At your local CFP nonprofit …

Dance Place (3225 8th Street NE, Washington, DC)

Deep Vision Dance Company & withhart.dance.projects come together for an evening of modern dance ranging from the weighted to the humorous on Saturday at 8:00 PM and Sunday at 4:00 PM. Tickets right this way!

Literacy Council of Montgomery County (Rockville Library, 21 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD)

Attend an Adult Literacy Tutor Orientation for volunteers interested in helping adults learn to read, write, or speak English on Monday from 10:30 AM to noon. Learn more right here.

Audubon Naturalist Society (Woodend Sanctuary, 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD)

Washington Post environmental writer Juliet Eilperin will speak on “The Outlook for the Environment in the Second Obama Administration” at a members’ meeting on Tuesday from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM. RSVP here.

Constellation Theatre Company (Source, 1835 14th Street NW, Washington, DC)

On Thursday at 8:30 PM, catch a Pay-What-You-Can Preview of Zorro — the masked avenger, who is born when quiet, bookish Diego must find a way to fight corruption and injustice. More info over here.

Loop a local nonprofit into your weekend plans …

We Are Family Senior Outreach Network (Metropolitan Comm. Church, 474 Ridge Street NW)

Volunteer in pairs or groups to visit isolated, low-income seniors in their homes. Meet up at 10:00 AM on Saturday for a brief orientation before the visits begin.

Joseph’s House (1730 Lanier Place NW)

Take a one-hour “walk-and-talk” breakfast tour of Joseph’s House, which offers compassionate end-of-life care for homeless individuals with AIDS and cancer, on Saturday at 10:30 AM.

Computer CORE (3846 King Street, Alexandria, VA)

In this 4-hour workshop on Saturday at noon, students will learn the capabilities of Salesforce, plus try their hand at being a business user and building basic applications.

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Happy Thanksgiving week! If you’re looking to support or volunteer with a nearby nonprofit, we have the list for you. Check out what’s needed and what you can do at some of CFP’s human service organization (And we’ll be back to our regular GoodWorks programming on Monday)

ALIVE! — Alexandria, VA: Volunteers needed at 8AM on Thursday for the Turkey Trot at George Washington Middle School; learn more here.

Carpenter’s Shelter — Alexandria, VA: Check out the “How Can I Help This Holiday?” page; you can take part in pantry clean-up and at the Winter Shelter or volunteer as a group.

FACETS– Fairfax, VA: Executive Director Amanda Andere writes about “Holiday Hunger: A Recipe for Change” on Huffington Post; you can read about FACET’s supply drives here.

Food For Others — Fairfax, VA: Food For Others provides Thanksgiving groceries annually to those in need; here is a list of key items that you can donate.

Manna Food Center — Gaithersburg, MD: Email fooddrive@mannafood.org to receive a simple how-to guide and food drive list.

Our Daily Bread — Fairfax, VA: Check out the immediate volunteer needs right here, including food collection and delivery and a Fall Food Drive this coming Saturday.

Western Fairfax Christian Ministries — Chantilly, VA: Learn more about donating food to the pantry or organizing a drive for WFCM right here.

* And remember: when looking for volunteer opportunities, be sure to visit Greater DC Cares and Volunteer Fairfax!

Many great, nonprofit places to go this weekend! Check it out …

FotoDC (Central Hub: 1299 Pennsylvania Avenue NW)

The annual FotoWeek Festival begins this Friday and continues through the 18th; expect to see the very best in art, photography, and photojournalism! You can see the list of locations right here and sign up at the Volunteer Hub this way.

Educational Theatre Company (1030 N. McKinley Road, Arlington, VA)

Parents, students and volunteers come together for Community Build Day on Saturday at 9:30 AM to build sets, costumes and props in preparation for the upcoming production. Learn more here.

Anacostia Watershed Society (Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg, MD)

On Saturday at 10:00 AM, plant trees along the Anacostia River; bring a friend and be prepared to have fun. You can RSVP right here.
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What are your plans for the weekend? We have some great ideas at CFP nonprofits …

Anacostia Watershed Society (38th Street, Hyattsville, MD) – Event Full

Build and install bird houses at the native meadow along the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River on Friday at 10:00 AM. Complete information right this way!

Audubon Naturalist Society (Woodend Sanctuary, 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD)

On Friday at 6:00 PM, join ANS members for the annual meeting, featuring Patterson Clark, author and illustrator of the “Urban Jungle” column in The Washington Post. RSVP details and program schedule right here.

District of Columbia Arts Center (2438 18th Street NW, Washington DC)

Plenty happening at DCAC this weekend! A second edition of The Happy Buddha Brings Peace and Laughter is onstage on Friday & Saturday at 10:00 PM and Theatre Du Jour’s Nightmerica returns Friday through Sunday at 7:30 PM. Schedule right here.

Volunteer Fairfax (Numerous locations)

The 18th annual VolunteerFest Day of Service is coming up this Saturday. You can choose a project (perhaps with a CFP nonprofit) and sign up right here. So many great options!

Smith Center for Healing and the Arts (1632 U Street NW Washington, DC)

On Saturday at 10:00 AM, join two culinary and nutrition experts and learn how to incorporate nourishing foods for healing and prevention of cancer; most of the workshop will be dedicated to hands-on cooking. Sign up here.

What’s coming up at your local nonprofts? Check out CFP Happenings and find out!

