We use a lot of ambulatory and foot-related idioms: Walk a mile in her shoes, pulled up by his bootstraps, on my own two feet... you get the picture. Usually, it's all metaphor, but this week's DDG featured org, Back on My Feet, is getting literal about it (like actually literal, not like "OMG, I literally died when she showed up wearing the same dress as me").
Back on My Feet uses running as a means of helping people who are fighting homelessness or are at risk of becoming homeless. The philosophy behind the program is that the physical act of running can provide the self-confidence and energy needed to take the next steps (that wasn't even on purpose!) toward job training, education and self-sustainability. With Back on My Feet, clients can find a way to do more than just put one foot in front of the other (okay, that one was planned).
Shepherd's Table
Fighting Hunger
Since 1983, Shepherd's Table has been serving the homeless population in Silver Spring. The organization's services include meals, an eye clinic and a clothes closet. The resource center provides clients with a range of offerings from blankets and toiletries to Social Service referrals and access to prescription medication.
Executive director Jacki Coyle remembers a woman she met last year. "You saved my life," the woman said. "Shepherd’s Table was there for me 10 years ago. If not for all the help you gave me, I would have died on the street.”
"All I could do was to say thank you to her," said Jacki, "to let her know that it was an honor for us to serve her."
"What I find most rewarding in my work each day is serving with an amazingly dedicated staff as together we share our hearts and skills in the pursuit of providingcompassionate social services, nourishing meals, eye care, clothing and more to over 2,400 folks who are hungry and homeless in our community." - Jacki Coyle, executive director at Shepherd's Table
Lucky Dog Animal Rescue
Going to the dogs
Lucky Dog Animal Rescue is not a shelter. It's a rescue dedicated to saving at-risk animals from high-kill shelters or owners who can no longer care for them. Lucky Dog relies on foster guardians to take in rescued animals until they can be placed with permanent owners.
"Lucky Dog" is a bit of a misnomer. It's not luck that rescues animals in need. It's dedicated staff members and volunteers. Volunteers are vital to the operation. Lucky Dog depends on good-hearted people like you to give their time with everything from animal transport to coordinating adoptions. There's even Lucky Kids Club, designed to involve young people in the volunteering and advocacy process.
Have you seen the hashtag #adoptdontshop on social media? It doesn't refer to taking in children in lieu of buying some new jeans at the Gap. It's an encouragement to acquire pets at shelters rather than pet stores, to give homes to abandoned animals and fight puppy mills. Lucky Dog Animal Rescue has saved more than 8,000 animals and paired them with caring families. Read some of the success stories.
Scrap DC
Don't Trash It
You've probably heard the expression "one man's trash is another man's treasure." That's sort of the philosophy at SCRAP DC: They subscribe to the idea of creative reuse -- providing materials that would otherwise be discarded as means for you to create treasures of your own. It's environmentally sustainable, educational and promotes creativity. It's a do-good trifecta. Maybe you're familiar with the term "upcycling." SCRAP DC, this week's DDG featured org, prefers "creative reuse."
According to the SCRAP DC site, "Creative Reuse (also known as upcycling or repurposing), is when the addition of creativity to an already manufactured item brings a new function." So, in a sense, alchemy.
Let's look at the benefits: Environmental -- materials are kept out of landfills. Economic -- Access to inexpensive materials, as well as the creation of jobs. Educational -- Encouraging community members to stretch their creative muscles.
Well, we're convinced. How about you?
Robot Little Free Library created at SCRAP DC/Photo source: Marcelle Fozard
Common Good City Farm
Do Good For the Common Good
At Common Good City Farm, more than 5,000 pounds of food each year are shared with the community through CSA's and programs like Green Tomorrows, which provide nutrition education and produce to income-qualifying individuals. In addition to youth learning opportunities, Seed to Table and other workshops provide individuals with knowledge about gardening, nutrition and cooking. Learn about sustainable agriculture and community engagement. Support programs that help ensure food security for our neighbors in need.
If you like to get down and dirty, here's a great volunteer opportunity for you. Dig in with Common Good City Farm in LeDroit Park, a neighborhood where poverty, obesity and health-threatening conditions like diabetes are growing epidemics. Access to nutritious, fresh food can make a world of difference, and you can help! Learn about sustainable agriculture and community engagement. Support programs that help ensure food security for our neighbors in need. Or if you're more of the type to keep your hands clean, check out CGCF's Amazon Wish List.
Honor Flight Network
Flying With Honor
The mission of the Honor Flight Network is simple: To give veterans access to military memorials by providing transport. "I had the opportunity to observe an Honor Flight arrival last year, and it was incredibly moving," said DDG's communications and content director Holly Leber. "Veterans from World War II, Vietnam and Korea, many of them in wheelchairs, filed through the terminal while young service members and Boy Scouts lined up to applaud them and shake their hands. I've never been more grateful for a flight delay."
"It warmed my heart to see that The Daily Do Good wrote about the Honor Flight Network," DDG reader Bethany posted on Facebook. "My Grandpa was part of an Honor Flight in 2015 and it seemed to be a wonderful thing for him. The volunteers (my sister) and I met when we met up with him at the WWII memorial were all lovely and kind."
Latino Economic Development Center
Creating Success
The catalyst for the beginning of the Latino Economic Development Center was tragedy: The shooting of a Latino man by a DC police officer, and the subsequent outpouring of violence and protests known as the Mount Pleasant Riots. A group of citizens decided to take a stand, that for those who had left poverty and persecution in their old countries deserved advocacy, aid and opportunity for advancement in their new one. In 2014, LEDC invested more than $1.5 million to help more than 100 small businesses start and expand, aided more than 3000 families with affordable housing, prevented nearly 150 foreclosures, in addition to helping Latinos and other DC-area residents find employment, become financially literate and develop business acumen.
Planting Dreams
The American Dream is essentially the ideal that every citizen have an equal opportunity to achieve success if he is willing to work for it. The Latino Economic Development Center helps clients take the steps toward achieving that American Dream. It doesn't look the same for everyone. For some, it might mean owning a small business, while for others home ownership is the most meaningful goal. LEDC teaches clients how to ask the right questions, make smart choices and advocate for themselves as they move toward the future.
Men Can Stop Rape
Rape Prevention is up to all of us
MCSR strives to change presumptions about masculinity and to help men become advocates and activists against a culture that is permissive of violence against women. Through the Men of Strength (MOST) Club, young men learn about healthy models of manhood and becoming allies of women. The Where Do You Stand campaign promotes bystander intervention strategies, while special trainings and workshops around the District and nationwide provide men with information and tactics they can pass along to their peers, or to strangers. The onus for preventing rape and sexual assault often falls on women, but the minds behind Men Can Stop Rape believe males are equally responsible for putting an end to sexual violence. MCSR helps boys and young men learn how to speak up effectively when they see mistreatment, and to challenge the accepted notions of masculinity, so men can be seen as potential allies, rather than potential perpetrators. By incorporating active youth training services, MCSR is helping to create a generation of young men who can grow up respecting women and seeing them as equals. Become an ally or learn how to bring a Men Can Stop Rape training session to your organization, youth group or classroom. Men: What can you do to be an active ally in the fight against rape and sexual assault?
Special Olympics DC
Make a Difference with SODC
Since 1968, Special Olympics DC has been a part of the greater Special Olympics movement to create a community of inclusion and understanding, not only for people who have intellectual disabilities but for their families, neighbors and classmates as well. Through the platform of sports, Special Olympics DC strives to bring people together and promote understanding.
Founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics represents her belief that people with intellectual disabilities can achieve much more than others might presume if they are given proper opportunity. Last summer Demetrius, an SODC athlete, received a bronze medal and a team gold in track and field at the Special Olympics World Games. Learn more about SODC and about how Special Olympics has helped fight stereotyping about people who learn differently.
Special Olympics DC offers incredible opportunities to make a difference. So many different skills, styles and gifts are needed. Are you patient and dedicated with some real time to commit? Coaches are key to helping SODC athletes grow and thrive on and off the field. Do you love to bring positivity wherever you go? Find an event and volunteer to be a cheerleader -- no pompoms necessary (though they probably wouldn't be unwelcome)! Love capturing moments in time? Take photos or video at SODC competitions. Are you super-organized? Pitch in with office work or help keep order at events.
Special Olympics is proof of the power of sports and teamwork to help people who are a little different than the average bear to thrive. They believe people with intellectual disabilities shouldn't be held back. The encouragement given by SODC can help athletes succeed in the classroom, in social situations, at work, and beyond. Be a part of reaching the community of more than 200 million people with ID and their families.
Community of Hope
Alanda Braxton-Miles/Photo courtesy of Community of Hope
TRANSFORMED BY HOPE
Alanda Braxton-Miles was sick.
She was swollen and tired. She was gaining weight. Her hair was falling out.
Her physician wasn’t looking hard enough for answers. She was tired of visiting the emergency room. So she went to Community of Hope’s Conway Health and Resource Center.
“My doctor took time to listen,” she said. “She’s loving and caring. I know she’s busy, but she treats every patient like they’re her only one!”
Finally, Alanda got her diagnosis: Diabetes. And after receiving the proper treatment to manage her condition, most of the symptoms have disappeared.
"I've had a physical transformation,” she said, “from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet."
“To be able to see the impact our services have on people,” said Community of Hope development and marketing manager Karis Erwin, “that was a really special day.”
Since 1980, Community of Hope has been working to help low-income families in DC find stability, in the forms of home, health and income.
“Many times people who come to us for help don’t need support in just one area, but wrap around services that touch multiple parts of their life,” Karis said.
A pediatric exam at Conway Health Center/Photo courtesy of Community of Hope
Health services are available to anyone, regardless of ability to pay.
Three facilities, in Bellevue, Carver-Langston and Adams Morgan, provide medical, dental and behavioral health services for men, women and children.
“There are significant challenges to health care,” said Karis. “There’s a higher infant mortality rate, increased deaths from diabetes and AIDS, need for increased access to primary medical care, dental care and behavioral health support in Wards 5,6,7 and 8.”
HOPE AND INDEPENDENCE
About 80 percent of Community of Hope’s housing clients live in Wards 7 and 8, which have the highest unemployment rates in the city. As of Jan., 2015, the unemployment rates in Wards 7 and 8 were 13.1 and 16.2 respectively, according to the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services.
“These are individuals we’re really trying to target to work with them on job skills, helping them access benefits, and find the resources they need to find and keep jobs,” she noted.
A Community of Hope housing client shows off her space/Photo courtesy of Community of Hope
The housing component of Community of Hope ranges from rapid re-housing – families and individuals who need a few months of help to get on their feet – to permanent supportive housing, which consists of having a lease in ones own name and paying up to 30 percent of rent from income.
Housing clients are referred by the Virginia Williams Family Resource Center.
Monique Walls lives in one of COH’s Rapid Re-Housing apartments with her 3-year-old son.
After being laid off from a position she’d held for 14 years, Monique could no longer pay rent, and was eventually evicted. The DC General Shelter was an unhealthy environment for her child, who had heart problems as a baby.
The two spent 11 months in a motel before finding Community of Hope. Now, Monique and her son not only have a safe place to live, she has support. Monique is actively searching for employment.
“It’s programs like Community of Hope that make me feel hope – for myself and others like me," she said. "It’s giving me an opportunity to gain my independence back. I needed help and Community of Hope has just been such a blessing.”
WORKING FOR HOPE
Community of Hope's in-house workforce development program allows clients to work with employment specialists who help them with resumes, job leads and interview techniques.
A soft-skills development program focused on customer service is available to COH clients. Here, they learn not just how to get a job, but how to keep one. Topics include how to accept feedback from supervisors, avoiding co-worker conflicts, and how to deal with difficult customers, valuable skills, indeed, for nearly every working person.
After completing the six-week program, David Mitchell landed a job as a wheelchair escort at Dulles Airport, a great relief for the 31-year-old, who had been unemployed for three years.
Through Community of Hope, David learned the confidence and poise required to make an interview turn into a job.
“Community of Hope saw something in me,” he said. "I found it, and now I’ve been working for six months. I’m going to be proud to do my taxes this year.”
Workforce Development class/Photo courtesy of Community of Hope
COH has a dedicated and motivated staff, from the doctors and nurses who staff the health centers to CEO Kelly Sweeney McShane who, on March 24, was named one of eight Women of Excellence by Mayor Muriel Bowser, The Office on Women's Policy & Initiatives and the DC Commission for Women.
Like most nonprofit organizations, however, Community of Hope relies on loving and dedicated volunteers and mentors, people like Ellie Matthews.
For the past four years, Ellie has been a mentor with COH. She's been working with her current mentee, an elementary school girl, for two years. They spend their time together experiencing many of DC's cultural opportunities -- the National Zoo, or an Italian Christmas celebration at the Portrait Gallery, to name a few.
"I've been able to see her grow up," Ellie said of the child. "I enjoy the activities we do together. I can impart knowledge, and she teaches me things in a different way."
Despite any challenges she and her colleagues face in their work, Karis Erwin said the opportunity to see hope coming to fruition keeps her going.
“I’ve seen the lives that have been impacted and the lives that have been changed,” she said. “That’s motivation enough for me.”
Editor’s note: Sections in italics are based on stories sent to The Daily Do Good via e-mail by Community of Hope.
Stone Soup Films
A MOVIE IS WORTH A MILLION WORDS
Liz Norton, executive director of Stone Soup Films, refers to her organization as “an OKCupid for nonprofits.”
Founded by Norton in 2008, Stone Soup Films is a nonprofit production company that creates promotional films for other nonprofit organizations as part of communications strategy.
“So few (organizations) had them, and the ones that did were terrible,” said Norton, of her original motivation. With a background in public policy and production, she found herself reviewing promotional films for nonprofits, and finding them lacking.
“They didn’t know how to move the needle,” she said.
Stone Soup’s first production was for Bread for the City. The first year, they produced one film. In 2014, they produced 21. There are more than 500 volunteers, and five weeks each year are dedicated solely to editing.
“I couldn’t have predicted that (Stone Soup Films) would be the octopus it is now,” Norton said.
“Liz is just a doer,” said Niki Mock, a regular volunteer (Norton calls her an honorary staff member) with Stone Soup Films, “she makes things happen.”
A former broadcast news reporter and Peace Corps veteran, Mock was looking to combine her journalism background with her liberal ideals. The first film she worked on, she said, was for SAFE, a multi-pronged resource for survivors of domestic violence.
“I couldn't imagine how it would told through the eyes of survivors,” she said, “that a woman would be willing to let us put her story on camera.”
Through the production process, she became close with the three women being profiled. One of them, a mother of six, had escaped an abusive relationship. Mock recalls seeing the children’s joy upon entering their new apartment.
“Every time I intensely get into a story, it hits home how there is no difference between all of us,” she said. “As soon as you get beneath the surface, it could be your family."
THE POWER OF TRANSFORMATION
The name Stone Soup Films comes from the old folktale. It tells of wanderers who come to a village, hungry but with no food. So they fill a pot with water and a large stone, and put it over a fire, piquing the villagers’ curiosity.
