#WhatsUpWednesday 05.06.15

Posted on May 6, 2015 by Spur Local

This week, Catalogue nonprofits delivered eggs to help with income security, shared the value of local green spaces, helped high-schoolers learn about sustainable building (through a cool micro house!), and won over $300k in grants to support literacy! Read on for details — and don’t forget to click the links to learn how you can support these great organizations.

2Seeds Network
Today, 2Seeds delivered eggs from Kwakiliga Project to shops and buyers in Dar es Salaam, where their partners receive almost 2x more for a tray of eggs than they do in their regional market!

Washington Parks & People
Washington Parks & People had an amazing day out in Marvin Gaye and Kenilworth Parks on Saturday. Thanks so much to everyone who came out and made the Community Health Walk a success! Want to join in with your support? On June 6th is their annual Ridge Walk for Parks. So save the date, and come join for another adventure!

Reach, Inc.
Reach Incorporated won major recognition – and major cash – this week: On Wednesday, the National Book Foundation announced that Reach won a $10,000 Innovations in Reading Prize. In addition to that honor, Reach also won a $300,000 three-year grant from the Norman R. and Ruth Rales Foundation, a charitable organization in Washington. Congratulations to Reach, Inc! Read more in the Washington Post article here.

DC Students Construction Trades Foundation
Each Wednesday through the end of the current semester, high school CTE students in the Academy of Construction and Design are learning about energy-efficient design and sustainable building as they construct a 160 sq. ft. micro house in Northeast Washington. This exciting project is part of their Build a House – Build a Future construction education program. Previously, Academy of Construction and Design students helped build a nearly 2,000 sq. ft. single-family house in Northwest Washington. All programs are designed to give students a fast start toward jobs, college and careers.

Around Town 5/1-5/7

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Spur Local

Who can believe it’s already May! And don’t worry, DC Region weather plans to keep us on our toes with absolutely GORGEOUS weather moving into town this weekend and next (contrary to the cloud cover now). Let Catalogue nonprofits take care of your plans with events all over the Region, for all ages!

Friday, May 01, 2015

Step Afrika! Reads at the Hill Center

Step Afrika! USA
Step Afrika! Reads is designed to teach young children of all cultural and economic backgrounds to be active. It encourages parents to read to their children on a daily basis. The 35-minute program is structured for two to five year-olds and combines reading, exercise and creative movement. Tickets are free but there’s limited space so please use the link below to reserve a spot!

When: Fri May 1 2015 (10:00 AM – 10:45 AM)
Where: Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20003
Fee? no
Contact: Alorie Clark, (202) 399-7993 ext 112
For more information: click here

Club Joe’s Performance

Joe’s Movement Emporium/World Arts Focus
Come out and celebrate the awesome children of Joe’s Movement Emporium’s after school arts program. See what they’ve learned and experience how great you feel after watching the next generation of movers have a blast on stage.

When: Fri May 1 2015 (5:30 PM)
Where: Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mount Rainier, MD 20712
Fee? yes $5, free for children
Contact: Joe’s Movement Emporium, (301) 699-1819
For more information: click here

Artful Living

Our Daily Bread
In cooperation with Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts, Our Daily Bread presents an elegant evening of art, wine and strengthening community at Artful Living. We will enjoy inspirational works of art, lively Latin-jazz sounds from local band Batida Diferente, and delicious wine and appetizers. We are honored to have Delegate Kenneth R. Plum serve as our celebrity auctioneer! Your support for and attendance at Artful Living will support our efforts do more for struggling families throughout the Fairfax County area.

When: Fri May 1 2015 (7:00 PM – 10:00 PM)
Where: Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center, 3740 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22030
Fee? yes $40 in advance; $50 at the door
Volunteer Info: As of March 15, Our Daily Bread is seeking volunteers to help plan and organize the event. On the evening of the event, we will need volunteers to help run the event. We will especially need assistance with set-up and clean-up that evening. Contact Christina Garris at food@ODBFairfax.org if you would like to volunteer or learn more
Contact: Jennifer Rose, (703) 273-8
For more information: click here

Saturday, May 02, 2015

Social Justice Yard Sale

Shepherd’s Center of Oakton-Vienna
The Shepherd’s Center will once again participate in the Unitarian Church’s social justice yard sale. The proceeds will benefit four local nonprofits!

When: Sat May 2 2015 (09:00 AM – 4:00 PM)
Where: Unitarian Universalist Church of Fairfax, 2709 Hunter Mill Rod, Oakton, VA 22124
Fee? no
Contact:Lourdes, (703) 281-5086
For more information: click here

A walk for our future to the Anacostia River!

Washington Parks & People
A walk, bike, and roll through Marvin Gaye and Kenilworth Parks! Meet us at Marvin Gaye Recreation Center (6201 Banks Place NE) just one block from Capitol Heights Metro, and stroll with us to the Anacostia River. Get excited for family-friendly programming along the way, and come prepared to use our imagination to envision a better park in our community.

When: Sat May 2 2015 (09:30 AM)
Where: 6201 Banks Place NE, Washington DC 20019
Fee? no
Contact: Micah Bales, (202) 462-7275
For more information: click here

MAY REVELS

Washington Revels
Celebrate Spring with Washington Revels at the 2015 Flower Mart, sponsored by the National Cathedral All Hallows Guild! We will once again bring in the May as part of the annual All Hallows Guild Flower Mart a popular two-day festival since 1939. DC’s favorite spring outdoor family event features plants, herbs, food, puppet shows, carousel rides, boutiques and entertainment for the whole family. We will present a one-hour show celebrating Spring with traditional songs and dances, the crowning of a May Queen, children’s singing games, and a little bit of Irish song to recall our 2014 Christmas show. And of course, there will be lots of opportunities for audience participation.

