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Around Town: 11/8-11/14

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We hope that everyone has enjoyed (or has requested a copy) of the 2013-14 Catalogue! We feature over 365 of DC’s best small nonprofits and they do put on a lot of great events! Check out what is going on in the next week:

Friday, November 08, 2013

RTMC Playhouse Project Builders Informational Meeting

Rebuilding Together Montgomery County
RTMC is preparing to launch Rebuilding Hope: The RTMC Playhouse Project, a fundraiser in which we recruit skilled professionals to create and donate elaborate playhouses to RTMC, which will be displayed and promoted, and then auctioned off to support our mission of safe and healthy homes for families in need. This meeting is a recruiting exercise for builders, remodelers, architects, designers, and other skilled professionals who have an interest in creating a playhouse for our event. We will introduce Rebuilding Together, go over last year’s successes and lessons learned, and introduce the plan, timeline, and logistics for this year’s event, as well as answer any questions. RTMC staff, the Playhouse Planning Committee, and builders from the previous event will be on hand to answer questions and provide perspective. If you may be interested in participating, please join us!
When: Fri Nov 8 2013 (08:30 AM – 09:30 AM)
Where: Bethesda Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce Board Room, 7910 Woodmont Avenue, 12th Floor, Bethesda, MD 20814
Fee?: no
Volunteer Info: Volunteers interested in creating a playhouse are needed!
Contact: Lee-Berkeley Shaw, (301) 933-2700 ext 307

Central Asian Dance Camp and Performance

Joe’s Movement Emporium/World Arts Focus
A three-day immersion into Central Asian dance and culture with classes, lectures and performances presented by leading World Dance specialists. Over 20 hours of instruction in a variety of genres including Uzbek, Persian, Afghan and Azerbaijani styles. All levels welcome. $325 full camp advance registration: including concert; $40 per workshop; $45 at door (space limited).
When: Fri Nov 8 2013 (09:00 AM)
Where: Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mount Rainier, MD 20712
Fee?: yes $325 full camp advance registration; $40/workshop; $45 at door
Contact: Malori Rhones, (301) 699-1819
For more information: click here

Saturday, November 09, 2013

Central Asian Dance Camp and Performance

Joe’s Movement Emporium/World Arts Focus
A three-day immersion into Central Asian dance and culture with classes, lectures and performances presented by leading World Dance specialists. Over 20 hours of instruction in a variety of genres including Uzbek, Persian, Afghan and Azerbaijani styles. All levels welcome. $325 full camp advance registration: including concert; $40 per workshop; $45 at door (space limited).
When: Sat Nov 9 2013 (09:00 AM)
Where: Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mount Rainier, MD 20712
Fee?: yes $325 full camp advance registration; $40/workshop; $45 at door
Contact: Malori Rhones, (301) 699-1819
For more information: click here

Native Species Planting: Daingerfield Island

Earth Sangha
Join volunteers from the PorColombia Professional DC Chapter will help plant various native plants in the tidal wetland and on its banks.
When: Sat Nov 9 2013 (10:00 AM – 1:00 PM)
Where: Daingerfield Island We will meet at Daingerfield Island’s main GWMP parking lot., Alexandria, Va 22314
Fee?: no
Volunteer Info: Planting native plant species.
Contact: Lisa Bright, (703) 764-4830
For more information: click here

Canal Stewards at the River Center

Potomac Conservancy
Join us at the River Center! We’ll be meeting at 10 am at the River Center to clean up the lockhouse area and the nearby towpath. This cleanup is open to all ages, and we’ll provide all the necessary supplies – just wear clothes that can get dirty. This event is part of the National Park Service’s Canal-Stewards program, engaging volunteers to become long-term caretakers of a site within the C & O Canal National Historical Park.
When: Sat Nov 9 2013 (10:00 AM)
Where: River Center at Lock 8, 7906 Riverside Drive, Cabin John, MD 20818
Fee?: no
Volunteer Info: Typical activities include picking up trash, invasive plants removal, pruning vegetation, or repairing the towpath and trails.
Contact: Lien Vu, (301) 608-1188 ext 205

