2011 Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington

Page 11

NATURE

Montgomery Countryside Alliance

WISH LIST
$100: 2 Agricultural Reserve tours for elected officials;
$500: 1 year of action alert emails;
$2500: production of "Growing Legacy," an educational film about the Reserve and local food
 
Wide open fields are precious resources – yet every minute of every day, two acres of farmland disappear in the US. Deeply engaged in safeguarding the Maryland Agricultural Reserve for generations to come, Montgomery Countryside Alliance advocates for land and transportation policies that enhance agriculture and encourage farmland preservation. Moreover, through education and support of local farms, MCA ensures that "reserve lands" remain part of the working agricultural landscape – one that can nourish the entire region. It works closely with local farmers to promote their products (or to get a new farm up and running), with landowners to connect them with farmers seeking long-term leases, with down-county organizations to increase the presence of local food in area markets and restaurants, and with an advisory board of over 40 community leaders. An online and printed agriculture guide and regular testimony at local and state legislatures ensure that political representatives are educated about the value (economic and social) of local farms. Our farmlands have always nourished us. Why not return the favor?

Caroline Taylor, Executive Director

PO Box 24
Poolesville, MD 20837
301-461-9831
caroline@mocoalliance.org
mocoalliance.org


NATURE

Rock Creek Conservancy (formerly Friends of Rock Creek's Environment)

WISH LIST
$50: tools to remove invasive vines from trees;
$100: gloves, bags, and supplies for 30 volunteers;
$500: rainfall management workshop for 15 Rock Creek property owners
 
One of the largest forested urban parks on earth, Rock Creek Park is nestled within the Rock Creek Watershed, which spreads over 77-square miles and is home to nearly 500,000 people. Yet when a creek meanders over 33 miles across numerous local and state borders, it naturally hits a few obstacles: until recently, no single group looked after the watershed in its entirety. Rock Creek Conservancy was born to protect and advocate for the park's extraordinary resources. On the federal, state, and local level, it is the voice of the park, recently testifying for the (successful) passage of legislation governing the disposal of unused pharmaceuticals. Each year, two million people walk through the park and Rock Creek Conservancy mobilizes over 2,000 volunteers to clean local streams and maintain the health and beauty of the parklands. Outside the park, it educates residents about reducing polluted runoff and enables them to adopt sections of Rock Creek for neighborhood-based stewardship. You too can be a steward for good – and ensure the park's health and beauty.

Beth Mullin, Executive Director

PO Box 42680
Washington, DC 20015
202-237-8866
beth@friendsofrockcreek.org
rockcreekconservancy.org


NATURE

Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment

WISH LIST
$100: 1 ACE assembly program at a local elementary school;
$500: 10 service projects to beautify Arlington’s streams and parks;
$1000: solar hot water heaters at 3 sites
 
Spanning twenty-six square miles and overlooking the Potomac River and national monuments, Arlington County offers unquestionably beautiful views. Preserving its diverse lands and wandering rivers is no simple task, but Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment has been tackling it for over three decades. Today, ACE is the real nexus for green living information in the county and the link between local classrooms and outdoor education. An annual expo educates 750 residents about simple and practical ways to reduce waste and "green" their lives (information is available in English and Spanish) and conservation projects in the schools engage over 2,000 budding environmental stewards every year. ACE also provides monthly opportunities for residents to participate in stream cleanups, invasive plant removals, and storm drain marking (service projects engage youth and at-risk populations). As the primary liaison to the County government, ACE is a consistent environmental advocate, promoting solar energy for homes and reusable bags for shopping – and connecting kids to the natural world. Supporting ACE means beautiful views for years to come.

Elenor Hodges, Executive Director

3308 S Stafford Street
Arlington, VA 22206
703-228-6427
elenor@arlingtonenvironment.org
arlingtonenvironment.org


Page 15

CULTURE: Performing, Literary, and Visual Arts

African Continuum Theatre Co.

WISH LIST
$100: Artistic Associate fee for 1 workshop;
$500: 4 actors and program management for 2 small performances;
$1000: expenses for a workshop production of a new play
 
For the past 22 years, African Continuum has been more than just a theater company. It has given voice, respect, and honor to under-served populations through live performance and vibrant community engagement. The only African-American theater company in DC, ACTCo has produced over 35 professional productions, including seven world premieres – earning 17 Helen Hayes Award nominations and winning four awards. Complementing the full productions, ACTCo's Fresh Flavas program offers, at no cost to the public, readings of new works by playwrights of color. A brand new endeavor, Off The Circuit, brings live arts programming beyond the stage and right into schools and universities, senior centers, churches, and neighborhoods all around Washington. Community events, including a gospel concert and 1940's-style cabaret, enliven and energize the H Street NE corridor. Winner of two Mayor's Arts Awards and the Washington Post Award for Distinguished Service to the Theater Community, ACTCo is an invaluable and irreplaceable player in the DC theater scene. Let's give them an ovation!

JoAnn M Williams, Executive Director

3523 12th Street NE, 2nd Floor
Washington, DC 20017
202-529-5763
jmwilliams@africancontinuumtheatre.com
africancontinuumtheatre.com


CULTURE: Performing, Literary, and Visual Arts

Atlas Performing Arts Center

WISH LIST
$100: 1 toolkit for a Stagecraft Training apprentice;
$500: tickets for a school group to attend a performance;
$1000: artist’s stipend for an “Atlas Presents” jazz performance
 
A once-abandoned movie theatre complex in Northeast DC reopened in 2006 as the Atlas Performing Arts Center: a visionary, community-based organization committed to the development of the H Street corridor and the growth of DC's professional artists. With four performance spaces and a welcoming lobby and cafe, this 59,000-square-foot center provides a collaborative, supportive environment for up-and-coming actors, dancers, musicians, directors, designers, and producers, and extraordinary arts programming for the community. Arts Partners (including Catalogue non-profits Capitol City Symphony, City at Peace, Step Afrika!, and Joy Of Motion Dance Center) receive discounted or free performance and rehearsal space, as well as office space and promotion for their events. Each February, the newly-launched INTERSECTIONS Festival unites 600 local artists for over 100 performances, workshops, and classes. A summer Stagecraft Training program gives unemployed and underemployed individuals the skills and tools to become professional stage hands. Atlas is a home for artists and audiences. It has also been the catalyst for the revitalization of H Street – now aptly called “The Atlas District.” Applause, please.

Sam Sweet, Executive Director

1333 H Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-399-7993, ext 128
ssweet@atlasarts.org
atlasarts.org


CULTURE: Performing, Literary, and Visual Arts

DC Jazz Festival

WISH LIST
$100: after-school music instruction for 5 students;
$1000: master class with a renowned musician for 20 DCPS kids;
$2500: 200 student tickets to a professional jazz performance
 
When can over 100,000 people experience the world's best jazz performers – from Roberta Flack to Poncho Sanchez to the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars? The answer is: every summer at over 50 venues in 20 neighborhoods of Washington. In celebration of our nation's original art form, the DC Jazz Festival offers exciting programs, and features internationally acclaimed performers for two weeks each June. Jazz in the Hoods brings live performance to local businesses in all four quadrants. Jazz ’n’ Families Fun Days welcomes all generations to the Phillips Collection for two days of concerts and education. Jazz on the National Mall draws 30,000 music-lovers to a free, all-day celebration. And the music doesn't stop there. Throughout the year, DC Jazz Festival works closely with non-profits like Sitar Arts Center and THEARC, and with DCPS and education non-profits, to offer free workshops and master classes in jazz, blues, Latin, and world music – and to weave music into core subjects such as math and history. Are you "jazzed" yet?

Sunny Sumter, Executive Director

2550 M Street NW, 9th Floor
Washington, DC 20037
202-457-7628
sunny.sumter@dcjazzfest.org
dcjazzfest.org


Page 17

CULTURE: Performing, Literary, and Visual Arts

Step Afrika! USA

WISH LIST
$100: classroom demonstration for 10 students;
$500: stepping performances for 2 classes;
$1000: a full performance for an entire school
 
When a young graduate of Howard University traveled to Africa in 1991, he came across the gumboot dance. Created by South African mineworkers, it bore a strong resemblance to the stepping he had learned in his college fraternity. He later met members of the Soweto Dance Theatre, and the Step Afrika International Cultural Festival was born – the first known attempt to link the two forms of dance. Today Step Afrika! is the only national company exploring this cultural connection, in performances at home and abroad. Locally, there is a double focus: performance and arts education. Interactive workshops and artists residencies teach the history of stepping as an American art form (the body is used as an instrument to create rhythms and sounds that combine with footsteps, claps, and spoken word) and emphasize the synergy between stepping, teamwork, discipline, hard work, and academic success. Designated the first Cultural Ambassador for Washington, DC, and winner of the Mayor’s Arts Award for Outstanding Contribution to the field, Step Afrika! truly is the rhythm of Washington.

C Brian Williams, Founder & Executive Director

1333 H Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-399-7993, ext 102
deputydirector@stepafrika.org
stepafrika.org


CULTURE: Performing, Literary, and Visual Arts

WSC Avant Bard (formerly Washington Shakespeare Company)

WISH LIST
$100: subsidizes a Pay-What-You-Can performance;
$500: an actor’s compensation for 1 production;
$1000: scenic designer for 1 production
 
Where can audiences experience the best of classical theater in an intimate setting (just 125 seats!) with a cast composed entirely of local actors? Only at WSC Avant Bard, whose bold and experimental productions of classic and contemporary works have invigorated the Greater Washington arts community for over two decades. As a relatively small company, WSC has the freedom to pair well-known offerings (this past fall's repertory of Richard III and Schiller's Mary Stuart) with far less traditional fare (last season's world premiere of Every Young Woman’s Desire by Marco Antonio de la Parra) and to take chances on new and promising talent: several of DC's best-known actors got their start on the WSC stage. And for their 10,000 annual audience members, WSC is one of the best values in the region – with frequent "pay what you can" shows and markedly low ticket prices for high-quality performances of Euripides, Molière, Chekov, Camus, and, of course, Shakespeare. Support for WSC is support for theater that is local, affordable, and undeniably audacious.

Warren Arbogast, Executive Director

c/o Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22209
703-418-4808
warrenarbogast@hotmail.com
washingtonshakespeare.org


CULTURE: Performing, Literary, and Visual Arts

Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture

WISH LIST
$100: art materials and activities for 200 children;
$500: supplies for 40 volunteers to maintain the Park's historic buildings;
$2000: 5-program pilot series for local seniors
 
A step into Glen Echo Park is a step into history. It began as a Chautauqua Assembly in 1891 before serving as a popular amusement park for nearly 80 years. And since 2002, the Glen Echo Park Partnership, in collaboration with the National Park Service and Montgomery County, has orchestrated the park’s incredible revitalization – populating the park year-round with vibrant arts, cultural, educational, and recreational activities and preserving the historic Spanish Ballroom and Dentzel Carousel. Last year, it drew 420,000 visitors for concerts and exhibitions, environmental education and history programming, children's theatre and creative movement. An active social dance program attracts 64,000 swing, blues, waltz, and contra enthusiasts every year. The Partnership also sponsors free public festivals and events throughout the year, including the Washington Folk Festival, which draws 10,000 visitors, and the Labor Day Art Show, which showcases over 250 local artists. To ensure that resident arts organizations can focus on developing their own programming, the Partnership handles marketing and administration. Your support helps usher in another dynamic century in Glen Echo.