“Stone soup is delicious,” the wanderers say as each person passes, “it just needs a bit of garnish.”
So each villager adds something – a handful of herbs, a bit of carrot, whatever they have on hand – and in the end, everyone shares in the soup.
“The idea is that collectively you can do something that you could never do on your own,” Norton said. “Filmmaking is very collaborative. I thought it was a terrific metaphor. Everyone brings their different skills and gives their time.”
Collaboration between Stone Soup Films and an organization involves a wraparound plan – not only a film, but strategic communication and distribution advice as well.
“We try to teach them how to fish,” Norton said.
And sometimes, they get a big catch. The Stone Soup film for one organization caught the eye of a donor who decided to give $100,000 a year, for three years, to that organization.
Stone Soup Films produces several types of film: Event-based “Doc in a Day” short-term productions, as well as longer term Partnerships. Interns help produce video blogs and “DC Heroes,” a series that profiles individuals effecting change in the DC area.
Norton said she prefers the longer investments of time. One of her favorites was Urban Alliance, an organization that pairs underserved high school seniors with paid internships, along with additional life skills and job readiness training.
"We met this young man when he was 17, his life was going in one direction, and that direction was not good."
Through the Urban Alliance program, the young man got a job at Morgan Stanley. By the end of his senior year, he’d worked his way up to an account, and was awarded a college scholarship.
"He is so exceptionally good,” Norton said. “The power of the transformation is amazing."
THE BEST OF WASHINGTON
The majority of work done by Stone Soup Films is pro bono. Only 20 percent of the films are produced for a fee, thanks in large part to dedicated, civic-minded volunteers.
“The model is so cool,” said volunteer Patrick Frank. The owner of a small media company, Patch Bay Media, Frank offers Stone Soup Films his services as a shooter.
"Every time I show up to a shoot, I'm like, 'wow, this is really cool, I've never heard of this.’ It's an opportunity for me to use my skills and give back to these organizations that are doing really great work. Hopefully from the footage that I capture, people will have the same impression I have."
At present, there are seven films in production, including Stone Soup’s first feature, which they’ve been working on for almost two years.
"Every day at (Stone Soup) you get to learn something new,” said Mock. “I love learning how people tick and what's behind everyone. There's a wide range and diversity of people."
Norton and her associates recognize that the most well-intentioned organizations can’t accomplish much without money and awareness, and are trying to use the medium of film for good, to help spread the word about the important work that is being done in the greater DC area.
“This area is really interesting, and that's a big part of why we've been so successful,” she said. “There’s a unique combination of incredibly competent, educated people in an environment where there is so much suffering. But then in the mix there's a swath of people who are not satisfied with that. Stone Soup pulls on the best of Washington.”
About the Author: Holly Leber is the editorial director at the Daily Do Good. Through her work, she is fortunate to learn all about the best of Washington.
Move for Hunger
PROVIDING RELIEF TO FAMILIES IN NEED,
ONE TRUCK AT A TIME
If you’ve lived long enough, you know the chaos that is moving. Oftentimes, during the process of packing and transporting countless boxes to a new home or apartment, a lot of food is thrown away. Unfortunately, a great deal of that food is perfectly fine and could be donated to a family in need instead of being tossed in the trash.
With 49.1 million Americans not knowing where their next meal is coming from, that’s where Move for Hunger comes to the rescue. Based in New Jersey, and serving areas across the United States, including DC,the crew at Move for Hunger works closely with moving companies across the country to pick up “unwanted, non-perishable food items from those who are moving and deliver it to their local food banks,” according to its website.
Founder Adam Lowy (his family owns Lowy’s Moving Service) grew up seeing how much food gets thrown out when people move. That didn’t sit well with him, so in 2009, he decided to do something about it.
“One day, [Lowy] asked his father if it would be all right to offer to take the food to the food bank and his father responded ‘Why not?’” said Erika Oman, Move for Hunger’s communications and events manager. “Just by asking that simple question, he collected more than 300 pounds of food in only one month, and it just sort of grew from there. Our mission is to ensure that food is never thrown out.”
TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Here’s how Move for Hunger works: When you’re ready to move, you call the organization ahead of time, set aside any non-perishable food items you’d like to donate on your front porch, and a mover will pack the food and deliver it to your local food bank.
To date, Move for Hunger has donated – wait for it – 5.2 million pounds of food and delivered more than 4,178,962 meals to food banks located across North America. Pretty impressive, right? On top of that, the nonprofit has established partnerships with 601 relocation companies throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Move for Hunger was recognized for its outstanding service when Lowy was honored on VH1’s Do Something Awards as a finalist back in 2011.
Move for Hunger founder Adam Lowy with actor Terrence Howard
“This goes out to the 17 million American children who do not have enough to eat right now and all the movers already across the country who are working to make this a solution and really bring relief to those in need,” Lowy said during his acceptance speech. “I urge you if you are a mover, if you know a mover, join our efforts and help us fight hunger in America.”
Lowry walked away that night with a $10,000 grant to help take Move for Hunger to the next level.
Taking it to the next level isn’t a new concept for the folks at Move for Hunger. They’re always brainstorming new and cool ways to raise awareness and money for the organization. On September 13 for instance, Move for Hunger held its second annual Truck Pull competition. Each participant was asked to donate $10 and 100 percent of the proceeds go toward Move for Hunger.
MOVES LIKE ERICA
Graduate student Erica Dick is busy pursuing her MBA at Stockton University in Galloway, New Jersey, but in between classes, she finds the time to volunteer at Move for Hunger. In the short amount of time that she’s volunteered at the organization, she said it’s already been a rewarding experience so far.
“I help set up food drives and write press releases,” Dick said. “It’s always been important for me to help out and give back to others and truthfully, I enjoy it. It’s great to see how many other people want to help out and do their part as well.”
Her advice for others who want to make a difference? “Any contribution helps, whether it’s donating time or food – it could be a little or it could be a lot,” Dick said.
Those interested in getting involved can organize a fundraiser, join a race team, or start a food drive. Move for Hunger recommends holding the food drives at grocery stores, libraries, sporting events and tournaments, churches, and golf outings, just to name a few.
“There are nearly 50 million Americans who are affected by food insecurity and when you think about how 40 percent of food in America ends up in a landfill, it’s upsetting,” Oman said. “What we want is for people is to donate their food when they move instead of throwing it away. You can do your part and help us fight hunger.”
Move for Hunger food drive
About the Author: Princess Gabbara is a Michigan-based journalist and freelance writer (Ebony, Essence, etc.). You can read more of her work on her blog. She also tweets @PrincessGabbara.
Miriam's Kitchen
A staff member wears a T-shirt with the Miriam's Kitchen motto on the back.
WELCOME TO MIRIAM'S KITCHEN
The kitchen at Miriam's Kitchen
“Hi,” the man with the bird scarf tied jauntily around his neck says, offering a hearty handshake. “I’m Michael Ford. I’m chronically homeless. I like farting around with collages.”
Michael, and others, can indulge their artistic inclinations at Miriam’s Studio, the twice-daily therapeutic art sessions at Miriam’s Kitchen, in Foggy Bottom.
Every day, the staff and volunteers at Miriam’s Kitchen fight to help their neighbors in need. From meals to permanent supportive housing services, the goal is help clients not just survive, but thrive.
Raised as a military brat, Michael, 58 (“I should have said 58 and seven-eighths”) spent most of his adult life in Colorado, where he worked in mechanical maintenance. After losing his job, his home, and being denied disability for benefits for bi-polar disorder, he came to DC in spring of 2014.
