Skip to main navigation

Catalogue Blog

Around Town: September 27-October 3

Catalogue nonprofits are staying busy! If you are looking for something fun to do with your friends and family this upcoming week, try one of these events put on by some great Catalogue nonprofits!

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Beethoven’s Eternal Masterworks

National Philharmonic
Soovin Kim, violin, Piotr Gajewski, conductor – Come hear award-winning violinist Soovin Kim perform one of the most popular works ever written: Beethoven’s only violin concerto, a virtuosic masterpiece both lyrical and serene, radiating surprises and a soaring spirit. When Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 was premiered, the press commented that it “projects its force upon all people of all ages, just like the great natural phenomena, which leave us in awe every time they appear. This symphony alike, will still resound centuries to come, for as long as there will be man and music.” Beethoven Violin Concerto Symphony No. 5
When: Saturday, September 28, 2013 (8:00 PM)
Where: The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD 20852
Fee? yes $28-$84 (Kids Free)
Contact: Deborah Birnbaum, (301) 581-5100
For more information: click here

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Montgomery County Farm Tour (by bike!)

Montgomery Countryside Alliance
MCA is partnering with Potomac Pedalers for the 5th annual MoCo Farm Tour. Bikers can choose from winding farm routes of 17-75 miles through Montgomery County’s Ag Reserve. There is also a picnic for bikers and event volunteers at Kingsbury’s Orchard.
When: Sunday, September 29, 2013 (09:00 AM)
Where: Start: Pooleville Golf Course, 16601 West Willard Rd, Poolesville, MD 20837
Fee? no
Volunteer Info: Help set up the picnic for bikers- shuttle biker’s belongings back to their cars, engage with event attendees about the purpose and importance of the Ag Reserve. Service learning hours are available for MCPS students.
Contact: Kristina Bostick, (301) 602-4013
For more information: click here

Beethoven’s Eternal Masterworks

National Philharmonic
Soovin Kim, violin, Piotr Gajewski, conductor – Come hear award-winning violinist Soovin Kim perform one of the most popular works ever written: Beethoven’s only violin concerto, a virtuosic masterpiece both lyrical and serene, radiating surprises and a soaring spirit. When Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 was premiered, the press commented that it “projects its force upon all people of all ages, just like the great natural phenomena, which leave us in awe every time they appear. This symphony alike, will still resound centuries to come, for as long as there will be man and music.” Beethoven Violin Concerto Symphony No. 5
When: Sunday, September 29, 2013 (3:00 PM)
Where: The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD 20852
Fee? yes $28-$84 (Kids Free)
Contact: Deborah Birnbaum, (301) 581-5100
For more information: click here

Teddy Bear 5K & 1K Fun Walk/Run

Falls Church-McLean Children’s Center
Register now to Join Boston Marathon runners and a local Junior Olympiad recordholder for the Teddy Bear 5K and 1K Walk/Run on the W&OD Trail starting in the heart of Falls Church, VA. All participants will receive T-Shirts and great prizes will be awarded the top three male and female runners in 8 age categories, plus best overall male, female and Stroller-Runner. Bring your Teddy Bear or favorite stuffed friend to be admitted to a tea party after the race. Online Registration thru Sept. 26 at www.safetyandhealthfoundation.org/TeddyBear. Proceeds benefit the Falls Church-McLean Children’s Center, a high-quality early childhood education program serving all children, regardless of their family’s financial resources.
When: Sunday, September 29, 2013 (4:00 PM – 6:00 PM)
Where: W&OD Trail, 400 N. Oak St., Falls Church, Virginia 22043
Fee? yes 5K thru Sept. 26, $30; 1K thru Sept. 26, $15.
Volunteer Info: Volunteers welcome to assist along the trail, giving out water to runners.
Contact: Renee Boyle, (703) 534-4907
For more information: click here

Tuesday, October 01, 2013

Volunteer Opportunity at the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Children’s National Medical Center

