Homeless in Fairfax County

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Marie LeBlanc

By Marie LeBlanc, Community Partnerships Coordinator

In Fairfax County, the very rich and the very poor live side by side. The Washington Post recently reported that the homeless student population in Fairfax County is on the verge of breaking 2,500 students — a record for the county, which is by some measures the second most affluent county in the US. Since 2005, the number of homeless students in Fairfax County has been on the rise — growing by 58% from 2005 to 2011. This trend echoes the observations made recently in Venture Philanthropy Partners’ Capital Kids report, which offers comprehensive data on the state of children and youth in the greater Washington area. (Read our review on the report here.)

Capital Kids focuses on “the poverty factor” as one of the four main issues involving children and youth in the National Capital Region: “The negative social, academic and health outcomes for children raised in poverty have been well documented. They include a greater incidence of chronic health conditions (such as asthma); mental disorders, including depression; and risky behaviors such as smoking, drugs, alcohol and early sexual activity. Childhood poverty is also associated with poor school attendance and decreased academic achievement, as well as behavioral problems such as delinquency.”

According to the Post, the recession and its after-effects have caused this explosion of homeless youth and students. Right now, more than 1 million students are experiencing homelessness across the country. Judith Dittman, executive director of Catalogue nonprofit Alternative House, was quoted in the Post, expressing her concern about this situation in Northern Virginia: “Nobody wants to see these kids sleeping on the street. No matter how bad the economy is, we don’t want to see 17-year-olds sleeping in the doorways at libraries.”

Working specifically with runaway, abused, and homeless youth, Alterative House “offers safe and accessible places where teens can get help” and has served thousands of youth over the past 40 years. Alternative House is one of many Catalogue nonprofits that serve the homeless population in Fairfax County. Here’s a brief look at several others, and you can find a complete list of nonprofits serving Fairfax County here.

= Doorways for Women and Families has worked for 30 years to break the intergenerational cycles of homelessness and domestic violence, providing a variety of support services to families who are working to move out of homelessness.

- For over three decades, Shelter House has provided a structured and supportive environment for homeless families in Fairfax County, through transitional housing programs, emergency shelters, and case management for newly-housed families.

- Main Street Child Development Center is one of the few nonprofit childcare centers in the area, ensuring that children from low-income households have the same educational start as their higher income peers.

- FACETS provides emergency services and supportive programs to prevent homelessness and assist those who are already homeless, working to ensure that every Fairfax family has a place to call home.

In The News …

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Julia Cain

Homeless student population to crest 2,500 in Fairfax County for first time (Washington Post): “The number of homeless students in Fairfax County public schools is likely to surpass 2,500 by the end of this school year, according to school officials, what would be a new record for one of the most affluent communities in the nation.” Over 15% of these are “unaccompanied youths,” or children who live without a parent or guardian. In DC, the total number of homeless public school students reached nearly 3,000 last year. Overall, “according to estimates from the Education Department, there are more than 1 million homeless students nationwide, an all-time high.”

Prince George’s leaders unite against domestic violence in new assessment program (Gazette): “By the end of the year, all Prince George’s County patrol officers and municipal law enforcement agencies will be equipped to better handle domestic violence incidents and provide immediate assistance to victims thanks to a state-led program. According to Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, “This calls for law enforcement to be trained to identify domestic violence situations so that they can help victims to take the steps to prevent it;” and according to Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler, “the effort is focused on identifying abusive situations and preventing domestic violence cases from escalating to reduce the number of homicides.” (Learn about Catalogue nonprofits DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project today.)

MontCo health agency recommends healthy snacks, tracking student obesity (Washington Examiner): “Montgomery County’s Health Commission is recommending that the county track student obesity and put more nutritious snacks in vending machines, as part of officials’ latest efforts to make county residents healthier.” The Commission also suggested to the Montgomery County Council that it “should provide more opportunities for exercise for children and adults, and establish better accommodationsfor mothers who are breast-feeding.” Five years ago, the County “passed a ban on the use of artificial trans fats in chain restaurants and all food service facilities,” which include public schools. What are successful school-based health efforts that you have experienced?