2nd Annual World of Wheels for CASA: Family Festival and Touch-a-truck

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/Prince George’s County
CASA’s 2nd annual World of Wheels for CASA: A Touch-A-Truck and Family Festival will take place Saturday, Nov. 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at DeMatha Catholic High School (4313 Madison St., Hyattsville, Md. 20781). This community event will feature cars, trucks of all sizes, motorcycles and other unique vehicles, including: a 1958 refurbished Mac tractor, a Brink’s Security armored vehicle, a Maryland Army National Guard Humvee, a Maryland State Highway Administration flusher truck and TurboHaul bulk trash truck. Batman, himself, will appear with the Batmobile from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the Maryland National Capitol Park Police Prince George’s County Mounted Division will be on hand throughout the day. Adding to the excitement will be food, music and an assortment of activities for “kids of all ages,” including moon bounces, carnival games, craft tables, face painting, temporary tattoos and shopping at vendor display tables–new this year. Attendees also can learn about volunteer opportunities with CASA to provide a voice to abused and neglected children in Prince George’s County.
When: Sat Nov 9 2013 (10:00 AM – 2:00 PM)
Where: DeMatha High School, 4313 Madison Street, Hyattsville, Maryland 20781
Fee?: yes $5/person; children 2 and under free; $10/person for VIP package
Volunteer Info: Volunteers are needed to staff game and craft tables and to work at food stand either making or selling food
Contact: DeMatha High School, (301) 209-0491
For more information: click here

Lost Childhood: A Concert Opera

National Philharmonic
The year is 1939 in Lvov, Poland. In the living room of a well-to-do Jewish family, Julek, 9, and his teenage sister dance the tango to music from the radio. Their father enters and turns to the BBC broadcast to hear news of impending war. Fast-forward to 1993, an elegant bar in a Manhattan hotel, where Judah, a psychiatrist (formerly the child Julek), sits across from his German colleague, Manfred, born after the war to a prominent family of Nazi sympathizers. In a gripping confrontation between a post-war German and a Jewish Holocaust survivor, each deeply troubled by his own lost childhood, the past comes alive in the present. Through a series of flashbacks, Manfred, tormented, faces his family’s dark past, while Judah reveals for the first time, with bravado and humor, anger and grief, how he, his mother and sister outwitted the Third Reich. With searing emotion and heartwarming lyricism, the music recollects the terrors of the Holocaust and inspires a hopeful vision of the future. Judah is based on Yehuda Nir, a psychiatrist and the author of the memoir The Lost Childhood. The inspiration for Manfred is Nir’s friend Gottfried Wagner, a great-grandson of Richard Wagner and a specialist in post-Holocaust dialogue between victims, perpetrators and their descendants. This performance marks the 75th anniversary of Kristallnacht (“The Night of Broken Glass”), on November 9-10, 1938, when a series of violent anti-Jewish pogroms occurred throughout Germany and elsewhere.
When: Sat Nov 9 2013 (8:00 PM)
Where: The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD 20852
Fee?: yes $28-$84 (Kids Free)
Contact: Deborah Birnbaum, (301) 581-5
For more information: click here

Dance Project

Joy of Motion Dance Center
Saturday, November 9 at 8:30PM Sunday, November 10 at 7:00 PM Dance Project is an annual choreography showcase of the best local dance companies. JOMDC created the Dance Project series in order to give rising artists a performance platform. This concert will feature the Audience Favorite Award, where the audience votes for their favorite performance.
When: Sat Nov 9 2013 (8:30 PM – 10:00 PM)
Where: JOMDC Friendship Heights, 5207 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20015
Fee?: yes $12-15
Contact: JOMDC Friendship Heights, (202) 362-3042
For more information: click here

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Central Asian Dance Camp and Performance

Joe’s Movement Emporium/World Arts Focus
A three-day immersion into Central Asian dance and culture with classes, lectures and performances presented by leading World Dance specialists. Over 20 hours of instruction in a variety of genres including Uzbek, Persian, Afghan and Azerbaijani styles. All levels welcome. $325 full camp advance registration: including concert; $40 per workshop; $45 at door (space limited).
When: Sun Nov 10 2013 (09:00 AM)
Where: Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mount Rainier, MD 20712
Fee?: yes $325 full camp advance registration; $40/workshop; $45 at door
Contact: Malori Rhones, (301) 699-1819
For more information: click here

Native Species Planting: Marie Butler Leven Preserve

Earth Sangha
We will be sowing native grass seed, and planting grasses and other meadow species into the front meadow section at Marie Butler Leven Preserve. The Park Authority has cleared away the invasive fescue and prepared the ground for the planting. Sidharth Madhavan from Boy Scout Troop 1518 will be leading the volunteers as part of his Eagle Scout Project. This section of the meadow will establish important native species that are integral to meadow communities and will give us a foothold to re-establish a native meadow on this site.
When: Sun Nov 10 2013 (09:00 AM – 2:00 PM)
Where: Marie Butler Leven Preserve, 1501 Kirby Road, McLean VA 22101
Fee?: no
Volunteer Info: Sow native grass species seed and plant native meadow species.
Contact: Matt Bright, (703) 764-4830
For more information: click here