Katey Boerner, Executive Director

7300 MacArthur Boulevard
Glen Echo, MD 20812
301-634-2225
kboerner@glenechopark.org
glenechopark.org


Page 19

CULTURE: Community Arts/Arts for Kids

Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop

WISH LIST
$100: postage for 200 letters to incarcerated youth;
$500: metro cards for 15 youth to attend job readiness workshops;
$1000: books and supplies for 3 book club sessions at the DC Jail
 
In 2010, more than 100 males ages 16 and 17 were charged as adults for felony crimes and incarcerated at the DC Jail. On average, they read at a fifth-grade level and many see criminal activity as their only recourse when they return home. Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop uses books and creative writing to empower young inmates (450 in the last 10 years) to transform their lives. The club meets weekly at the jail to discuss a work of literature. Most inmates report that they have never before read an entire book: for many, it is the first time they have felt connected to one. And writing encourages reflection on the consequences of their actions, their dreams for the future. Opportunities like GED preparation and job training programs are available to those who reenter the community. As one young writer explains: "Before Free Minds I thought I was made for the streets and nothing else ... until they got me to write my first poems, read books, and open my eyes."

Tara Libert, Executive Director

2201 P Street NW
Washington, DC 20037
202-758-0829
tara@freemindsbookclub.org
freemindsbookclub.org


CULTURE: Community Arts/Arts for Kids

Life Pieces To Masterpieces

WISH LIST
$200: new industrial-quality sewing machine;
$800: healthy food for the apprentices for 2 weeks;
$1000: 1 month's worth of art supplies
 
At first glance, there is meager material for artistic inspiration in Washington’s public housing projects. Young males living east of the Anacostia River often grow up without fathers, in families plagued by poverty and substance abuse. But at Life Pieces to Masterpieces, “apprentices” use paint, storytelling, rap, and poetry to make something of great beauty out of their lives. The group takes its name from the unique art its members collectively create – painting canvas, cutting it into shapes, and sewing the pieces together to tell real life stories. Combining arts instruction with human development, LPTM’s accomplishments are stunning: close to zero percent of participants become involved in the juvenile justice system or father an illegitimate child, 100% graduate (compared to 40% of African-American males across DC), and the group has created some 1,000 works of art. Now celebrating its 15th anniversary, LPTM has grown from 40 to nearly 120 apprentices and has earned new credibility in the community. This is an exceptional group, doing extraordinary work: won’t you become part of the picture?

Mary Brown, Executive Director

5002 Hayes Street, NE
Washington, DC 20019
202-399-7703
mbrown@lifepieces.org
lifepieces.org


CULTURE: Community Arts/Arts for Kids

Sitar Arts Center

WISH LIST
$100: 1 Friday Teen Arts Night for 35 students;
$500: a field trip to one of Washington’s best arts institutions for 40-60 children;
$1000: an unlimited semester of classes for 1 student
 
When Sitar Arts Center opened in the basement of an apartment building, the idea was simple: create a safe, nurturing, after-school environment in the Adams Morgan neighborhood, where 80% of students come from low-income households. And let the arts flourish. Well, flourish they did. In just a decade, Sitar has evolved into a multidisciplinary arts organization that reaches 850 students annually – and no child is ever turned away. A 16-week semester of unlimited classes at the Center costs between $15-$55 and the options are nearly unlimited: music, dance, theater, creative writing, visual arts, and digital arts for students, primarily ages 6-18. Early Childhood Arts brings together play, movement and storytelling to help parents become better educators for their children; and Camp Sitar is an intensive summer arts program for 100 campers, culminating in a full musical production. Young artists can truly mature and grow at Sitar, and the Emerging Arts Leaders and Summer Teen Intern programs give adolescents the chance to deepen their engagement. You can ensure that this wonderful place continues to sing.

Maureen Dwyer, Executive Director

1700 Kalorama Road NW, Suite 101
Washington, DC 20009
202-797-2145, ext 100
maureen@sitarartscenter.org
sitarartscenter.org


Page 21

CULTURE: Community Arts/Arts for Kids

The Dance Institute of Washington

WISH LIST
$100: dance shoes and attire for 4 students;
$500: pre-dance classes for 2 young students for 1 semester;
$5000: Positive Directions Through Dance for 6 at-risk students
 
When Fabian Barnes retired from the Dance Theatre of Harlem he possessed two important things: a $7,000 pension and the desire to give back to others what dance had given to him. Barnes’s dream was to offer year-round, high-quality, pre-professional training to Washington, DC teens – regardless of their ability to pay. Today, DIW has a brand new facility in the heart of Columbia Heights and its Senior Youth Repertory Ensemble performs regularly at the Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, and other venues. Many graduates move on to excellent university programs while others perform professionally at Dance Theatre of Harlem, Alvin Ailey II, and elsewhere. Personal and artistic growth are equally important, and DIW's Positive Directions Through Dance provides at-risk youth with classes, life skills workshops (from literacy to nutrition), and performance opportunities – all at no cost. A finalist for the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award and winner of the Bridge Builders Award from Partners for Livable Communities, DIW leapsinto its 25th year in 2012. Join the celebration.

Fabian Barnes, Founder and Artistic Director

3400 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20010
202.371.9656
FBarnes@danceinstitute.org
danceinstitute.org


CULTURE: Community Arts/Arts for Kids

CityDance Ensemble

WISH LIST
$100: 1 month of snacks for an after-school program;
$500: 2 weeks of summer camp for 1 student;
$1000: free after-school dance instruction twice a week for 1 student all year
 
A leader in high-quality arts programming for our city's most at-risk students, CityDance has introduced music, movement, and inspiration to tens of thousands of DC-area children. Students ages 3 to 88 explore ballet, modern, jazz, and hip hop in over 70 studio classes. CityDance Early Arts sparks an early love of dance through arts-integrated school residencies, and after-school and summer camp programs in local communities where the arts are least accessible and affordable. Now in its seventh year, the flagship DREAM program combines dance and service projects, teaching young dancers at eight public schools to become advocates for change in their communities and in their own lives: students have testified before the DC Council on one day, and performed at the Washington Wizards half-time show on another. Quite simply, CityDance teaches not only pirouettes and arabesques, but self-confidence, teamwork, and creativity. A 2010 recipient of the DC Mayor’s Arts Award for Excellence in Arts Education, CityDance is truly committed to innovative performance and outreach. Your support keeps our culture alive and our children dancing.

Alexe Nowakowski, Executive Director

1111 16th Street NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20036
202-347-3909
alexe@citydance.net
citydance.net


CULTURE: Community Arts/Arts for Kids

American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras

WISH LIST
$100: 1 music coaching session;
$700: 1 student scholarship for a full year;
$2500: rehearsal space for 2 youth orchestras for one season
 
Recognized as one of the nation’s leading youth orchestra organizations, the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras provides orchestral training and performance experience to more than 400 of the most talented young musicians ages 7 to 21 from Northern Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland. Students are selected in a competitive audition process and scholarships ensure that each accepted student can join, regardless of ability to pay. Students attend 36 rehearsals, 17 dress rehearsals, 40 chamber ensemble coachings, 9 concerts, and 2 recitals: 175 hours of training. In addition, the Music Buddies Mentorship Program enables AYPO’s talented high schoolers to provide weekly private music lessons to underserved middle school students, and the Community Outreach Concert Series brings the orchestras into public schools, community centers, and nursing homes. Dubbed “simply outstanding" (Washington Post) and “a remarkable youth orchestra" (The Journal), this is one committed group of kids, determined to make music and bring it to others. Shouldn’t every community have a youth orchestra? You can make it happen – for everyone who wants to play.

Jack Walton, Executive Director

4026 Hummer Road
Annandale, VA 22003
703-642-8051
jwalton@aypo.org
aypo.org


Page 24

EDUCATION: Schools

Latin American Youth Center YouthBuild Public Charter School

WISH LIST
$100: steel-toed work boots for two YouthBuild students;
$250: Life Skills assessment for 15 students;
$1000: First Aid, CPR, and safety training for 10 students
 
A small, alternative school, YouthBuild PCS offers 16-24 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 can take classes in English or Spanish, earn a GED diploma, 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; more than a third are parents themselves; another third speak little or no English, and most begin with extremely low math and reading levels – often the reasons that they dropped out in the first place. Students alternate between the classroom (reading, science, math; job-readiness and life skills), a construction site (building affordable housing units), and service learning opportunities (creating community gardens and cleaning up local rivers). So building means many things: building knowledge, character, homes, lives. 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.

Arthur Dade, Executive Director

3014 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
202.319.0141
arthur@layc-dc.org
youthbuildpcs.org


EDUCATION: Schools

Multicultural Career Intern Program (MCIP)

WISH LIST
$100: after-school books and supplies;
$500: 3 weeks of after-school programs in reading, math or science for 25 students;
$5000: a "last dollar funding" college scholarship
 
This unique partnership between a non-profit support organization (MCIP) and a public school (Bell Multicultural) enhances the curriculum with year-round services for students and families. And Bell students certainly lead challenging lives: the vast majority are poor, 90% are "language minority," over 60% arrived in the US within the last three years, and many live in unsupervised situations working multiple jobs to support themselves. So the school steps in with an array of services: Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Teen Parent and Child Development, daycare for infants and toddlers, and after-school assistance in reading, math, and science. In 2006, the new Columbia Heights Educational Campus opened and became home to 1,400 middle and high school students. In 2010, Bell was ranked 37th of 1,623 schools nationwide in the Newsweek Challenge Index – quite an achievement since Bell does not practice selective admission. One of twelve schools in the country to be named a Break Through High School for significant student achievement, high graduation, and college admission rates, this extraordinary model truly merits your support.

Maria Tukeva, Executive Director

3101 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20010
(202) 939-7702
mcipoffice@yahoo.com
checdc.org


Page 25

EDUCATION: Schools

The Ellington Fund

WISH LIST
$100: ballet slippers for 2 dance students;
$500: annual metro pass for 1 student's bus fare;
$1000: 4 video cameras for the media and communications department
 
The Ellington Fund ensures a dynamic arts and academic experience for students at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Now in its 36th year, the school educates and trains over 500 aspiring student artists a year, from all city wards. This year, young artists will take the stage for 20 public performances of theater, music, and dance and display their paintings and sculptures in five gallery openings. The Fund provides the critical support for these after-school productions and exhibits – while also forging critical partnerships with the Kennedy Center, Shakespeare Theatre, National Symphony Orchestra, and others. Retaining and supporting high-quality teachers and keeping at-risk students in school are also central to the mission. The Fund's Shepherding Program matches students who are at the highest risk of dropping out with mentors who can "shepherd" them through – offering counseling, tutoring, and college guidance. And the results speak for themselves: a 98% on-time graduation rate, 95% college acceptance, and an outpouring of performing and visual arts. You can support the next generation of educated artists!

