Give Where You Live: Yearend Giving Guide

How can my charitable dollars make the most difference in our community?

It's a question donors frequently ask the staff of The Community Foundation – one that is particularly critical this year, as nonprofits continue to face declining resources and increased need.

As another year comes to a close, we draw attention in this issue of Making Connections to organizations helping to strengthen our region's safety net, improve educational outcomes, and help residents get the skills and training they need to gain employment. In other words, groups that are helping people achieve economic security for themselves and their families. Our list includes organizations in D.C., Northern Virginia, Montgomery and Prince George's County and features some you may already know and others that may be new to you. The one thing they have in common: these groups are highly regarded and well known by our staff.

This is by no means a comprehensive list. It was, however, compiled by our expert staff and based on the rigorous criteria required of all our grantees. In developing the list, we considered program strength and track record; potential impact in the community; management and leadership; financial stability and financial need. We identified organizations with strong leadership, that demonstrate adaptability, that use resources effectively, and that have sufficient technical capacity to achieve their goals. If you have questions about these groups, or an interest in others, don't hesitate to call us. It's what we are here for.

A few final thoughts about the three issue areas we focus on:  

Safety Net: Helping Our Neighbors in Need

Three years ago, we launched our Neighbors in Need Fund when the bottom fell out of the economy. We knew our region's safety net was going to be stretched in ways that it had never seen. Unfortunately, our predictions have come true. For instance, in the Washington Metropolitan Area, 1 in 6 residents is at risk of or experiencing hunger. That is more than 641,000 residents, or 16% of the population.

At the same time, we're proud of the more than $5 million we've raised for the Neighbors in Need Fund, much of which has come from our donors. And we're heartened by the $4.7 million we've distributed in grants to more than 110 different nonprofits across the region, who are providing critical safety net services to those in need. But the need is ongoing. In this newsletter, we describe a number of groups for you to consider making a donation directly to as well as the larger Neighbors in Need Fund. These groups provide services in various critical areas of need for our communities.

We have included: A Wider Circle, Alternative House, Centro de Apoyo Familiar, Maryland Community Connection, Miriam's Kitchen, Mobile Medical Care Inc., N STREET VILLAGE, and Reston Interfaith. You can give to Our Neighbors in Need Fund here.

Improving Educational Outcomes

The Community Foundation is committed to ensuring that all children and youth in our region are prepared for successful adulthood. No easy task. Consider this: Washington, D.C. has the lowest math proficiency in the country and the lowest percentage of students in single parent households who go to college. The Maryland and Virginia suburbs face their own set of challenges. With this in mind, The Community Foundation has identified nonprofits that are addressing the achievement gap and those engaged in education reform efforts:  CollegeTracks, DC College Success Foundation, End Time Harvest Ministries, George B. Thomas Sr. Learning Academy, LifeSTARTS Youth and Family Services, and The Fishing School.

Preparing Residents for Employment

As we all know, unemployment remains at historically high levels across the country and in our region, where rates in the District are as high as 25 to 30 % in Wards 7 and 8. Working families have been hit particularly hard, which is why investing in immediate job training and placement is critical. Consider that every month, there are more than 50,000 job openings that go unfilled in the District, yet there are only 30,000 unemployed people. If we strive to do a better job of matching skilled workers with available jobs, we can solve the unemployment crisis. These groups are focused on giving individuals the skills and credentials they need to succeed in the workplace: D.C. Economic Justice Center, Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, SOME, Literacy Council of Montgomery County, The Training Source, Job Opportunities Task Force, Year Up National Capital Region, and Urban Alliance.

In closing, I want to recognize our "community of givers" who are making a difference every single day. We celebrated yet another year of charitable giving at our Celebration of Civic Spirit Gala where over 300 philanthropists gathered at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, DC in celebration of the work we are doing to improve our communities.