 

Monday, November 11, 2013

The Farmland Feast

FRESHFARM Markets
The Farmland Feast pays delectable tribute to the food community of our Chesapeake Bay region with a cocktail party, farm centric seated dinner and auctions. This event helps us maintain and expand the educational programs of FRESHFARM Markets.
When: Mon Nov 11 2013 (6:00 PM – 10:00 PM)
Where: Ritz Carlton Hotel. 22nd Street, NW washington DC, DC 20007
Fee?: yes $300 for dinner; $125 for cocktail party only
Volunteer Info: We recruit volunteers each October. Please check with us if we still need help for this year’s event. Volunteers help with general event management, check in/check out/ auction help etc. Sometimes we also need voluteers in the office to help with pre-event planning.
Contact: Amanda Phillips Manheim, (202) 362-8889 ext 5
For more information: click here

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Tuesday Warehouse Volunteering

DC Diaper Bank
Come help us in the warehouse! Volunteering is family friendly and all are welcome whether it’s for one hour or four. We’ll be sorting and packing diapers and even little hands can help with that (or just play in the play area!). Our Volunteer Dates are a great way to starting talking about giving back and community in a very tangible way that kids can relate to well.
When: Tue Nov 12 2013 (09:00 AM – 1:00 PM)
Where: DC Diaper Bank Warehouse 8858 Monard Drive, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
Fee?: no
Volunteer Info: Sorting and packing diapers; helping with other inventory
Contact: Corinne Cannon, (202) 656-8503

38th Anniversary Benefit

Wendt Center for Loss and Healing
Annual fundraising benefit, featuring keynote speaker General George W. Casey with Emcee David Gregory.
When: Tue Nov 12 2013 (6:30 PM – 9:30 PM)
Where: Four Seasons Hotel Georgetown, 2800 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC, DC 20007
Fee?: yes $325 per ticket
Contact: Ricarda Dowling, (202) 204-5010
For more information: click here

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

SSA’s Speaker Series – “Staying Connected: Employment & Volunteer Opportunities for Seniors in Alexandria

Senior Services of Alexandria
Hear from local experts that can help you plug into new careers and find exciting volunteer opportunities. This FREE event is happening on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at the Charles Beatley Central Library. Representatives from AARP, Joblink, National Council on Aging, Alexandria’s Mentoring Partnership, Tutoring Consortium, Alexandria Library, Senior Services of Alexandria & Volunteer Alexandria will be on hand to answer your questions. To register go to www.seniorservicesalex.org or call 703-8836-4414, ext 10.
When: Wed Nov 13 2013 (09:30 AM – 12:00 NOON)
Where: Charles Beatley Central Library, 5005 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22304
Fee?: no
Volunteer Info: Be part of the Meals on Wheels Volunteer team and recruiting volunteers for the Friendly Visitor Program to meet weekly with an isloated senior.
Contact: , (703) 836-4414 ext 10
For more information:

Wine & Wonderment

Our Daily Bread
Join us at 2941 Restaurant for a special wine tasting in the beautiful waterfall room to support Our Daily Bread’s Holiday Program. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Enjoy wines selected by Sommelier Jonathan Schuyler and delicious appetizers. Proceeds will help ODB provide meals and gifts for families on our Holiday assistance list whom we are not able to match with sponsors.
When: Wed Nov 13 2013 (6:30 PM – 8:30 PM)
Where: 2941 Restaurant, 2941 Fairview Park Dr, Falls Church, VA 22042
Fee?: yes $50
Contact: Jennifer Rose, (703) 273-8829
For more information: click here

Thursday, November 14, 2013

A Night at the Movies

Reach Incorporated
Join Reach Incorporated for desserts, drinks, and the release of a short film, made in partnership with Stone Soup Films, highlighting the work of our tutors and students.
When: Thu Nov 14 2013 (6:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
Where: The Globe Theater, 2005 Florida Avenue NW, Washington DC 20009
Fee?: yes Tickets range from $30 – $100
Volunteer Info: Check In Guests Sell Children’s Books Distribute Information to Guests
Contact: Mark Hecker, (215) 205-9902
For more information: click here

Guest Post: The Barker Foundation

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November is National Adoption Month! Today we’re excited to have a guest post from The Barker Foundation, whose mission is to serve all members of the adoption circle – birth parents, adoptive parents, adopted persons, and anyone whose life is touched by adoption. A licensed adoption agency serving DC, Maryland and Virginia, The Barker Foundation supports teens and women as they consider an adoption plan, places infants and children with carefully selected, local adoptive families, and provides lifelong support and education to all adopted persons.