Grace Hong, Chief Development Officer

3500 R Street NW
Washington, DC 20007
202-333-1235
ghong@ellingtonarts.org
ellingtonschool.org


EDUCATION: Schools

The Washington Middle School for Girls

WISH LIST
$100: 10 books for the Reading Circle;
$500: 1 laptop for a WMSG teacher;
$1000: transportation for 3 field trips for 1 class
 
For students at The Washington Middle School for Girls, success means finding the courage to put on their uniforms and come to school every day. Washington’s Anacostia neighborhood is, after all, a difficult place to grow up. Often living in troubled families and usually under-served by schools and social agencies, young girls are often poorly educated, burdened by early childbirth, and starved for hope in a brighter future. WMSG is designed to help girls succeed in spite of these obstacles – by cherishing each child, keeping her safe and engaged throughout an extended day (7:30 to 5:30), creating a school year that extends into the summer, and helping families, too. 100 students at Washington View (grades 4-5) and the Town Hall Education, Arts, & Recreation Campus (THEARC, grades 6-8) benefit from the intense, but also nourishing, education. All graduates have gone on, with financial assistance in hand, to the high schools of their choice. Your contribution to this extraordinary school enhances the lives of young women and brightens the future for all of us.

Sister Mary Bourdon, Head of School

1901 Mississippi Avenue, Southeast
Washington, DC 20020
202-678-1113
mbourdon@wmsgdc.org
washingtonmiddleschoolforgirls.org


Page 27

EDUCATION: Enrichment

Higher Achievement

WISH LIST
$125: 3-day college trip for 1 scholar;
$880: 1 summer field trip for an entire center (80 scholars);
$1500: Summer Academy for 1 student
 
Targeting academically motivated students at a critical juncture – 5th through 8th grade – and working with them in the “gap” hours – 3:30 to 8pm during the school year and 8am to 4pm in the summer – Higher Achievement offers rigorous academic classes and stresses the discipline and dedication children need to succeed. A four-year, sustained academic intervention, it requires a serious commitment from its scholars and offers exciting bonuses in return: advanced intellectual discussions, university trips, and lectures on current topics. 100% of scholars improve by 20% or more on standardized tests, 100% of 2011 graduates advanced to college-preparatory high schools (90% to top choice schools like Gonzaga, Banneker, and Sidwell), and 93% ultimately head to college, compared to 50% citywide. Since it was first featured in the 2003 Catalogue, Higher Achievement has doubled the number of children served, added a sixth center in Ward 8, and purchased its own home. It now serves 500 motivated scholars from under-resourced communities. Your help means success, and a real future, for these determined scholars.

Lynsey Wood Jeffries, Executive Director

317 8th Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202)375-7731
ljeffries@higherachievement.org
higherachievement.org


EDUCATION: Enrichment

Kid Power

WISH LIST
$100: 150 copies of the Citizenship Workbook;
$500: garden and cooking supplies at 1 school site;
$1000: baking supplies at 3 school sites
 
According to the Civic Health Index, a steep decline in community involvement – one key indicator of a community’s wellness – is a worrisome sign. And perhaps it is no surprise that youth from under-served communities, who have dwindling connections to civic life, are among the least engaged. Poor reading and critical thinking skills, and lack of access to rich historical materials, all contribute to the problem. Kid Power works to close the gap, teaching fundamental skills while introducing students to a serious civics curriculum. Through case studies, academic and creative exercises, and group activities, students acquire the necessary tools to become real neighborhood advocates. Students in the CookieTime program operate a small baking enterprise, while VeggieTime kids cultivate community gardens at seven sites, both directing the profits to local and national service projects. Aspiring artists use dance, poetry, film, painting, and theater to tell community stories; and aspiring activists use their academic and artistic skills to organize neighborhood improvement projects and advocacy initiatives. Your civic engagement is the final, critical component!

Max Skolnik, Executive Director

755 8th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
202.383.4543
max@kidpowerdc.org
kidpowerdc.org


EDUCATION: Enrichment

College & Career Connections

WISH LIST
$100: career networking event for youth and local professionals;
$1000: campus visit transportation for 400 youth;
$2500: OnTrack! college and career planning workbooks
 
In Wards 7 and 8, only four out of ten high school freshman complete their senior year – and most drop out before they are sophomores. College & Career Connections works with students at this critical juncture, ensuring that they have a positive freshman experience and endowing them with the resources and drive to complete high school. A two-year, interactive classroom workshop series, CCC's OnTrack! program engages eighth and ninth graders at partner schools, encouraging their unique interests and demonstrating how those interests can develop into careers – and how college is critical in the process. A Game of Life workshop teaches the value of a living wage and importance of personal budgeting, while Mock Admissions encourages students to assess themselves from the perspective of college admissions officers. Last year, over 400 low-income students visited local workplaces, met with business professionals in "speed-networking" sessions, and spent a day at a nearby college, touring the campus and meeting professors. When school and goals are linked, students work harder and aim higher. Won't you get "connected"?

Keith Andrew Perry, Esq, Executive Director

4620 Alabama Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20019
(202) 536-4907
Keith@collegeandcareerconnections.org
collegeandcareerconnections.org


Page 29

EDUCATION: Enrichment

DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative

WISH LIST
$350: bus transportation for students to a cultural event;
$400: 100 tickets to an Arts for Every Student event;
$600: artist residency in the classroom
 
The city of Washington is rich in arts and culture, but budget constraints often prevent the city’s schools from taking advantage of its resources. The DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative works to help DC public and chartered public schools gain access to our vibrant arts world by removing the barriers to it. Offering workshops for teachers, teaching artists, principals, and others, the Collaborative also makes registration, tickets, and transportation easy. Last year, 129 schools registered for the Collaborative’s Arts for Every Student program, which reached 30,000 students and their chaperones through free performances. Since 2003, when the Collaborative was first featured in the Catalogue, its annual budget has more than doubled, and it continues to receive vital support from Catalogue donors. But the demand is growing. After all, visiting the Kennedy Center for the first time, making a trip to the Washington Ballet or Shakespeare Theatre, having a professional artist come right to your classroom – for many children these are unforgettable experiences. You can help keep the arts alive – for every student.

Louise Kennelly, Executive Director

1835 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-204-7751
Louise@dccollaborative.org
dccollaborative.org


EDUCATION: Enrichment

Educación Para Nuestro Futuro (formerly Escuela Bolivia)

WISH LIST
$500: 10 textbooks for children learning English;
$1000: university field trip for 10 college-bound students and their parents;
$3000: college scholarship for 1 senior
 
Thirteen years ago, Educación Para Nuestro Futuro was created by Bolivian parents determined to meet the educational needs of DC's growing (yet underserved) Latino population. Since then, it has empowered thousands of youth and families through transformative education and leadership development programs. At its Escuela Bolivia Program, 200 children study Spanish during the week while their parents take Spanish or ESL classes over the weekend; through Project Family, toddlers and their parents study Spanish together through music and educational games. For low-income Latino youth, Edu-Futuro's Emerging Leaders Program teaches study skills and public speaking, sponsors university visits and service projects, and connects students with mentors who guide them through the college application process (a computer lab is available for students working on applications outside of school). Parents have their own leadership program, which offers techniques and ideas for supporting their kids through school and life. Last year, 100% of the Emerging Leaders Program students reported increased self-esteem and 70% enrolled in a higher education institution. Let's invest in their, and our, future.

Eneida Alcalde, Executive Director

2801 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 216
Arlington, VA 22201
703-228-2560
eneida@edu-futuro.org
edu-futuro.org


EDUCATION: Enrichment

Reach for College!

WISH LIST
$100: postage for 50 students to submit 3 college applications each;
$700: trip for 150 students to see a college campus for the first time;
$1000: SAT prep books for 100 students
 
Reach for College! was founded in 2005 by two urban educators who saw how to help traditionally disadvantaged students overcome the obstacles to higher education. In the District, only 43% of students graduate and nearly half of those never attend college, leaving the vast majority unprepared for a world in which over 80% of jobs will require post-secondary education. So every day, as part of their academic schedule, 2,000 students in more than 40 classes in DC use RFC’s curricular materials to boost their skills in college-level reading, writing, and time management. Classes in SAT prep, college selection and application, and financial aid, help them navigate the application maze. And personalized attention makes all the difference: RFC-trained teachers encourage the less confident students, cajole the procrastinators, and celebrate with all the students when the acceptance letters roll in. And they do: 100% of RFC students receive college acceptances and 80% enroll in college right after graduation. It costs RFC $165 to get a student into college. You can play a role in the next acceptance.

Jonathan Williams, Executive Director

700 12th Street, NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20005
202-246-7357
jwilliams@reachforcollege.org
reachforcollege.org


Page 31

EDUCATION: Literacy and Learning

AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation

WISH LIST
$90: 1 "big book" for interactive reading;
$500: family lending library for families to read together at home;
$2500: professional development for 1 preschool teacher
 
Low-income children stand to gain the most from high quality pre-school education, but they are also the least likely to receive it. And this is true even though states predict the number of jail cells they will need by assessing the lack of reading proficiency in fourth graders. So you can see why AppleTree Institute is dedicated to closing the achievement gap for the most vulnerable children before they enter kindergarten. Hiring teachers with college and advanced degrees to create preschool centers of excellence in language and literacy, and guaranteeing the necessary training and professional development, is central. Making this research-based instructional program available to as many children as possible is also key. Winner of a prestigious, five-year, Investing in Innovation grant, AppleTree enrolls 620 children (with a goal of 800 in the coming years) and its students make remarkable strides: 25% higher than the average DC student on letter recognition at the beginning of kindergarten and 70% higher on oral vocabulary by 2nd grade. You can ensure that these children get the great beginning they deserve.

