Power of 8: Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Julia Cain

Good morning, Greater Washington — and hooray for our snowstorm dodge!

As you know, leading up to 2011, we will be featuring the awesome winners of our Power of 8: Part 2 contest here on GoodWorks.

For December 28-29, 2010, we welcome Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project. Specializing in custody and abuse, DV LEAP empowers victims (often protective mothers) and their advocates by arranging expert representation for appeals, educating its pro bono counsel, and training lawyers, judges, and others on cutting-edge issues. Watch away!

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Power of 8: AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Julia Cain

Good morning, Greater Washington — we hope that you had a great Christmas! As you know, leading up to 2011, we will be featuring the awesome winners of our Power of 8: Part 2 contest here on GoodWorks.

For December 26-27, we welcome AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation. Committed to strong language and literacy education for 3- and 4-year-olds, AppleTree creates pre-school centers of excellence and ensures that early childhood teachers receive the best training and professional development. For a quick glimpse of all they do, check this out:

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Power of 8: Greater DC Cares

Posted on December 23, 2010 by Julia Cain

Good morning, Greater Washington! As you may know, leading up to 2011, we will be featuring the awesome winners of our Power of 8: Part 2 video contest.

For December 23-24, we are pleased to present: Greater DC Cares! First featured in the Catalogue in 2006, GDCC increase the capacity of hundreds of non-profits with over 6,000 volunteers addressing a range of vital issues, including at-risk youth, homelessness and hunger, adult literacy, and more. Watch and enjoy — this video always makes me smile:

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Power of 8 (Part 2!)

Posted on December 22, 2010 by Julia Cain

Many Catalogue cheers and congratulations to: Greater DC Cares, AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation, Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project, and Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless!

“Why,” you ask? Because these are the winners of Part 2 of our Power of 8 Contest! For the original contest, we asked our non-profits to choose from a list of “8″ words (celebrate, elevate, collaborate, appreciate, etc.) or to choose an “8″ word of their own; then they filmed a super-short video about how that word represented them.

We announced our original winners in mid-November and then invited you to choose the next set of winners by viewing and liking their videos on YouTube. So here on GoodWorks, we will be featuring the four “most viewed-and-liked” videos throughout the holidays.

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7 Questions – Lucy Bowen McCauley (Bowen McCauley Dance)

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Julia Cain

Happy Tuesday, folks! Moreover, happy first day of winter!

Today on “7 Questions,” we’re leaping into the dance world to meet … Lucy Bowen McCauley, Artistic Director of Bowen McCauley Dance. Soon to celebrate its 15th anniversary, BMD is known for its live music, talented corps of dancers, and their diverse selection of performances, workshops, and community outreach.

1. What was your most interesting recent project, initiative, partnership, or event?

In July 2010, Bowen McCauley Dance (BMD) spent four days in residence at the Wintergreen Music Festival where we performed two full-length evening concerts on the main stage to wild audience approval and standing ovations. The theme of the Festival was Vienna and I was commissioned to choreograph a new work to music by Austrian composer Wolfgang Sierel, with whom I was able to connect for many hours at the Festival. As further examples of the synergism that occurs in a festival setting I also met and became friends with former US Poet Laureate Rita Dove and Festival Director and composer Larry Alan Smith, who have become new artistic partners.

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Our Economies

Posted on December 20, 2010 by Julia Cain

Good morning, Greater Washington! Let’s start off Monday with an intriguing article from the Chronicle of Philanthropy: “3 Big Concerns About the Economy — and How to Fight Them.” Regarding her third concern, Elizabeth Ortiz writes:

What will happen when the scarcity mentality takes a more-lasting hold? For many of us who came of age in the more prosperous times of the late 1980s and the tech boom of the early 1990s, it’s hard to imagine organizations having to fight to the finish for the few crumbs that are left. I fear a future in which we have individually and collectively lost confidence in our ability to solve problems, overcome challenges, and create our own, better reality.

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Around Town: December 18-19

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Julia Cain

Snow has arrived! Winter is here! … Along with plenty of performance events at our non-profits. Read on for great entertainments ideas for your weekend:

Looking for Music?

On Saturday at 4:00, the Children’s Chorus of Washington will present their Bel Canto and Concert Choruses, joined by the Washington Symphonic Brass, for a performance of holiday favorites and a carol sing-along; you can also come back on Sunday and catch the Concert and Treble Choruses and the 65-voice CCW Alumni Chorus. For a Baroque Christmas celebration, you definitely should check out the Washington Bach Consort, who will be presenting a fascinating exploration of period music from Europe, Latin America, and Mexico on Sunday afternoon; more information over this way.

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7 Questions – Cara Leidy (Higher Achievement)

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Julia Cain

It’s double “7 Questions” week! Please welcome … Cara Leidy, Manager of Development at Higher Achievement Program, which offers rigorous academic classes for motivated middle schoolers during the “gap hours:” 3:30 to 8:00 PM during the school year and all day in the summer months. (Get this: in 2008, 100% of their graduates advanced to college-prep high schools!) Read on for some great development insight and cools news about Higher Achievement.

1. What was your most interesting recent project, initiative, partnership, or event?

Our most recent event at Higher Achievement was our GoingPlaces! Benefit that raised over $550,000 for our local program. The highlight was watching 5th and 6th grade scholars from Ward 8 perform a step routine on stage at the Warner Theatre — awesome. Afterwards, our scholars were on the dance floor doing the electric slide with local real estate moguls! It was a memorable night.

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In The News …

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Julia Cain

Welcome to Wednesday! Some mid-week news is coming your way … And rumor has it that snow may be coming our way tomorrow. What do you think? WAMU gave it a 30% chance about an hour ago.

Opinion: Here’s some philanthropy advice for Mark Zuckerberg — GoodWorks did a series of posts back in September regarding the media buzz around Facebook founder and CEO’s $100 million donation to the Newark schools. Now that Zuckerberg had signed the Giving Pledge, the buzz has returned. Yet I quite like this piece from the Mercury News by Phil Buchanan (President of the Center for Effective Philanthropy) and Stephen Heintz (President of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund), offering advice both to the 26-year-old Zuckerberg and the entire new generation of philanthropists — in particular, reminding them that the country does not simply need philanthropy, but effective philanthropy. Do check it out!

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7 Questions – Jane Cohen (Neediest Kids)

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Julia Cain

Good morning, one and all. Today on “7 Questions,” we are pleased to introduce … Jane Cohen, President of Neediest Kids in McLean, VA. Working with nine school systems around Greater Washington, this awesome non-profit makes sure that over 40,00 young students have what they need to stay healthy and stay in school. Everything from school supplies to medical care to the right eyeglasses!

1. What was your most interesting recent project, initiative, partnership, or event?

One of the most interesting projects this year has been our transition to a web based portal system used to deliver services. Through this technology, we can now get basic essentials to our students much more efficiently and we can capture user and financial data as the transactions happen. Approved school professionals can access an individual account and order eye glasses, school supplies, clothes, food or other needed products without the hassle or red tape or order forms. Neediest Kids staff then reviews and approves each transaction against the program budget. We were recognized by NPower for this innovative technology solution.

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