Michael Ford, collagist and Miriam's Kitchen client
He first came to Miriam’s Kitchen to get a state ID, he said, and kept coming back. “If they had showers and laundry,” he said, “it’d be the cat’s meow.”
Setting up for studio time. This is also where meals are served, where case managers meet with clients, and where yoga classes take place.
All services at Miriam’s Kitchen are pro bono; the studio is as anonymous as the client wants it to be.
“If you come in here and you say your name is Jesus, you’re welcome,” said Kate, art therapist and case manager
She described Miriam’s Studio as“super collaborative, person-centered” and “not too therapy-ish.”
“This is a place people can chill out and engage in services in a different place. “
“A lot of our guests don’t have their own living room,” said Meg Dominguez, senior case manager. “We view this as a place for our guests to hang out and be.”
THE WISE OWL
Shandell is a Miriam’s Kitchen guest most days. He enjoys beading. His time in Miriam’s Studio, he said, helps him to relieve the stress he can feel when dealing with “peer problems,” – people who come along, people who don’t understand.
“I find it interesting,” he said, laying a pattern of beads for what he called a wise owl necklace. “It gives me peace of mind.”
Shandell creates a pattern of beads for his wise owl necklace.
Raised by his grandparents, Shandell never knew his father. He was kicked out of his home as a teenager. “I’m still lost,” he says.
At present, Shandell is in his first year of permanent supportive housing, learning the day-to-day work of taking care of having “a room of ones own,” to hearken back to freshman literature classes.
Shandell wears a beaded necklace he made
“It can be overwhelming,” director of communications Tom Murphy said. “It’s not like you’re lined up at an apartment and all your problems go away.”
In fact, he said, no longer having to worry about the immediate needs – where to sleep, for example, forces people to have to focus on longer-term needs – say, employment – which can cause extreme stress.
Shandell is trying, he said. “I always make my bed every morning before I leave the house.” He wants to get his teeth fixed, get his high school diploma, study law and cyber security.
Michael created this collage at Miriam's Studio
“I keep pushing.”
Many people who have moved out of homelessness come back to Miriam’s Kitchen and to the studio because they feel supported here. Michael creates collages as gifts for the staff members, who have been kind to him.
He showed off a few of his collages, one featuring celebrity faces, the other with a political bent. There are photos of Hillary and Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan with a chimpanzee, Ted Cruz with a heart over his body, elephants and donkeys.
“I like Hillary,” he declared. “I think she’d be great for 2016. There’s a lot of know-how and knowledge.”
Like Shandell, Michael continues to look to the future. He’d like to own his own business, he said.
EVERY NEW THING IS A BEGINNING
Bea is happy to focus on the present. At 81,she is accentuating the positive.
“I enjoy Paradise,” she said. “I am enjoying God’s present. Every new thing is a beginning.”
Bea studied piano and ballet in her youth, she said
She smiles at Tom. “Thank you for serving us.”
The services provided by Miriam’s Kitchen depend on the kindness of friends and strangers alike.
“If we’re serious about our mission, we really can’t do it unless we get a new kind of collaboration,” said Tom.
One of the challenges to collaboration, he said, is that oftentimes people in the private sector don’t know how they can help. But there are plenty of ways to do so. Last year, The Advisory Board Company did some pro bono research for Miriam’s Kitchen.
Dinner menu at Miriam's Kitchen
Georgetown Cupcakes makes weekly donations. Foggy Bottom Farmers Market donates food they won’t be able to use, as does Trader Joe’s. Individuals and families provide in-kind donations year round.
Because of in-kind donations, Tom said, the cost of meals – 87,000 in total served last year – comes out to about 35 cents per plate. Most of the donations go to services, many of which are provided thanks to the more than 2500 volunteers who give their time.
Presently, said communications manager Martha Wolf, they are looking for volunteers to help run creative writing groups for Miriam’s Studio.
As she crochets a beanie, Bea talks about her life in North Korea. “I studied cosmetology, I played piano, I did ballet for 20 years.” She encourages people to take classes, sharing that she enjoys swimming and playing tennis. She attends yoga classes at Miriam’s Kitchen once a week.
“I can do anything,” she announces, stretching her leg over her head. Yes, that’s correct, this 81-year-old woman can put her leg over her head.
Bea holds up one finger to make a point.
“Say ‘I can.’”
Volunteers help prepare dinner at Miriam's Kitchen
About the Author: Holly Leber is the editorial director at The Daily Do Good. She is not remotely able to stretch her leg over her head.
Seabury Resources for the Aging
Ward 5 Community Day Hat Show. Photo courtesy of Seabury Resources for the AgingP
Aging With Dignity
Aging can be an unpredictable process.
Medical needs, general health, finances and network of support are all concerns as a person grows older. Seabury Resources for Aging has worked to address the spectrum of needs for seniors in the greater Washington, DC area since 1924.
“We try to be an informational source for people,” said Kate Lewis, Seabury’s Chief Advancement Officer. “People are looking for different things.”
Seabury began as the Episcopal Church Home in 1924 with the donation of a single-family home for use by seniors in the community. More home donations followed, as well as the development of the Friendship Terrace Retirement Community, which can accommodate nearly 200 residents.
In the mid-1990s, the organization began to focus on services, recognizing many seniors’ desire to stay in their own homes as long as possible. In 2010, the organization rebranded itself as Seabury Resources for Aging, reflecting the group’s growth and open welcome to seniors seeking assistance.
“Because our services are free or affordable, we serve a lot of folks of modest income,” Kate said. She worries about homelessness and HIV, both of which she says are growing concerns in the aging community. By connecting aging adults with the assistance they need, Seabury works to help counter these problems.
Seniors still living at home can find free assistance through the Age-In-Place program, Seabury’s largest outreach. Volunteers - many of them high school students - rake yards, trim hedges, run the vacuum cleaner, and take care of other simple maintenance to enable people to stay in their homes safely.
Meal delivery, transportation, and social work assistance services also benefit many aging adults. Family-style or community Seabury homes serve seniors unable to live independently.
Kate points out that Seabury doesn’t exclusively serve seniors. The organization can be a reassuring presence for caregivers and families, especially adult children living too far to offer routine assistance to their parents. A Seabury social worker can offer counsel and mediation for families as a parent plans to transition from independent living to a Seabury residence or another assisted living home.
Seabury Resources for Aging has evolved over the decades, adapting strategies and outreach programs to connect to the community’s changing needs and become a powerful resource.
“We’re 90 years old,” Kate said. “We have the experience and the expertise.”
How I Was Helped
-DOROTHY-
Dorothy Carracedo, 76, Retired
Q: How did you connect with Seabury Resources for the Aging?
A: I was taking WEHTS for transportation and then Seabury took it over. Also, my son located a Mom’s Meals person and that person told us about the Seabury office, and I called and Ms. Kenny came out to see me. She’s a social worker there. She still comes out to see me, and when I have a problem I call her. When I have problems getting rides, she helps me, and when I have problems with getting help from different agencies, she’s right there with me. I wouldn’t give anything for Seabury, I love Seabury.
Q: Why were you in need of Seabury's services?
A: I’m a 76-year-old, retired, disabled senior and I need all of the help that I can get. I have many doctor’s appointments, and when I go I need transportation. I’m on a fixed income and I can’t afford Metro access. Even though it’s not that much money, it’s a lot for me when I’m on fixed income. I have qualified so I get Medicaid help, Meals on Wheels, and other services that help me out with my budget.
Q: What intangibles have you taken away from your work with the organization?