When: Sat May 2 2015 (10:00 AM – 5:00 PM)
Where: Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20016
Fee? no
Contact: Washington Revels, (301) 587-3835
For more information: click here

Spring Farm Festival

Alice Ferguson Foundation
All are invited as we open our gates to the public on this day. Come enjoy the view, natural areas, and the lively barnyard that teach and inspire thousands of students each year. Adventures include: – Plant Sale (veggies, herbs, perennials, annuals, native plants & more!) – Live Music – Arts & Crafts Sale – Hay Wagon Rides to the Potomac River (nominal fee) – Barnyard Adventures: cow milking, wool spinning, butter churning, blacksmithing – Antique Tools – Kids’ Activities at the Log Cabin – Food and Refreshments will be for sale. Enjoy lunch on top of the hill overlooking the Potomac River toward Washington, D.C. and Mount Vernon

When: Sat May 2 2015 (11:00 AM – 4:00 PM)
Where: Hard Bargain Farm, 2001 Bryan Point Road, Accokeek, MD 20607
Fee? yes $5 per car
Contact: Alice Ferguson Foundation, (301) 292-5665
For more information: click here

4th Annual Garden of Light

Bethany House of Northern Virginia
Bethany House of Northern Virginia’s (BHNV) will host its 4th annual Garden of Light reception on Saturday, May 2, 2015 from 3 – 6 pm at Immanuel Bible Church in Springfield, VA. Join us for an inspirational afternoon of food, fellowship, live music, a client testimonial and a silent auction with many one-of a kind packages donated by local area businesses. Tickets are $55.00 per person, and will directly benefit victims of abuse served through BHNV’s Family Assistance Program.

When: Sat May 2 2015 (3:00 PM – 6:00 PM)
Where: Immanuel Bible Church, 6691 Braddock Road, Springfield, VA 22151
Fee? yes $55 per person ($50 Early Bird price through February 13, 2015)
Volunteer Info: Volunteers are needed to assist with set up and clean up, auction set up, and on-site registration. Volunteers are needed prior to the event to join our fundraising committee and assist with planning for the event.
Contact: Jasmin Witcher, (703) 658-9500
For more information: click here

2015 Good Shepherd Housing Annual Spring Gala

Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services
Good Shepherd Housing & Family Services, Inc. (GSH) is holding its annual charity Spring Gala, on May 2, 2015 at 6 pm at The Westin Alexandria. For more than forty years, GSH has been a vital and essential provider of human services to the most vulnerable in our service area of southeastern Fairfax County. Last year alone we helped more than 1,000 families with our services or housing. We gave them a fresh start toward a future of stable housing. The event is attended by over 300 supporters including elected national and local leaders, community leaders and influential corporate heads. The event features a seated dinner, VIP reception, live and silent auctions, and dancing.

When: Sat May 2 2015 (6:00 PM)
Where: Westin Alexandria, 400 Courthouse Square, Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Fee? yes $175/adult
Contact: Maureen Devine, (703) 768-9404 ext 113
For more information: click here

Sunday, May 03, 2015

Defender of Play 5K

Homeless Children’s Playtime Project
Calling all superheroes! Join forces with the Homeless Children’s Playtime Project and tackle a 5K to defend the right for all children to play, regardless of housing status. On race day, participants are encouraged to dress up as their favorite real-life or fictional superhero. There will be pre- and post-race fun and games and opportunities to learn more about the Playtime Project and how you can be involved.

When: Sun May 3 2015 (08:00 AM)
Where: Rock Creek Park (Picnic Grove 24), 4850 Colorado Ave NW, Washington, DC 20011
Fee? yes $35 Individual Runner, $120 Group Registration
Contact: Homeless Children’s Playtime Project, (202) 329-4481

The Arc of Northern Virginia Corporate Team Challenge 8K

The Arc of Northern Virginia
The Arc of Northern Virginia is the area’s leading community organization serving over 16,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) such as autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and rare chromosomal disorders and their families The Arc of Northern Virginia Corporate Team Challenge 8K brings together companies and the community to raise important funds to sustain and strengthen its vital programs, services, and advocacy for people with ID/DD. You are invited to join hundreds of runners from local and national corporations and community organizations to compete for glory in a 8K Run! About the Race: For thirty-seven years, this has been Northern Virginia’s premier corporate and community challenge foot race and the area’s only team-based race with teams of 5-7 runners. This year’s race will be on SUNDAY MAY 3, 2015 at beautiful BURKE LAKE PARK in FAIRFAX STATION, VIRGINIA. For more information about registering a team, as well as the many sponsorship opportunities that can provide corporate visibility and greatly further the important work of The Arc of Northern Virginia, please contact: Howard Stregack, Director of Development hstregack@thearcofnova.org or 703-208-1119 ext. 102

When: Sun May 3 2015 (09:00 AM – 11:00 AM)
Where: Burke Lake Park, 7315 Ox Rd, Fairfax Station, VA 22039
Fee? yes For more info, visit: http://www.thearcofnova.org/events/teamchallenge/
Contact: Howard Stregack, (703) 208-1119 ext 102
For more information: click here