Jack McCarthy, Managing Director

415 Michigan Avenue NE, Providence Hall
Washington, DC 20017
(202) 488-3990
jmccarthy@appletreeinstitute.org
appletreeinstitute.org


EDUCATION: Literacy and Learning

The George B Thomas, Sr Learning Academy

WISH LIST
$100: full registration fees for 2 students;
$1000: graduation ceremony at a Saturday School Center (250 students);
$3700: compensation for a certified teacher for 1 year
 
At the George B. Thomas Learning Academy, education takes a “back to basics” approach. Most of the 3,000 Montgomery County 1st through 12th graders who are eligible to attend belong to minority, low-income, or English as a second language families – and they trail their more affluent peers in achievement. The Academy works to reverse this trend. The method? Intensive, targeted tutoring in math, reading, and test-taking skills for two and one-half hours at "Saturday School," from October through May, with certified teachers and trained volunteers. To make sure the kids are getting the support they need, the Academy requires parent engagement in workshops on homework help, college preparation, and internet safety. Each year, the Academy meets with school system representatives to ensure that tutoring complements schoolwork; and every semester, tutors analyze report cards and adjust the next semester's studies. And it pays off: 80% of students complete the program having reached their goal of grade-level proficiency. The Academy estimates that 16,000 more county students could benefit from Saturday School. Donors, let's make room for them!

Michael A Thomas, Executive Director

7210 Hidden Creek Road
Bethesda, MD 20817
301-320-6545
Michael_A_Thomas@mcpsmd.org
saturdayschool.org


EDUCATION: Literacy and Learning

Literacy Council of Northern Virginia

WISH LIST
$100: training for 2 new volunteer tutors;
$500: a 12-week Family Learning class for a mother and her children;
$1000: books for 20 adult learners in an ESOL class
 
In a 400 square-mile area where 64 different languages are spoken and families hail from 40 different countries, the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia’s adult education programs are in great demand. Since 1962, LCNV has imparted the basic skills of reading, writing, speaking, and understanding English, empowering participants to engage more fully and confidently in their communities. Unique among literacy programs, LCNV focuses specifically on adults who cannot read or write beyond the fifth grade level – and cannot take advantage of citizenship, GED, or technology classes elsewhere. For these individuals, LCNV is the first serious step on the road to higher education. Last year its trained volunteers provided more than 39,000 hours of instruction to 1,540 students. LCNV's Family Learning Program also teaches English and reading skills to immigrant parents through activities that reinforce what their children are studying in school; civics, nutrition, and health are covered too. In the words of one successful graduate: "Now I feel good about myself. I don’t know how I could repay the Literacy Council."

Patricia M Donnelly, Executive Director

2855 Annandale Road
Falls Church, VA 22042
703-237-0866, ext 102
pdonnelly@lcnv.org
lcnv.org


Page 35

HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, and Families

Crossway Community

WISH LIST
$100: emergency food and clothing for 1 family;
$500: 3 financial literacy classes for 40 students;
$1000: furnishings for a 1-bedroom apartment for a vulnerable family
 
Crossway Community is an innovative alternative to traditional domestic violence centers, transitional housing programs, and homeless shelters. Young mothers reshape their lives at the Family Leadership School; young children become independent learners at the Crossway Community Montessori School; and families are woven together through recreational, cultural, and civic events at the Neighborhood Learning Center. The core constituency is young, low-income, at-risk mothers and their children, struggling to overcome homelessness, substance abuse, domestic violence, multigenerational poverty, and social isolation. And they find what they need at Crossway: supportive housing, parent resources, career counseling, a sense of community, and the self-sufficiency that education brings. And what about results? Impressive. More than 78% of graduates are living without public assistance; nearly 60% have earned or are earning college degrees; and 90% of children remain in school or have graduated. Winner of the Bridge Builders Award from Partners for Livable Communities and the Metropolitan Life Enterprise Foundation Best Practice Award (among others), Crossway is the key to family success. And your family can help.

Kathleen Guinan, Chief Executive Officer

3015 Upton Drive
Kensington, MD 20895
301-929-2505
kguinan@crossway-community.org
crossway-community.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, and Families

Homeless Children's Playtime Project

WISH LIST
$100: snacks of fresh produce for 150 children;
$500: 2 field trips and lunch for 15 children and youth;
$1000: 6-week parenting class with food and stipends for 10 parents
 
Every week, more than 100 volunteers give children a much-needed opportunity: the chance to play. At five emergency shelters and transitional housing programs, the Homeless Children's Playtime Project nurtures development and reduces trauma by creating playrooms where kids can just be kids – jump into games; explore reading, and math activities; engage in imaginative play and art projects; eat healthy snacks. Kids get one-on-one attention, as well as the company of their peers, while their parents have time to rest, run errands, and participate in classes, assured that their children are safe. Monthly trips introduce children to the National Zoo, the Smithsonian, and the White House, and seasonal parties give families opportunities to relax and celebrate together. "Survival kits" – backpacks filled with games, books, art supplies, and toys – keep children engaged and active when they are away. Most kids come from single-parent, low-income families and are struggling to process the crises – from sudden eviction to domestic violence – that displaced them. They need these playtimes: to restore comfort, safety, and joy. Won't you lend a hand?

Jamila Larson, LICSW, Executive Director, Co-Founder

1525 Newton Street NW
Washington, DC 20010
202-329-4481
jamila.hcpp@gmail.com
playtimeproject.net


HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, and Families

Bright Beginnings

WISH LIST
$100: grocery store gift cards (medicine, diapers, formula) for 4 families;
$500: art and science projects for 45 toddlers;
$1000: zoo or museum trips for 50 homeless preschoolers
 
On any given day, more than 200,000 children have no place to live – and 42% of them are under the age of five. Growing up on the move, they often begin school with developmental disadvantages that create life-long learning problems. Bright Beginnings aims to give them a more secure, positive start. For 20 years, it has offered a rigorous pre-kindergarten curriculum (including counseling, speech therapy, and pre-literacy learning), specially designed for those born into chaotic environments. Welcoming 150 children a year, the Early Head Start and Head Start programs establish a solid educational foundation for reading and writing and ensure early intervention for learning disabilities and health problems (free therapeutic services, and dental, vision, and hearing screenings are all available on site). A strong family services program sees that parents develop the skills to monitor their children's development, meet their basic needs (food, clothing, shelter), and have resources to find employment and a stable home. A bright beginning can lead to a lifetime of success: your support can be the start of something extraordinary.

Betty Jo Gaines, Executive Director

128 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
202.842.9090
bgaines@BrightBeginningsInc.org
brightbeginningsinc.org


Page 37

HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, and Families

Gandhi Brigade

WISH LIST
$100: training for 1 teenager to produce a media project;
$500: 2 digital audio recorders;
$1000: a brand new video camera
 
The goal? A path for at-risk youth to become leaders of community change. The tools? Cameras, computers, and ... creativity. A truly community-based media project, the Gandhi Brigade pairs teens and young adults with media professionals to produce video, photography, and graphic designs that explore race, gender, economics, power, faith, and justice in their neighborhoods – with nearly 50 projects brought to life by 100 young people in the past year. While many kids are first attracted by the technology itself, experiencing a positive peer group and getting absorbed in a challenging, personal project soon draws them into the full Gandhi Brigade experience: Swadeshi Studios (where kids learn business skills while creating media for non-profit clients), Freedom School (where youth and adult leaders unite to explore social justice through conversation and workshops), and Express Yourself (where 140 young artists display nearly 200 media projects at a regional festival). The most advanced students can bring their involvement full circle by returning as peer instructors. Why not support a creative, lasting approach to youth empowerment?

Richard Jaeggi, Executive Director

PO Box 7381
Silver Spring, MD 20907
301-957-0159
richard@gandhibrigade.org
gandhibrigade.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, and Families

Break the Cycle

WISH LIST
$100: outreach materials for 1000 teens, including Latino and LGBTQ youth;
$500: classroom presentation about dating violence;
$1000: training session for DC police
 
Teen dating violence is an epidemic, and a silent one at that: though one in three American teens will experience dating abuse, nearly two-thirds will never report it. And, until recently, few organizations targeted young people who were experiencing abuse in their first relationships. Break the Cycle opened its doors with the goal of preventing violence among youth ages 12 to 24 – and empowering teens to diagnose, escape, and prevent unhealthy relationships. It provides free legal services (including attorneys who specialize in youth domestic abuse), trains local professionals to support young victims, advocates for a safety net of comprehensive laws, and just launched a Respect WORKS campaign, which teaches teens to look out for warning signs of abuse and take a stand to protect their friends. Break the Cycle has helped 20,000 young people diagnose and escape abusive relationships – and achieve safety and justice. As one young woman explained it: “Leaving him was not enough. I needed Break the Cycle’s help to truly be safe.” Let's be sure that others have help too.

Marjorie Gilberg, Executive Director

PO Box 21034
Washington, DC 20009
310.286.3383, ext 804
mgilberg@breakthecycle.org
breakthecycle.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, and Families

Little Lights Urban Ministries

WISH LIST
$100: 1 month of reading and math tutoring sessions;
$500: a 6-month mentoring relationship for 1 child;
$2000: maintenance of a high-speed computer lab for 1 year
 
In the Potomac Gardens public housing complex in Ward 6, families of four have an annual income of $7,830 – or less. More than 90% of children live in one- or no-parent households, and a number have incarcerated parents. Drug use is rampant, as is under-achievement, and the schools are in desperate need of improvement. Little Lights Urban Ministries serves the children of Potomac Gardens. The scope is small, but the impact is broad and deep. Children ages five and up work with reading and math tutors, using proven curricula that increase skills and boost critical thinking. Homework help, SAT practice, after-school activities, and summer camp offer opportunities for enrichment that are otherwise just not available. Last year, 100% of students mastered math objectives identified in their learning plans and well over half improved their reading skills. 100% stayed in school, and not one became pregnant or was arrested – real victories in a tough world where every victory counts. Your generosity lights a light for these children.

Steve Park, Executive Director

760 7th Street SE
Washington, DC 20003
202-548-4021
steve@littlelights.org
littlelights.org


Page 39

HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, and Families

Fairfax Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)

WISH LIST
$100: 3 training manuals for new volunteers;
$500: 20 gift cards for children during the holiday season;
$1200: comprehensive advocacy services for 1 child for 1 year
 
Abused and neglected children in the court system deserve an advocate: not a mentor or pal, but a highly trained adult who understands what is in a child’s best interests, and sees that the system meets his or her needs.That is just what Fairfax CASA has done for 5,200 children over the past twenty-two years. When a child is abused and neglected, the judge assigns a CASA volunteer to provide consistent support, compassion, and a voice in court until the child finds a safe home in which to thrive. Empowered by a Court Order, the CASA volunteer completes an in-depth investigation of the case to give the court a clear picture of the child's needs and remains committed to the child until the case is closed. To ensure that each youngster receives the best advocate possible, Fairfax CASA conducts intensive recruiting and training of volunteers, complemented by ongoing guidance and support. For many children, their CASA volunteer is the person they count on to give them voice and return them to life.