Downtown Cluster’s Geriatric Day Care Center (Washington Navy Yard, 1411 Parsons Avenue SE)

Best of luck for the 36th Anniversary Benefit Gala, “Growing Older, Getting Better,” on Friday at 6:00 PM! All proceeds will provide therapeutic and supportive services to frail older persons in Washington, DC.

Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (Lubber Run Park, N. Columbus Street & 2nd Street N, Arlington, VA)

On Saturday at 10:00 AM, volunteers should meet at the amphitheater (just below the parking lot) and will help collect seeds and acorns of native tree species to be sent to the state nursery. More info right this way.

Smith Center for Healing and the Arts (Hallowood Retreat and Conference Center, 7300 Banner Road, Comus, MD)

Best wishes to those attending the October Residential Cancer Retreat this coming week (starting Monday), which provides an opportunity for transformative healing on the physical, mental, and emotional levels.

Also: coming up on Wednesday at 10:00 AM, Anacostia Watershed Society will be building and installing bird houses at our native meadow along the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River.

By Marie LeBlanc, Community Partnerships Coordinator

Over the past few weeks, Sherika Brooks and I have ventured “into the field” with a handful of Catalogue nonprofits –sorting books, promoting clean water, and serving meals. We are not alone in engaging in volunteer work in our community. Across the United States, over 60 million people spent time volunteering last year, contributing nearly $173 billion worth of value to their communities. In the District, about 30% of adults volunteer, and the same is true for Maryland and Virginia — which is just above the national average of 26.5%.

So who volunteers in America? Sherika and I fit the typical volunteer profile in some ways, but not others. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2011, women volunteered more than men and middle- and older-aged adults are most likely to volunteer. (We broke the trend for adults in their early twenties, who are least likely to volunteer among all age groups.) Another interesting trend is that “individuals with higher levels of educational attainment engaged in volunteer activities at higher rates than did those with less education. Among persons age 25 and over, 42.4 percent of college graduates volunteered, compared with 18.2 percent of high school graduates and 9.8 percent of those with less than a high school diploma.” A majority of those who volunteer dedicate their time to one or two organizations, one of which is often religiously affiliated. Among all volunteers, the most common activities are fundraising and providing meals.

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By Marie LeBlanc, Community Partnerships Coordinator

Swim, Drink, Fish — Clean Water!

This was the rallying cry at the Rally for Clean Water, held last Saturday, September 15, at the Georgetown Waterfront. The Rally celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, a piece of landmark legislation passed in 1972 that protects and regulates standards for America’s waterways. The event was co-sponsored by CFP’s Potomac Riverkeeper, as well as Waterkeeper Alliance, Blue Legacy, Waterkeepers Chesapeake and Earthjustice. Hundreds of community members joined the celebration for the morning paddle, speaker series, and river clean up. We (Marie and Sherika) spent the morning at the Rally, both enjoying the beauty of the Potomac River during the paddle and volunteering during the speaking portion of the rally.

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Welcome to almost-fall, Greater Washington! And here is what’s coming up at your local nonprofits this weekend …

Accokeek Foundation (National Colonial Farm, 3400 Bryan Point Road, Accokeek, MD)

On Saturday at noon, join in the monthly kitchen table conversation about the epicurean delights of colonial Marylanders; learn how our tastes and the food itself have changed over 300 years. More information right here!

Potomac Riverkeeper (Georgetown Waterfront Park, K st & Wisconsin Avenue NW)

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act at the Georgetown Waterfront Park on Saturday morning and afternoon; all are invited to participate in a morning paddle out on the Potomac, followed by a series of clean water advocate speakers. See the full schedule here.

Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (4200 S. Four Mile Run Drive, Arlington, VA)

Collect and tally trash for this annual event held in conjunction with the International Coastal Cleanup and Clean Virginia Waterways Day on Saturday at 1:00 PM at Barcroft Park. Groups and families are welcome; call 703-228-6406 to register today.

District of Columbia Arts Center (2438 18th Street NW, Washington, DC)

This weekend and next, Matthew Vaky (veteran of Minneapolis’ Guthrie Theatre) creates a hilarious and startling examination of US policy towards enemy combatants; call 202 462-7834 for reservations and learn more right here.

Also: Very best wishes to THEARC on their AfterDark@THEARC gala this Saturday!

Looking ahead to next week, be sure to check out Successful Women Entrepreneurs in Washington at The Women’s Center on Monday at 6:00 PM and Financial Literacy New Volunteer Orientation is coming up on Tuesday at 7:00 PM at Our Daily Bread in Fairfax.

By Marie LeBlanc, Community Partnerships Coordinator

As yesterday’s blog post reported, this week marks the beginning of a new school year for Washington, DC students. The first day of school is a moment that stands out in most children’s and parent’s lives — one filled with excitement and eagerness, anxiety and nervousness. Since 2005, DCPS Beautification Day has aspired to make that moment a bit more … beautiful for DC’s public school students. For the past seven years, thousands of Washington residents have shown up at their local schools to “spruce up” the facilities in preparation for a new school year. The 2012 Beautification Day took place last week, on August 25, and saw a great turn out of volunteers at 115 different schools. This year, Catalogue nonprofit Hands on DC coordinated 75 volunteers at three schools to “beautify” in a variety of ways — from painting and gardening outside to cleaning and organizing inside.

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