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Washington, DC
Volunteer Opportunity at the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Children’s National Medical Center Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Greater Washington DC needs volunteers to work a weekly 3 hour shift in the Ronald McDonald Family Room located at Children’s National Medical Center (CNMC). Shifts are seven days a week: 9AM to Noon, Noon to 3PM, 3PM to 6PM and 6PM to 9PM. Volunteers will be cross trained by both RMHC and CNMC. A commitment of two shifts a month/60 hours a year is required. Contact: Karen Judson, 202-529-8204/kjudson@rmhcdc.org. www.rmhc.greaterdc.org.
When: Tuesday, October 1, 2013 (09:00 AM)
Where: Children’s National Medical Center (CNMC), 111 Michigan Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20310
Fee? no
Volunteer Info: Greeting and helping families, coordinate family programming activities and more.
Contact: Karen Judson, (202) 529-8204
For more information: click here

Spotlight: Reading Partners

Today we welcome Lisa Lazarus, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic for Reading Partners to Good Works, to congratulate them on their 2013 award from the Washington Post Charities! Lisa has focused on education as a charter and traditional public school teacher, a central office administrator, and a policy practitioner. Prior to joining Reading Partners, Lisa held several leadership roles in the District of Columbia Public Schools, including Chief of Staff for the Deputy Chief of Teaching and Learning, Interim Co-Director of the Office of Secondary School Transformation, and Manager of Strategic Policy and Implementation in the Office of Out-of-School Time. Lisa graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University, earned her Master in Elementary Education from Lesley University and the Shady Hill School Teacher Training Course, and earned her Master in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

1.What motivated you to begin working with Reading Partners? What need does it fulfill and how are you (and your organization) working towards meeting it?

Reading Partners is inspiring because it provides a concrete and user-friendly way for our communities to support local schools and to address a critical problem in our city: the staggering achievement gap between students from affluent homes versus low-income ones. Reading Partners’ particular focus is on literacy and on ensuring that students from low-income communities who struggle with reading receive the individualized attention they need to succeed in school and beyond. Our model is all about recruiting and training community members to serve as a Reading Partner to a young student who will benefit from reading tutoring. My desire to join the Reading Partners team stemmed from my passion to support educational equity. I believe fully and completely that all young people deserve to develop the academic skills they need to choose their own life path, and I believe community service is an under-utilized resource in that work.

2.What exciting change or innovation is on your mind?

Front and center on my mind are all the student-focused enhancements to our curriculum this year. Reading Partners is devoting significant time, effort, and personnel to aligning our research-based curriculum to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). This is exciting because it means our instructional materials are right on the pulse of all the latest thinking and best practices in elementary education. In addition to the CCSS project, Reading Partners is rolling out a new level of curriculum this year. The Emerging Reader level of our curriculum will focus on skill development for our students in grades K-3. Over the past few years, we have recognized the need to expand our instructional offerings in basic print concepts and phonological awareness so that our youngest readers get the exact skill reinforcement they need. I am excited to work for an organization that is willing to innovate, adapt, and create new materials in order to ensure tutors and students have exactly what they need.

3. Who inspires you (in the philanthropy world or otherwise)? Do you have a hero?

Gandhi’s reminder to “Be the change you wish to see in the world” is in my office, for that phrase reminds me to live with purpose, lead by example, and make the impact I believe our world needs. While these words guide and ground me, they also necessarily lead me to be inspired by our everyday heroes – our dedicated Reading Partners who give an hour or more of their time each week to tutor and mentor a student in our nation’s capital. Every week these men and women devote their time and energy, taking a tangible interest in a child’s life and thereby ensuring that our students have the concrete literacy skills the need to be successful. I am inspired by:

  • Sonia, a high school student who is helping to organize her friends so they too become Reading Partners.
  • Martin, a college student who takes time from his full course load to work with three students twice a week. Martin has put in additional time to learn his students’ specific needs in order to make students’ time in Reading Partners as impactful as possible. This year he is a team lead who is bringing more of his peers to the reading center each week.
  • Yogi, a working professional who is volunteering with Reading Partners for his fourth year. Yogi makes time to come into Reading Partners every week, and he rearranges his meetings to be there for his student. Noah, Yogi’s last student, said that Yogi was not just “the best teacher I ever had” but also “the best friend I ever had”.
  • Alexa, who spent over 40 hours with her student, Malachi, over the course of last year. With Alexa’s encouragement and focus, Malachi ended the year above grade level! Alexa is joining us as a Reading Partner again this year.

Each of these people, and our hundreds of other volunteers, are “being the change” they and we wish to see in the world. Our tutors demonstrate their commitment through their time in a Reading Partners reading center each week. I am incredibly inspired by and grateful for their dedication and generosity.