Lisa Banks, Executive Director

4103 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 200
Fairfax, VA 22030
(703) 273-3526, ext 11
executivedirector@casafairfax.org
fairfaxcasa.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, and Families

The Center for Alexandria's Children

WISH LIST
$100: seasonal clothing for infants;
$500: 8 multicultural newborn dolls (and accessories) for prevention programs;
$1000: emergency fund for parents in crisis
 
Just one decade ago, services for Alexandria's abused and neglected children were fragmented: young victims had to repeat the stories of their abuse over and over, and many of their cases still did not make it to court. Today, when children step through the doors of The Center for Alexandria's Children, they can feel truly protected – perhaps for the first time. At this child-friendly, one-stop location for investigation, treatment, and prevention, reporting abuse does not mean reliving it. The Center conducts joint interviews with Child Protective Services and detectives, offers on-site therapists for treatment and support, and provides family group conferencing and peer support groups. A multi-disciplinary team (drawn from child protection, law enforcement, and social and medical services) then tracks and reviews all cases to ensure that no child falls through the cracks. Equally dedicated to prevention, the Center partners with local organizations to offer family support and train youth-service workers to recognize (and swiftly respond to) signs of abuse. Alexandria's most vulnerable citizens need these doors to stay open.

Giselle L Pelaez, Executive Director

1900 N Beauregard Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22311
703-746-6017
gpelaez@centerforalexandriaschildren.org
centerforalexandriaschildren.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, and Families

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Washington, DC

WISH LIST
$100: stocks an emergency food pantry for 1 month;
$500: houses 1 family for an entire week;
$1000: keeps the gas tank in the RMHC van full for 1 year
 
Ronald McDonald House Charities provides a home away from home for the families of critically ill children in treatment at area hospitals. Without these homes (in DC and VA) families would camp out in hospital corridors, live in costly hotel rooms, or leave a child when he most needs them. Houses include kitchens, living rooms, laundries, play areas, and comfortable private rooms. Having basic needs met allows parents to manage a trying situation without wondering where they will sleep or how they will eat: they find relief and community, and can focus on what counts – the health and well-being of their children. In addition, the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Children’s National Medical Center offers a quiet retreat from the stress of the hospital; and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile (in association with Georgetown University Hospital) brings health care to the under- and un-insured. RMHC's recently completed, new DC home is large enough to serve 35% more families. Your support means respite for those who truly need it.

Lisa Smith, Executive Director

3727 14th Street, NE
Washington, DC 20017
703-698-7080
LisaRMHC@vacoxmail.com
rmhc.greaterdc.org


Page 41

HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, and Families

Liberty's Promise

WISH LIST
$150: field trip transportation for 20 immigrant youth;
$500: healthy meals for 30 students in 5 civics classes;
$800: 1 8-week internship for a young immigrant
 
Metropolitan Washington is the fourth-largest immigrant gateway in the US, but studies show that immigrant families cannot easily communicate the value of civic participation to their children, and that children do not use community resources (like libraries, for example) as much as native families do. Liberty’s Promise addresses these very gaps, combining professional development and civic education to sustain and support low-income immigrants ages 15-21 while encouraging them to be active, conscientious American citizens. The idea is to make the immigrant experience an affirmative one, introduce youth to the democratic traditions of the US, and facilitate their transition to American life. The internship program places documented immigrants in non-profit, for-profit, government, and media internships, giving them valuable work experience. The civics program offers first-hand knowledge of local government and a real understanding of the benefits of civic participation. In five years, Liberty's Promise has helped more than 1,200 youth learn about and feel at home in the DC region. An investment here supports a great cause: maintaining America’s strength in diversity.

Robert M Ponichtera, Executive Director

1010 Pendleton Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-549-9950
rponichtera@libertyspromise.org
libertyspromise.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, and Families

First Time Computers

WISH LIST
$100: computer systems for 3 low-income families;
$500: refurbished laptops for 9 college-bound students;
$1000: a 15-PC computer lab for a nonprofit working with job seekers
 
Here is the concept: take unwanted, donated computers, and put them together into high quality, fully equipped systems for those who can’t afford them. Employ unemployed teenagers and teach them the trade (while encouraging them to complete school). Make each computer internet ready, accompanied by a 6-page guide – not too long, not too short – and equipped to be a fully functional educational machine. Include in-home orientation as part of the package. The mission of First Time Computers is to enhance the educational prospects of low-income children and youth by widening their access to the world of technology. Short-term, the goal is to double the number of computers delivered annually – 2,000 this year – and long-term it is to see computers in all low-income households in the DC area and in groups serving children and youth. There is a certain magic at play here, reflected in bright smiles and looks of sheer joy and excitement, so those receiving FTC computers become part of its larger family. Catalogue donors: join the clan.

Lowell Dodge, Executive Director

3101 12th Street NE
Washington, DC 20017
202-722-2822
firsttimecmptrs@aol.com
firsttimecomputers.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Children, Youth, and Families

Neediest Kids

WISH LIST
$100: eye exam and glasses for one student;
$500: school supplies for 10 children;
$1000: warm winter coats for 20 kids
 
What do our region's low-income, at-risk schoolchildren need most? Whether it is school supplies, warm coats, healthy food, or toothbrushes, Neediest Kids will find a way. The goal is to help children with their most basic needs so that they can stay in school and succeed. After all, no coat, no school; no calculator, no success in algebra. Each of the 10 major school systems in the region (675,000 students) receives an annual distribution of funds; teachers, administrators, and counselors identify struggling students who are given purchase orders to obtain what they need – a sturdy backpack for carrying books, decent sneakers for walking to school, new underwear that will allow them to change for gym class without being teased. Neediest Kids also provides annually one million dollars worth of in-kind donations and connects school systems with vendor partners who can provide everything from school uniforms to eyeglasses. The power of Neediest Kids is in its simplicity, efficiency, and immediate impact. Even a modest gift can fulfill a kid's most pressing need – today.

Amy Ginsburg, President and CEO

8283 Greensboro Drive
McLean, VA 22102
703-377-0648
ginsburg_amy@neediestkids.org
neediestkids.org


Page 42

HUMAN SERVICES: Girls and Women

District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH)

WISH LIST
$100: 1 week of emergency food supplies for a family;
$500: enrollment and books for job training classes for 1 woman;
$1000: 1 month's subsidized rent for a family
 
Not long ago, DC offered only 48 emergency beds for domestic violence survivors. Ten times as many people needed them. The District Alliance for Safe Housing was founded to ensure that no woman had to choose between living with abuse and living on the streets. Dedicated to expanding the housing safety-net for abused women and enabling them to rebuild their lives on their own terms, DASH provides low-barrier safe housing complemented by voluntary support services. DASH's doors are open to all, including those suffering from mental illness, addiction, or disability, as well as women whose family situations might render them ineligible for safe housing elsewhere (having more than four children or being the caretakers of adult relatives). In addition to emergency and transitional housing, DASH runs a transitional-to-permanent housing program where families receive subsidized housing and two years of intensive support as they work towards self-sufficiency; the Housing Resource Center also provides self-advocacy tools, training, and resources to over 1,000 survivors. For many survivors, DASH is not only a shelter – it's a home.

Peg Hacskaylo, Executive Director

PO Box 91730
Washington, DC 20090
202-462-3274, ext 110
phacskaylo@dashdc.org
dashdc.org


Page 43

HUMAN SERVICES: Girls and Women

Girls on the Run of MoCo

WISH LIST
$100: a full scholarship for 1 season;
$500: running shoes for one team of 15 girls;
$1000: race fees for 75 parents to run alongside their daughters
 
Any girl can be a runner. And every girl can benefit from the healthy, empowering experience of running – and racing towards a goal. Committed to inspiring pre-teen girls to respect themselves and their bodies, Girls on the Run combines training for a 5K road race with uplifting workouts and team-building exercises at over 65 elementary and middle schools in Montgomery County. 3,000 girls from diverse backgrounds will join the pack this year, 25% of whom are on free and reduced lunch (an indicator of poverty) and cannot participate in most after-school activities because of the associated expenses; for these young athletes, the program is offered at low to no cost and GOTR even provides vouchers for running shoes. 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 on these strong young athletes, all the way to the 5K finish line.

Elizabeth McGlynn, Executive Director

12320 Parklawn Drive, Suite 212
Rockville, MD 20852
301-881-3801
elizabeth@girlsontherunofmoco.org
girlsontherunofmoco.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Girls and Women

Our Place, DC

WISH LIST
$100: 1 month of metro fares for commuting to work;
$500: medicine and toiletries for 25 women;
$1000: transportation and support for 8 people visiting incarcerated family members
 
Beverly M is dropped off at the bus station in a prison-issue coat with a bag of personal possessions in her hand, $65 in her pocket, and nowhere in the world to go. Her situation isn’t unusual: each year hundreds of women are released from prison only to find themselves homeless and friendless. Our Place, DC takes them in and connects them with critical services. In just 11 years, it has established in-prison support groups to help women prepare for release, a legal services clinic, and a drop-in support center where women get help with jobs, housing, and medical care. An emergency transitional housing program provides for women returning from prison who are homeless and HIV positive; and weekly support groups for survivors of domestic and sexual violence create a compassionate community. Founded by individuals from the legal, business, and social service communities, Our Place also includes staff members who are former prisoners – and who inspire others to restart their lives. Our Place provides a desperately needed service: won’t you reach out and help?

Ashley McSwain, Executive Director

1518 K Street NW, Mezzanine Level
Washington, DC 20005
202-548-2400, ext 102
amcswain@ourplacedc.org
ourplacedc.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Girls and Women

Friends of Guest House

WISH LIST
$100: 1 week of discounted groceries for 10 residents;
$650: 1 month of utility bills for a group home;
$1000: drug testing equipment for 6 months
 
More than 2,000 women are incarcerated in Virginia prisons and another 2,400 in local and regional jails. Many have no safe place to live when they are released, and most need help to achieve self-sufficiency. And then there are the children: 70% of incarcerated women have one child or more and they need support and training to become dependable parents. Guest House helps these women become responsible, productive members of the community. The residential program serves up to ten non-violent, female ex-offenders who live in a group home for four months. They find employment, learn life-skills (financial management, fitness, conflict resolution), build support systems, repair personal relationships, and secure housing – while working full time. An aftercare program is required for six to nine months to ensure that clients continue to receive the support they need; and demand for a new outreach program has increased by 350% in the past four years. Since 1974, when Friends of Guest House was founded, it has served over 1,000 non-violent, female ex-offenders. What’s the alternative?

Kari Galloway, Executive Director

One East Luray Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22301
703-549-8072
director@friendsofguesthouse.org
friendsofguesthouse.org


Page 45

HUMAN SERVICES: Health, Mental Health, and Aging

Simple Changes

WISH LIST
$100: 2 (necessary!) helmets for riders;
$500: tuition assistance for 1 rider for a 10-week session;
$1000: care of 1 horse for 2 months
 
At Simple Changes Therapeutic Riding Center, lives are changed one step at a time. With access to over 800 acres of land, both an outdoor and indoor riding arena, miles of natural trails, and wide open pastures in Northern Virginia, Simple Changes gives year-round riding lessons to individuals with disabilities, including autism, genetic syndromes, and cerebral palsy – offering the exhilarating, therapeutic experience of bonding with horses and with one another. The sensation of independent movement buoys the rider's confidence and spirits; lessons that include following directions and completing tasks in sequence develop cognitive skills; and the act of riding greatly improves strength, balance, and posture. Riders learn in small groups, allowing for both personal attention and social engagement, and everyone receives a 50% scholarship. A North American Riding for the Handicapped Association premiere accredited center, Simple Changes also offers hippotherapy (physical therapy based around the unique movement of a horse) and serves wounded veterans through its aptly-named Horses for Heroes program. To so many riders, it's simple changes that make all the difference.

