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Catalogue Blog

Around Town: 11/20-11/25

Lace up your running shoes! Two Catalogue nonprofits are ready to help you get your pre-Thanksgiving exercise this weekend. Read on to get the details!Around town template

Saturday, November 21st and Sunday, November 22nd

Girls on the Run – Northern Virginia 5k
The Girls on the Run 5K is more than a run, its the celebration of a season of work for thousands of local girls who’ve participated in this life changing program. Come run alongside our participants, families, and alumni, or sign up to volunteer and ensure each girl can cross this important finish line.

When/Where: Sat Nov 21 2015 (8:30am) – Pfitzner Stadium, 7 Country Complex CT, Woodbridge, VA 22192, and Sun Nov 21 2015 (8:30am) -Rosslyn, 1700 N Kent St Arlington, Arlington, VA 22209
Volunteer Info: Volunteers are needed in a variety of roles including registration, course management, water stations, finish line, and much more.
Contact: Emily Davis, (703) 273-3153

Sunday, November 22nd

Run for Shelter 10k, 5K and Fun Run with Carpenter’s Shelter
Ready, set, Run for Shelter! Carpenter’s Shelter’s 5th annual Run for Shelter will be held just steps from the US PTO Madison Building on Eisenhower Ave. in Alexandria, VA. The event includes a 5K, 10K, and Fun Run to suit all skill levels and ages. Proceeds from the event benefit Carpenter’s Shelter and go towards ending homelessness in our community! Visit http://www.carpentersshelter.org/run-for-shelter for more information and to register today! We hope to see you there!

When: Sun Nov 22 2015 (8:00am)
Where: United States Patent and Trademark Office, 600 Dulaney St, Alexandria, VA 2231
Fee?Yes $5 suggested donation at door to benefit Bethany House of Northern Virginia
Contact: Kelly McDermott, (703) 548-7500
For more information: Click here

7 Questions: Susan Punnett, Family and Youth Initiative

Susan 3-2015

Susan Punnett, Executive Director, DCFYI

In honor of National Adoption Month, we’re proud to feature Susan Punnett, Executive Director of Family & Youth Initiative (’15-’16). DCFYI is the only DC area organization focused exclusively on helping teens in foster care make lifelong connections with caring adults.Susan has twenty years of experience in child welfare and related social services. Prior to founding Family & Youth Initiative, she served for five years as Director of the Kidsave Weekend Miracles DC program, piloting a new approach to helping older children in foster care find adoptive families with funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Read on to learn more about Susan and DCFYI!

What motivated you to begin working with your organization?

Five years ago I was the project director at a non-profit, helping teens in foster care find adoptive families. When that organization decided to end the program a number of us were unwilling to walk away from the teens who had not yet found family. So we started Family & Youth Initiative to keep the program going. I was motivated then as I am now by the amazing teens I have gotten to know. I consider myself privileged to play a part in this very critical time in their lives.

How is your organization recognizing National Adoption Month?

Actually much of what we do this month is the same as what we do year round talking to people about teens in foster care and bringing teens and adults together so they can form what will become lasting relationships. National Adoption Month gives us a bit of a bigger platform because of the added publicity from events like National Adoption Day (in DC, Adoption Day in Court).

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Around Town: 11/6-11/12

Looking to kick off the giving season with a Catalogue nonprofit? Check out what’s on the agenda over the next week! aroundtown

Thursday, November 5th

Patricia M. Sitar Juried Art Exhibit with Sitar Arts Center You’re invited to join us for the opening reception and award ceremony for the Sixth Annual Patricia Sitar Arts Juried Exhibition on Thursday, November 5th from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Sitar’s Cafritz Gallery. This year’s theme is Works With Paper. Meet the artists and enjoy light refreshments. Free and open to the public.

When: Thu Nov 5 2015 (6:30 PM – 7:30 PM) Where: Sitar Arts Center, 1700 Kalorama Road NW Suite 101, DC 20009 Fee? no Contact:Juan Garcia, (202) 797-2145 ext 113 For more information:click here

Saturday, November 7th

The Big Picture Party with Art Works Now Enjoy an evening of art, food, and fun to benefit Art Works @ School programs! Sip and Sketch: Enjoy handcrafted cocktails, live music, and a drawing lesson with Art Works Now teaching artists Hor d’oeuvres by RIS Live and silent auctions with exciting items Seated, three course dinner with beer pairing by Pizzeria Paradiso.

When: Sat Nov 7 2015 (06:30 AM – 10:30 AM) Where: Art Works Now, 4800 Rhode Island Ave, Hyattsville, MD 20781 Volunteer Info: Help us prepare for the event by setting up, decoration or helping us clean up after our wonderful party! Contact: Kendall Ladd, (301) 454-0808 For more information: click here

Adoption Event at TD Bank with City Dogs Rescue

Join City Dogs Rescue for an adoption event at TD Bank to meet some of our adoptable dogs!

When: Sat Nov 7 2015 (12:00 NOON – 2:00 PM) Where: TD Bank, 1489 P St NW, Washington, DC 20009 Volunteer Info: We need drivers to bring dogs from foster homes or our daycare facility (1832 18th ST NW) and back from the event. We also need dog handlers. Dog handling preference will be given to those who can drive a foster to/from the event and stay for the duration. Contact: Asrah Mohammed, (202) 425-2668

The Oh Hellos at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue The Oh Hellos influences range from Fleet Foxes and Sufjan Stevens to The Middle East and the Muppets, bending and blending styles and genres into a unique mixture of eclectic folk rock.