4.What is the single greatest challenge that your organization faces (besides finances) and how are you dealing with this challenge?

Our greatest challenge is building a volunteer movement that will result in thousands of volunteers who donate at least an hour a week to ensure that every student who needs personalized attention to learn to read receives it. We are working to build a cadre of people who identify as “Reading Partners” and who are proud to say, “I am a Reading Partner.” When this phrase becomes a household name; when churches, synagogues, youth groups, sororities and fraternities, kickball teams, book clubs, and parents decide to join the movement as Reading Partners; when together our community is addressing literacy proficiency skills by devoting an hour each week to supporting our teachers and schools by providing a young reader with one-on-one, individualized tutoring, then we will be able to ensure that all students – regardless of zip code or skin color or socioeconomic status – have access to the resources they need not only to learn to read, but also – and importantly – to read to learn.

5. What advice do you have for other people in your position?

Ask questions. Set ambitious yet attainable goals, and implement an accountability system to achieve them. Listen – to your colleagues, your volunteers, your board, your school-based stakeholders, your funders, your students’ parents and guardians, and most importantly, your clients – the students themselves. Listen also to your family and friends when they remind you, sometimes gently and other times necessarily more forcefully, to make time for yourself. Take care of yourself so you can continue to do the work you love. Take care of your body; lift weights, hike, run, swim, do yoga, bike, dance. Take care of your mind; read something that is not work-related, go to lectures, learn new things. Take care of your spirit in whatever ways are meaningful to you. Make the time to highlight and cultivate your colleagues’ talents. Learn from other executive directors who are doing incredible work in this area. Thank people. Call your grandmother. Eat nourishing food. Drink plenty of water. Laugh. Feel grateful to have a job about which you are so passionate. Revel in that even as you figure out a way to create a boundary between work and life outside of work. Have fun. And, always do what is best for our children.

6. Congratulations on receiving an award from the Washington Post charities!? What project is this grant supporting? What does this award mean to you or allow you to do?

Generous support from the Washington Post Charities helps to equip us with the resources we need to recruit hundreds of community volunteers to provide weekly, personalized reading tutoring to at least 600 students in 12 schools in 2013-14. Student enrollment in our local program has grown by 20-25% each year since our launch in 2010-11. In order to build and sustain the human capital and organizational capacity required to guarantee a high-quality learning experience for our students, we rely on local investors. The Washington Post Charities is an amazing partner to us, as they deeply understand the long-term importance of helping students to finish elementary school as confident, proficient readers. With our award from the Charities, we look forward to having the right people do the the right work to ensure that we can replicate last year’s outcomes, for 90% of target students in our program narrowed their achievement gap to their peers.

 

 

Guest Post: Hunger in America

by Billy Shore, Share Our Strength

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that would cut nearly $40 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps). The measure will kick off of SNAP at least 4 million Americans at risk of hunger and cause more than 200,000 kids to lose access to free school meals.

This legislation comes at a time when SNAP households are already preparing to see a November 1 cut in benefits that means approximately 20 fewer meals per month for a family of four. SNAP is the most powerful and effective tool we have for combating childhood hunger and has been proven to reduce poverty. Nearly 50% of SNAP participants are children, and cutting this program has major ramifications for the economy as well as the health and well-being of our kids, seniors, and working poor.

Making sure our fellow citizens have enough to eat isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s the smart thing to do. When children get the healthy food they need, they learn more at school and ward off long-term developmental and health problems. SNAP helps low-wage workers stay employed and feed their families even when working full-time at minimum wage leaves them in poverty. In short, we can’t have a strong economy with weak children and families.

You can learn more about the long-term economic ramifications of cutting SNAP by watching the video here: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/now/53052546#53052546

Share our Strength will continue to fight for the critical SNAP funding that helps families meet their children’s nutritional needs at home, and to connect families to key federal nutrition programs like summer meals and school breakfast where children learn and play. Cutting $40million from SNAP should simply not be an option.

========

Note: A few of the Catalogue nonprofits that help feed the poor and working poor include: ALIVE!, Arlington Food Assistance Center,? Food for Others, Manna Food Center, Miriam’s Kitchen and Our Daily Bread.

