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Category Archives: Human Services

In The News …

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Can job training help solve the jobs crisis? (Washington Post Blogs): “In the southern US, 51 percent of current job openings are middle-skill, but only 43 percent of the region’s workers are trained to that level, according to a recent study by the National Skills Coalition […] In a major speech next week, ’s expected to propose support for job training as part of his renewed push for job growth, focusing especially on the 6.2 million Americans who’ve been out of work for more than six months.” In other words, the current jobs crisis is two-fold: too few entry-level jobs and too few workers for middle-skill opportunities. For some innovative solutions right in DC, check out Catalogue non-profits Byte Back (where adults can access Advanced Certification training and mentorship in technological fields) and New Course Restaurant and Catering (where the kitchen staff all receive comprehensive on-the-job training in commercial food preparation and customer service). Or learn about one our newest non-profits, the DC Students Construction Trades Foundation. Continue reading →

Around Town: August 27-28

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Before jumping into our upcoming events, do check out yesterday’s “Back to School Wish List.” We have a simple list of our non-profits that provide back-to-school supplies and assistance to students in need — and you can help purchase backpacks, books, or even glasses so that a student can see the blackboard. It makes a major difference!

So who has an event Around Town in the next few days?

DC Youth Orchestra Program (1700 East Capitol Street NE)

Youth Orchestra Auditions are coming up: Saturday, starting at 9:00 AM! Students interested in joining the program at this level should contact DC Youth Orchestra at 202.698.0123 or rashida@dcyop.org to make an appointment. Learn more here — and good luck!

Sarah’s Circle (2551 17th Street NW)

Stop by the Open House on Saturday from 1:30 to 4:00 PM and sample some of the most popular activities that Sarah’s Circle offers, including yoga, meditation, and exercise specifically for seniors. Light refreshments and entertainment will be provided, plus attendees will have the opportunity to tour the Sarah’s Circle facility and Wellness Center, view apartments, and learn more about how to get involved as a volunteer or as a participant.

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (545 7th Street SE)

Stop by CHAW on Saturday at 5:00 PM for a free Happy Hour to Benefit the Empty Bowls Project, which benefits homelessness and hunger relief organizations. Come prepared to get a little messy (aprons are available) and learn how to make hand-made bowls using coils, press molds, and slabs. Recommended for children over 8.

Also: Starting on September 1, groups of any size can volunteer to do a Mini-Walk (you choose the time and the route!) to benefit the Dwelling Place. Just a short walk (or long, if you’d like) and 15 minutes of education on homelessness and you will make a difference to dozens of homeless families. Learn more: 240.631.1988.

Back to School Wish List

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And … we’re back! School started up for DCPS students this past Tuesday; students in Montgomery County will return on Monday and Fairfax County schools open their doors in early September. While the start of September certainly can be invigorating, getting ready for that first day of school can be a real challenge for low-income students and their families.

Ready to help a student in your neighborhood with their back-to-school shopping? Check out just a few of our non-profits who are working to ensure that all kids are ready for class — with books, backpacks, and warm coats. Simply click “DONATE” on the organization’s page to help fund a Wish List item:

Greenbrier Learning Center (Arlington, VA)

$100: 1 year of school supplies for a child

serves low-income, immigrant children, 66% of whom qualify for special services as English language learners or because of learning or behavioral concerns

Neediest Kids (McLean, VA)

$100: backpacks & school supplies for 5 students; $500: eye exams & glasses for 5 students

donates thousands of dollars in clothing, services, and direct payments to meet the urgent requirements of over 12,000 of the region’s neediest, at-risk school-children

Continue reading →

In The News …

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Hope everyone is doing all right in the earthquake aftermath!

Teens Find a Safe Haven: Alternative House provides homeless students shelter (Great Falls Connection): “ Jones is part of a growing number of teens in Fairfax County who are considered homeless or ‘unaccompanied’ — without parents, guardians or reliable shelter — but remain in the school system. In 2009, according to Alternative House, there were 104 homeless or unaccompanied students; in March 2011, Alternative House counted 225 such students. ” Since 1972, Alternative House has evolved into a dynamic system of services designed to keep young people off the streets by offering safe and accessible places where they can get help. (You can help out here!) Continue reading →

Pictures for the Day

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Today, catch a glimpse into … Liberty’s Promise, which combines professional development and civic education to sustain and support young immigrants in need — while encouraging them to be active and conscientious American citizens. You can read about just a few of Liberty’s Promise’s young participants right here.