Reflections by Beverly Clarke

Director, Project Wait No Longer

I have 9 year old twins who are full of questions, and we are always discussing new words and looking up definitions on-line. Recently, we were looking up the definition for the word “inspiration.” There were many definitions, but the ones that I felt most drawn to were “divine influence exerted directly on the mind and soul of humankind” or “to spur on, impel, energize or motivate.” My kids began making up sentences based on this new found understanding of the word and all the things that are “inspirational” in the life of a 9 year old. My favorites were “I am inspired to eat my broccoli so that I can have a brownie,” or “I am inspired to read three books so that I can watch an episode of Scooby-Doo.” Listening to them was entertaining but also got me thinking about what inspires me.

I realized that I am fortunate to feel inspired on a daily basis while working with Project Wait No Longer, Barker’s older child adoption program. I am inspired by the children and teenagers that still have the audacity to hope for a forever family even after surviving years of abuse and neglect at the hands of adults. I am amazed when I see them begin to break down their protective walls, change their behaviors, and develop trust for the members of their new families. I am inspired by the parents who come to our program, determined to provide loving and stable homes for older children who oftentimes don’t know how to be a part of a family – by the families that stick it out, even when the going gets unbearably tough.

This is what drives me to work harder every day to find placements for older children who are often languishing within the foster care system. The needs of the children weigh on my mind and soul, inspiring me and the amazing team in PWNL to be a part of the solution.

Recently, I had the pleasure of helping to facilitate the placement of a little guy (Bobby) who is 10 years old into the home of Sue and John. Bobby has been doing really well with his new family, but has come from a long history of being rejected by former caretakers, so making the leap to calling Sue and John “mom” and “dad” has been really hard. Last week my phone rang, and John was on the line. I was surprised to hear from him because Sue (the more emotional one of the pair) is usually the one who calls me. In a very excited voice, John said to me, “Bev, something pretty cool happened. Bobby was talking about me to one of his friends, and I overheard him call me “dad.” This is the first time he has ever done that! Isn’t that great?” Through the phone I could hear the pride, joy and excitement in John’s voice. After several months of patient and consistent love, his son has begun to claim him as “dad.” This is what we work for at Barker. These are the true moments of inspiration.

Beverly Clarke, LCSW-C, LICSW is the Director of Project Wait No Longer at the Barker Foundation. For more information on our work, visit us at: www.barkerfoundation.org.

 

Congratulations to Barbara Harman!

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On November 1, the Catalogue’s President and Editor, Barbara Harman, was named by Washingtonian Magazine as one of DC’s “Most Powerful Women.” Selected biannually by the magazine’s editors, the list includes 117 of the area’s most influential women in government, business, health, media, law, education, nonprofits, and the arts. Barbara is recognized for her work in “shaping the dialogue about which small Washington charities are best.” And she is in good company! This year’s list includes First Lady Michelle Obama, Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, as well as Catalogue supporters and partners such as Rose Ann Cleveland (Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation), Terri Lee Freeman (Community Foundation for the National Capital Region), Nicky Goren (The Women’s Foundation), and Julie Rogers (Meyer Foundation).

The list of the “Most Powerful Women” is featured in the November 2013 issue of Washingtonian magazine. A reception recognizing the honorees will be held at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 13.

From all of us here at the Catalogue: Congratulations, Barbara!

Around Town 11/1-11/7

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Happy November! Catalogue nonprofits are kicking off the month right with lots of great events all around the area. Let us know if you are heading to one (and you never know, you might even see us there!). Don’t have time to get out to an event? Request a copy of our brand new catalogue (out on November 1st!) and get to know our new class of nonprofits!
Continue reading →

In the News…

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SNAP faces $5 billion cut Friday: A temporary boost to the SNAP program expires on Friday, which will affect the nearly 48 million Americans who receive food assistance benefits. What does that mean for SNAP recipients, 87 percent of whom are in households with children, seniors or those with disabilities? A report by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities has some startling statistics:

– A household of three, such as a mother with two children, will lose $29 a month.

– The cut is equivalent to about 16 meals a month for a family of three (based on the cost of the U.S. Agriculture Department’s “Thrifty Food Plan.”)

– Without the Recovery Act’s boost, SNAP benefits in fiscal year 2014 will average less than $1.40 per person per meal.