Around Town: September 20-26

The weather may be cooling down, but our nonprofits are just heating up! Check out these great events put on by some of our wonderful Catalogue nonprofits. Heading out to one of these events? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or by email at info@cfp-dc.org!

Saturday, September 21, 2013

VolunTrivia 3.0

Volunteer Fairfax
Join Volunteer Fairfax and compete for hundreds of dollars worth of prizes at VolunTrivia: live, MC-hosted team trivia! Teams of up to 6 players will compete for a chance to win the $200 1st place prize as well as over $300 in other prizes. Join us on Saturday, September 21st at Bennigan’s in McLean to test your knowledge, enjoy special happy hour specials, and support volunteering. To compete, you must pre-register. All registrants will have the option to play on your selected team (of up to 6 people), play solo, or ask to be placed on a pick-up team.
When: Saturday, September 21, 2013 (1:00 PM – 4:00 PM)
Where: Bennigan’s, 8201 Greensboro Drive, McLean, VA 22102
Fee?: yes $25 team; $10 individuals
Contact: Emily Davis, (703) 246-3892
For more information: click here

Monday, September 23, 2013

You’re Invited to Coffee Talk with Jubilee Jobs

Jubilee Jobs
Last year, Jubilee Jobs helped 1,000 people obtain employment. Want to know how we do it? Want to help us place 1,000 more people in jobs this year? Then join us on September 23rd at The Festival Center, 1640 Columbia Rd NW at 8:30 am. We need your help to assist the unemployed in the community. Come and hear applicant testimonials, meet our Executive Director Terry Flood, learn more about our volunteer opportunities, and join others who want to make a real difference and help others in the community. Please call ahead of time at (202) 667-8970 so we know to look for you.
When: Monday, September 23, 2013 (08:30 AM)
Where: The Festival Center, 1640 Columbia Road, NW, Washington, DC 20009
Fee?: no
Contact: Sheila Robinson, (202) 667-8970

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

WILL Power Party

Wilderness Leadership & Learning
A special cocktail reception to highlight the positive impact WILL makes in the lives of the DC youth from underserved neighborhoods and to honor the WILL Partner of the Year – Rachel Skerritt, Principal of Eastern High School
When: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 (6:00 PM – 9:00 PM)
Where: Pepco Edison Place Gallery, 702 8th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
Fee?: yes $75 per person
Contact: Steve Abraham, (202) 319-2
For more information: click here

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Leave a Legacy Dinner and Roast for ANS Volunteers, Staff, and Former Staff

Audubon Naturalist Society
Long-time ANS support and current Executive Director, Neal Fitzpatrick, plans to retire in September after 33 years of service. Since Neal has been such a passionate advocate for protecting our local water resources and natural spaces, it seems fitting that his legacy include a fund established in his name that would support the mobilization of people of all ages to protect and restore streams in the greater DC region. To honor Neal and to build his Legacy Fund, we have planned a number of festive events! Join us for a farewell dinner to Neal on Thursday, September 26th, at 5:30pm at Woodend Sanctuary. All ANS Volunteers and current and former staff members are invited. Dinner and drinks will be served. There is a suggested donation of $15 per person (all of which is a tax-deductible gift). RSVP by Friday, September 20th, to Pam Oves at poves@audubonnaturalist.org or 301-652-9188 x16. We hope to see you there!
When: Thursday, September 26, 2013 (5:30 PM)
Where: Woodend Sanctuary, 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Fee?: yes $15 suggested donation (fully tax-deductible)
Contact: Pam Oves, (301) 652-9188 ext 16
For more information: click here

Spotlight: Mentors, Inc.

Today we welcome Deirdre Bagley, Executive Director of Mentors, Inc. to Good Works, to congratulate them on their 2013 award from the Washington Post Charities, a fund of the McCormick Foundation! Deirdre has been at Mentors, Inc. for about five years, with a volunteer history in youth leadership and literacy programming, and a professional history with a variety of nonprofit associations from higher education to environmental advocacy. Deirdre is at home with teen mentoring, combining her nonprofit leadership experience and personal mission interest.

1. What motivated you to begin working with Mentors, Inc? What need does it fulfill and how are you (and your organization) working towards meeting it?

