ services organizations and local arts groups, ASAP understands the arts, military culture, and the centrality of trauma-informed work. Free, seven-week classes in comedy, improv, storytelling, writing, theater, and visual arts provide an outlet for expression, skill-development, and camaraderie. When the pandemic hit, ASAP immediately took its classes online, increasing their frequency and reach exponentially. The community in DC and VA is now 1,000 veteran-artists strong. This work matters. Brian Jenkins, Executive Director
2461 Eisenhower Avenue, Floor 2
Alexandria, VA 22314
202-730-8206
hello@asapasap.org
cfp-dc.org/asap
HUMAN SERVICES: Veterans & Military Families
Operation Renewed Hope Foundation
| WISH LIST
$100: 1 month of transportation help;
$500: a month of groceries for a Veteran family;
$1000: emergency funds to cover unexpected expenses
|
ORHF has helped hundreds of homeless and at-risk Veterans secure safe, permanent homes – and overcome the root causes of homelessness and instability in their lives. Staff work remotely (they always have), arranging long-term shelter until permanent housing is found (the outcome for 90% of clients). Case managers coordinate with the VA, state and local agencies, and faith-based organizations, to secure everyday basics like furniture and food, as well as critical services like healthcare and counseling for PTSD or substance abuse. Employment is crucial for long-term stability, so ORHF connects Veterans to education and training assistance, and helps them apply for jobs. During the pandemic, it has seen an increase in clients seeking to find housing or avoid eviction and looks forward, as the world opens up, to offering them the additional help they need, and deserve, from a grateful nation. Deborah Snyder, President & CEO
PO Box 10142
Alexandria, VA 22310
703.877.8117
deborah@orhfoundation.org
cfp-dc.org/orhf
HUMAN SERVICES: Veterans & Military Families
The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program
| WISH LIST
$125: support for 2 DC pro bono legal clinics;
$250: training materials for 1 volunteer attorney;
$750: independent medical review for 1 Veteran's appeal
|
Thousands of Veterans and their loved ones appeal annually to federal courts in DC, seeking to overturn their denial of benefits claims. Many are elderly, experiencing financial hardship, or suffering from serious conditions like PTSD; all deserve high-quality legal advice. TVC's Discharge Upgrade Program serves those who, because of conduct related to service-connected mental health issues, have received an other-than-honorable discharge and are denied benefits as a result (2000 successful upgrades to date). With just a few COVID-19 modifications, it continues to provide free services to over 1000 Veterans and their families each year. It also manages two free clinics a week – one for women by women attorneys – and offers start-up funding for Veterans clinics at partner law schools. These services mean Veterans can access the life-changing benefits that our country has vowed to provide – pandemic or not.
Steve Jordon, Executive Director
2101 L Street NW, Suite 840
Washington, DC 20037
202-733-3319
claudia.daley@vetsprobono.org
cfp-dc.org/tvc
Page 50
HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, & Families
CASA for Children of DC
| WISH LIST
$100: care package for a youth starting college;
$300: electronic device for completing schoolwork at home;
$500: advocacy and mentorship for 1 child for a month
|
Youth served by CASA DC fall almost entirely into communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Nearly 100% are children of color; many are foster kids; all have intersected with the child welfare or juvenile justice system. The stay-at-home order gave families little reprieve from the stressors of parenting: isolated, with minimal access to outside individuals, or school, or other supports, children face a higher risk of abuse and neglect. Typically, CASA volunteers build strong relationships with children, social workers, and attorneys, attend court hearings, recommend placements to judges, and help connect youth to education, housing, and jobs. They continue to serve as emotional grounding rods to ensure well-being, and to provide, remotely as needed, positive resources and engagement including workshops to support skill-building, exposure to engaging activities, and opportunities for outdoor recreation – until the world and the courts reopen. Arika Adams, Executive Director
220 I Street NE, Suite 285
Washington, DC 20002
202-596-5080
info@casadc.org
cfp-dc.org/casadc
Page 51
DC Affordable Law Firm
| WISH LIST
$100: passport photo printer;
$450: 6 hours of legal services for pandemic-affected clients;
$1000: pro bono representation for Family Law Assistance Network clients
|