A: Everything I’ve gotten from Seabury has been tangible, has been needed, has been used. I’m very pleased with the service I get from Seabury transportation. And the drivers are all wonderful drivers, wonderful people. They work with you, they act concerned for you. As I said, I’m very happy and fortunate to be with them. They’re doing a lot of good for me. And Ms. Kenny is wonderful. I can’t put her name out there enough!
Q: Do you feel you are now better equipped to pay it forward, and if so, how?
A: I have a lot of neighbors who are just like me--on fixed income, seniors. They don’t know where to go for different things. I find it easier to send them to Seabury, who can direct them or aid them, rather than tell them to call this place, call that place. That’s my gift back to my community.
How I Help
- KHALILAH-
Khalilah, a retiree, has volunteered with Seabury since June of 2013. She currently volunteers 20 hours per week at the Kibar-Halal Nutrition Center, one of several locations hosting educational nutrition and wellness programs.
Q: What motivated you to work with Seabury?
A: I’m a retired citizen and a volunteer, and I like to give back to the community or whatever organization I belong to. After I retired and relaxed for a little bit, I decided to devote any sort of volunteer presence [I could].”
Q: What sort of work do you do in your capacity as a volunteer?
A: I help the managers put the food on the plate and I serve the seniors. It gives me something to do instead of sitting at home. I can come out four hours a day and help somebody out, make somebody smile, give them a coffee or sit down and talk to them for ten minutes. That’s it right there, to be able to do that.”
Q: What advice or inspiration would you offer other people looking to get involved in their communities
A: Wherever you go or whatever you read there’s always somebody doing some volunteering. There’s always someone giving their service. If everybody were to do this, there wouldn’t be too much of a problem of the seniors being left alone to themselves and not being able to do anything.
About the Author: Jessica Sillers is a Washington, DC-based writer. She has volunteered as a teacher's assistant in Faridabad, India, and on a farm in Ireland. Contact her at jessicasillers@dcfreelancewriter.com
Clancyworks Dance Company
ClancyWorks Dance Company:
Dance for Good
At ClancyWorks Dance Company, the motto is “shifting perceptions through performance and education.”
Founded in 2001 by Dr. Adrienne Clancy, ClancyWorks focuses on positive social action through community engagement, senior citizen programs and arts education.
“Adrienne attacks everything with an equal amount of passion and enthusiasm,” said ClancyWorks intern Maia Stam, a senior at Goucher College.
ClancyWorks offers four strands of arts education – in-school K-12 residencies, in singular assembly presentations, in after school programs and through college and university residencies.
“Youth development is really at the core of our educational work,” Erin Tunbridge, Program Coordinator, said in an interview.
They partner with multiple organizations, including Excel Beyond the Bell and the DEA Youth Dance Program.
“We like to make sure there are also special representatives from the DEA,” Erin said. “Students are seeing how being part of this program is creating a community within itself. They’re building community with peers, learning about teamwork and problem solving.”
Board member Camille Harris came to know ClancyWorks as the director of The Boys and Girls Club of Silver Spring, when she offered daytime practice space in exchange for dance classes for the kids in afterschool attendance.
I believe in their mission,” Camille said. “I believe arts in education is very important. It keeps kids busy and keeps them occupied in something that is developing them as well as keeping them off the streets.”
ClancyWorks Dance Company:
ASPIRE to be Superheroes
ASPIRE.
Acquire Knowledge. Solve Conflicts. Partner to accomplish greater goals. Improve academic achievement. Respect self, others, and the environment. Embrace community and diversity
This is the philosophy employed by ClancyWorks Dance Company in its facets of arts education work. Through the concept of ASPIRE, students learn about social consciousness and about becoming active, engaged citizens in their communities.
Students keep journals, write informal critiques, and learn not just dance steps, but job and life skills. Each student is given the opportunity to take on a leadership role.
"It's not just that whoever is loudest is the leader," said program coordinator Erin Tunbridge.
“(ClancyWorks) has helped to boost my confidence. I will forever remember this class because it has been educational, fun and very interesting.”
-8th grade student, Neelsville Middle School
“This is such a cool class! Before, I was a little nervous about dancing around others even though I previously took a dance class. They were people I didn’t know. I learned fast though that my friends and peers support me. I’ve learned many types of dance and it’s all so fun.” - 10th grade student, Watkins Middle School
Be Your Own Superhero:
Eleventh grade girls at West Potomac High School were challenged to create their own super heroines, using the dance process as a means of brainstorming. The goal was to create characters who could make a difference in the world around them. One student reflected:
"Although we may not have known it at first, the powers and characteristics that we chose for our superheroes deeply represented the inner traits that were hidden within ourselves -- the traits we knew we had but were too afraid to reveal; or the traits that we always had and never knew about. Interestingly enough we all had the same idea -- a female superhero that broke the stereotypes, and bettered our community and the world."
ClancyWorks Dance Company:
SOARing High
You're never too old to dance.
Okay, so The SOAR (Seniors Organized in the Arts to Rejuvenate) program at ClancyWorks Dance Company might not be a training ground for an NBA hip hop dance team, but it provides a physical and mental workout for seniors aged 55 to 98. Which is pretty badass in its own right.
"It’s an opportunity for (seniors) to get together and open up different parts of their lives," said Erin Tunbridge, program coordinator at ClancyWorks. "Rather than just meeting each other and talking about the weather, we’re initiating different conversations."
The classes include both seated and standing work for a variety of agility levels. Much of the focus, Erin said, is on using dance to exercise the memory as well as the body. Students might be asked to choose a word to complete a sentence, and offer a movement to go along with the word. They're tasked to remember each movement, then to put them all together. Et voila, a dance!
Now, doesn't that sound more fun than flashcards?
DC Central Kitchen
Photo courtesy of Carla Hall
DC Central Kitchen:
Not Your Mama's Soup Kitchen
Carla Hall’s culinary talents and sparkling smile have made her a household name. But for all her blessings, Carla never forgets that there are households struggling to put meals on the table. That’s why she supports DC Central Kitchen.
First encountering DCCK in 1995 as a culinary school student, Carla has maintained a special relationship with the organization, serving on the board of directors, participating in the Capital Food Fight fundraiser, and promoting DC Central Kitchen as one of the hosts of ABC’s The Chew.
It is not, said partnerships and planning coordinator Katherine Eklund, a typical soup kitchen. DC Central Kitchen serve about 80 social services agencies every day, providing 5,000 meals to help the agencies focus on moving their clients forward.
“Our goal isn’t just to keep feeding people meals,” Katherine said. “Our goal is to ensure people don’t need those meals.”
A graduate of the DC Central Kitchen job training program tells his story. Courtesy of WJLA TV
Of DCCK’s many valuable programs, one that sticks out in Carla’s mind is the Culinary Job Training program, which trains unemployed and underemployed, homeless and previously incarcerated adults for careers in the food service industry.
“It’s something we take for granted,” Carla said, “having a work ethic. There is nothing more life changing than seeing somebody (at training graduation) being able to show his family, “I’ve changed. I’m going through a metamorphosis.”
Many of the Job Training graduates stay on as volunteers. Carla recalls one woman who had a perpetual smile.
“She didn’t have the greatest teeth, but she smiled. She was a beacon of light. Whenever you went there, her answer was ‘yes, how can I help’ you can have absolutely nothing, but when you have a smile to give people, it changes people. It changes the people who are coming through the doors. You can change people with a smile and a positive attitude.”
Top Ten Reasons We Love
DC Central Kitchen
1. DC Central Kitchen helps fight food waste. They recover quality food that would have otherwise been discarded, simply because of appearance, from wholesalers, and convert it into healthy meals.