Girls on the Run – DC Community 5K

Girls on the Run – DC
One girl at a time, Girls on the Run has changed 1 million girls’ lives. One girl at a time, we’re going to change one million more. Girls on the Run – DC is proud to be a part of this milestone as we serve our 10,000th girl this spring. Join us as we celebrate at the 5K and look forward to serving 10,000 more girls here in the District. All are welcome! http://www.gotrdc.org/race/285-girls-on-the-run-dc-community-5k-spring-2015

When: Sun May 3 2015 (10:00 AM)
Where: Anacostia Park, 882 Howard Road SE Washington, DC 20020
Fee? yes $35 for community participants or buddy runners
Volunteer Info: Safety runners, course marshals, information volunteers
Contact: Kelly, (832) 443-8909

Artists Reception: Shades of Spring Show & Sale

BlackRock Center for the Arts
Please join us for a Meet the Artists Reception. Enjoy wine, refreshments and live music while you shop for handmade gifts and fine art created by 40 local artist members of the Art League of Germantown during their annual Shades of Spring Show Sale held in The Kay Gallery from April?29 through May 3, 2015. (Open during limited Show Hours daily, please check schedule).

When: Sun May 3 2015 (1:00 PM – 3:00 PM)
Where: BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Dr,, Germantown, MD 20874
Fee? no
Contact: BlackRock, (301) 528-2260

Step ALIVE! Walkathon

ALIVE! (ALexandrians InVolved Ecumenically)
The 34th annual Step ALIVE! Walkathon will raise funds for ALIVE!’s Child Development Center (CDC), a full-day preschool program serving children of low-income working parents. The CDC is the only NAEYC-accredited, full-day, year-round preschool in the city that offers a sliding scale fee for tuition. Proceeds from the walkathon help bridge the gap between what families can afford to pay and what it costs to provide a quality education and environment for these children. Join us afterward for a picnic featuring prizes and music.

When: Sun May 3 2015 (1:15 PM)
Where: First Christian Church, 2723 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22302
Fee? yes $25 virtual walker, $20 ages 19-70, $5 ages 12-18 and over 70
Contact: Alive!, (703) 837-9321
For more information: click here

Monday, May 04, 2015

KEEN Golf Classic

KEEN Greater DC (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now)
Held at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Maryland the KEEN Golf Classic raises funds to support our innovative programs serving young people with disabilities. The KEEN Golf Classic includes: Scramble format game with contests throughout the course; Lunch, a reception with open bar, and an awards dinner; and Live and silent auctions.

When: Mon May 4 2015 (12:00 NOON – 6:30 PM)
Where: Woodmont Country Club, 1201 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852
Fee? yes Single Golfer $500, Foursomes $2,000 and Sponsor Options starting at $500
Volunteer Info: Volunteers help with set up, greeting guests, registration, course contests, and the auctions.
Contact: Elizabeth Doherty, (301) 775-7572

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

2015 Homestretch Benefit Breakfast

Homestretch
Please join us on May 13 for our annual Benefit Breakfast. Learn how Homestretch has been impacting the lives of homeless families for 25 years. A hot breakfast will be served. There is no cost to attend the event however a donation to support services for Homestretch families is encouraged.

When: Wed May 13 2015 (08:00 AM – 09:00 AM)
Where: Fairview Park Mariott, 3111 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, Va 22042
Fee? no
Contact: jhenderson@homestretchva.org, (703) 237-2035 ext 125

Home Runs for Horton’s Kids

Horton’s Kids
Join Horton’s Kids for our 7th Annual Home Runs for Horton’s Kids! This year’s event will take place on Wednesday, May 13th at Nationals Park. The event includes: Buffet, open bar, and complimentary valet parking Batting practice in indoor cages with Nationals staff Special appearance by Screech, the Nationals Mascot, and races with President Teddy Face painting, kid-friendly carnival games, and Microsoft Kinect for Xbox One kiosk Each adult guest with event admission may bring up to 3 children, 14-years-old and under, for free! In 2014, more than 110 corporations sponsored the event, which also attracted support from a bi-partisan Honorary Host Committee and Congressional staff. For additional information, including corporate sponsorships, please visit hortonskids.org/homeruns.

When: Wed May 13 2015 (6:00 PM – 9:00 PM)
Where: Nationals Park, 1500 S Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
Fee? yes $250 per individual ticket; children join their parents at no additional cost
Contact: Kristin Frontiera, (202) 544-5033 ext 10
For more information: click here

#WhatsUpWednesday 04.29.15

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Spur Local

What’s up at some of your favorite local nonprofits this week? Find out in our video below, and then find out how you can get involved by visiting each of their charity pages on our website (links below).

Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing
On Saturday, more than 60 volunteers helped with outdoor beautification projects including invasive plant removal, litter cleanup and other grounds work during APAH’s Earth Day Community Clean Up.

Girls on the Run-DC
The girls completed a practice 5K as they gear up for their celebratory 5K this Sunday at Anacostia Park. They’ve learned life skills such as using a positive chord versus a negative chord this season, healthy habits for life, to have an attitude of gratitude and now are running their 5K. Good luck GOTR-DC girls!!! Join in the fun at www.gotrdc.org.