Nine out of ten low-income DC residents are on their own when it comes to seeking justice, and one in five are ineligible for free legal aid. Together with Legal Aid and the DC Bar Pro Bono Center, DCALF launched the Family Law Assistance Network to link them with same-day legal advice and short-term representation in family court. Most live in Wards 5, 7, and 8, and are caregivers and "non-custodial parents" gravely concerned for children living in unsafe households – a problem greatly intensified by the pandemic. DCALF has also seen an increase in demand for wills, immigration protections, and custody agreements (from parents fearing that children may be left behind if they perish), visitation rights (complicated by shelter-in-place orders), and child support (hard to enforce when jobs are in jeopardy). In times of ordinary – and extraordinary –crisis, DCALF's experts meet the need. Gabrielle Mulnick Majewski, Executive Director
1717 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
202-844-5430
info@dcaffordablelaw.org
cfp-dc.org/dcalf
HUMAN SERVICES: Legal Services & Justice Programs
Amara Legal Center
| WISH LIST
$100: assistance in an unjust misdemeanor case;
$500: survivor expungement of a criminal record;
$1000: legal representation in a custody case
|
For survivors of sex trafficking, access to a lawyer can make the difference between imprisonment and freedom, maintaining and losing custody of their children, staying safe and living in fear. Annually serving almost 200 clients through direct legal representation – intakes and referrals from partners are by video and phone where possible; court dates await court reopenings – Amara helps survivors obtain legal protection from abusers, reunite with their children, seal unjust criminal records that would limit their opportunities for employment, education, and housing, and, during the pandemic, assist with unemployment benefits and appeals. Training for lawyers, social service organizations, and community members (virtual as long as necessary) expands the public’s ability to identify survivors and refer them for support. Meanwhile, Amara’s policy advocacy helps stop the unjust prosecution of victims, and its awareness campaigns help prevent trafficking ... before it starts. Carole Bernard, Executive Director
1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20006
(240) 257-6492
carole.bernard@amaralegal.org
cfp-dc.org/amara
HUMAN SERVICES: Legal Services & Justice Programs
Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center
| WISH LIST
$100: 1-hour consultation for a domestic violence survivor;
$500: 2 Know Your Rights workshops for 50 immigrants;
$1000: submission of a visa or VAWA petition
|
It is a difficult time for everyone, but unusually difficult for those who have pressing immigration (visas for victims of crime and trafficking, VAWA petitions for victims of domestic violence) and family law needs that require representation. Their challenges are greatly amplified by the language and customs of an American legal system that is, quite literally, foreign to them. Dedicated to providing linguistically and culturally accessible free legal services (in person when possible; virtually when not), the APALRC team is bilingual and bicultural. Each year, through direct representation, referrals, and legal education, it supports hundreds of low-income crime victims and their families, individuals seeking affordable housing, domestic violence survivors, victims of trafficking, and those seeking green cards and citizenship. Volunteers and staff speak over 16 Asian dialects and manage a multilingual helpline ... for those who don’t know where to turn.
Naznin Saifi, Executive Director
1627 K Street, NW Suite 610
Washington, DC 20006
202-706-7057
admin@apalrc.org
cfp-dc.org/apalrc
Page 52
HUMAN SERVICES: Legal Services & Justice Programs
Rising for Justice
| WISH LIST
$200: same-day legal assistance for 1 family;
$1000: a month of litigation costs for 1 client;
$6000: a semester of clinical training and experience for 1 law student
|
Rising for Justice provides free, high-quality legal services and protects the rights of some 250,000 low-income DC residents. Each year, dozens of students from area law schools, joined by attorneys from local law firms, receive training on representing low-income clients. When the pandemic closed courtrooms, attorneys began conducting intake, providing client consultations, and participating in emergency hearings by phone. Cases have been prepared for Landlord-Tenant court, and assistance provided to the US District Court in emergency litigation related to the impact of COVID-19 on conditions in the DC jail and Correctional Treatment Facility. As the moratorium on evictions is lifted, thousands of DC residents will be at risk of homelessness – but they are 19 times likelier to prevail if they are represented by a lawyer. This critical work is very much needed as we face the long road ahead.
