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Author Archives: Marie LeBlanc

Stepping Into the Holidays

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by Marie LeBlanc, Community Partnerships Coordinator

What better way to celebrate the holiday season than with a step show? This month, Step Afrika! is ringing in the season with its Magical Musical Holiday Step Show. Last weekend, Catalogue’s Sherika Brooks and I stopped by the Atlas Performing Arts Center to check out the show and volunteer as ushers for the performance.

The Magical Musical Holiday Step Show demonstrated all that is good about Step Afrika!, and how traditional rhythms and moves can be translated into any type of dance celebration. While the holiday show is light, fun and family-friendly, the history of Step Afrika! and its work tells a very rich story.

Step Afrika! is the first professional company in the world dedicated to stepping. For almost 20 years, the company’s performances have celebrated the connection between the type of stepping common in college fraternities in the US and the gumboot dance, created by South African mineworkers. Step Afrika! brings its dance tradition to communities across the US through an annual college and theater tour, as well as performing across the world.

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Writing to Dream

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by Marie LeBlanc, Community Partnerships Coordinator

Some students grow up dreaming to write; others use writing as a way to express their dreams, desires, and inner most thoughts.

The young authors of Young Playwrights’ Theater perhaps do both, and now have a new platform from which to share their words with the world. This winter, Young Playwrights’ Theater published its first book, Write to Dream — a collection of plays written by YPT students, as well as information on YPT’s arts education program and curriculum.

The plays written by YPT students represent an artistic achievement worthy of publication in and of themselves, but the additional information on curriculum and assessment adds an additional level of justification and value to YPT’s work. Plays range in topic from satires on capitalism (written by a fifth grader!) to magnetic superheroes, inter-racial romance and gang violence.

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Inspiration to Action

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By Marie LeBlanc, Community Partnerships Coordinator

On Monday night, the Catalogue celebrated its 10th anniversary (or birthday, as many like to call it). Surrounded by a crowd of nearly 600 friends, family, nonprofits, supporters, and other advocates of the Catalogue initiative, we celebrated the work of the 325 nonprofits that are part of the Catalogue community.

Thank you to all who attended, volunteered, and participated. From the Catalogue Ambassadors, who mixed and mingled with the reception crowd, to the nonprofits who choreographed incredible performances for the stage, to the community supporters who offered their voices in testimonials throughout the performance, we appreciate your support of our work.

To the Catalogue guests and supporters who attended our benefit dinner following those performances, we thank you for your continued commitment to the Catalogue’s movement — and hope that you?ll continue making our dreams a reality for many years to come. We are particularly grateful for the continued support of the Harman Family Foundation and Jane Harman for going above and beyond to inspire others to become a part of our cause.

From the Field: Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop

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By Marie LeBlanc, Community Partnerships Coordinator

Many great individuals have written about the power of a free mind — authors, scientists, philosophers, musicians. Perhaps none have written quite as eloquently as the young poets who work with . Free Minds, a Catalogue nonprofit for the past five years, “serves 16 and 17 year old youths who have been charged and incarcerated as adults at the DC Jail. Free Minds uses books and creative writing to empower young inmates to transform their lives.”

This week, I had the privilege of reading and commenting on poems written by Free Minds poets at Volunteer Write Night — a monthly event in which Free Minds staff, members, and volunteers meet to mingle, read inmates’ poetry and offer their own personal feedback. The poems, with comments, are then mailed back to their authors, and provide a bright spot of both artistic feedback and communication with the outside world for those who are currently removed from it.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but was blown away by the maturity, honesty, and emotional depth expressed in Free Minds’ poetry. The poems touched on every range of emotions related to their experience in the system — from missing a girlfriend or family members, to the hurt, frustration, and loneliness that comes with time spent in jail. While I cannot relate to all of the poets’ experiences, I can relate to their responses — after all, who hasn’t experienced pain, hurt, or despair at one time in their life?

Overall, I found many poems to be incredibly uplifting and inspirational. The young poets’ words expressed how they became adults in such a short time and learned life lessons the hard way, but have become better people because of it. Bridging the divides of race, class, gender, or legal status and connecting with another person through art — this is a crucial aspect of Free Minds’ program, and Write Night is an incredible volunteer opportunity that fosters those connections.