Washington Parks & People
Washington Parks & People had a great time this week creating a pop-up “parklet” in the midst of the DC urban jungle, and later used the grass from the “parklet” to fill in near their Riverside Healthy Living Center. They also welcomed volunteers from the City Kids Wilderness Project to our North Columbia Heights Green, and yesterday spent time in Marvin Gaye Park, learning about nonviolent communication!

2Seeds Network
Kassimu and Bon Ifas Robert, primary school students from the Magoma Project, began building their goat pen this week! Soon they will raise goats, sell the milk, and use the profit to serve meals to their fellow classmates so that everyone can learn on full stomachs!

DC SCORES
Yesterday,DC SCORES youth from Lincoln Middle School got a personal tour of Georgetown University and then a soccer clinic with members of the men’s and women’s teams!

Our Daily Bread
A big thanks to ABC 7 News – WJLA for featuring Our Daily Bread‘s Artful Living event on Good Morning Washington this morning! Join Our Daily Bread on Friday, May 1 for a joyful evening of Art, Wine and Strengthening Community to help them do more for our Fairfax neighbors in need. 7-10 p.m. at the Sherwood Center. Tickets and information at:http://www.ODBFairfax.org/Art.

Around Town 4/24-4/30

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Spur Local

Catalogue charities have a lot to celebrate: Rock Creek Park, salsa, singers, and new supportive housing. Also a 5K and a few awards ceremonies keep you connected to our region, happy weekend!

Friday, April 24, 2015

125th Anniversary Spring Nature Walk in Rock Creek Park

Rock Creek Conservancy (formerly Friends of Rock Creek’s Environment)
Join Melanie Choukas-Bradley, the author of A Year in Rock Creek Park the Wild, Wooded Heart of Washington, DC for an Earth Day/Arbor Day spring nature walk under the trees in the Boundary Bridge area of Rock Creek Park. Melanie is a naturalist who frequently leads guided walks in the park and she is intimately acquainted with the trees and wildflowers growing along Rock Creek.We will witness the fresh green foliage of the newly leafed canopy as we search for spring wildflowers and listen for the return of the musical wood thrush, D.C.’s official bird.

Location and Directions: The Boundary Bridge parking lot, Beach Drive. Take East-West Highway (Route 410) east from Connecticut Avenue (a right-hand turn if driving north on Connecticut from DC and a left-hand turn if driving south from the Beltway). Take East-West Highway to Beach Drive and turn right (south) and drive to the locked gate across Beach Drive at the District line. Park in the parking lot just before the gate or along the road if the parking lot is full. Bring: Water and snacks and/or a light lunch. Wear sunscreen and (optional) bug spray. Bring binoculars if you wish. Note: there are no restrooms at the meeting location or along the route. Trail: We will cover up to 2 miles at a slow hiking pace with some elevation change on hiking trails. Register at: http://publicevents.force.com/Public_Event_Signup_Pagecid=70170000000OJgs

When: Fri Apr 24 2015 (10:00 AM – 1:00 PM)
Where: Boundary Bridge parking lot – see above for details, Beach Drive, Washington, DC 20001
Fee? no
Contact: Rock Creek Conservancy, (301) 579-3105
For more information: click here

Salsa for Schools

Joe’s Movement Emporium/World Arts Focus
Support the Elementary schools of Mount Rainier, Maryland! And have a great time a Joe’s Movement Emporium!

When: Fri Apr 24 2015 (7:00 PM)
Where: Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mount Rainier, MD 20712
Fee? yes $10-50 per ticket
Contact: Joe’s Movement Emporium, (301) 699-1819
For more information: click here

Saturday, April 25, 2015

The Race to End Poverty

A Wider Circle
Join The Race to End Poverty hosted by A Wider Circle and help children and adults throughout the area lift themselves out of poverty. The event includes a 5K run/walk 1-mile walk and a tot trot!

When: Sat Apr 25 2015 (09:00 AM)
Where: Meadowbrook Park, 7901 Meadowbrook Lane, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Fee? yes $30 for the 5K; $20 for the 1-mile; and free for the Tot Trot
Contact: Lexie Starrett, (301) 608-3504
For more information: click here

Sunday, April 26, 2015

National Philharmonic Singers Benefit Concert

Community Ministries of Rockville
National Philharmonic Singers Benefit Concert on Saturday, April 25. Continuing their annual springtime tradition, the National Philharmonic will present a wide variety of beautiful choral music featuring traditional favorites by Brahms, paired with new music from Germany, Russia, and premieres of several new works by Washington composer and member of the chorus, Edward Rejuney. The National Philharmonic Singers is a chamber choir and one of several performing ensembles of the National Philharmonic which is in residence at the Music Center at Strathmore. As such, it promotes works suited for smaller ensembles, whether with accompaniment or A cappella. Its repertoire ranges from 15th to 21st centuries.

When: Sun Apr 26 2015 (8:00 PM – 9:00 PM)
Where: Christ Episcopal Church, 107 South Washington Street, Rockville, MD 20850
Fee? yes Donations to benefit Community Ministries of Rockville
Contact: Lynn Arndt, (301) 637-0705
For more information: click here

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Stewards of Children Training

Safe Shores – The DC Children’s Advocacy Center
Participate in Stewards of Children and gain information necessary to protect children and ensure they grow up healthy and safe in DC. Stewards of Children teaches adults how to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. The program is designed for individuals concerned about the safety of children, including community members and professionals that work with youth. The training includes a discussion about critical issues in sexual abuse prevention and a video sharing the voices of survivors and experts in the field.