Grace M Lopes, Executive Director
901 4th Street NW, Suite 6000
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 638-4798
development@risingforjustice.org
cfp-dc.org/rising
Page 53
HUMAN SERVICES: Legal Services & Justice Programs
School Justice Project
| WISH LIST
$100: school re-enrollment for 1 after incarceration;
$500: special education legal advocacy for 1 student;
$1000: 1 month of reentry case management
|
SJP uses special education law to ensure that older court-involved students with disabilities receive the quality education they deserve, both during incarceration and after – combatting the intersecting crises of educational inequity and mass incarceration that disproportionately affect students of color with disabilities. Early on, SJP emerged as a leader, focusing on advocacy efforts to support the release of as many young people as possible (jails are dangerous places during a pandemic) and better conditions for those who remain. It fought for access to necessities like soap and water, and critical supports including mental health services and education. SJP works with reentry organizations and service providers to ensure that returning youth have housing, access to food, clothing, social services, and, as school reopens, the educational supports they need. These young people have been dealt a tough hand in life. Help SJP change it. Claire N Blumenson, Executive Director & Co-Founder
1805 7th Street NW, 7th Floor
Washington, DC 20001
202-656-9136
info@sjpdc.org
cfp-dc.org/sjp
HUMAN SERVICES: Community & Civic Engagement
Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County
| WISH LIST
$100: 2 hours of mediation for a family in crisis;
$500: 1-day restorative justice circle for 10;
$1000: group mediation training
|
Whether it’s a dispute with a police officer, neighbor, or classmate, CRCMC is there to broker agreements and avoid violence, lawsuits, and suspensions. Its Police Complaint Mediation Program helps resolve conflict and build understanding between officers and residents, providing a safe space for resolving complaints and rebuilding police and community relations – particularly resonant in this year of pain, harm, and unrest. School programs focus on resolving conflict through teacher training, dialogue circles, and mediation; community programs include couples negotiating child custody, Spanish speakers in need of bilingual mediation, and others. Participants are more available for mediation online – an unexpected benefit of our virtual existence – and in more intense cases actually appreciate not facing each other in person. Restoring justice, mending relationships, supporting small businesses, creating safer schools and neighborhoods: this is the kind of healing we need.
Christopher Page, Executive Director
4805 Edgemoor Lane, 2nd Floor
Bethesda, MD 20714
301-652-0717
christopher@crcmc.org
cfp-dc.org/crcmc
HUMAN SERVICES: Legal Services & Justice Programs
OAR of Arlington, Alexandria and Falls Church
| WISH LIST
$100: transportation for 5 participants entering the workforce;
$500: basic needs for 1 participant;
$1000: housing assistance for a returning citizen
|
OAR sees mass incarceration as one of the leading civil rights issues of our time, and as COVID-19 intersects with Black Lives Matter, its work is more urgent than ever. Pre-release services are provided virtually within detention facilities and post-release support is being offered to more people over a longer period of time – case management, employment and housing assistance, basic needs. OAR also helps secure identification, access cell phones, and navigate family reunification. Because community service can be an alternative sentencing option for more than 1,000 persons annually, OAR facilitates this – helping people stay in their jobs, schools, and families, and avoiding the lifelong burdens of incarceration. September saw the launch of the first of three multiple-month anti-racist learning cohorts. Educating the community about racial inequity in the criminal legal system is a critical step in changing hearts, minds, and laws. Elizabeth Jones Valderrama, Executive Director
1400 North Uhle Street, Suite 704
Arlington, VA 22201
703-228-7030
donations@oaronline.org
cfp-dc.org/oar
Page 55
HUMAN SERVICES: Life Skills, Training, and Employment
Computer CORE
| WISH LIST
$100: curriculum binders for 33 students;
$500: refurbished laptops for 2 students;
$1000: design and printing of updated curriculum
|
CORE's students are primarily immigrants, individuals whose home-country education doesn't translate in the US, people of color. Seventy percent are women, many of whom have never touched a keyboard, have little or no computer skills, no bank account, formal savings, job connections, or workforce skills. They face a higher risk of job insecurity, inconvenient work hours, and lack of benefits – all intensified during COVID-19. CORE offers no-cost (virtual since mid-March) classes: keyboarding, internet research strategies, e-mail, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other basics. It also focuses on career navigation, application support, resume writing, mock interviews, job placement, and job retention guidance. CORE has made sure that students who need them have refurbished laptops and access to free or low-cost broadband. As the world turns increasingly digital – insistently so during this pandemic – the skills students learn are, literally, life-saving.