I reached a point in my professional career where I felt driven to combine my professional leadership with my personal interest in working with youth, and find an organization that was well respected for their work. That led me to Mentors, Inc., which helps Washington, D.C. high school teens graduate from high school to combat the abysmal drop-out rates locally. We pair teens with a mentor to help expand their universe — internally and externally — to see and pursue what’s possible for their lives.

2. What exciting change or innovation is on your mind?

Partnerships that really work and truly enhance all partners’ capacity! We’ve begun working with the United Way and City Year at the Kelly Miller Middle School on an 8th to 9th grade transition project to improve 8th graders’ success with their new high school experience, to prevent them from joining the ranks of teens who drop out in 9th grade. City Year was already in the school with strong student, administration, and family relationships; the United Way was bringing corporate partners in as volunteer mentors, and we manage mentoring intake, matching, and support. We’re looking forward to following how these young teens do when they make the transition. Because all partners are doing what they do best and not duplicating others’ work, the project has great potential for replication.

3. Who inspires you (in the philanthropy world or otherwise)? Do you have a hero?

I don’t have heroes, but there are people who live their lives in ways I admire. Our teenagers inspire me. They persist and dream on, in spite of living in high poverty areas, attending under-performing schools, and having no family history of college-going. I admire young philanthropists who are donors and want to be connected to the causes they donate to, but don’t care to see their name displayed on a marble wall. I admire people who break out of traditional molds to do something new and positive in big and small ways. I admire children — they read the world and ask questions or provide solutions without the filter of experience, and say insightful things that adults have long lost sight of.

4. What is the single greatest challenge that your organization faces (besides finances) and how are you dealing with this challenge?

Growing our organization. Garnering enough volunteer support to meet the number of teens who want mentors; and non-mentor volunteer leadership to actively move our recruitment, giving, and programming forward.

5. What advice do you have for other people in your position?

Surround yourself with smart, positive, enthusiastic people! They help moving the world a lot less difficult and a lot more fun.

6. What’s next/coming up for you?

Next, is building our internal circle of supporters, including mentors, non-mentor volunteers, board members, and alumni (mentors and students) to help even more teens get match with mentors, graduate, persist in college, and become the people they were born to be.

7. Congratulations on receiving an award from the Washington Post Charities! What does this award mean to you?

Mentors, Inc. is a one-program operation, focused solely on matching teens with mentors to help them graduate and aspire to higher education. At least 90% of our high school seniors graduate (100% for the last two years), and at least 85% go on to college. Compared to 60% and 5-28% locally, this is amazing, particularly since we have no minimum requirement to participate in our program — only student motivation. The Washington Post Charities grant is already helping us serve more students, and advancing our 8th to 9th grade transition project which helps reduce the drop-out rate in D.C. We’re so pleased they chose our mission, and organization, to support!

In the News…

Home Care Workers Get Minimum Wage: As Active Aging Week begins, the Department of Labor announced that the over 2 million home care workers in the US will earn minimum wage and overtime benefits starting January 1st, 2015. Home health aides — 90 percent of whom are women and 42 percent of whom are black or Latino –currently earn an average of $9.70 per hour. A Huffington Post article notes that the home health sector is one of the fastest growing occupations in the country, predicted to grow 70 percent from 2010-2020 as Baby Boomers age.

Kids Give! A report by the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University and the United Nations Foundation found that 90 percent of kids give to charity, sparking a discussion on how to get youth involved in giving . One of the report’s authors noted that “children whose parents talk to them about giving are 20 percent more likely to give than those whose parents don’t” and encouraged families and charities to find ways to engage kids in the giving and volunteering process. Read the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s article here or check out the study here.

Census Bureau Annual Report Released: The yearly report on poverty and income found that 21.8 percent of American children under the age of 18 lived in poverty in 2012 — and a Washington Post article notes that “the younger they are, the worse off they are.The percentage of children under the age of 5 living in poverty is 25.1 — and almost 1 in 10 live in extreme poverty.” Children of color are affected most with 37.9 percent of black children and 33.8 percent of Hispanic children living in poverty. Additionally, the statistics shows that 9.1 percent of Americans living in poverty are 65+.

The report also found that in today’s dollars, the median American household in 2012 makes less than in 1989. This is in stark contrast to the Forbes Top 400 list of the richest Americans, whose wealth has grown 15 percent since 2012 to a combined total of $2 trillion. Census data shows that households making over $191,000 are earning nearly what they had before the recession, yet the lower 80 percent are, on average, making significantly less than before the downturn, as noted in a NPQ article.