Corliss Wallingford, Executive Director

PO Box 991
Lorton, VA 22199
703.402.3613
info@simplechanges.org
simplechanges.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Health, Mental Health, and Aging

Comfort for America's Uniformed Services (CAUSE)

WISH LIST
$100: 1 gift pack for a wounded soldier;
$500: 10 video games or DVDs for the library;
$2500: a picnic for 150 soldiers and their families
 
To those wounded overseas, Comfort for America's Uniformed Services sends a clear message: we deeply appreciate your sacrifice. Believing that no one should go into combat wondering how he or she will be treated if injured, CAUSE ensures that recuperating service members have opportunities for recreation and social interaction (both key to combating isolation and depression) and receive concrete signs of appreciation for all that they have done. At seven medical centers, including Walter Reed in DC, CAUSE distributes "gift packs" of both personal items and fun luxuries and runs a digital entertainment library stocked with no-cost DVDs and video games – often the only source of free entertainment on post. For both service members and their families, CAUSE also sponsors a massage and Reiki program, Sunday brunches and picnics, home-cooked dinners, and live broadcasts of sporting events; a Game Cart brings movies and gaming directly to soldiers who cannot yet leave their beds. Those dealing with life-altering injuries need normalcy, relaxation, and the comfort of friends. Please support this worthy CAUSE.

Pam Derrow, Executive Director

4114 Legato Road Suite B
Fairfax, VA 22033
703-591-4965
pamderrow@cause-usa.org
cause-usa.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Health, Mental Health, and Aging

The Women's Center

WISH LIST
$100: resume development workshop for 3 individuals;
$500: 10 hours of free outreach counseling at a local shelter;
$2160: 12-month support groups for domestic violence survivors and their children
 
For 37 years, The Women's Center has been nothing short of a lifeline to the women, men, teenagers, and children of Northern Virginia and DC for whom mental health counseling would otherwise be out of reach. Each year, over 2,600 clients benefit from individual and family psychotherapy, support groups, and assessments from trained psychologists. The Center is also one of only two local organizations providing comprehensive learning disabilities assessments for children, and the only such organization for adults. It offers mental health counseling in tandem with life skills training – a unique, holistic model of care that treats both mental illness and the financial stresses that exacerbate it. Career and financial counseling, mentoring programs, and advice on interviewing and resume-writing for those reentering the work force are all on the menu. Over 1,650 domestic violence victims also depend on the Center for free legal referrals, safety planning, and ... someone to walk them to the court house. Over 16,000 people call The Women's Center every year. You can ensure that someone always answers.

Carol Loftur-Thun, Executive Director

133 Park Street NE
Vienna, VA 22180
703-281-4928, ext 211
carol@thewomenscenter.org
thewomenscenter.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Health, Mental Health, and Aging

Smith Center for Healing and the Arts

WISH LIST
$100: artist-in-residence at a local hospital for a half-day;
$500: 2 facilitators for a day-long Living Well with Cancer retreat;
$1500: partial scholarship for a 1-week residential cancer retreat
 
Smith Center works with the human experience of cancer that conventional medicine often doesn't address. Caregiver and patient support groups, workshops on stress reduction, and classes in poetry, art, and journal writing offer the opportunity for self-expression; day- and week-long retreats, many offered in the beautiful countryside, let patients and caregivers explore a range of resources for healing (scholarships are available for those who cannot afford the already reduced costs). Local artists also work with patients and caregivers at the Washington Cancer Institute, and the Wounded Warrior program at National Naval Medical Center engages with soldiers recovering from traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress. Smith Center created the first National Navigation Training in Integrative Cancer Care and offers far-reaching Integrative Patient Navigation services (helping patients overcome barriers to care), both through the Center and through churches in Southeast and Northeast DC to reach African-American and African immigrant communities. Last year, Smith Center reached over 10,000 individuals affected by cancer. A two-time Susan G. Komen Foundation award winner, Smith Center deserves your generous support.

Shanti Norris, Co-Founder and Executive Director

1632 U Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-483-8600
shanti@smithcenter.org
smithcenter.org


Page 47

HUMAN SERVICES: Health, Mental Health, and Aging

Capitol Hill Village

WISH LIST
$230: a year-long membership for 1 veteran;
$500: 5 a/c units to keep low-income seniors cool in the summer;
$1000: 1-year memberships for 2 low income members
 
Capitol Hill Village is just that: a virtual village in livable, walkable surroundings where volunteers unite to help older adults age safely and comfortably – in their own homes and in their beloved neighborhood. Of CHV's 245 members, more than half live by themselves. And because of limiting conditions, many would have left their homes were it not for the support of the village. So what happens to a villager in need? CHV has over 250 volunteers ready to provide a ride to the pharmacy, doctor, or grocery store, help with housekeeping, paperwork, or meal preparation, offer gardening advice or sidewalk shoveling. And when it comes to major repairs, home care assistance, or medical support, CHV staff efficiently link members with community-vetted vendors and partners. For low-income neighbors, discounted membership dues provide what all members receive, plus financial assistance with essential home repairs. Just as important are opportunities to learn and socialize: financial counseling, theater outings, cooking workshops, exercise classes, and CHV dinners keep everyone connected. Because aging at home should never mean aging alone.

Katie McDonough, Executive Director

PO Box 15126
Washington, DC 20003
202-543-1778
kmcdonough@capitolhillvillage.org
capitolhillvillage.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Health, Mental Health, and Aging

The Senior Connection of Montgomery County

WISH LIST
$100: round-trip transportation to 4 medical appointments;
$500: shopping services for 3 months;
$1000: recruit and train 10 volunteers to provide direct services for a full year
 
Seniors who no longer drive still need to get to medical appointments – something that many of us who drive take for granted. They also need groceries, prescriptions, and services from local banks, dry cleaners, and shopping malls. While county buses and taxis provide a wonderful service to many, not all seniors are able easily and safely to use them. The Senior Connection provides the answer for many of Montgomery County's seniors, offering "escorted transportation" services for those who need someone to walk with them, wait with them, and sometimes hold their hand during a procedure. These and other resources – assistance with paperwork, help reading and writing letters, friendly visitation and telephone reassurance – let seniors live as independently as possible and remain integral members of the community for as long as possible. Since 1993, TSC has successfully maintained its volunteer programs without charging one cent to those who use them – helping older adults to "age in community" for as long as it is safe to do so.

Susan M Dollins, Executive Director

3950 Ferrara Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20906
301 962-0820, ext 10
Suedollins@cs.com
seniorconnectionmc.org


Page 49

HUMAN SERVICES: Hunger, Homelessness, and Housing

Joseph's House

WISH LIST
$100: 40 meals for residents and guests;
$500: 10 sets of bedsheets and blankets;
$1000: 1 new reclining chair
 
From streets, shelters, prisons, and hospitals, Joseph's House welcomes approximately 40 terminally ill men and women a year to its nine-bed hospice home in Adams Morgan – where they find a welcoming, compassionate community at the end of life. Joseph's House truly offers each resident a continuum of care: physical, emotional, and spiritual nourishment, 24-hour nursing, addiction recovery support, personal care services – and transitional support for those who regain their health. Some defy the odds and leave Joseph's House, well-prepared to reclaim their lives. But most do not. For those living their last days at the house, there is constant support, understanding, and love; staff and volunteers hold vigil around the clock, remaining fully present to them in their final hours. In a city with the highest rate of AIDS infection (nearly 3%) and cancer mortality in the nation (often due to inadequate screening and care in the poorest neighborhoods), Joseph's House remains steadfastly committed to providing a lifelong home and community to the men and women who walk through its doors.

Patricia Wudel, Executive Director

1730 Lanier Place NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-328-9161, ext 15
PattyWudel@JosephsHouse.org
josephshouse.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Hunger, Homelessness, and Housing

ALIVE! (ALexandrians InVolved Ecumenically)

WISH LIST
$100: 500 pounds of food for the pantry;
$500: 2 weeks in ALIVE! House for a mother and her children;
$1000: a preschool scholarship for a low-income child for 1 month
 
In 1969, after the Poor People’s March on Washington, a group of Alexandrians representing different faiths realized that many of their neighbors were “falling through the cracks.” They founded ALIVE! to provide the missing safety net. First came The Family Emergency Program, which today meets over 2,000 requests for help with food, rent, utilities, prescriptions, and other critical needs. Next came ALIVE! House, which provides temporary shelter for 15 families a year, and the Child Development Center, now a year-round, nationally accredited preschool for at-risk children. And ALIVE! is still going strong, powered by an extraordinary group of committed volunteers who staff the office, sort and deliver food, drive the furniture truck, and read to children. The Food Pantry delivers more than 3,600 bags of donated food to help 2,500 individuals. The Furniture Program collects and delivers over $75,000 worth of furniture to nearly 300 families needing beds, tables, dressers, chairs, and other household necessities. As one client wrote: "Please tell your volunteers that if it wasn't for them ... I wouldn't be here today."

Kenneth D Naser, Executive Director

2723 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22302
703-837-9320
ExecDirALIVE@aol.com
alive-inc.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Hunger, Homelessness, and Housing

Housing Unlimited Inc

WISH LIST
$100: subsidies for 3 Tenants Council social events;
$500: pots, pans, plates, and tools for a newly-purchased home;
$2500: living room decorations and furnishings for 3 new tenants
 
In 1994, a team of Montgomery County parents set a goal: new, independent housing options for their adult children with psychiatric disabilities. They believed that individuals who were well enough to live alone would grow happier and healthier when given the chance to be on their own. Today, Housing Unlimited owns 47 Montgomery County properties that provide stable, permanent homes to 138 individuals – and more homes are set to open this coming year. Rents are based on each tenant's income, and are capped to provide security and encourage employment. And Housing Unlimited's focus is just that: housing, and education about the responsibilities it entails and the great privileges it brings. Residents remain free to make their own decisions when it comes to therapy and medical care. A Tenants' Council strengthens leadership and organizational skills, and ensures that tenants have a voice in their day-to-day lives. HUI's approach is effective and its program in demand: the current waiting list is two years long. Your contribution will help even more individuals with psychiatric disabilities become proudly independent.