2. They distribute nutritious meals and snacks to corner stores in DC’s food deserts, helping ensure people in all neighborhoods have access to healthy, affordable food.
3. In 2013, DCCK served more than 2100 young people through agencies promoting youth mentorship, health education and job readiness.
Photo courtesy of DC Central Kitchen
4. DC Central Kitchen is invested in its Culinary Job Training graduates, providing ongoing services, job assistance, and even grocery bundles.
5. DC Central Kitchen invests in children. They work with 10 schools in Wards 7 and 8 to provide nutritious meals every day.
6. DCCK supports the environment and local economy. Thirty percent of items for school meals are grown locally or nearby.
Photo courtesy of DC Central Kitchen
7. The Culinary Job Training program isn’t just about skills, it’s about people. The program includes a self-empowerment course to help students deal with their challenges and learn strategies for overcoming them.
8. By delivering meals to 80 partner agencies, DC Central Kitchen saved those agencies more than $3.7 million in food costs last year, allowing both money and time to be spent focusing on the missions.
9. From karaoke parties to easy food donations, DC Central Kitchen offers plenty of ways for you to make a contribution.
10. DC Central Kitchen puts its money where their mouth is: The catering service – Fresh Start Catering – employs graduates of the job training program.
DC Central Kitchen
Quips 'n Quotes
"Using food as our tool, we strive focus on the root causes of hunger and poverty work to empower men and women to live lives of self-sufficiency... Ultimately, the Kitchen is about creating systems of empowerment that create a more just food system for all. - Michael Curtin, Chief Executive Officer, DC Central Kitchen
“Health is as much of a focus as it can be.” – Tracey Sero, Assistant Director of Kitchen Operations
“If it weren’t for DC Central Kitchen, I don’t know where I’d be.” – Marvin, served 30 years in prison, now employed at DC Central Kitchen
“Hunger is a symptom of other issues. It’s caused by other problems and it causes other problems.” – Katherine Eklund, Partnerships and Planning Coordinator
“I enjoy working with the volunteers. I have a lot of gratitude.” – Tarina, production chef, 2010 graduate of the Culinary Job Training program
“DC Central Kitchen taught me hyper-focus, and a dedication to detail and learning new things.” – Abby Woods, 2013 DCCK Culinary Job Training graduate, now employed in the kitchen of the Eisenhower Executive Office building.
“Remember to go and visit any of your soup kitchens during, as they say in the Catholic church, ordinary times, and not just during the holidays, because the need is 365 days a year.” – Carla Hall
Photo courtesy of Carla Hall
Want to know Carla Hall's celebrity crush? And what her Thanksgiving dessert of choice would be? Check out our Outtakes with Carla Hall!
Girls on the Run - DC
Photo courtesy of Girls on the Run
Getting out of the Girl Box
Molly Barker was stuck in “the girl box.”
A lifelong runner since the age of 15, she began to question her self-worth and self-image, worrying that she was transforming not into who she truly was, but what others around her thought she should be. After years of fruitlessly trying to figure out who she wanted to be, Molly went on a sunset run during 1993 and was struck with the inspiration for what would eventually blossom into Girls on the Run.
In 1996, Molly piloted the earliest version of GOTR with 13 girls in Charlotte, NC. The program grew quickly. Today, GOTR is a 501c3 organization with chapters in 220 cities across North America, and has impacted hundreds of thousands of young girls’ lives. It teaches girls that they can “take charge of their lives and define the future on their own terms.”
The website quotes one young runner: “I learned that I am the boss of my own brain.”
GOTR, which serves girls in 3rd - 8th grade, “operates as a transformational, physical activity-based positive youth program that teaches life skills through interactive lessons and running,” according to the website.
The curriculum is divided in three parts: Helping girls get a better understanding of who they are and what’s important to them, the role of teams and healthy relationships, and how girls can positively connect with and shape the world around them.
Photo courtesy of Girls on the Run
Over the course of 10-12 weeks, girls meet with their coaches twice a week to receive and discuss the day’s lesson — and to go for a run. Running is incorporated into the curriculum as a framework for goal setting, as well as a way to build a lifelong love of physical activity: to prove to girls that their bodies are capable of achieving great things. Each season culminates in a 5K that celebrates both the physical and personal achievements each girl has made over the course of the season.
In DC, GOTR is committed to serving girls across all eight wards of The District — each participates in the same program, strengthening community bonds and creating connections across socio-economic lines. GOTR-DC offers a unifying program that focuses on both fitness and is mentor-based—something that is critical in a city where 30 percent of children are considered poor.
Want to get involved? Wonder what it’s like to be a volunteer? Check out GOTR’s website or some of our Q&A for more details!
About the Author: While a student at The College of William and Mary, Marisa Weidner volunteered at a school in Belize. A DC newcomer, she blogs about her explorations of the city at The Curated City.
Coach Says....
Emily is a coach for Girls on the Run-DC.
Q: How did you come to volunteer with Girls on the Run?
A: My two nieces participated in Maryland, and one invited me to become a buddy runner. I saw what a positive impact the program had on the girls, and when I was looking for opportunities to get involved in the community in DC, I decided to become a GOTR coach. This is currently my third season!
Q: What are your day-to-day tasks as a GOTR coach?
A: I look at the curriculum theme for the day’s lesson, figure out how I’m going to incorporate it into practice, and encourage the girls to participate in the activity. One of my favorite lessons was the one on gossiping — we gave one girl a tube of toothpaste and (had her) squeeze some of it out. She then passed the tube to the next girl, who was told to try and put the toothpaste back in. It was a great analogy to being unable to take back gossip or “put it away," and it’s wonderful to see the girls experience an “A-ha!” moment with the lesson.
Q: What have you learned from volunteering with Girls on the Run?
I’ve learned that the time commitment for giving back is challenging, but so worth it. I make a point of making the time for GOTR because I want to help the girls—time is something I have to give, so that’s why I do it. I encourage everyone who has extra time to give back to GOTR!
About the Author: While a student at The College of William and Mary, Marisa Weidner volunteered at a school in Belize. A DC newcomer, she blogs about her explorations of the city at The Curated City.
Mom's Take
Caitlin and Amanda are mothers of Girls on the Run participants.
How did you connect with Girls on the Run?
Caitlin: I’m a lifelong runner, so I’d known of GOTR for many years before becoming a parent. I always thought the program sounded great for the emotional and social support it provides to the girls. I now have two daughters, both of whom were age eligible and joined this year.
Amanda: I was a volunteer for many years before my daughter was eligible to participate. I met a great group of women and really loved that the program was so holistic: it incorporates elements of mind, body, and friendship. Now my daughter, Claire is a runner in the program.
Why were you interested in your daughters becoming involved with GOTR-DC?
Caitlin: I think its great that it starts at an early age. I don’t need to worry about body image problems with my girls because GOTR is helping them proactively be proud of themselves and provides such a healthy environment. It’s also great to give the kids information and perspective that comes from an adult who is not their parent.
Amanda: The program is designed so that it targets issues girls will likely face at that stage in their development: friendships, body image, self-confidence, bullying. I was a girl once and I know those things are important—its key for girls to connect with other girls, and feel like they are part of a group. I can tell that the lessons are resonating with Claire, and that she’s being given tools to start handling some of the changes in her life.
How has the organization helped your girls?
Caitlin: I see the girls proud of themselves and their ability to run more laps—it makes them feel good! I see them growing up in a positive way.
Amanda: Claire’s favorite lesson was the one about rumors: she learned that if someone tells you a rumor you can stop it or spread it. We talked about it after practice and she told me now that if she hears a rumor, she would just forget about it and not spread it. She’s applying the lessons to her own life.