Around Town: September 13-19

A calm weekend for Catalogue nonprofit events, but we have a fantastic one waiting for you next Tuesday, courtesy of Sitar Arts Center!

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Documentary Film Screening

Sitar Arts Center
A brief film titled “Doing it For Me” by teens at Sitar Arts Center. The film views the issue of dropping out of high school from the perspective of three teens.
When: Tuesday, September 17, 2013 (7:00 PM – 8:30 PM)
Where: Sitar Arts Center, 1700 Kalorama Road NW, Suite 101, Washington, DC 20009
Fee? no
Contact: Kendall Ladd, (202) 797-2145 ext 113

In the News

Dramatic increase in demand for affordable housing in Arlington — A 122-unit affordable housing complex, still under construction, received over 3,600 applications in less than two weeks from hopeful residents. With maximum income limits that vary between just over $30,000 for one person to up to $74,000 for six people living in one unit, this surge of applications highlights a larger affordable housing crunch in the county.

Food stamp benefits will see decline in November and face an additional 5 percent cut in House vote next week — Additional SNAP benefits launched by the 2009 stimulus are set to expire in November. With the current divide in Congress, their impending expiration will cut the monthly food stamp allowance for a family of four by $36.

A vote in the House next week could mean an additional cut of nearly 5 percent to the SNAP program. There are over 50 million Americans who are hungry, nearly 17 million of whom are children. September is Hunger Awareness Month and these decisions could mean increased challenges for low-income Americans locally, and across the country.

Errors by DC tax officials have put over 1,900 DC homeowners at risk for foreclosure — A Washington Post investigation into a program at the DC Department of Tax and Revenue has led , after reports that residents, including elderly homeowners, were forced into foreclosure. One in five liens was sold by mistake. An excerpt from the Post’s series is below — read the series here.

For decades, the District placed liens on properties when homeowners failed to pay their bills, then sold those liens at public auctions to mom-and-pop investors who drew a profit by charging owners interest on top of the tax debt until the money was repaid. But under the watch of local leaders, the program has morphed into a predatory system of debt collection for well-financed, out-of-town companies that turned $500 delinquencies into $5,000 debts then foreclosed on homes when families couldn’t pay, a Washington Post investigation found.

Kids suffer as gap grows between families of different races, classes and educational achievements — A new report by the Ohio State University’s Department of Sociology found “a widening gap in recent years between families that are white, educated or economically secure and minority families, those headed by someone with a high school degree or less, and poor families.” The report noted that living arrangement was a “strong indicator of poverty,” showing that “four percent of U.S.-born children living in dual-income families were poor in 2010, followed by 14 percent in traditional families, while nearly 60 percent of the children living with single, never-married mothers were.” This is significant as white U.S.-born kids were nearly twice as likely as their African-American counterparts to grow up in a dual-income household with married parents. Find the report here.

DC’s new superintendent for education: Mayor Gray announced yesterday that Jesus Aguirre, director of the District’s Parks Department, will become the city’s new state superintendent of education. With a background in education, Aguirre first joined the District government in 2007 as part of the transition team leading up to Michelle Rhee’s term. Since 2009, he has directed the Parks Department at the request of Mayor Fenty, and begins his new post on October 1st.

Around Town: September 6-12

Catalogue nonprofits always seem to have great events and volunteer opportunities available to the community. Check out what some of the best local nonprofits are up to this week!

Friday, September 06, 2013

Charity in Chocolate

Heart of America Foundation
This event features a decadent mix of chocolate & fashion including: – A delicious Chocolate Fashion Show where chefs decorate models in beautiful chocolate couture – More than 50 sweet and savory tasting stations and an open bar for you to enjoy, including a special celebration of Italian culture and cuisine – A raffle campaign with fabulous prizes and proceeds supporting book donations to children in need Proceeds from Charity in Chocolate help The Heart of America Foundation provide books to children in the DC metropolitan area who have little or nothing to read at home.
When: Friday, September 6, 2013 (6:00 PM – 09:00 AM)
Where: Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C., 1330 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20024
Fee? no $110 Guest, tickets discounted for groups of 10 or more, VIP tickets also available
Contact: Daniel Horgan, (202) 347-6278
For more information: click here