This past June, Liberty’s Promise hosted their Annual Flag Day Fundraiser at Venable LLP, which was drew over 150 guests and successfully raised funds to support their critical work low-income, immigrant youth. Youth from the High Point High School after-school program spoke about their experiences with Liberty’s Promise; and The John Greely award was presented to Prince George’s County Council Member Eric Olson for his ongoing support of Liberty’s Promise’s Prince George’s County programs. Check it out:

Congratulations to all — and best wishes for the coming year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In The News …

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Tufts U. Soothes the Financial Sting for Graduates Taking Nonprofit Jobs (Chronicle of Higher Education): “Tufts University is offering loan-repayment assistance to alumni of any of its undergraduate or graduate schools, or professional-degree programs, if they take on public-service or nonprofit careers […] Based on their need and income, alumni can receive grants of $500 to $5,000 each year to use toward paying off student-loan balances.” Pretty cool! In addition to financial incentives, what other assistance could universities offer to enable and encourage graduates to try a non-profit career? Continue reading →

7 Questions – Kathleen Sibert (A-SPAN)

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Catalogue welcomes … Kathleen Sibert, Executive Director of the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network (A-SPAN), whose workers reach out directly to to homeless men and women — frequenting wooded areas, overpasses, parks, and abandoned buildings, encouraging them to pick up a bagged meal and to drop in at Opportunity Place, the hub of A-SPAN’s operations. Want to take part? A-SPAN’s clients need new glasses and bus fares for job interviews. Help out HERE!

1. What was your most interesting recent project, initiative, partnership, or event?

The most interesting recent project that we are involved in is the 100,000 Homes Campaign, which is being brought to Arlington as 100 Homes. It is a national initiative to house the most vulnerable people living on the streets and is a powerful way to end homelessness.

2. What else are you up to?

We are constantly working to expand the services that we offer to our clients who live on the streets of Arlington. We run the Arlington’s Emergency Winter Shelter from November through March and brought nursing services there, which has significantly improved the health of our clients and dramatically reduced the number of times they are seen at the Emergency Room and in the hospital. Continue reading →

In The News …

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S&P’s Credit Downgrade for the U.S: Its Significance to Nonprofits and Communities (The Nonprofit Quarterly): “… its downgrading of the credit rating of the U.S. is, nevertheless, a powerful, serious and very conscious act, albeit mostly symbolic. But symbols are powerful [… And] if you listen to the television pundits, they seem to be floundering about how important the credit downgrading is, how the markets will react, and whether the solution is raising more revenues, cutting deeper into spending, reworking entitlements, or all of the above.” The NPQ points out that the nonprofit sector has not yet weighed in on the downgrade and what it could portend, and points to several areas of the S&P report that hold particular significance to that sector; but the article also adds that those points are, for the most part, old news. Do you agree or disagree? Let them know! Continue reading →

Planning for Housing

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DC is currently 5 years into a 15-year affordable housing plan, developed by the Comprehensive Housing Strategy Task Force. At the 1/3 mark, and given the profound economic changes during those 5 years, the Brookings Institute has examined how the plan has unfolded and what progress had been made:

The Task Force, created in 2003, conducted its research and outreach in 2004 and 2005. Amid a booming housing market, its concerns centered on preserving affordable housing for low-income residents, channeling market forces to create affordable and workforce housing in addition to high-end housing, supporting the development of mixed-income neighborhoods, and reducing the concentration of poverty. Based on the city?s strong housing market and healthy revenue picture at the time, the report recommended doubling annual expenditures on housing, drawing in large part on revenue generated by sales of residential and commercial property. Continue reading →

Around Town: June 23-24

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Oh yes. The heat will continue into the weekend. So do spend an hour (or two) inside at a DC-area non-profit, such as …

Alternative House

On Saturday, 10:00-11:00 AM, learn about volunteer opportunities for adults in all of Alternative House’s programs for homeless and at-risk youth and teens.

Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena

Escape the heat at a Kids on Ice Saturday Open Practice Session on Saturday from noon to 1:30 PM! No previous skating experiences necessary.

Encore Stage & Studio

You can catch the magical classic Wizard of Oz with a talented young cast on Saturday at 2:00 and 8:00 PM and Sunday at 2:00 PM at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre in Arlington. Tickets here!

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Tickets are going fast for the Pulitzer Prize-winning hilarious and biting Clybourne Park. 3:00 PM shows on Saturday and Sunday, plus 8:00 Pm on Saturday.

Dance Place

On Saturday at 8:00 PM, experience BAREdance, a collaboration of multiple choreographers that creates harmony of voices, angles, and perspectives.