What intangibles have you taken away?
Caitlin: It’s a reminder to take a step back as a parent, and to help instill things in girls today that will help them navigate adolescence and come out intact.
Amanda: The volunteer network is great. People come back to help time and time again, in various ways. This is the first organization I’ve been involved with in a long-term capacity, and I see no end date. GOTR has a strong curriculum of community service and giving back, and it instills the importance of giving back and seeing how to make the community better. We see girls coming back to become junior coaches after they age out—they clearly see the value and want to participate and be able to pass it on. It’s teaching girls that they are never too young to volunteer or give back.
Photo courtesy of Girls on the Run
About the Author: While a student at The College of William and Mary, Marisa Weidner volunteered at a school in Belize. A DC newcomer, she blogs about her explorations of the city at The Curated City.
YWCA National Capital Area
Video courtesy of YWCA-NCA
YWCA:
Eliminating Racism
Empowering Women
Don’t start humming Village People just yet -- the YWCA isn’t affiliated with that other organization. But there’s still plenty going on to make you break into a happy dance.
The YWCA is approaching its 110th birthday in 2015. The organization has evolved over the years, but what has remained constant is its focus on adult education and job training.
“We made it our bold goal that women and girls of color in high-need communities across the national capital area would have the resources and support necessary to achieve their goals in personal, professional, and academic success,” said Chief Development and Communications Officer Shana Heilbron.
After a summer of strategic restructuring, Shana and other YWCA staff are looking forward to focusing on what they do best: offering adult education, career training and mentoring. YWCA participants take computer literacy classes, attend mock interview training, and study for their GED’s.
The EMPOwERgirlz program, for girls aged 6 to 17, is distinctive for its range of activities and its emphasis on peer-to-peer influence. Charis Goff, manager of volunteer and donor engagement, said girls in the program practice anything from hands-on science experiments to etiquette at a formal, three-course meal. Another critical message is sex trafficking prevention.
“People don’t realize it does happen in the U.S. and really very much in the D.C. area,” Charis said. “We want girls to be aware of predatory behavior.” Once the girls learn how to spot danger signs, instructors urge them to teach their friends outside EMPOwERgirlz.
In 2013, YWCA took part in a campaign against domestic violence.
Shana and Charis both emphasize the role of volunteers. “We really do rely on volunteers for the success of our programs,” said Charis.
Tutors are always in demand to bring extra, individualized attention to the adult training programs. Semester- or year-long mentors for the EMPOwERgirlz program are also welcome.
Professionals in any field may visit a job training day to give mock interview and resume feedback, tips on professional attire, and other insights to help women achieve a career goal.
YWCA staff member believe that, given training and a safe environment to practice their skills, women in disadvantaged areas can achieve professional goals they otherwise might not have pursued.
How I Help
NINA
Nina Hudson signed up to volunteer as part of her freshman experience at American University. What started as a day project has turned into an ongoing volunteer internship delving into YWCA history.
“I came with a group of other freshmen to organize books and help with some tutoring, and I started helping with data entry and the development area of YWCA,” she said. “I really liked the organization and what they stood for, and I wanted to be a part of that, so I asked about volunteer opportunities to continue with them.”
Nina helps organize the YWCA’s historical files. She has a stack of snapshots on her desk. One photograph shows a disabled man floating in a swimming pool, supported by two volunteers.
Photo from YWCA's EMPOwERgirlz program, via Facebook
“To look at the photo and see how happy he is and how happy they are is really amazing.”
Another photo Nina likes shows women protesting outside the YWCA in the 1980s.
“It’s kind of a backwards moment,” Nina said. But she’s intrigued that women who used the YWCA would raise their voices if they felt there was a problem. To Nina, moments like this show women empowered.
What have you learned by volunteering here?
“I’ve learned to be stronger. I look and see these strong, independent, amazing women. I feel more in tune with what’s going on around me... I feel like I’m giving back to the community and that it’s helping.
What drew you in specifically about the YWCA?
I’m very much a feminist and I love how the YWCA does a great job of pulling in women who need a strong foundation and base and help them grow... The EMPOwERgirlz program talks about human trafficking awareness and teaches [girls] to tell their friends not to get into those atmospheres. I love that they’re starting from such a young age to empower girls and women. It spoke to me.
YWCA: Learning to Speak Out
DONNA
Donna L. Smith came to the YWCA after noticing posters for the organization on her way to a shopping outing. Far from the timid woman she claims she once was, Donna doesn’t even need a prompt to begin sharing her story. She immediately pulls out a video of her speech at the Washington Area Women’s Foundation luncheon, gleaming with pride.
Donna Smith, a mother and a student at the YWCA of the National Capital Region, speaks at the 2014 Leadership Luncheon.
Donna Smith, a mother and a student at the YWCA of the National Capital Region, speaks at the 2014 Women's Foundation Leadership Luncheon.
“I started this program last summer, and my goal was to take anything that I have a fear of and try it,” Donna said. “I did more than I thought I would do, twice as much. It took me from being a timid, recovering addict to being an outspoken woman... It’s more than just a GED program. [The YWCA] gave me something to inspire me and something to reach for.”
Donna is quick to credit her YWCA instructor for her speaking confidence.
“If it weren’t for Ms. Gray, I wouldn’t have done it in a million years...She makes us stand up in the middle [in class] and ‘work the room.’”
Taking adult education classes has also offered an unexpected way to bond with her daughters, aged 12 and 16.
“We’re all ready to go to school at the same time, and I love that.”
What achievement are you proudest of?
“I gotta say, to be able to speak around people and speak to a crowd and be confident.”
What else would you like to tell people about the YWCA?
“The classes are small and there’s immediate attention from everybody in here. Even the dumbest question -- they never make you feel that way. Anything you ask is the most important thing you could ask. When you get stuck, you’re not afraid to ask for help. When I first came... I was embarrassed to be here, but not anymore. If I had to recommend it to anyone, I’d say take that first step. They’ll help with the rest.
You have two daughters, ages 12 and 16. How does the YWCA help you pay it forward with them
When I was just a homemaker, I couldn’t understand what they were doing [with the computer]... With the computer classes we took in here, I can do things that they don’t know about, and that’s amazing.
Donna has recently retaken an exam toward earning her GED, and is eagerly awaiting results.
About the Author: Jessica Sillers is a Washington, DC-based writer. She has volunteered as a teacher's assistant in Faridabad, India, and on a farm in Ireland. Contact her at jessicasillers@dcfreelancewriter.com
Animal Welfare League of Arlington
Must Love Dogs
(or cats, birds, Etc.)
Arlington County, Virginia, 1944 -- a small group of local animal owners is growing concerned about the number of stray animals roaming the area. The closest the county has to a proper animal shelter is a dog pound. On June 7th, 1944, they incorporate the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. The first goal of the new league -- to build a shelter.
Seventy years later, the AWLA boasts a full-time staff and more than 450 dedicated volunteers, all while operating a first-rate animal shelter. “We have five-star cat facilities,” said CEO Neil Trent.
The mission of the AWLA is to “improve the lives of animals” while helping to “create a world where all companion animals find compassionate and permanent homes,” according to the AWLA website.
The shelter offers a variety of community services in addition to traditional adoption programs: spay-and-neuter programs, animal behavior helplines, and even low-cost loans to those who wish to adopt a pet but cannot afford the costs upfront. Neil cites the support of both the shelter’s volunteers and the surrounding community for the success of its programs.
“We are very fortunate that our staff love what they do, and we are supported by such a great volunteer corps. The animals are less stressed because they are socialized everyday,” he said.