When: Thu Apr 30 2015 (09:30 AM – 11:30 AM)
Where: Safe Shores – The DC Children’s Advocacy Center, 429 O Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
Fee? no
Contact: Erin McGuinness, (202) 645-3522

Open Arms Housing Groundbreaking

Open Arms Housing
This event is to celebrate the ground-breaking ceremony of Open Arms Housing’s second permanent supportive housing residence, Owen House. Owen House will provide permanent housing for four homeless women with mental health issues and physical disabilities.

When: Thu Apr 30 2015 (10:00 AM – 11:30 AM)
Where: Owen House, 1256 Owen Place, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Fee? no
Volunteer Info: Assist VIPs.
Contact: Marilyn Kresky-Wolff, (202) 525-3467

5th Annual Allies in Change Awards Reception

District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH)
DASH’s 5th Annual Allies in Change awards reception recognizes DC’s “safe housing champions”, our community partners who make a difference in the lives of DASH survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their families. Our Special Guest Speaker will be a DASH survivor who will share her story and courageous efforts to escape from abuse and rebuild her life and our Mistress of Ceremonies is Erika Gonzalez from NBC4. Join us on April 30th as we celebrate the volunteers, partner organizations and local businesses that make a difference at DASH!

When: Thu Apr 30 2015 (6:00 PM – 8:30 PM)
Where: Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1616 Rhode Island Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20036
Fee? yes $100 Tickets & Sponsorships Available
Contact: Meghan McDonough, (202) 462-3274 ext 101
For more information: click here

Celebrate City Kids!

City Kids Wilderness Project
You are cordially invited to celebrate the transformative work of City Kids Wilderness Project and the 130 youth impacted by dynamic programming each year. On Thursday, April 30th, at the Josephine Butler Parks Center, City Kids will celebrate the many accomplishments of its youth and another successful year of outdoor, hands-on, engaging activities. Please join us from 6:30pm – 8:30pm for an evening of wonderful programming, drinks and hors d’oeuvres. City Kids Wilderness Project provides enriching outdoor adventure and career exploration programming that engages youth from 6th – 12th grade, and beyond. City Kids was founded in 1996 on the belief that providing enriching life experiences for underserved and at-risk DC youth can enhance their lives, the lives of their families and the greater community.

When: Thu Apr 30 2015 (6:30 PM – 8:30 PM)
Where: Josephine Butler Parks Center, 2437 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Fee? no
Contact: April Martin, (202) 525-4930

7 Questions: Sarah Browning, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Split This Rock

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Spur Local

Sarah Browning at Capitol Split This Rock 2010 “Poetry will not be denied. Even as I worked myself to the point of burn out, poetry kept calling to me.”

“I was lucky to discover and help foster an incredible community of engaged poets here in DC and the surrounding area, poets of all ages, poets in the community and the academy, poets working in all styles.”

In honor of Poetry Month we welcome Sarah Browning, Executive Director of Split this Rock. Split This Rock cultivates, teaches, and celebrates poetry that bears witness to injustice and provokes social change. Sarah previously worked supporting socially engaged women artists with WomenArts and developing creative writing workshops with low-income women and youth with Amherst Writers & Artists.

What motivated you to begin working with your organization?

Can I go back 30 years? In a poetry workshop in college, my professor told me not to write socially engaged poetry, political poetry, poetry that looks outside the self to the horrors and beauties of the wider world, dismissing poetry’s ancient history of examining public life, naming injustices, and inspiring us to believe that a better world is not only possible, but essential. I came away from that workshop disheartened and discouraged. If what I a lifelong activist was writing wasn’t Real Poetry, then why bother? So I went off into the world of organizing for social change, first in public housing and then for a statewide multi-issue progressive organization, in Massachusetts.

But poetry will not be denied. Even as I worked myself to the point of burn out, poetry kept calling to me. I wrote only three or four poems over the next eight years or so; I came to feel that my heart was shriveling, that I would be no good to anyone if I couldn’t find a way to put poetry back to the center of my life.

Fast forward 10 years and my move to Washington, DC, in the fall of 2002. I had by now been writing steadily and publishing poems even some political ones in literary journals. And what a time for an activist poet to land in the nation’s capital! Just a year after the attacks of September 11, with a president threatening war against a nation, Iraq, which, though ruled by a murderous dictator, had played no part in the attacks of the year before.

I became involved in the world-wide movement against war and started a local branch of Poets Against the War, an international uprising of poets bringing the challenge and succor of poetry into that activism. I was lucky to discover and help foster an incredible community of engaged poets here in DC and the surrounding area, poets of all ages and races/ethnicities, poets in the community and the academy, poets working in all styles.

After several years of powerful local programming, which gave a platform to poets and inspired those working against the war, infusing imaginative language into the movement , the group decided it was time to do something on a larger scale. Being here in the capital, we felt we had not just the opportunity but the responsibility to mobilize poets to play a role in the public life of the country, both to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and to address the many social ills that plague our nation.

And so we dreamed into being Split This Rock Poetry Festival: Poems of Provocation & Witness and presented it in March 2008, on the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq and in the midst of an historic election year. The event was a roaring success, bringing together hundreds of poets, activists, and dreamers from DC and around the nation for the first time. Its success and the very obvious need it addressed inspired us to create a permanent organization as a home for progressive poets.

