In The News …

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Julia Cain

DC Poverty Rates Could Increase With New Measurement (DCentric): “A new government method of measuring poverty takes into account many factors the old rate didn’t: geography, taxes, government benefits, housing costs and other expenses. For DC, this means many more people would qualify as poor due to the city’s high cost of living.” DC Fiscal Policy Institute analyst Jenny Reed points out that median rent has risen by 35%, while incomes have increased by less than half of that. DC, along with Detroit, is one of only two US cities to have experienced a rise in housing in the past year. “A state-by-state breakdown of the new measure isn’t yet available, but regional data show western states have the highest rate, followed by the southern region.”

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With Colors

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Julia Cain

I found I could say things with colors that I couldn’t say in any other way — things that I had no words for.

Fill a space in a beautiful way.

To create one’s own world, in any of the arts, takes courage.

– American painter Georgia Totto O’Keeffe, born today in 1887

Feature of the Month: E-Links

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Julia Cain

Welcome to mid-November! Just one week ago today, we introduced you to our new class of Catalogue nonprofits. So now, we’d like to show how you can learn even more about them online.

First, head to the “Our Nonprofits” section of the Catalogue homepage and click on any of the five categories. Let’s go with “Nature.” From there, let’s get to know one of our new organizations: Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment. And if you scroll down on ACE’s page, you will see this menu:

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Around Town: November 12-13

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Julia Cain

Hey there, Greater Washington! Where would you like to spend the weekend?

The Outdoors

In DC, join volunteers to restore plant beds in Coolidge High School’s rainscape garden on Saturday at 8:30 PM or, in Maryland, help finish the hiker and biker trail re-route at Lake Needwood at 9:00 AM — both with Rock Creek Conservancy. And on Sunday at 10:00 AM, join Potomac Conservancy in cleaning up the land and water surrounding Lock 8, and along miles 8 and 9 of the C&O Canal towpath.

The Theatre and Gallery

An enthralling adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic, The Mistorical Hystery of Henry (I)V, produced by WSC Avant Bard, plays at Artisphere on Saturday at 2:00 and 7:30 PM and Sunday at 2:00 PM; tickets here. Over on Capitol Hill, CHAW presents an all-media juried exhibit entitled “Local Turf,” opening on Saturday at 5:00 PM and running until December 2. At DCAC on Sunday at 5:00 PM, local artist Champneys Taylor discusses his first solo show “The Phono-Graphic Cycle” and its reflection of his interest in color, luminosity, and invented landscape.

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Team Up: KEEN & Johns Hopkins

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Julia Cain

New blog feature! Since we’re all about collaborating and teaming up here at Catalogue, we will be highlighting unique partnerships between Catalogue nonprofits and community, educational, and governmental organizations. And to start, we are featuring KEEN Greater DC and its brand new, innovative partnership with Johns Hopkins University.

Committed to serving (at no cost) those so often left out of sports and recreation, KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now) matches young people on the severe and profound end of the disabilities spectrum with trained volunteers to experience basketball, play tennis, enjoy water activities, play soccer, bowl, and simply enjoy themselves. The volunteer corp has exceeded 10,000 — and now it is now bound to keep on growing.

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In The News …

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Julia Cain

DCPS needs more than money to attract top teachers (Greater Greater Washington): “DC Council Chairman Kwame Brown plans to draft a bill that focuses on recruiting teachers to teach in high-poverty, low-performing schools. However, the incentives he proposes may not be enough to recruit highly effective teachers to work in these schools [...] In addition to monetary incentives to recruit teachers to low performing schools, districts must also motivate effective teachers to stay in these schools through other factors like strong school leadership, access to high-quality professional development, career mobility, and comprehensive induction for new teachers.” Do you agree? Are these intangible benefits in fact more effective in the long-term?

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What Inspires You?

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Julia Cain

From yesterday’s “Inspiration to Action 2011” at the Harman Center for the Arts:

Here we are. YEAR NINE. To the 2011-12 charities featured in our new Catalogue and to those of you being re-featured on our website this year, it is truly an honor, and a pleasure, to see you here today. I hope you are already feeling inspired by what we are doing together. [...] Here at the Catalogue we believe in the power of telling stories — and in the hard work that makes it possible for donors and volunteers to tap into the in-depth information and guidance that is the foundation of our work. We want people who read the Catalogue and visit us on the web, to explore their own philanthropic interests and find what matters to them — knowing that we have already done the hard work that makes meaningful personal choice possible.

– Barbara Harman, President, Catalogue for Philanthropy

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Inspiration to Action 2011

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Julia Cain

Today … is maybe the most hectic and exciting day of the Catalogue year. Not only do we launch the new print Catalogue and welcome the new “class,” but we have the awesome opportunity to have 600 members of the Catalogue community all in one room.

And this year, our audience will get a unique glimpse into ten of our non-profits — from a dance company to an after-school tutoring program — and discover just why they are irreplaceable parts of Greater Washington. And in experiencing their inspiring work, we will all gain a stronger sense of the importance and vitality of every Catalogue nonprofit and of the strength of our community.

So in that spirit, let us know — right here or on Twitter — who and what in your neighborhood inspires YOU?

City Year DC performs in I2A 2010.

Around Town: November 4-5

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Julia Cain

Welcome to November, Greater Washington! So, what would you like to do this weekend?

Enjoy Great Music …

On Saturday at 8:00 & Sunday at 3:00 PM, National Philharmonic presents an “All Beethoven” evening; tickets over this way. Enjoy an afternoon of exquisite solo virtuosity from the Washington Bach Consort on Sunday at 3:00 PM at the National Presbyterian Church (tickets here) or catch the American Youth Philharmonic‘s “Orchestral Brilliance,” also at 3:00 PM.

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First Vote

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Julia Cain

“The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men.”

– President Lyndon B. Johnson

In 1961, the 23rd amendment was ratified, assuring the District of Columbia the same number of electoral votes granted to the least populous state. Today, in 1964, DC residents were able to vote in a presidential election for the first time.

Interested in learning more about District voting rights and enhancing advocacy efforts in Congress? Today is a great time to check out Catalogue non-profit, DC Vote.

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