This year's Civic Spirit Award honors Vicki and Roger Sant who, through their philanthropic leadership and generosity, have created lasting improvements to our community through their Summit Foundation and Summit Fund.

Other honorees included the recipients of the distinguished Linowes Leadership Awards including Lidya Abune, Julia Irving (read Julia's blog post entitled "Giving DC Youth a Chance"), Catalina Sol, and Maceo Thomas. These "unsung heroes" received the award for their efforts to improve communities throughout the Washington Metropolitan region and for encouraging others to do the same.

Whether you have a charitable fund with us, support our safety net, education or workforce efforts in the community, partner with us as a grantee or colleague, you are part of The Community Foundation. And your commitment to the Washington metropolitan region is making a real, lasting impact that you should be proud of.

Best wishes for a healthy and happy holiday season and happy New Year.

Terri Lee Freeman President

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Recommended Groups:

Safety-Net Organizations

Alternative House
Headquartered: Fairfax, Virginia
Serves: Northern Virginia

Alternative House programs work to keep young people safe and provide positive options to help them reach their full potential. Founded in 1972 as a shelter for runaway youth, Alternative House continues to provide this core service. However, as times have changed, the organization has grown to help children, youth and families meet new challenges and transform the lives of at-risk children, youth and their families in our changing community.

Centro de Apoyo Familiar
Headquartered: Riverdale, Maryland
Serves: Washington, D.C. and Maryland

Centro de Apoyo Familiar is a nonprofit agency serving the Latino community as a clearinghouse of information for social and housing related services. Centro de Apoyo Familiar's areas of expertise include housing, homeownership and foreclosure prevention; services include one-on-one counseling, case management, loan modification and refinancing, and referrals to help ameliorate the current economic crisis in the housing industry.

Maryland Community Connection
Headquartered: Landover, Maryland
Serves: Maryland

Maryland Community Connection (MCC) was established with the mission of assisting individuals with developmental disabilities to achieve a greater degree of social and economic independence. MCC has consistently provided services that enable individuals to maintain stability in the community through employment, rental assistance, utilities, medical expenses, adaptive equipment, transportation and grocery services. These services are essential to primary needs of individuals for security, the need to feel safe and the freedom toward independence.

Miriam's Kitchen
Headquartered: Washington, DC
Serves: Washington, DC

Miriam's Kitchen was founded in 1983 through a collaboration of The George Washington University Hillel Student Association, Western Presbyterian Church and United Church in response to an urgent need for services for the homeless in Washington, DC. Its mission is to provide individualized services that address the causes and consequences of homelessness in an atmosphere of dignity and respect, both directly and through facilitating connections in Washington, DC, Miriam's Kitchen provides free homemade meals and high-quality support services to more than 4,000 homeless men and women each year through core programs: meals, case management, Miriam's Studio and Miriam's Cafe.

Mobile Medical Care Inc.  
Headquartered: Bethesda, Maryland
Serves: Montgomery County, Maryland

Mobile Medical Care cares for more than 6,000 low-income residents of Montgomery County through 15 multilingual and multicultural clinics and mobile medical vans. It serves uninsured residents who would otherwise have to visit the emergency room to receive medical attention. Through partnerships with area hospitals, Mobile Medical Care is able to provide free or low-cost lab work and testing as well as specialty care. In 2010, Mobile Medical Care served approximately 1,500 Head Start children in more than 50 schools and centers.

N STREET VILLAGE
Headquartered: Washington, DC
Serves: Washington, DC

N Street Village is a community of empowerment and recovery for homeless and low-income women in Washington, D.C. With comprehensive services addressing both emergency and long-term needs, the group helps women achieve personal stability and make gains in their housing, income, employment, mental health, physical health and addiction recovery.

Reston Interfaith
Headquartered: Fairfax, Virginia
Serves: Fairfax, Virginia

Reston Interfaith offers comprehensive programs for about 20,000 people each year in Reston, Herndon and northwest Fairfax County. The group is recognized as a regional voice for the nonprofit sector and advocates with those served to promote social change. Reston Interfaith promotes self-sufficiency through direct support and advocacy for its neighbors in need of food, immediate shelter, affordable housing, quality child care and other human services.