I’ve worked as Co-Director and now Executive Director since, building with an incredible team of colleagues, board members, interns, activists, and volunteers a powerhouse national organization that mobilizes poets for social change, encourages the literary world to truly reflect the amazing, rich diversity of the nation, and bringing poetry to the lives of hundreds of DC-area teens through our internationally award-winning youth programs.

That was a very long answer to only the first question, I realize, but when you’re a co-founder and the Executive Director, an organization is your baby, your passion. It was a long journey that brought me here.

What exciting change or innovation is on your mind?

Split This Rock has two big new projects on the horizon, in addition to the fifth Split This Rock Poetry Festival, coming up April 14-17, 2016. The first is a permanent online database we are building of all the poems we’ve published in our Poem of the Week series over the past five years, as well as contest winners and others. The database will be searchable by social issue, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to enhance their rally, meeting, newsletter, worship service, potluck dinner, or indeed their soul with the invigorating and restorative language of poetry.

The other is Al Mutanabbi Street Starts Here DC 2016, a two-month festival to be held in our area January through March 2016, standing in solidarity with the people of Iraq and everywhere that freedom of expression is threatened. The festival is part of an international project of art and poetry, organized in response to a car bombing of Al Mutanabbi Street, Baghdad’s historic bookselling street. Split This Rock will bring Arab and Arab American poets to DC, celebrating the poetry being written today by these peoples too often demonized by our elected officials, popular culture, and news media.

We will also present those doing the necessary and too-often unrecognized work of translating contemporary poetry from Arabic to English, making this poetry accessible to American and other English-speaking readers and audiences. And we’ll encourage American poets to dip their toes into translation, with a series of fun, interactive workshops.

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

I am lucky to be inspired by some extraordinary poet-activists of the 20^th century, many of whom were women: June Jordan, Muriel Rukeyser, Audre Lorde, Adrienne Rich. Rukeyser wrote: I will protest all my life. I am willing to. But I have decided that wherever I protest from now on, and a number of people are doing this too now, I will make something I will make poems, plant, feed children, build, but not ever protest without making something.

What was your most interesting recent project/partnership?

In January, we collected poems that spoke against police brutality and for racial justice from all who wished to send them to us, then published them on our blog in a Virtual Open Mic, finally totaling over 150 poems in all. We received poems from all over the country and even the world, from poets of all ages and races/ethnicities, from published poets, performing poets, new poets, those who don’t consider themselves poets at all. It’s a stunning array of words of grief, rage, protest, love, hopefulness, imagination.

In collaboration with other organizations such as the Institute for Policy Studies, DC Ferguson, SolidariTrees, Code Pink, the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, and the DC Guerrilla Poetry Insurgency, we staged an event outside the US Department of Justice, reading poems from the collection and calling on the DOJ to enact the reforms outlined by the Ferguson Action activists. We had printed out all the poems and after a cold couple of hours, presented them a representative from the DOJ. It was a moving afternoon of bringing poetry straight to the halls of power.

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

Split This Rock is unique in our city and in the nation. We get requests every day for new collaborations and projects. It’s incredibly exciting and affirming to know that our work resonates with so many, but we’re having to learn how to say no. Our staff, though dedicated and dare I say brilliant, is still very small.

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

Being a founding executive director of a dynamic, successful organization that feeds people’s souls and inspires them to action is tremendously gratifying. I feel privileged every day. But it can also be exhausting. I haven’t been very good at it, myself, but I would urge any executive director (and especially women!) to take care of herself and set her own limits. No one does it for us. We need to build in time for our own creative work whether it’s poetry, gardening, plumbing, or whatever feels like a real break and a respite from the constant demands placed on us. I also recommend taking your vacation time!

What’s next/coming up for you?

The manuscript of my second collection of poems, currently titled Drinking as a Political Act, is circulating to presses and I’m hopeful that it will be published sometime soon. I’m now at work on new poems that are taking me deeper into myself though the world always is present. I’m wrestling with shame, its crippling power in the psyche, its use to control and demean women. My work often resides at this intersection of the personal and political, so, in this case, it’s pretty scary. But that’s the poet’s job, to lay bare what thrives on silence, to excavate and expose. Onward!

#Whatsupwednesday 4.22.2015

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Spur Local

It’s Earth Day, Spring2ACTion…and of course, #WhatsUpWednesday…which means Catalogue charities are busy all over our region celebrating program graduates and milestone achievements, thanking volunteers, educating farmers and business owners, and keeping our region beautiful and green!

Byte Back

Byte Back’s spring graduation was on Friday. They had about 75 graduates from their Office Track and IC3 (Internet & Computing Core Certification) classes. Learn more about Byte Back’s classes here.

ARC of Northern Virginia

The Arc of Northern Virginia was a co-sponsor of the ADA Legacy celebration in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The event was held on Monday, April 20 from 12 noon to 2 pm at the ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia (ECNV) in Arlington, Virginia and included the “Road to Freedom” ADA Bus.

Senior Services of Alexandria

In celebration of National Volunteer Week, Cabot Creamery treated Senior Services’ volunteers to Cabot’s Gratitude Grille, a full service traveling kitchen that prepares healthy, delicious meals to feed volunteers. The menu included homemade grilled pimento cheese sandwich, salad and cookies. The farm families who own Cabot appreciate what volunteers do for their communities every day and are proud to honor their efforts with the Gratitude Grille.

SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now) of Northern Virginia

SCAN is busy with Spring2ACTion and the launch of their NEW Community Training Room tonight! Funds raised today will help equip new space & give child abuse prevention, CASA for Kids & Darkness to Light trainings in 2015.

2Seeds Network

The greenhouses in Bombo Majimoto Projectare complete, and Partners have a training this week to learn best practices for growing garlic! Happy Earth Day from Tanzania!

DC SCORES

Students at 44 schools are cleaning up their communities and doing other work to create change as part of DC SCORES service-learning. Happy #EarthDay!

Our Daily Bread

So proud of Kesha, Our Daily Bread’s newest Project BRIDGE Program graduate! Working over the past year with her volunteer Financial Mentor Evangeline and ODB staff, Kesha has worked to pay down her debt, build an emergency fund, and is on the path to be able to support herself and her two daughters on her own. Learn more about Kesha and Evangeline at: https://www.odbfairfax.org/PBKesha

Crossroads Community Food Network

Crossroads staff discussed improved marketing and product lines with one of our Microenterprise Training Program participants at the restaurant she manages. To taste her food, visit our upcoming Night Market!

Washington Parks & People

Washington Parks and People had a great day, hosting the US Department of Justice in Eastern DC, helping to set up an urban agriculture space.

Congratulations on another great week!

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Spur Local

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Today we thank Catalogue charities that work to prevent and stop child abuse in our Metro region.

National Child Abuse Prevention Month is a time to acknowledge the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect, and to promote the social and emotional well-being of children and families. During the month of April and throughout the year, communities are encouraged to share child abuse and neglect prevention awareness strategies and activities and promote prevention across the country.*

We welcome you to read about and meet some Catalogue nonprofits working in Maryland, Virginia, and the District to work on this important issue.

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) of Prince George’s County

Since 1992, CASA/Prince George’s has given a voice to abused and neglected children in the foster care system by training and supervising volunteer advocates and promoting the timely placement of children in stable homes.

Upcoming Events

Go blue for CASA today! Take a photo with a sign saying #IamfortheChild in your blue outfit today and post to our wall to raise awareness
For volunteer opportunities click here.

Continue reading →

Around Town 4/17-4/23

Posted on April 17, 2015 by Spur Local

Art, culture, and music events this week is only a taste of what Catalogue nonprofits have to offer. There’s nothing better than getting out this beautiful weekend and supporting local nonprofits in the Metro Region!

Friday, April 17, 2015

Opening Celebration (Free Art on 8th Event)

Dance Place
Join us for a special event at Monroe St. Market to celebrate the return of Art on 8th! 6:30pm: POP (People Objects Play) Interactive Dance 7:00pm: Coyaba Dance Theater African Dance & Drumming 7:45pm: DC Casineros Cuban Salsa

When: Fri Apr 17 2015 (6:30 PM)
Where: Arts Walk at Monroe Street Market, 716 Monroe St NE, Washington, DC 20017
Fee? no
Contact: Dance Place, (202) 269-1600
For more information: click here

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Family Art Day

Project Create
During this all ages event, the community can create art projects, enjoy refreshments and giveaways. This event is free and open to the public, spread the word! To RSVP, please text (202) 930-CRE8 or email studio@projectcreatedc.org.

When: Sat Apr 18 2015 (1:00 PM – 4:00 PM)
Where: Project Create Studio, 2028 Martin Luther King Jr Ave, SE, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20020
Fee? no
Contact: Project Create, (202) 889-0655
For more information: click here

KW Rocks! Concert in the Vines

Main Street Child Development Center
Keller Williams Capital Properties of Fairfax is hosting Concert in the Vines, its third annual Wine &; Rock charity concert held at Paradise Springs Winery (Clifton, VA). The concert will raise money for KW’s Red Day activities. Last year on Red Day, in addition to sending over 20 employees to Main Street for a half-day of volunteer work, KW also presented a few very nice classroom supplies (i.e. easels) and a check for $1,000.

When: Sat Apr 18 2015 (7:00 PM)
Where: Paradise Springs Winery, 13219 Yates Ford Rd, Clifton, VA 20124
Fee? yes $50
Contact: Marriah, (703) 964-1290
For more information: click here

The Romantics: Wagner & Liszt

The In Series
A salon-style concert of rarely heard songs by two giants who embodied the pinnacles –and some pitfalls– of the Romantic Era. Liszt’s Petrarch Sonnets, Wagner’s Wesendonk Songs, Liszt’s transcription of Wagner’s Tristan, and more! Pianists: Carlos Rodriguez & Carla Hubner Singers: Peter Burroughs & Debra Lawrence PERFORMANCE DATES: Sat 4/18 at 8pm Sun 4/19 at 3:30pm (mat.)

When: Sat Apr 18 2015 (8:00 PM)
Where: Casa Italiana, 595 1/2 3rd St NW, Washington, DC 20001
Fee? yes GA: $35 SE: $33 STUDENT/Youth: $16
Contact: The In Series, (202) 204-7764
For more information: click here

Monday, April 20, 2015

CASA at Meet Me Monday

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/Prince George’s County
Meet Me Monday is a fun-filled networking event complete with music, comedy and trivia. CASA will be at Meet Me Monday to spread the word about what we as a community can do to prevent child abuse. Join us to learn more!