Donna Walker James, Executive Director
201 N. Union Street, Suite 110
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-931-7346
donna@computercore.org
cfp-dc.org/core
HUMAN SERVICES: Community & Civic Engagement
main stree
| WISH LIST
$100: 3 small business toolkits;
$500: 2 business advisory workshops for entrepreneurs;
$1000: Ascend Capital Accelerator program for 1 entrepreneur
|
Economic disparity and systemic inequality are stark and pervasive across the Washington region where white households have an average net worth 81 times that of Black households. And though entrepreneurship is critical to closing that gap, entrepreneurs of color are more likely to be denied loans, receive lower amounts, pay higher rates, or not apply at all. Wacif focuses on communities east of the Anacostia River for almost half its lending. It also offers robust advisory services, from one-to-one business counseling to intensive, multi-week courses. During the pandemic, it has provided comprehensive financial relief (loan repayment forgiveness, loan restructuring), COVID-specific online training (digital strategy, business model pivoting, mental health for entrepreneurs), social capital investment, and more grantmaking (as opposed to lending). The businesses Wacif serves will continue to need its support as they face an uncertain, still changing, new economy.
Harold B Pettigrew, Jr, CEO
2012 Rhode Island Avenue NE
Washington, DC 20018
202-529-5505
info@wacif.org
cfp-dc.org/wacif
HUMAN SERVICES: Basic Needs, Food, & Housing
Britepaths
| WISH LIST
$100: school supplies for 8 K-12 students;
$500: workforce development skill-building for 5 adults;
$1000: grocery store gift cards for 20 hungry families
|
Britepath's goal remains unchanged: help clients overcome financial crises – first stabilizing them (providing food and financial assistance) and then encouraging them to enter financial literacy and workforce development programs. Since COVID-19, the demand for food and financial assistance has tripled. The food pantry has transitioned to a grocery gift card program (gift cards can be mailed) and the financial assistance program continues to provide help with rent, utilities, car repair, and pharmaceutical needs. The Financial Empowerment Center's online appointment system connects clients with a financial coach via computer or phone and now includes classes like the popular Coping Financially During COVID-19: Tips, Tools & Strategies. Workforce development services, including one-on-one job coaching, professional network mentoring, and job training – designed to help clients on the path to self-sufficiency – are all conducted virtually ... until the world rights itself. Lynn Latimer, Grants Manager
3959 Pender Drive, Suite 200
Fairfax, VA 22030
703.273.8829
llatimer@britepaths.org
cfp-dc.org/britepaths
Page 57
Community Forklift
| WISH LIST
$100: 1 refurbished air conditioner;
$500: 5 pairs of steel-toed boots for warehouse staff;
$1000: 6 refrigerators for families in need
|
Community Forklift's programs provide low-cost building materials, appliances, and furniture to low-income individuals and families and to nonprofit organizations (social services, schools, gardening cooperatives, civic organizations, theaters) throughout the DMV. These salvaged and surplus, landfill-bound materials are "redirected" and made available at below-market rates (or at no cost to those with limited resources), creating assets that catalyze economic, housing, and community revitalization. Reuse keeps landfills from filling up, supplies the workforce with good, green jobs, and fits beautifully into homes and tight budgets (think an older washing machine, cleaned, tested, and ready for a second life). With social distancing measures in place, an online catalog of curated materials and furniture means community members can purchase pick-up items "dockside," with limited home delivery an option on an as-needed basis. Community doesn't sleep during a pandemic: neither does Forklift.
Nancy J Meyer, CEO
4671 Tanglewood Drive
Hyattsville, MD 20781
301-985-5180 ext 101
info@communityforklift.org
cfp-dc.org/forklift
Black Swan Academy
| WISH LIST
$100: weekly meal for middle or high school cohort;
$500: program supplies for 1 year;
$1000: 1-year stipend for 11th-12th grade youth organizer
|
In the aftermath of the George Floyd killing, BSA's work has taken on even greater urgency. Its innovative, 36-week Civic Leadership and Engagement program enhances youth voice, builds youth power, creates a safe space for youth of color to engage, gain advocacy skills, develop a youth-led policy agenda, and shift the culture of DC policymaking so that it is more inclusive of youth of color leadership. The end goal is nothing less than racial equity and systemic change. Of course, COVID-19 has forced a shift from in-person to virtual meetings and from direct action organizing to thinking strategically about what a youth-led/youth-centered digital organizing strategy might be. Education inequity, criminalization, trauma, and poverty will likely be more pressing in our post-COVID world. The time frame for social distancing is uncertain; what is certain is the heightened need for organizing in this moment.