 

Education Organizations

CollegeTracks
Headquarters: Bethesda, Maryland
Serves: Montgomery County, Maryland

College Tracks works with Montgomery County Public School students to navigate the college application and financial aid process and successfully enroll in college or technical schools. The 650 students served annually are often low-income and/or the first in their families to apply to college. 

DC College Success Foundation
Headquartered: Washington, DC
Serves: Washington, DC

DC College Success Foundation inspires underserved, low-income students to finish high school and provides a unique integrated system of supports and scholarships they need to graduate college and succeed in life. CSF-DC focuses its work in four areas: early engagement in middle school and early high school; high school advising and mentoring college scholarships; mentoring; and career planning and post-graduation advising. CSF-DC's primary goal is to increase the number of young people who complete college within five years of high school graduation.

End Time Harvest Ministries
Headquarters: New Carrollton, Maryland
Serves: Prince George's County, Maryland

End Time Harvest Ministries (ETHM) was established in 1996 to promote youth involvement in the community by equipping young leaders with educational, social and economic life skills to positively influence and actively advance the health, wellness and wealth of the community. ETHM's seeks to produce responsible, respectful and productive citizens.

George B. Thomas Sr. Learning Academy
Headquarters: Bethesda, Maryland
Serves: Montgomery County, Maryland

The George B. Thomas Sr. Learning Academy supports more than 3,000 struggling students in Montgomery County Public Schools through the Saturday School programs. With 12 centers in areas with high poverty, the school works to ensure that the most academically at-risk students can access grade-appropriate, low-cost academic tutoring and mentoring services. Additionally, The Learning Academy offers parent workshops in English and Spanish.

The Fishing School
Headquartered: Washington, DC
Serves: Washington, DC

Established in 1990, The Fishing School is a child and family support center providing a safe haven, caring adults, academic enrichment and support for low-income children (ages 6-15) and their families. Fishing School programs operate year round and serve an estimated 300 children via four main programs: Rising Stars afterschool program for elementary school students emphasizing math, reading and character education; Rising Scholars afterschool program for middle school students which emphasizes Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), community service and cultural awareness; Rising Champions day-long summer program for elementary and middle school youth that provides academic support, self-esteem, leadership and character building activities; and Parent Support Center which provides parents with activities and events designed to increase their knowledge and skills of positive youth development and parenting best practices.

 

Workforce Organizations

Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis
Headquartered: Richmond, Virginia
Serves: Northern Virginia

The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, a project of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, conducts research and public education on budget and tax issues in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with an emphasis on issues that affect low- and moderate-income residents. Commonwealth helps to define and execute a workforce development policy agenda for Northern Virginia, including preparing a "State of Working NoVa Report" to educate advocates and stakeholders about how workers are faring in the Northern Virginia economy and how workforce programs can help to address the challenges they're facing.

D.C. Economic Justice Center
Headquartered: Washington, DC
Serves: Washington Metropolitan Region

The D.C. Employment Justice Center (EJC) was founded in 2000 to secure, protect and promote workplace justice in the Washington Metropolitan Area. With a combined focus on legal services, advocacy and education, EJC serves as a strong voice for the legal rights of low-wage workers in the Washington Metropolitan Area.   

SOME
Headquartered: Washington, DC
Serves: Washington, DC

SOME (So Others Might Eat) is an interfaith, community-based organization that helps poor and homeless residents in the nation's capital. The SOME Center for Employment Training (CET) is one of a small number of organizations based in Wards 7and 8 that provide low-income individuals with comprehensive workforce development services leading to a credential in high-demand occupations in medical administration, business management and building maintenance. SOME CET services include soft skills training, vocational training in one of three fields, career coaching and supportive services.