When: Mon Apr 20 2015 (6:00 PM – 9:00 PM)
Where: Sobe Restaurant and Lounge, 10621 Greenbelt Road, Suite 201, Lanham, MD 20774
Fee? no
Contact:Penny Gerber, (301) 209-0491
For more information: click here

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Stewards of Children Training

When: Wed Apr 22 2015 (3:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
Where: Safe Shores – The DC Children’s Advocacy Center, 429 O Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
Fee? no
Contact: Erin McGuinness, (202) 645-3522

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Crittenton’s Talk with a Teen Girl Today Afternoon High Tea

Crittenton Services of Greater Washington
Crittenton’s annual Talk with a Teen Girl Today Afternoon High Tea gives teen girls in our programs opportunities to share their views on issues impact their lives, and showcase their leadership and advocacy skills. It also gives caring adults and near peers opportunities to share their knowledge and experiences and engage with teen girls. Crittenton participants will speak on the issues impacting their lives, and college scholarships will be awarded to program participants. To register for the High Tea, please visit our registration page here.

When: Thu Apr 23 2015 (1:15 PM – 2:45 PM)
Where: Silver Spring Civic Building, 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Fee? no event is free with a suggested donation
Volunteer Info: We are seeking volunteers to assist with event set-up, during the event, and with take-down afterwards. Volunteers would assist with directing guests and program participants, setting up materials for High Tea, answering guest questions, and other tasks.
Contact: Tara Egan, (301) 565-9333

A Novel Event

The Washington Literacy Center
A Novel Event: A Fundraiser for the Washington Literacy Center (WLC) celebrates literacy and recognizes corporate, community and individual partners who are working to increase the literacy rate for District of Columbia adults. This year the WLC will announce its first student Leadership Class acknowledging the accomplishments of current students and recent graduates. The event in an after-hours reception hosted in the stunning Homer Building Atrium featuring a delicious selection of hors d’oeuvres, wine, coffee and dessert.

When: Thu Apr 23 2015 (6:30 PM – 8:30 PM)
Where: The Homer Building 601 Thirteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005
Fee? yes $100 per person
Volunteer Info: Support check-in, escort sponsors
Contact: Terry Algire, (202) 387-9029 ext 12
For more information: click here

#WhatsUpWednesday 04.15.15

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Spur Local

“Tax Day” got you down? Let Catalogue nonprofits lift your spirits with a peek into their inspiring work in our community!

Girls on the Run – DC
As the Girls on the Run – DC girls prepare for the spring season 5K on Sunday, May 3rd, they also learned about Real Beauty last week. This lesson presents the girls the opportunity to explore a new definition of beauty. They are to learn the benefit of thinking positively about themselves. Join GOTR-DC for the 5K at Anacostia Park as they celebrate 10,000 girls’ lives changed through the program since their founding in 2006.

Also, in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Week, GOTR-DC introduced us Kyla Campbell, one of their many wonderful coaches! To learn more about Kyla and her work with Girls on the Run DC, click here.

Washington Parks & People
Parks & People kicks off Earth Week tomorrow night with a candlelight program honoring the 8,428 African American men, women, and children who were buried during Reconstruction in the earth beneath what is now Walter Pierce Park. On April 21, the 25th anniversary of our first Earth Day reclamation of Meridian Hill/ Malcolm X Park, they will raise the Embassy of the Earth flag at our Josephine Butler Parks Center at 2437 15th NW. On April 22, Washington Parks & People and their Green Corps trainees will lead Earth Day greening and farming with the Justice Department at Marvin Gaye Park, alongside partners from DC Urbangreens, Inc. and with the DC Department of the Environment at its headquarters that evening.

Joseph’s House
Today is the final day in Joseph’s House Indiegogo campaign for their Healing Garden — they made it to their $35,000 goal with just a little cushion! Congratulations! Below is a look into the Joseph’s House dream for the garden:

“We dream of a garden sanctuary for those who have struggled for much of their lives. Joseph’s House dreams of creating a healing garden to serve as a threshold to our very special community, where our residents, as well as staff, volunteers and visitors, can pause and reflect within the healing powers of nature. Our dreams is for a garden that is accessible, inviting, neighborly and contemplative; a place to gather and to remember.”

(from http://garden.josephshouse.org/)

Congratulations to Joesph’s House!

Our Daily Bread
Happy ‪#‎NationalVolunteerWeek from Our Daily Bread‬! Last year, 1,031 Our Daily Bread volunteers worked 10,473 hours to help make life better for our Fairfax County area neighbors who are working toward self-sufficiency! We are so grateful to every one of them! Click here for a sample of what ODB volunteers do. Want to get involved? Our Daily Bread has a number of immediate volunteer needs — find them here!

7 Questions: Tara Libert, Executive Director of Free Minds Book Club and Writing Workshop

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Spur Local

“Poetry has this awesome way of breaking down stereotypes and misconceptions and getting to the raw humanity that connects all of us.”

“We had no idea how it would go over and here we are 13 years later not only going to the DC jail twice a week but working with over 350 young men in federal prisons all around the country and offering an intensive Reentry Support program when they come home.”

Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop uses books, creative writing, and peer support to awaken DC youth incarcerated as adults to their own potential. Through creative expression, job readiness training, and violence prevention outreach, these young poets achieve their education and career goals, and become powerful voices for change in the community. Before co-founding Free Minds in 2002, Tara worked as a radio and television news and documentary producer for twelve years. After producing many features on the US criminal justice system, showcasing such topics such as the death penalty, prison overcrowding and juvenile justice reform she was drawn to direct service.