Abe Schuchman, Executive Director

1398 Lamberton Drive, Suite G1
Silver Spring, MD 20902
301 592 9314
aschuchman@housingunlimited.org
housingunlimited.org


Page 50

HUMAN SERVICES: Hunger, Homelessness, and Housing

Miriam's Kitchen

WISH LIST
$250: supplies for therapeutic group activities;
$500: meals, case management, and therapy for 1 guest for a full year;
$1000: 1 healthy dinner for all guests for 1 night
 
Miriam’s Kitchen got its start when a group of individuals and faith-based organizations decided that people who spent their nights on the outdoor grates in Foggy Bottom needed a nutritious, hot breakfast. So every weekday morning for the last 28 years – on holidays, during heat waves, and in blizzards – this kitchen has served breakfast to chronically homeless men and women: 1,500 when Miriam’s was first featured in the Catalogue; over 4,000 today. A committed staff and over 2,200 volunteers meet the growing need; and new donors have pitched in too. As often happens in these cases, breakfast has expanded to include other things: health and mental health services; legal assistance; therapeutic groups; connections to longer-term resources. And guests are invited back each weeknight for a homemade dinner and additional support services. Miriam’s Kitchen provides more than sustenance: it helps guests improve their quality of life, and it offers its services with dignity and respect. Your support brings the most basic nourishment – body and soul – to those who need it.

Scott Schenkelberg, Executive Director

2401 Virginia Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20037
(202) 452-8926 ext 222
scott@miriamskitchen.org
miriamskitchen.org


Page 51

HUMAN SERVICES: Hunger, Homelessness, and Housing

Arlingtonians Meeting Emergency Needs

WISH LIST
$100: prescriptions for 5 homeless individuals;
$250: emergency dental work for an uninsured resident;
$1000: rent payment to keep a family housed and prevent eviction
 
The cost of living in metro DC is among the highest in the nation, with rent on a two-bedroom Arlington apartment averaging $2,000 per month. Let's face it: making payments like these can be difficult for low-income families, especially when temporary unemployment, an unexpected illness, or a sudden financial crisis, strikes. Since 1975, AMEN has been a front-line defense against homelessness, offering same-day emergency assistance to Arlington residents for rent, pharmacy and medical bills, utilities, and transportation (checks are made out directly to the landlord, medical provider, company, or creditor). Section 8 housing recipients also have access to a loan program for security deposits of up to $500 (fees are as low as $10/month); and collaboration with Dominion Power's EnergyShare program provides up to $600 per client for heating and $300 for cooling costs. AMEN's Homelessness Prevention program aims to stop homelessness before it starts. With four part-time staff and 30 volunteers, it annually serves approximately 3,000 clients in Arlington County. Your donation keeps countless families warm, safe, and at home. AMEN to that.

Geraldine Shannon, Executive Director

PO Box 7429
Arlington, VA 22207
703-558-0035
gshannon@emergencyneeds.org
emergencyneeds.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Hunger, Homelessness, and Housing

Project Mend-A-House

WISH LIST
$100: a set of grab bars or exterior hand rails;
$500: a portable ramp or plumbing repairs for 2 bathrooms;
$1000: 1 gently-used stairway climber
 
Project Mend-A-House does just what its name implies: it performs minor safety and structural repairs – the kind that help the needy, elderly, and infirm of Prince William County, VA (just 25 miles outside the Beltway) to preserve their cherished independence. With the help of a core group of volunteers, and supplies that are donated or purchased with contributions, PMAH mends an average of 125 households per year – installing bathroom handrails, constructing handicapped-accessible ramps, replacing windows, repairing creaky steps and leaky faucets, removing tree limbs, retiling bathrooms, installing smoke detectors, and performing safety checks. Some repairs are as simple as a $13 grab bar; some are as costly as two stair climbers for children with spina bifida. Large and small, these repairs are physically and financially beyond the means of the frail clients that PMAH serves – at no cost. Last year, volunteers donated over 6,000 hours (companies and service clubs are welcome), and PMAH completed 450 projects that assisted over 140 clients. It’s a winning partnership … that you can join.

Andrea Saccoccia, Executive Director

7987 Ashton Avenue, Suite 231
Manassas, VA 20109
703-792-7663
projectmendahouse@msn.com
pmahweb.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Hunger, Homelessness, and Housing

L'Arche Greater Washington, DC

WISH LIST
$100: 2 weeks of transportation to work for 4 individuals;
$500: 1 month of groceries for a L'Arche home;
$1000: 1-month stipend for a live-in caregiver
 
Since the early 1980’s, L’Arche has opened four homes for low-income DC-area residents who have intellectual disabilities – often accompanied by physical disabilities and sometimes by mental health issues. The homes boast a one-to-one ratio of assistant to resident (a corps of volunteers helps as well) to meet the needs of 17 people. All require assistance with the activities of daily living: bathing, dressing, medication management, meal preparation, and transportation. But life has a normal rhythm: getting up, going to work, welcoming people home, eating dinner – so that joy can be found in the routines of daily living. Described as “the altruist’s dream” by Washington Post writer and Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Katherine Boo, L’Arche is a model for how housing services for adults with intellectual disabilities should be designed. It provides “homes for life” for its core people, and profoundly affects the hearts and minds of those who work with them every day – assistants, volunteers, friends, and family. Your support makes a world of difference here.

John Cook, Executive Director

PO Box 21471
Washington, DC 20009
202.232.4539
johncook@larche-gwdc.org
larche-gwdc.org


Page 53

HUMAN SERVICES: Hunger, Homelessness, and Housing

HomeAid Northern Virginia

WISH LIST
$100: all the paint for 1 shelter project;
$500: carpet, tile, or vinyl for a replacement floor;
$5000: complete renovation of a shelter's bathroom
 
HomeAid might be the best "broker" in Northern Virginia. After all, it is in the business of connecting local housing organizations and emergency shelters with professional homebuilders, trade partners, and sub-contractors who can offer the best renovations at the lowest costs. So how does it work? HomeAid ensures that a shelter has the capacity to participate in a construction project and take advantage of a brand new resource. Then, a professional Builder Captain is chosen to collaborate with the shelter, architect, and engineer to create the ideal design. The Builder Captain calls on Trade Partners who can provide time and materials at little or no cost. HomeAid is also the link to banks, attorneys, architects, and engineers who provide critical support for shelter projects – from improvements in existing facilities to the complete design and creation of a new shelter. And what is the result? A community venture that expands and enriches housing services for the neediest Northern Virginia residents. Such work – and the collaboration that makes it happen – truly merits your support.

Christy Eaton, Executive Director

3901 Centerview Drive, Suite E
Chantilly, VA 20151
571-283-6320
ceaton@nvbia.com
homeaidnova.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Hunger, Homelessness, and Housing

Building Futures: Family AIDS Housing

WISH LIST
$100: welcome kit for new residents, including linens and utensils;
$500: emergency food or rent assistance for 1 family;
$1000: new, long-lasting flooring for one apartment
 
Building Futures does not only create housing, it builds the foundations for dignified lives. For the past 20 years, it has provided safe and affordable housing options for families and individuals with multiple disabilities; preference is given to those with HIV/AIDS, and many residents are recovering from substance abuse. Here, a unique combination of permanent housing, support services, and medical case management ensures that very low-income individuals can take control of their lives – and that families can stay strong and together. Endeavoring to create true homes in its 57 units (which include both efficiencies and family dwellings), Building Futures offers playrooms, computer rooms, gardens, and academic and social support for kids in both Brookland and Columbia Heights. Both residents and the broader community are invited to participate in support groups for persons living with HIV/AIDS or overcoming alcohol or drug dependence. Such extensive support makes a real difference: last year, 100% of residents maintained their housing and their relationship with a primary care doctor. Let's build upon that.

Maritza Perez-Falero, Executive Director

1440 Meridian Place NW
Washington, DC 20010
202-639-0361 ext 303
mfalero@buildingfutures.org
buildingfutures.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Hunger, Homelessness, and Housing

Cornerstone

WISH LIST
$100: a new toilet for 1 apartment;
$1000: installation of 5 windows;
$1500: 6 air conditioning units for low-income residents
 
Four thousand District residents with mental illnesses lack long-term housing. Many are veterans who are also physically disabled or struggling with substance abuse, and with an annual income of less than $7,000, they have only $200-$300 for rent each month – far below local market rates. So for the past 20 years, Cornerstone has worked to purchase, renovate and improve housing, turning it from an impossibility to a reality. Created as a "gap funder," it provides low-interest loans and recoverable grants to property owners who dedicate housing to individuals with serious mental illnesses. Funds for pre-development and construction are typically hardest to attain through traditional banks, so when the final product will benefit those most in need, Cornerstone will step in to make up the difference. Cornerstone also steps up to help low-income residents handle the unexpected: to repair homes damaged during brutal winter storms or provide a record number of air conditioners when the thermometer really heats up. The cornerstone is laid: your generosity ensures that the building goes on.

Nancy Liebermann, President

1400 20th Street NW, Suite G3
Washington, DC 20036
202-347-7808
nancyliebermann@gmail.com
cornerstonedc.org


Page 54

HUMAN SERVICES: Nonprofit Support/Volunteerism

LearnServe International

WISH LIST
$100: expenses for 1 day of a service trip in Zambia;
$500: seed funding for 1 student-led social venture;
$1000: year-long entrepreneurship training for 1 LearnServe Fellow
 
Only 26% of high school students volunteer, and many view it as an obligation rather than an opportunity. LearnServe aims to change that by teaching DC students to be the next generation of social entrepreneurs and global leaders. Empowering high-schoolers who have the motivation (but perhaps not the means) to make a difference, the Fellows Program guides them through the creation of their own "social venture." One student has launched an energy improvement initiative at her school; one founded a scholarship program for children of incarcerated parents; another mobilized teams of peers to teach a hands-on science curriculum at local elementary schools. LearnServe also offers summer service-learning trips to Paraguay, Zambia, and Jamaica, where students experience the day-to-day realities of life in a developing country and support ongoing development efforts in poverty, HIV/AIDS, and education (80% receive financial aid). Since 2004, LearnServe has engaged 500 (soon to be 560!) students at 40 DC-area schools, inspiring kids first to change their communities ... and then the world. You can make it happen.

Scott Rechler, Director and CEO

PO Box 6203
Washington, DC 20015
202-422-2239
scott@learn-serve.org
learn-serve.org


Page 55

HUMAN SERVICES: Nonprofit Support/Volunteerism

Volunteer Fairfax

WISH LIST
$100: recruitment and training of one bilingual Hispanic volunteer;
$500: rakes and shovels to clean six local parks;
$1000: an online directory to connect teens to nearby opportunities
 
Here are some interesting numbers: 12,676 volunteers, 68,000 hours, and 900 local non-profits. These reflect the reach of Volunteer Fairfax, the area's central resource for community engagement. Volunteer Fairfax mobilizes citizens, corporations, and local governments to meet the community's most essential needs by bringing person power to local non-profits where demand for services has risen exponentially. At any given time, as many as 400 volunteer opportunities are active in the 24-hour database. So Volunteer Fairfax works not only to broadcast opportunities, but to make clear that anyone can join the team: "Intégrate" (Spanish for "integrate yourself") mobilizes bilingual Hispanic volunteers; Global Youth Service Day gets kids excited about initiating change; BusinessLink connects with area businesses to offer consulting and employee service events; and the annual VolunteerFest engages over 800 volunteers at 36 sites in a single day. A recognized leader in emergency response, Volunteer Fairfax also stands ready to deploy volunteers corps to solve problems where and when they emerge. From new volunteers to established non-profits, your support for Volunteer Fairfax goes a long way.