Catalogue Milestones: 2007

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Julia Cain

As we approach our celebration of the 10th Catalogue for Philanthropy, we look back to see how the Catalogue has grown and evolved.

Currently, a diverse array of foundations, nonprofit organizations, corporations, institutions, and individuals review for the Catalogue. In our fifth year (2007), the review team jumped to 55. Last year (2011), the team was 120 strong. Check out the full list right here.

The following charities were featured for the first time in the print Catalogue in 2007, and are relisted this year. Get to know them here …

- Washington Tennis & Education Foundation
- Empowered Women International
- Passion for Learning
- Arlington Food Assistance Center

Unfold in the Dream

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Julia Cain

“Everybody is different — even writers. You have to learn how to use your energy and not squander it. In the writing process, the more a story cooks, the better. The brain works for you even when you are at rest. I find dreams particularly useful. I myself think a great deal before I go to sleep and the details sometimes unfold in the dream.”

– British novelist Doris Lessing, born today in 1919

Around Town: Coming Up

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Julia Cain

What’s coming up at Catalogue nonprofits? Glad you asked!

Anacostia Watershed Society (Lakewood Road, College Park, MD) — Cancelled

Join AWS, the Eyes of Paint Branch, and the DC Chapter of Surfrider for this annual cleanup on Saturday at 10:00 AM. Complete info right this way.

Our Daily Bread (field at 10515 School Street, Fairfax City, VA)

Take part in “Complete the Circle Event and FoodRaiser,” a meaningful and fun event to help needy families throughout the Fairfax County area, on Sunday from 2:00 to 5:00 PM. You can register right here.

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

This new series will begin with one hour of gentle yoga and create a safe, comfortable place for group members to share concerns and feelings, starting on Wednesday at 10:30 AM. Learn more this way.

Volunteer Fairfax (8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA)

On Thursday, this all-day conference, “Fairfax County Roundup: Whole Community Collaboration for Disaster,” will bring together the players that serve our community’s needs. Contact Matt Lyttle, Emergency Response Program Manager, at (703) 246-3553 with questions.

Brooklyn Castle

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Marie LeBlanc

By Marie LeBlanc, Community Partnerships Coordinator

Chess is not just a game of kings and pawns, queens and knights. For a group of middle schoolers from Brooklyn — and for thousands of other students here in DC and across the country — chess is a unique afterschool activity that impacts their lives both on and off the board. Catalogue nonprofit Chess Challenge in DC co-sponsored a sneak peek of the documentary film Brooklyn Castle last week, which profiles a student chess team from Brooklyn, New York, and invited Catalogue staff to have a look.

Brooklyn Castle tells the stories of five members of the chess team at a below-the-poverty-line inner city junior high school (Intermediate School/IS 318) that has won more national championships than any other in the country. The film follows the challenges these kids face in their personal lives as well as on the chessboard, and is as much about the sting of their losses as it is about the anticipation of their victories.

Continue reading →

Fearless Changemakers Surround Us

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Spur Local

By Michael Smith, Senior Vice President — Social Innovation, The Case Foundation

Earlier this year, we at the Case Foundation declared our intention to Be Fearless in all that we do. As we reflected on the 15 years since Jean and Steve Case created the Foundation, we realized that we — and our partners — were best when we were willing to dream big, experiment with new approaches, and admit our failures so that we could learn from them. We were best when we were fearless.