Urban Alliance
Headquartered: Washington, DC
Serves: Washington, DC

Urban Alliance prepares youth from under-resourced areas in Washington, D.C. for the world of work and a life of self-sufficiency through education, mentoring and meaningful paid internships. Since its inception in 1996, Urban Alliance has grown from serving six students at Anacostia Senior High School to serving nearly 200 students annually at 17 high schools throughout Washington, DC. The organization has developed an effective youth development model, partnered with more than 100 corporate and nonprofit groups to employ more than 1,600 youth.   

Job Opportunities Task Force
Headquartered: Baltimore, Maryland
Serves: Prince George's County and Montgomery County, Maryland

The Job Opportunities Task Force conducts research and public education on budget and tax issues in Maryland, with an emphasis on issues that affect low- and moderate-income residents.

The Training Source
Headquartered: Seat Pleasant, Maryland
Serves: Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan Region

The mission of The Training Source is to provide superior training and related services, using innovative methodologies and technology, to meet individual, community and workplace development needs. The organization develops and implements programs that help people to realize their full potential, leading to more productive individuals, families, communities and business sectors.

Literacy Council of Montgomery County
Headquartered: Rockville, Maryland
Serves: Montgomery County, Maryland

The Literacy Council of Montgomery County provides English as a Second Language (ESL) and basic literacy instruction to adult learners. The group recruits and trains volunteers to tutor some 1,200 adult learners in Montgomery County annually. As a result, adult learners are able to secure and retain jobs, get promotions, qualify for driver's licenses, help their children with homework, communicate effectively with teachers and become U.S. citizens.

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Year Up

Year Up is a hybrid of workforce development and education with the goal of placing young adults in livable wage careers by providing training that will put them on the path to build a quality life for their families.-- Ronda Harris Thompson, Executive Director of Year Up National Capital Region.

Ronda Harris Thompson, Executive Director of Year Up National Capital Region, knows first-hand the difference Year Up makes in the lives of the young people they serve every day. As a native Washingtonian and a long term member of the Year Up staff, Thompson continues to make it her personal goal to ensure that as many young adults as possible benefit from the services Year Up offers.

"Our training approach is a two-pronged, year-long process focused on a student's professional and personal development," explains Thompson. "Through our partnership with Northern Virginia Community College, for the first six months our students take classes five days a week in areas such as technology, business communications, health and wellness, and interpersonal skills. Although the courses are held at our site, the students are dually enrolled with us and the community college."

Year Up students spend the second six months of the program in internships with leading companies, government agencies and nonprofit organizations.

Thompson noted, "Many of our students continue their post-secondary education beyond our program at two- and four-year colleges. We are proud of not only their success but their willingness to go further. It all begins here and we're excited that we are able to participate and invest in the many lives that we touch in such an impactful way."

Year Up's mission is to close the "opportunity divide" by providing urban young adults with the skills, experience and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education.

"What we mean by the opportunity divide is that we recognize there is a division that exists in this country in the areas of race and socioeconomic means causing a disproportionate divide mainly in the African-American and Latino communities. We recognize that there exists a pool of young people in these communities who have the necessary talent and skills needed for certain positions but lack the access to the hiring companies," said Thompson. "We also recognize that the hiring companies in need of this talent pool sometimes have difficulties reaching them. We are the bridge that connects the two."

Year Up serves high school graduates and GED recipients ages 18- to 24 from the Washington Metropolitan Area.

We have seen tremendous progress at Year Up. We increased our size by 50% in the last year serving more than 240 students in response to the growing need of our services. However, a growth in services also means growth in operating expenses. In order for us to continue to see the tremendous return on our investments additional support is needed,. said Thompson.

More information on Year Up can be found at www.yearup.org.