Samantha Paige Davis, Executive Director
Washington, DC 20017
301-909-8624
sdavis@blackswanacademy.org
cfp-dc.org/bsa
Main Street Connect
| WISH LIST
$100: 1 discounted virtual membership;
$500: a 6-session wellness program;
$1000: year-long membership for a low-income individual with disabilities
|
Although much progress has been made, adults with disabilities continue to be woefully underserved when they reach the “cliff” at age 21 and lose the very things that confer independence and bring passion and meaning into their lives. At Main Street Connect, three years of effective programming – social, emotional, and quality-of-life experiences like movie nights, restaurant outings, health and wellness classes, parent-sibling support groups, concerts, and more (virtual, in-person, or hybrid as the situation demands) – will very soon be supplemented by an inclusive affordable housing and community center for people with and without disabilities. Working to expand safety protocols and communications to help residents and members be and feel safe, the move-in date is TBD. But it will be soon, and it will be profound – a long-overdue departure from the norm, with extraordinary promise for the future. Jillian Copeland, Founder & Executive Director
50 Monroe Place
Rockville, MD 20850
301-810-3199
sharonc@mainstreetconnect.org
cfp-dc.org/mainstreet
Page 59
SEED SPOT
| WISH LIST
$500: training for an entrepreneur in a Launch Camp;
$1000: 20 welcome kits;
$2000: 6 weeks of training for a growth-stage entrepreneur
|
When the COVID-19 pandemic closed businesses from Main Street to Wall Street, SEED SPOT began providing its programs virtually – to support innovators (including women and persons of color) who will be the engine of economic recovery. Newly designed Pivot Camps help existing business owners pivot their products, services, and technologies, find short-term opportunities, and plan for the return to normalcy. Launch Camp guides new entrepreneurs through the process of defining a problem and its solution: they leave with a solid business plan, pitch, and action steps to advance their ventures. Industry experts host topics like Applying for SBA Disaster Loans and Moving Your Business Online. A COVID-19 Resource Center includes everything from funding opportunities to tips on working from home. It's a new world out there and SEED SPOT is poised to deal with the present and create the future.
Zach Leverenz, CEO
80 M Street SE
Washington, DC 20003
zach@seedspot.org
cfp-dc.org/seedspot
The Federated Charities Corporation of Frederick
| WISH LIST
$100: emergency assistance for 1 family in need;
$500: 2.5 hours of professional development for 12 nonprofits;
$3000: secure internet for 1 year for 5 tenants
|
Federated Charities keeps the lights on for 12 traditional nonprofit tenant-partners and four who operate for free in its incubator/co-working space. In rent reductions alone, tenants allocate back to those they serve more than $250,000 each year. Shared resources like copiers, internet, phone service, and meeting space – also open to any nonprofit in Frederick – increase the savings (hand sanitizer, no-touch lights, and other safety protocols make it work). In a very real sense, this means that a partner like Mission of Mercy can offer free medical and dental services to 220 more uninsured patients each year. Professional development on topics like board development, and diversity and equity, have been supplemented by personal/emotional navigation of the pandemic. Focusing energy on the nonprofit community, highlighting its work, and building its capacity, reminds us that everyone has something to give.
Elin Ross, Executive Director
22 South Market Street, Suite 1
Frederick, MD 21701
301-662-1561 ext 100
info@federatedcharities.org
cfp-dc.org/federatedfrederick
Nonprofit Village
| WISH LIST
$100: 1 hour of nonprofit coaching;
$500: participation in an incubator cohort for 6 months;
$1000: 3-week proposal writing series for 5 nonprofits
|
Nonprofit Village is one of the first points of contact for start-up and emerging nonprofits. Coaching, technical assistance, affordable space, amenities, business solutions, and a collective voice ensure access to the expertise and resources nonprofits need to survive – especially in the current environment. All coaching and support groups moved online when COVID-19 moved in. Individualized coaching for 50 nonprofits helped them learn how to sustain themselves, shift from complimentary to fee-based services, and create joint partnerships to survive. It also assisted them in filing for government relief, creating appropriate donor outreach, and conducting research on corporate sponsors in a new economic environment. Pivoting to remote work was a significant problem for most nonprofits, so a series of training programs shares solutions to common technology challenges. We need our nonprofit community to be there for us ... on the other side. Kim Jones, Executive Director
15800 Crabbs Branch Way, Suite 300
Rockville, MD 20855
301-230-0111
kjones@thenonprofitvillage.org
cfp-dc.org/npvillage