For those interested in volunteering, Write Night is held on the fourth Tuesday of every month. You can also read poetry written by incarcerated members of Free Minds online at their .

 

 

 

Photos courtesy of Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop

In The News …

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By Marie LeBlanc, Community Partnerships Coordinator

20 DC schools targeted for closure (Washington Post) “One in six traditional DC public schools is targeted for closure under a plan put forth Tuesday by Chancellor Kaya Henderson, the latest sign of a system facing budget pressures and increased competition from fast-growing charter schools. The 20 schools marked for closure are spread across six city wards but are concentrated in Northeast Washington and east of the Anacostia River. The chancellor said her plan would shift resources from maintaining under-enrolled schools to focus on improving academic programs,” Find a list of all proposed public school changes here.

Partnership Leads to New Beginning for Homeless Veterans (Huffington Post: DC Impact) “Across the country, men and women who served in the armed forces are becoming homeless at a rate that is higher than the civilian population. Sadly, this is consistent with a history of overrepresentation of veterans in the homeless population. This year, Veteran’s Day marks a new beginning for many homeless veterans in the District who are benefiting from an innovative housing program and critical community partnerships. Our organizations — Pathways to Housing DC and Miriam’s Kitchen — are working together to identify chronically homeless veterans with mental illness and/or disabling medical conditions in the District who are eligible to move into their own apartments as part of a pilot project sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Housing and Urban Development.”

Region leaders hoping for federal spending cuts compromise (Washington Examiner) “The region’s leaders say they’ve prepped their 2013 budgets for what will be hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue if federal spending cuts start in January. But they are also holding out hope those cuts — and the devastation they say it would bring to the region — never come. ‘It’s like Hurricane Sandy — there’s only so much you can do with powers beyond your control,’ said Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. at a Greater Washington Board of Trade panel discussion Thursday.” How is your organization preparing for possible cuts and sequestration?

From the Field: Miriam’s Kitchen

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By Marie LeBlanc, Community Partnerships Coordinator

An early Saturday morning, in a church basement in Foggy Bottom, DC parents bring their children to learn about what it means to be homeless in Washington. Last Saturday, Miriam’s Kitchen hosted Coats and Coffee, an education and awareness event that offered kids the chance to do service around the “kitchen” while also learning about the clients that Miriam’s serves — in an age-appropriate way. Sherika Brooks and I stopped by to drop off our donations of coffee (Miriam’s goes through thousands of cups a week) and learn a bit more about the services they offer.

Miriam’s Kitchen is unique among nonprofits offering outreach services for those experiencing homelessness. As one of Miriam’s Kitchen’s case managers explained to us, Miriam’s operates first and foremost under the context of hospitality — welcoming clients with a smile and a nametag (whatever that name might be for the day), offering a cup of hot coffee, a freshly prepared meal, and then the option to learn about and access additional services if desired. Relationships are the focus == and meeting clients where they’re at is the method. Another unique aspect of Miriam’s Kitchen program is Miriam’s Studio, an art therapy program that helps to “build a strong community and relationships with their guests.” The products of this program cover the walls of the dining room at Miriam’s Kitchen — beautiful pieces of art that show the diversity of life experiences that Miriam’s guests bring into the space.

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2012 Nonprofits Celebrate the Honor

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By Marie LeBlanc, Community Partnerships Coordinator

What does it mean to be “one of the best” small nonprofits in Greater Washington? The 2012-13 class of Catalogue nonprofits got their first taste of that honor at the Catalogue’s Best Practices Workshop and Celebration last Wednesday. The workshop marked the beginning of the Catalogue’s 10th Anniversary celebration this fall. Over 140 representatives from 83 different nonprofits joined together to congratulate each other and learn more about how to make the most of the Catalogue honor.

The evening was marked by many highlights, starting with a spirited introduction by Catalogue Board Chair Don Neal. As Community Partnerships Coordinator for the Catalogue, I had the privilege of co-hosting a portion of the workshop with Catalogue President and Editor Barbara Harman. Together, we introduced the new Nonprofit Portal website — the home base for all Catalogue nonprofits online.

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Homeless in Fairfax County

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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.

Brooklyn Castle

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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.

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Catalogue Milestones: 2005 & 2006

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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.