In a time when social challenges seem to be getting bigger and more complex, those of us charged with finding and funding solutions cannot be satisfied with the status quo. In a world where athletes, entrepreneurs, and explorers are all supposed to be fearless, for some reason many leaders responsible for lifting up communities and changing the world for the better have often become safe, incremental, measured, and sometimes slow to act. It’s time to change the game. That’s why not only have we declared our intention to Be Fearless, but we are committed to inviting others to help us define a fearless approach to social change, to spread the concept far and wide, to learn and experiment together, and to uncover the fearless changemakers and change movements already happening in communities in the US and around the world.

Continue reading →

Catalogue Milestones: 2005 & 2006

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Marie LeBlanc

By Marie LeBlanc, Community Partnerships Coordinator

As we approach our celebration of the 10th Catalogue for Philanthropy, we look back to see how the Catalogue has grown and evolved.

In its third and fourth years, the Catalogue for Philanthropy continued growing — and marked its first significant milestone in fundraising for nonprofits. In 2005, Catalogue broke the $1 million mark with $1,778,181 raised in the first three years of publication, and went on to increase its annual fundraising level by 43% in 2006. In 2006, the Catalogue also became an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and transitioned its advisory board into a governing board.

The following charities were featured for the first time in print either in 2005 or 2006, and are relisted in the Catalogue this year:

- Nueva Vida offers support services for Latinas affected by cancer.

- DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence provides resources for thousands of domestic violence survivors in DC.

- Anacostia Watershed Society is an environmental group seeking safe, clean, swimmable and fishable Anacostia River

- Fair Chance builds capacity for nonprofits serving DC at-risk youth.

- Lorton Community Action Center works to break the cycle of poverty in Lorton, VA by providing community-based social services.

- theatreWashington promotes, represents, and supports Washington’s professional theatre community.

And the following nonprofits, originally featured in 2005 or 2006, were re-certified to remain on the Catalogue website this year:

- Community of Hope provides low-income, homeless, and underserved families with healthcare, housing, and education.

- ARRIBA Center offers employment training, job placement, bilingual, and advocacy services for minority disabled populations.

- Dana Tai Soon Burgess & Co. (DTSB&Co.) creates, presents, and tours dance works with a unique Asian American movement aesthetic.

As Memory Is

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Julia Cain

It is useful to remember that history is to the nation as memory is to the individual. As persons deprived of memory become disoriented and lost, not knowing where they have been and where they are going, so a nation denied a conception of the past will be disabled in dealing with its present and its future. [...]

History is a doomed enterprise that we happily pursue because of the thrill of the hunt, because exploring the past is such fun, because of the intellectual challenges involved, because a nation needs to know its own history. Or so we historians insist. Because in the end, a nation’s history must be both the guide and the domain not so much of its historians as its citizens.

– historian Arthur Meier Schlesinger, Jr., born today in 1917

Around Town: October 12-15

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Julia Cain

Have a good weekend, Greater Washington! And consider spending a day with a local nonprofit …

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

Over 40 area artists in two spaces create “Signals,” DCAC’s new exhibition; JW Mahoney (DC curator and artist) aims to prove that there long has been a distinct “school” of DC art. Opening reception is today at 7:00 PM.

Anacostia Watershed Society (Bladensburg Waterfront Park, Bladensburg, MD) — Event Full

On Friday at 10:00 AM, build and install bird houses at our native meadow along the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River; all tools and supplies needed will be provided. More information this way!

Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central Atlantic States (600 Water Street SW, Washington, DC)

Tour the Potomac aboard the historic Sequoia Presidential Yacht. ANS Naturalists will highlight efforts to clean the river — and the work that still needs to be done. Event is filling fast; RSVP information is here.

Smith Center for Healing and the Arts (1662 U Street NW, Washington, DC)

Join in a therapeutic practice to align breath, movement, and awareness to restore balance and health at “Qigong: Going Within” on Monday at 8:00 AM. Learn more right here.

Also: the Acumen Solutions 4th Annual Race for a Cause is coming up this weekend. Race proceeds will be distributed to ten great nonprofits (eight of which are in the Catalogue network). Consider signing up today!

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