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A Wider Circle

If you visit A Wider Circle you will see how lives can be changed every hour. Everything we do is out of unconditional love and compassion. That's what life is all about.-- Mark Bergel, Founder and Executive Director of A Wider Circle

In 2001, Dr. Mark Bergel was working as a health professional, part-time faculty member at American University, and consultant when he volunteered to deliver food to impoverished residents in the Washington, D.C. area. He was startled by the depth of poverty, poor health, and general inequalities he witnessed in the region. As he went home-to-home distributing food, he met families living without a secure food supply, without beds on which to sleep, and without access to basic health and wellness information.

"What I saw when I was volunteering as a health professional literally shook me out of the life that I was living. I knew that I had to do something more than volunteering. I wanted to create a place where we said yes to everyone regardless of the circumstance," said Bergel. "A Wider Circle was birthed from that thought, and we serve thousands and thousands of families each year."

Each day, A Wider Circle provides basic need items to families transitioning out of shelters or simply living without life's necessities. They furnish the homes of more than 1,000 children and adults every single month, all free of charge. They work with schools with a high percentage of low income students and shelters leading educational workshops on topics ranging from healthy self-esteem and stress management to resume writing and financial planning.

We go where the needs are greatest and do what is most needed, said Bergel.

A Wider Circle manages four programs including:

• The Neighbor-to-Neighbor Program, A Wider Circle's largest program, provides furniture and other home items to families moving out of shelters or otherwise living without their basic need items.
• The Public Housing Wellness Program provides individuals living in public housing residences with wellness programming, social activities, and basic need items.
• The Well Mother, Well Baby Program is an educational and outreach initiative preparing pregnant teens for a healthy pregnancy and a bright future. The goal of the program is to empower participants to develop healthy behaviors, make positive lifestyle choices, and be the best parents they can be. A Wider Circle provides each mom with a graduation baby shower at which she will receive basic need items for herself and her baby (cribs, strollers, diapers, clothing, etc.).
• The Shelter Support Program utilizes a holistic approach to serving families living in homeless or domestic abuse shelters. The program provides workshops and in-kind support to some of the most vulnerable in need by partnering with shelters throughout the DC region.

More information on A Wider Circle can be found at www.awidercircle.org.

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LifeSTARTS

LifeSTARTS Youth & Family Services offers in-school, after-school, mentoring, and other family-strengthening programs to over 1000 youth and their families per year. Covering Wards 7 & 8 ("East of the River") in Washington, DC LifeSTARTS intentionally reaches out to young people who others often turn away from.

"We believe our children are `at-promise' youth not `at-risk' youth and we recognize that in the work that we do every day," commented Curtis Watkins, Founder and Executive Director of LifeSTARTS. "Most of our staff grew up in the areas that we serve. That's important because we're able to connect with our young members on a more relative level. We know where they are coming from."

LifeSTARTS programs focus on long-term progress in students by examining not just where they are today but where will they will be in the future and how much of that can LifeSTARTS positively impact.

In addition to their in-school programs, LifeSTARTS offers:

• Four after-school programs (three in Ward 7 and one in Ward 8) for a total of 100 teens and 30 elementary-school age children.
• Truancy-prevention
• Computer training classes for over 50 adults per year.
• Marriage and relationship-enhancement workshops to over 200 adults per year.
• 1:1 volunteer mentor matches for over 70 children.
• Resident- and youth-led public education campaigns on topics like healthy relationships, marriage, and health.

"When I created LifeSTARTS I did so with a goal in mind to make a difference in the lives of young people. What I've learned is that it takes more than just me. It truly takes a village as well as a lifelong commitment of knowing that what you are investing can truly transform a child's life," said Watkins.

My goal is to reach as many children as I can for as long as I can. 

While the LifeStarts mission is to provide mentoring, life skills, coaching, support and advocacy for youth and their families in the communities they serve, their purpose to encourage individuals to create and cultivate a positive change in their lives and inspire others to do the same.