Jeanne Sanders, Executive Director

10530 Page Avenue
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-246-3460
jsanders@volunteerfairfax.org
volunteerfairfax.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Legal Services and Justice Programs

Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project

WISH LIST
$100: a staff investigator's trip to visit a prospective client;
$500: copies of necessary courthouse files;
$5000: DNA testing in one exoneration case
 
In the past twenty years, 272 prisoners have been exonerated based on DNA evidence alone. As the new technology developed, several DC-area attorneys realized that no regional organization advocated for those who had been wrongly convicted – and who at last had the tools to prove it. The Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project was created to speak for them. With a focus on DC, Maryland, and Virginia, MAIP litigates innocence claims (which first undergo rigorous screening and investigation), representing the prisoner in court or filing a clemency petition. This process is crucial, not only to achieve justice for those wrongly imprisoned and return them to their families, but also to protect the public from perpetrators who are still at large. Overturning convictions is, however, profoundly difficult; so MAIP also leads a policy reform effort, aiming to educate the public and enact laws that would prevent wrongful convictions before they happen. MAIP does not advocate for lenient sentences or prison reform. Its sole (and essential) focus is speaking for the innocent when, as often happens, no one else can.

Shawn Armbrust, Executive Director

4801 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20016
202-895-4519
SArmbrust@exonerate.org
exonerate.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Nonprofit Support/Volunteerism

Atlas Service Corps

WISH LIST
$100: training visa fee for 1 Fellow;
$1000: enrollment in Atlas's Nonprofit Management Series;
$1500: roundtrip ticket for 1 Fellow to travel to the US and home
 
Atlas Corps truly has a far-reaching mission: to create a network of global "changemakers." While over 300 other fellowship programs send American leaders and scholars abroad, Atlas Corps recruits talented international non-profit leaders to serve in US organizations – 80% of which are located in Washington, DC. Atlas Corps provides the crucial (and complex) financial and visa structure and determines the fellowship finalists; the US Host Organizations then choose from among them. Last year, competition was steep, with 1,000 candidates from 75 countries (representing five continents and every major religious faith) applying for just 20 places. Once in the States, Fellows provide unique perspective, language skills, and expertise, while building their own leadership ability and sharing best practices at organizations such as GlobalGiving, Oxfam, World Wildlife Fund, and the US Peace Corps. And the Nonprofit Management Series ensures that Fellows have the opportunity to discuss and debate effective practices in the field. Named a Top 10 International Voluntary Service Program, Atlas Corps is in the business of crossing borders and empowering new leaders.

Scott Beale, Founder & CEO

1825 K Street NW Suite 281
Washington, DC 20006
202-263-4545
scott@atlascorps.org
atlascorps.org


Page 57

HUMAN SERVICES: Life Skills, Training, and Employment

Don Bosco Cristo Rey Corporate Work Study Program

WISH LIST
$100: transportation to work for 1 student for 2 months;
$500: 1 Business Boot Camp training course;
$1000: 100 business books and magazines for students in training
 
Success in the classroom and success in the workplace: these are the key aims of the Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School. Partnering with 75 companies, from law firms to hospitals to universities, Don Bosco's innovative Corporate Work Study Program enables low-income, at-risk students to take on the responsibility of a professional, entry-level job. Working in four-person "job sharing" teams to cover one full-time position, students work one complete day per week and one rotating Monday each month. A three-week Business Boot Camp ensures that team members are ready to balance office work and homework and to take on their new positions with confidence – learning small skills like shaking hands while maintaining eye contact and large ones like time management. And students gain the empowering experience of earning 60% of their own tuition. Last year, 92% received good or outstanding assessments from their employers and everyone was on track to graduate – uniquely prepared both for college and for the work world beyond. Your support can truly have double the impact.

Alicia Bondanella, Executive Director

1010 Larch Avenue
Takoma Park, MD 20912
301-891-4750, ext 116
bondanellaa@dbcr.org
dbcr.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Life Skills, Training, and Employment

DC Students Construction Trades Foundation

WISH LIST
$100: starter tool and safety kit for 1 student;
$500: nails and shingles for a training site;
$1000: emergency fund to assist a graduate transitioning to work or college
 
Ten years ago, DC community leaders uncovered two interrelated problems: as commercial and residential development took hold in long-neglected areas of the city, DC workers were shut out of the city's economic growth because they lacked job training in construction and engineering, while contractors, ironically, lacked a strong pool of local employees to fill their jobs. The solution? A public-private partnership that rejuvenated school and industry commitment to technical education and launched the Academy of Construction and Design at Cardozo Senior High School. Before long, students began to see the Academy's renovated, high-tech classrooms as their home within the school, coming before and after classes for extra academic support – and ultimately achieving a 90% graduation rate. The newly-launched Build A House program provides guided opportunities for students to test their math, carpentry, mechanical drawing, and blueprint-reading skills at a real building site; and partnerships with local construction firms offer career-advancing instruction for 150 employed apprentices. Jobs as engineers, carpenters, electricians, and construction managers are all here in the District. You can give students the tools to fill them.

Beth Moore, Program Director

5151 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Suite 301
Washington, DC 20016
(202) 642-0806
beth@dcstudentsctf.org
dcstudentsctf.org


HUMAN SERVICES: Life Skills, Training, and Employment

Brandywine Street Association

WISH LIST
$100: workbooks for volunteer mentors;
$250: work clothes for newly-hired clients;
$500: a scholarship for 1 GED participant to complete preparatory classes
 
Founded and supported by local residents, the Brandywine Street Association began on one block in Washington Highlands SE, where homes were often headed by one parent, household budgets stretched thin, young people frequently dropped out of high school, and the unemployment rate hovered around 30%. BSA aimed to change all that, and transform the neighborhood into a supportive, safe place in which to grow up. Its cornerstone service, the Youth Work Study program, now enrolls 25 youth every six months: participants intern at local businesses, earning an hourly stipend and the chance for long-term employment. Those who are still in school are mentored and encouraged by area professionals; and those who are not receive GED training through BSA's partner organizations. Strong community collaborations ensure that BSA is aware of residents' most pressing needs – and ready to offer emergency aid when needed. Its newly-planned Community Empowerment Center will be a "one stop shop" for neighborhood families, offering day-care, tutoring, counseling, and employment services. Catalogue donors: you can take part in this great transformation.

Joyce Washington, Executive Director

713 Brandywine Street SE, Suite 101
Washington, DC 20032
202-562-0681
jmw305@yahoo.com
bsadc.org


Page 61

INTERNATIONAL

Partner for Surgery

WISH LIST
$100: transportation and care for 2 patients post-surgery;
$500: pre-surgical nutrition support for children with cleft palates;
$1000: 1 doctor's service with a medical team for a week
 
Ten years ago, Partner for Surgery's founders discovered that Guatemala's poor (primarily Mayan) families were suffering from disabling conditions that were, in fact, fully treatable. Yet in rural communities, where jobs and transportation are scarce, many people were frightened of doctors and lacked the means even to reach one. Since its inception, PfS has not only sought to bring life-changing surgical and interventional care to these under-served areas of Guatemala, but to strengthen the community's ability to provide healthcare access on its own. In collaboration with local partners, PfS launched Asociación Compañero para Cirugía (Partner for Surgery Association), which employs indigenous Guatemalans to bring health education to remote areas, and Compañero en Salud (Health Partner), which provides local volunteer support to American surgical teams and handles pre- and post-operative care. Other education efforts focus on cervical cancer prevention and nutrition for infants with cleft palate; and youth radio broadcasts spread health promotion and education in local dialects. The ultimate goal? To build a strong, community-based health care structure that can stand on its own.

Frank Peterson, President

PO Box 388
McLean, VA 22101
703-893-4335
info@partnerforsurgery.org
partnerforsurgery.org


INTERNATIONAL

Fund for Investigative Journalism

WISH LIST
$100: 7 days' travel in Malawi to investigate child labor on tobacco farms;
$500: airfare to document the abandonment of baby girls in Pakistani orphanages;
$2000: airfare to study the impact of climate change in Bangladesh
 
Freelance journalists are in a tight spot: subject to financial pressure, intimidation, and even threats, they lack the protections offered by major media outlets. Yet they remain dedicated to investigation, balance, and 'the story' – and the Fund for Investigative Journalism backs them up. By covering the reporting costs that freelancers often cannot afford, it advances crucial investigative projects in the US and around the globe. The two dozen grants awarded annually cover camera and recording equipment rentals, the cost of ordering public records, and travel expenses for meeting sources (nearly half of the grantees take their investigations abroad). Over the years, FIJ-sponsored writers have garnered two Pulitzer Prizes, two National Magazine Awards, and the MacArthur "Genius" award. But the real beneficiaries are readers and citizens: reporters have exposed toxic agricultural products sold in Kenya, companies that sold overpriced (and unaffordable) seed to impoverished farmers overseas, and destitute conditions abroad that led to human trafficking in the US. With your support, they will continue to write stories. And to break silences.

Sandy Bergo, Executive Director

529 14th Street NW- 13th floor
Washington, DC 20045
202-391-0206
fundfij@gmail.com
fij.org


INTERNATIONAL

CIVIC – Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict

WISH LIST
$100: local translator and driver for field missions;
$500: week-long research trip to identify victims and their needs;
$1000: advocacy trip to the United Nations
 
War's innocent victims are too often its forgotten ones. But CIVIC strives to give them the recognition they deserve. An advocate for smarter and more compassionate policies for civilian victims, CIVIC presses all warring parties (from armies to governments) to establish new standards of treatment and to help those they harm. And their efforts reach around the globe: CIVIC was among the first NGOs to send a field mission into Libya to assess the conditions for civilians, provided recommendations to the Pentagon and Department of Defense on civilian protection in Afghanistan, successfully advocated for support for Pakistani and Iraqi war victims, documented the stories of displaced families in Georgia, and presented to NATO's International Security Assistance Force before the adoption of its first-ever compensation policy for civilians. Partnering with Human Rights Watch and International Crisis Group, CIVIC has also launched a global coalition effort to create a new expectation in armed conflict: that warring parties will make amends to those caught in the crossfire. Together we can lower the human cost of war.

Sarah Holewinski, Executive Director

1210 18th Street NW, 4th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
202.558.6958
sarah@civicworldwide.org
civicworldwide.org