More DC families will be homeless this winter: According to an article in the Washington Post, DC officials predict a 10 percent increase in the number of families who will be homeless this winter. The City’s shelters are nearly full already, but an estimated 509 new families will need housing this winter. This is in addition to a number of unaccompanied homeless youth who are not included in the winter shelter plan. The Rapid Rehousing program, designed to quickly move families from shelters and into affordable housing, continues to face challenges in finding housing that also passes a safety inspection. Officials will meet Tuesday to discuss plans for managing the expected increase in homeless clients.

73 percent of DC students re-enrolled after school closure: After 13 schools closed due to under enrollment this fall, 2,000 students had to move to another school. At the beginning of the school year, only 44 percent of students had re-enrolled. That’s close to what the District saw in 2008 when it closed 23 schools. The current 73 percent rate is a marked improvement over 2008 but still short of the 80 percent goal. Read the article at WAMU here.

Montgomery County School Chief proposes investment to address overcrowding: Montgomery County is Maryland’s fastest growing school district; the County’s enrollment has grown by 14,000 students since 2007 and is projected to add another 11,000 within six years. In a Washington Post article, Superintendent Starr says the schools are “bursting at the seams,” and proposed a $1.55 billion dollar investment to build five schools and finance 22 classroom-addition projects to address overcrowding in the next six years. He plans to delay 20 school revitalization projects by a year or two due to budget constraints, however he has placed an emphasis on HVAC projects for existing schools. The proposal will be considered starting November 7th. Read the full story here.

Guest Post: Girls on the Run

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Today’s post comes from Girls on the Run – DC whose program teaches over 2,000 girls in DC’s eight wards about self-esteem and healthy living through running.

by Kelsey Lyle, Program Coordinator GOTR-DC

“My daughter, who usually complains about walking even a few blocks, came home last week after running almost 2 miles and was so energized and proud of herself that she asked to run around our block a few times. Running a 5K seemed impossible to her when she started, but now she’s figured out that she can run further and longer than she ever knew. I’m looking forward to an improved outlook on fitness, which I hope will serve her throughout her life.” – Dawn, GOTR-DC Parent of 3rd Grader

This is one of many stories that parents of Girls on the Run DC participants can tell. Girls on the Run DC is an afterschool program that inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. The program takes place over the course of 10 weeks and concludes with a 5k event to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of the girls in the program.

Our volunteer coaches are the key ingredient to our success as an organization. Volunteer coaches empower girls to appreciate who they are and encourage them to take on a healthy lifestyle. They are what make the program happen- a role that is a blend of teacher, mentor, and friend. Each practice session offers a lesson on topics that include peer pressure, self-esteem, cooperation, and more. In addition to running during practice, the girls are asked to give a thoughtful reflection to the topic of the day. At the end of the program, each team creates and completes a community service project.

This Fall season Girls on the Run DC is in more than 50 schools and has over 70 Girls on the Run teams. Each year we serve over 2,000 girls in the DC metropolitan area. Approximately 60% of our sites receive scholarships, and we, as an organization, fundraise on their behalf.

We rely on volunteers to assist with many different aspects of our organization. We need over 200 volunteers to make our November 24th race day possible. If you would like to help out with Girls on the Run 5K as a race day volunteer please sign up on our website: http://www.gotrdc.org/get-involved/volunteer.

Find out more about Girls on the Run DC at our website, or Like us on Facebook!

photo: Emily Weiss (emilyweissphotography.com)

Around Town 10/25-10/31

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We are in the final stretch of October (can you believe it?)! See what these great nonprofits are doing to help October go out with a bang! Continue reading →

Guest Post: Playworks

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October is Bullying Prevention Month. Today we’re excited to welcome Susan Comfort, Executive Director of Playworks, DC to share how their program’s strategies help create a safe, healthy environment for kids to play and be active every day!

by Susan Comfort

October is the time of year that Playworks DC Coaches at our 15 schools choose the 4th and 5th graders who are going to serve as “Junior Coaches” for the rest of the year. And we don’t always choose the star students. We purposely choose the shy kids, too, and even the bullies, who use their leadership talents in the wrong direction. Continue reading →

Guest Post: DC Diaper Bank

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Today’s post comes from the DC Diaper Bank, whose mission is to strengthen families by providing a reliable and adequate supply of free diapers to families in need living in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Begun in 2010, DC Diaper Bank works with a network of 17 social service agencies to provide diapers to more than 1,700 babies and families a month. Continue reading →

Around Town: 10/18-10/24

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With Fall in full swing, our nonprofits are getting busy! See what great events you can head to in the upcoming week. Are you a current Catalogue nonprofit with an event to promote? Make sure to put it in your portal so you can see your event in an upcoming Around Town! Continue reading →