Saturday, September 07, 2013

Leave a Legacy Cruise Celebration

Audubon Naturalist Society
Long-time ANS support and current Executive Director, Neal Fitzpatrick, plans to retire in September after 33 years of service. Since Neal has been such a passionate advocate for protecting our local water resources and natural spaces, it seems fitting that his legacy include a fund established in his name that would support the mobilization of people of all ages to protect and restore streams in the greater DC region. To honor Neal and to build his Legacy Fund, we have planned a number of festive events! Join Neal and his wife Roxane, Saturday, September 7th, 6-8pm, aboard the U.S.S. Sequoia Presidential Yacht for an elegant cocktail reception catered by Main Event Caterers, one of Washington, DC’s premiere caterers. Proclaimed by the History Channel as the “Rolls Royce of Yachts,” the Sequoia has catered to a dozen U.S. Presidents for 90 years. It features most of the original furnishings and is full of historic photos and letters. Suggested donation for this event is $500 per person ($400 of which is a tax-deductible gift). RSVP by Friday, August 30th, to Loree Trilling at ltrilling@audubonnaturalist.org or 301-652-9188 x35. Space is limited!
When: Saturday, September 7, 2013 (6:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
Where: Gangplank Marina, 6th St SW & Maine Ave SW, Washington, DC 20024
Fee? yes $500 per person suggested donation ($400 is tax-deductible)
Contact: Loree Trilling, (301) 652-9188 ext 35
For more information: click here

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Look at Literacy

Literacy Council of Montgomery County
Come learn about the state of adult literacy in Montgomery County, how the Literacy Council addresses the needs of adults with low literacy skills, and how you can be involved.
When: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 (10:30 AM – 11:30 AM)
Where: Rockville Library, Suite 320, 21 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850
Fee? no
Contact: Marty Stephens, (301) 610-0030 ext 202
For more information: click here

Aging Population Means New Suburban Challenges

By Jenn Hatch

According to an article by David Versel at George Mason University’s Center for Regional Analysis, the choices aging Baby Boomers in our region make about where to retire could mean profound impacts for local governments and social service organizations.

Though Boomers make up 26 percent of the region’s population, they represent 47 percent of the homeowners, and are mostly concentrated in the DC suburbs. If the majority of the area’s 1.5 million Boomers opt to “age in place,” as most hope to, Versel notes some key impacts on local communities:

Social Services for the Elderly — Boomers make up more than 50 percent of homeowning households in Calvert, Fairfax and Fauquier counties, and just under half in Montgomery, Stafford and Prince George’s counties. As the elderly population of these communities spikes, the demand for social services to accommodate these residents — from accessible transit programs and social work services to home health care and recreational programming — will swell. Communities that grew with a surge of new families decades ago will become “naturally occurring retirement communities” and now lack the infrastructure to meet these emerging needs.

Help for Limited Income Residents — Boomers living a fixed income of retirement savings and social security benefits will likely face a crunch as their health care costs rise with age. This adds urgency to provide accessible social services for low- or limited-income elderly residents such as energy assistance, affordable transportation, home health or social work services, and financial counseling, benefit and tax assistance. The article also notes that these homeowners won’t be able to maintain their investment in maintaining their homes, which has repercussions for attracting new buyers and maintaining public services in the future.

Transitioning After the Boomers — Communities facing this dramatic increase in their elderly population today will also experience another significant shift in 27-50 years as the Boomers’ reach ages 76-94. Versel notes that “at some point age and health will take their toll. If Boomers do intend to stay in their homes for the duration, their eventual departures from their homes and neighborhoods will likely occur under difficult circumstances. Most will either leave quickly due to health issues, or their surviving family members will need to sell their homes after they are gone.” This rapid change in demographics poses challenges for governments and social service groups alike — finding ways to meet the changing needs of local residents while striving to maintain sustainable, vibrant communities.

This pendulum swing of demographics over three to four decades will compound current suburban challenges including poverty and demand for social services. But as communities plan for and face these changes, it is also an opportunity to strengthen our region’s nonprofit network — from planning and working collaboratively to sharing expertise across organizations and coordinating diverse services — to best serve an ever-changing community.