"In order for community-based organizations like LifeSTARTS to continue our work we need to partners and resources to help us create better outcomes for the youth," commented Watkins. "It can be done. We're proving it every day."

More information about LifeSTARTS can be found at www.lifestarts.org.

 

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Celebrating Giving

Annual Civic Spirit Gala Receives More than 300 Attendees

More than 300 philanthropists and community advocates gathered at The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region's Celebration of Civic Spirit Gala held on Thursday, December 8 at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, DC.

Each year the gathering honors the recipients of the Civic of Spirit Award and the Linowes Leadership Awards. This year's honorees were Vicki and Roger Sant for the Civic of Spirit award as well as Lidya Abune, Julia Irving, Catalina Sol, and Maceo Thomas, recipients of the Linowes Leadership Award.

Thank you to our generous sponsors who helped to make the event a success. In particular, Donald Graham, J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Freddie Mac, Charito and Bill Kruvant, Morgan Stanley, the Kristin and David Steinberg Foundation, The Summit Fund of Washington, the Vradenburg Foundation, Diane Tipton and David Bradt, and the Washington Post Company provided deeply appreciated support.

A complete listing of sponsors can be found here.

 

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Celebrating the Spirit of Giving in Montgomery County

On November 15th, over 500 donors, friends, and colleagues joined us to mark the 15th anniversary of our The Community Foundation for Montgomery County affiliate (CFMC).

The highlight of the evening was the salute to our 2011 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year, Jeffrey Slavin. Friends Michelle Freeman and Courtney Clark Pastrick introduced Jeffrey, highlighting the way he has jumped "head first" into the leadership roles of many of our County's most important civic institutions as a trustee, friend, activist, and philanthropist.

Thanks to our sponsors…

The Celebration supports Sharing Montgomery, a pooled grantmaking fund led by donors at The Community Foundation that assists nonprofits working with the county's lowest-income children, families and seniors. We are deeply grateful to all of the sponsors whose contributions will provide grants this year and in perpetuity, and support the expert facilitation and staffing of The Community Foundation team.

Click here to see the list of our generous 15th anniversary sponsors and learn more about the Celebration.

Join Our Online Community   In our blog, "Giving It Some Thought," Community Foundation President Terri Lee Freeman and guest bloggers share their perspectives on regional issues and philanthropy. Read it and sign-up for RSS feeds HERE. Become a fan of our Facebook page and stay up-to-date on the latest Community Foundation news!  Find us HERE. Follow us @CommunityFndn and our President, Terri Lee Freeman, @TerriLeeFreeman  Community Foundation Donors:  Go Green! Sign Up for E-Statements and Donor Central If you're a Community Foundation donor, you now can receive your quarterly statements electronically.  It's the fast, easy, efficient, and earth-friendly way to keep track of your fund profile.  Registering only takes a minute. Sign up HERE. Sign up for Donor Central!  This free, secure online service lets you recommend grants and check your fund activity 24/7.  Contact Starlet Hunter, Director of Development, at (202) 263-4763 or shunter@cfncr.org.

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About The Community Foundation

Founded in 1973, The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region promotes charitable giving and plays a leading role in finding innovative solutions to the Greater Washington region's most challenging problems. The Foundation is a community of givers – individuals, families and corporations have joined with the Foundation; as a result, the Foundation provides sound management of more than 800 funds and some $360 million in assets. In FY2010, The Community Foundation and its donors awarded some $50 million in grants to nonprofit organizations in the Washington, DC region and beyond. The Foundation has two affiliates – The Community Foundation for Montgomery County and The Community Foundation for The Prince George’s County. For more information, visit www.thecommunityfoundation.org.

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Regional Affiliate – The Community Foundation for Montgomery County
8720 Georgia Avenue, Suite 202 | Silver Spring, MD 20910 | Phone: (301) 588-2544

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Regional Affiliate – The Community Foundation for Prince George's County
8181 Professional Place | Landover, MD 20785 | Phone: (301) 464-6706