When: Sat Nov 7 2015 (8:00 PM) Where: Sixth & I 600 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 Fee? yes $17 Contact: Libi Baehr, (202) 266-4872 For more information: click here

Sunday, November 8th

Adoption Event at PetMAC DC with City Dogs Rescue Join City Dogs Rescue at an adoption event at PetMAC DC to meet some of our adoptable dogs!

When: Sun Nov 8 2015 (12:00 NOON – 2:00 PM) Where: PetMAC DC, 4914 Wisconsin Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20016 Volunteer Info: We need drivers to bring dogs from foster homes or our daycare facility (1832 18th ST NW) and back from the event. We also need dog handlers. Dog handling preference will be given to those who can drive a foster to/from the event and stay for the duration. Contact: Asrah Mohammed, (202) 425-2668

Tuesday, November 10

Snapshot of Insight Memory Care Center at Insight Memory Care CenterYou are invited to IMCC’s Snapshot, an overview and tour, to see firsthand the work we are doing. Coffee and pastries are provided. You will meet the Executive Director, Joel, and hear about our unique approaches and the innovative practices that IMCC provides to individuals with memory impairment and their caregivers.

When: Tue Nov 10 2015 (09:00 AM – 10:00 AM) Where: Linda and Lou Mazawey Education and Support Center, 3955 Pender Drive, Suite 100, Fairfax, VA 22030 Fee? no Contact: Robin McGlothin, (703) 204-4664 For more information:click here

Cafe Series at Sitar Arts Center Informal concert by Sitar students in the lobby.

When: Tue Nov 10 2015 (5:30 PM – 6:15 PM) Where:Sitar Arts Center, 1700 Kalorama Road NW Suite 101, Washington, DC 20009 Fee? no Contact: Juan Garcia, (202) 797-2145 ext 113 For more information:click here

Wednesday, November 11

Beyond the Classroom Tour with For Love of Children Please join us ‘Beyond the Classroom’ to take a tour of our mission and to learn how you can get involved. At this event, you will hear from FLOC’s staff, board members, students, parents, and volunteers. We look forward to seeing you there!

When: Wed Nov 11 2015 (5:30 PM – 6:30 PM) Where: 1763 Columbia Road, NW, Washington, DC 20009 Fee? no Contact: Kate Brown, (202) 462-8686 ext 3

Ethan Hawke at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue From the four-time Academy Award nominee and star of Dead Poets Society, Reality Bites, Training Day as well as the Before Sunrise trilogy and Boyhood comes Rules for a Knight, a fable about a Knight’s journey and a short guide to what gives life beauty and meaning.

When: Wed Nov 11 2015 (7:00 PM) Where: Sixth & I 600 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 Fee? yes $18 Contact: Libi Baehr, (202) 266-4872 For more information: click here

7 Questions: Matt Gerson, Founder and Chairman

We welcome Matt Gerson, Founder and Chairman of Tracy’s Kids to our 7 Questions Blog. Tracy’s Kids helps young cancer patients and their families cope with the emotional stress and trauma of cancer and its treatment and is brand new to the Catalogue as part of the 2015-16 class. Under Matt Gerson’s leadership, Tracy’s Kids has grown from one therapist at Georgetown University Hospital’s Lombardi Cancer Center to the much larger organization it is today.

 

  1. What motivated you to begin working with your organization?

I was diagnosed with cancer when I was ten years old– 47 years ago. I remember that battling the disease was lonely and scary and emotionally grueling. Tracy’s Kids uses Art Therapy to enable the children we serve to engage with Masters-trained professionals who help them express their fears and better understand this impossibly difficult chapter of their lives.

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

My heroes are our eight dedicated Art Therapists (“ATs”) who bring compassion and professionalism to their work every day. They see a lot of sadness but generate smiles, comfort and confidence. For years parents have told me that their kids look forward to going to the clinic which I find inconceivable. But it’s because our ATs enable them to feel like themselves: not like sick kids, just kids.

  1. What was your most interesting recent project/partnership?

Our program director, Tracy Councill, is always encouraging our team of Art Therapists to try new ways to make the clinic more fun and inviting. The past couple of years they’ve made music videos including one to Pharrell’s song, Happy, that had the whole clinic — nurses, docs, kids and parents — lip syncing and dancing. But my favorite was to Andy Grammers, Keep Your Head Up. The lyrics could not be more appropriate and became something of an anthem — You got to keep your head up. This is just a journey, drop your worries, you are gonna turn out fine.

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

We make a special effort to work with the siblings of the children that we serve. A cancer diagnosis traumatizes the entire family, and we appreciate that the healthy sibling is scared for her brother, confused by the treatment regime and wrestles with emotions that should be shared with a trained professional. We even established a focused summer program at Children’s Hospital called Scribbling Siblings.

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

Sadness. Today, over 70% of the children diagnosed with cancer will beat the disease. But parents still lose children, and brothers lose sisters. This Fall a remarkable 16 year old lost her battle with osteosarcoma. Abby used Art Therapy to cope with her prognosis and create a legacy of artwork for her family and friends. Her mother told me that Tracy’s Kids was invaluable to her daughter and that the family wants to work with us so they can positively impact the lives of others. This kind of feedback enables us to deal with the heartache because it validates our efforts to help children and their families cope with the psychological toll imposed by the disease and its treatment.

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

Just Do It. There are innumerable good causes. Find one that excites you and give it your best shot. Don’t be afraid to ask for financial support, and don’t talk it personally when you get turned down or someone doesn’t deliver.

  1. What’s next/coming up for you?

Tracy’s Kids is in three clinics in the DC area and one in San Antonio, Texas. We joined New York Presbyterian Hospital in October and are exploring a partnership with a hospital in Baltimore. Other clinics have asked us to bring our program to their facility and if we have the resources we can go anywhere to make a real difference in the lives of children in a harrowing position.