The shelter has earned the community’s faith: Many residents of Arlington will call AWLA when an abandoned or abused animal is found, because they trust the organization will provide the animal with the best care.
Despite myriad programs for animals and numerous awards, the team at AWLA is looking to achieve more. “Currently, about only 27 percent of domestic pets are adopted through shelters. I want to increase that number,” said Neil
NATASHA AND ADOPTER BREANNE
The Animal Welfare League of Arlington has always been a part of Breanne's life. Born in Arlington, she spent her childhood with her family’s dog, Brandy, who was adopted through the shelter.
As an adult, Breanne started visiting AWLA and adopted her first dog, Heidi. “Heidi was very well cared for and taken care of there," Breanne said. "She had been in the shelter for a long time because she was deaf, and came out healthy and settled well."
After Heidi died, Breanne -- now married with two children -- began searching for another dog to adopt.
Natasha with her new family
“I saw a beautiful long-haired German Shepard named Natasha on the shelter’s Facebook page and fell in love immediately,” she said. “Because of my previous experience with the shelter, I trusted what they said. They are very respectful of people adopting to make sure they have the right fit”.
Natasha has folded seamlessly into her new family. Despite being cited as dog-aggressive, her behavior is under control, thanks to the work of AWLA dog trainers.
Natasha enjoys the company of her young companions
“I feel like I hit the jackpot twice," said Breanne, "first with Heidi and now with Natasha."
AWLA
WORKING WITH THE ANIMALS
Prior to her placement with Breanne's family in Oct., 2014, Natasha exhibited dog-aggressive behavior.
"It means the dog does not like, or get along with, other dogs," Animal Welfare League of Arlington communications manager Kerry McKeel explained in an email.
Fortunately, Karen was available to help.
Natasha. Photo courtesy of AWLA
Karen is a long-time AWLA volunteer who has been giving her time to the organization since 1990.
“My full time job involves working with dogs, so I began volunteering as a dog training in order to get more hands-on experience, ” she said. Karen has been an animal lover her whole life, and began to become fascinated by the wide variety behaviors and personality traits that dogs exhibit. Karen works with AWLA's adopters to help them create behavioral management plans for the animals.
She was instrumental in training Natasha prior to adoption, helping the German Shepard be calmer and less stressed around other animals.
Natasha (also called Sasha) with her new family.
“I am drawn to dogs with behavioral issues," Karen said, "for example, some shelter dogs have fear issues. I like working with challenging dogs and helping them become a good fit for their owners. The most gratifying part is helping give a dog a better day. The staff at the shelter is so compassionate and driven by the same mission—to help the animals."
Currently, AWLA is developing various animal housing programs, including the new “Adopt-It-Forward” program, where individuals or businesses can sponsor the adoption of an animal by paying for their adoption fee. The long-term goal is simply to “be more effective” at everything it is currently doing, says Trent.
Love animals? Want to volunteer with the AWLA? There are opportunities for grooming, socializing, taking animals to be showcased and more! Check out the AWLA website for more information!
Editor's Note: All photos on this page are from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington's Facebook page, where you can find up-to-date photos and information about AWLA and animals available for adoption.
About the Author: Marisa Weidner is a graduate of The College of William and Mary. She has volunteered as a teacher in Belize, and in homeless shelters in the United States. Marisa chronicles her explorations of DC on her blog, The Curated City.
Best Kids, INC.
Photo courtesy of BEST Kids, Inc.
MENTORSHIPS MATTER
Sheri Jones-Chamberlain faced a slew of obstacles while growing up, and often, she made the wrong decision.
"I feel like if I had a mentor growing up then maybe I wouldn't have made some of the mistakes that I did,” Sheri said. That’s what inspired her to become a mentor with BEST Kids, an organization that matches mentors with foster children in D.C.’s welfare system.
Because foster kids are moved around so much, they are often plagued with attachment disorders, said Krislyn Mossman, executive director of BEST Kids.
“But going through the foster care system it’s something definitely very difficult," Krislyn said. "It’s not really a normal upbringing. Pretty much everything that’s meaningful to you gets ripped away and that’s something that’s obviously very difficult for the kids we work with, obviously.”
At present, there are about 75 children who are served through BEST Kids, with plans to expand. Mentors are asked to commit for a minimum of a year, and to meet with their mentees for 10 hours a month.
“[We can do] pretty much anything you can think of as long as it’s local and not overnight," said Sheri.
Gretchen Rydin, who’s been a mentor to the same child for more than 3 years now, has pretty much done it all with her mentee.
“I took him sledding last year - his first time ever - and it was exciting to watch him learn how to do it and master the sled, said Gretchen. "After the first few times down the awesome sledding hill at Takoma Park Middle School, he wanted to quit, as he kept falling off his sled, but then we switched sleds and I encouraged him to try one more time and he nailed it. I even caught a giggle, which was music to my ears coming from this 'too cool' pre-teen."
Photo courtesy of BEST Kids, Inc.
BEST Kids, Inc. Mentor Q&A
GRETCHEN RYDIN
What motivated you to join BEST Kids?
I want to foster children one day, so I thought this would help me prepare for that and to better understand this population. I realized a while ago that one of my strengths is in developing one-on-one relationships, and considering the foster care component, this seemed like a good fit. Plus, BEST Kids is the only program like it in this area.
How long have you been a mentor?
My mentee and I just celebrated our 3-year anniversary in October 2014, but I started the process in July 2011. He was 10 years old, and now he is 13.
What's your most memorable experience with your mentee?
There are a lot to chose from! We've done a lot of firsts together - attending professional soccer game, college basketball game, a Redskins game, lots of sporting events, as that is one of his biggest interests. I took him sledding last year - his first time ever - and it was exciting to watch him learn how to do it and master the sled. After the first few times down the awesome sledding hill at Takoma Park Middle School, he wanted to quit, as he kept falling off his sled, but then we switched sleds and I encouraged him to try one more time and he nailed it. I even caught a giggle, which was music to my ears coming from this "too cool" pre-teen.
What's been the greatest challenge you've faced?
Right now, the greatest challenge is him getting older and trying to figure out who he is and where he fits in at school. I'm reading a few books about this right not, especially dealing with teenagers and peer pressure, so I can better understand how to coach him through this tumultuous time in his life. The gender barrier between us is also an increasing challenge, especially now that he is entering these teenage years. We do some activities sometimes with my guy friends, and he is always quick to bond with them. I want him to have more positive male role models in his life.
Best Kids Mentor Q&A
SHERI JONES-CHAMBERLAIN
What motivated you to join BEST kids?
I joined Best Kids because I faced many obstacles and hardships growing up, and I wanted to be a positive role model in a child's life. I feel like if I had a mentor growing up then maybe I wouldn't have made some of the mistakes that I did.
How long have you been a mentor?
I have been a mentor since November 2013
Photo provided by Best Kids, Inc.
What's your most memorable experience with your mentee?
The most memorable experience that I have with my mentee was taking her to Howard University for a Holiday event Best Kids had for the mentees, their families and caregivers. I enjoyed watching her participate in the activities and also being able to engage with her peers in a positive way.
What's been the greatest challenge you've faced?
The biggest challenge I have faced while mentoring is being able to establish and maintain a professional relationship with my mentee's caregiver. Mentors serve as a friend/role model for children in need. A mentor's responsibility is not to pick up the pieces or slack in areas that the caregiver does not provide.
About the Author: Marcella McCarthy is a freelance health writer with The Miami Herald. A graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Marcella holds dual Brazilian/American citizenship, and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. She lives in the Washington, DC area.