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Category Archives: Local

More In The News …

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(We’re doubling up on the news-front this week. Comment away with any additions.)

Soaring Poverty Casts Spotlight on ‘Lost Decade’ (New York Times): “Another 2.6 million people slipped into poverty in the United States last year […] and the number of Americans living below the official poverty line, 46.2 million people, was the highest number in the 52 years the bureau has been publishing figures on it […] Joblessness was the main culprit pushing more Americans into poverty, economists said. Last year, about 48 million people ages 18 to 64 did not work even one week out of the year, up from 45 million in 2009.” And when it comes to the jobs bill, could these bleak figures make a case for or against it? Continue reading →

In The News …

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Obama’s Jobs Bill: Ready to Take a Chance Again? (Nonprofit Quarterly): Wondering “which parts of the president’s plan are most relevant to nonprofits, and what effect are they likely to have on the sector?” NPQ’s intricate piece walks through both the President’s “track record on nonprofits” and six points of interest to nonprofits in the jobs bill (#4: “Are there any parts of the American Jobs Act that appear to take advantage of the unique skill sets and missions of nonprofits?”), and concludes that “the American Jobs Act must do a better job than ARRA did in involving and including nonprofits of all stripes in its implementation.”

How do we make cities greener? Start by growing smarter?(Greater Greater Washington): Continuing on the green cities theme of yesterday’s article, check out this post on GGW: “a fixed set of people is more sustainable the fewer acres they collectively use. At one point, some viewed the ideal sustainable lifestyle as one where a small bubble of trees and grass surrounds each household. But instead, that just means a lot of heating and cooling energy is wasted to that bubble, and we spend far more energy moving among them […] The way we grow in the future is likely to be the most significant factor in how sustainable a region we have for generations to come.”

Washington economy grows 3.6% (Washington Business Journal): “Washington’s gross domestic product grew 3.6 percent in 2010, reaching $425.2 billion, the fourth-largest metropolitan economy in the nation. Washington also ranks as the third-fastest growing metropolitan economy” behind Boston and New York. For some additional positive news, metropolitan economies across the country grew in size by 2.5% in the past year, whereas they declined by that same percentage in the previous year.

Around Town: September 10-11

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DC Youth Orchestra (at Eastern Senior High School, 1700 East Capitol Street NE)

A full day of rehearsals, masterclasses, and sectionals for advanced students on Saturday at 8:30 AM. You can sign up right here. Musicians will perform a free concert for the public at 7:00 PM the same day.

New to music? From 9:00 to noon, visit the Open House & Petting Zoo — meet the instruments and try them out.

The Posse Foundation (at Southeast Tennis and Learning Center, 701 Mississippi Avenue SE)

The Posse Foundation identifies, recruits, and trains incredible young leaders from urban public high schools and sends them in “posses” to top colleges. Volunteer to help out with Posse’s first stage of Dynamic Assessment Process (DAP) and identify young people who have outstanding leadership qualities on Saturday at 8:30 AM. Call Andres Maldonado at (202 ) 347-7071 x221 for more info.

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7 Questions – Marti Worshtil (Prince George’s Child Resource Center)

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Catalogue welcomes … Marti Worshtil, Executive Director of Prince George’s Child Resource Center, which offers a wide variety of services that foster stable child care programs, help working families, and nurture home environments where children can thrive. The Family Support Center is the hub, where family-friendly programs reach over 18,000 people a year.

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

The Resource Center celebrated our 20th anniversary with a Family Festival at FedEx field. Even with torrential rain and thunder one hour before the event and horrendous heat and humidity after the storm … we had a blast! Almost 1,300 attend and danced the Cha Cha slide with the County Executive, climbed Calleva’s rock wall, skated, painted, broadcast news on CTV and learned all about County services.

Continue reading →

In The News …

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How Sept. 11 changed charity in America (CNN Money): “Americans donated a record-breaking $2.8 billion to help the victims of the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy […] Four years later, after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans and the Deep South, Americans pulled out their checkbooks once again. Donations to help the survivors of Katrina outpaced September 11 charity by 90%.” According to Dr. Una Osili, director of research for the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, an incredible 66% of households in the US donated to survivors of Katrina and September 11. Is this a truly new phenomenon? Or have the developments in technology in this decade simply enabled more Americans to act upon their desires to give?

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Pictures for the Day

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Let’s catch a glimpse into this past summer at … The Reading Connection, which opens up the world of books to at-risk families by bringing literacy services and programs into emergency shelters, domestic violence safe houses, long-term shelters, and transitional housing.

TRC’s We Are Readers aims to conquer “summer slump,” the well documented phenomenon wherein low-income children lose as much as 2.6 months of reading skill over the summer. High school soccer players, a zookeeper from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, author Mary Quattlebaum, firefighters, a chef and police officers all visited during the summer and read aloud with the kids.

The awesome results? 46 children read a total of 13,775 minutes, or about 300 minutes per child. Check it out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 →

Post-Hurricane

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Whoa. That was some weekend. For those still without power — “more than 30,000 customers in the District […] 150,000 in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties and 100,000 in Anne Arundel County” as of last night — we are hoping that it returns quickly and lastingly.

You can find out about the Red Cross’ relief operation here; the storm also “caused the cancellation of more than 50 blood drives, adding up to a loss of approximately 1,500 blood donations. If you would like to sign up to donate, you can call 1-800-RED CROSS. Washington Post Local also has a list of emergency contact numbers, including Prince George’s County’s non-emergency hotline, which should stay active until the afternoon. You also should check out the Post’s list of (safe) clean-up tips here.

Most DC Public Schools will be open tomorrow, as will the Montgomery County schools with electricity. Just as a reminder, now is a great time to support one (or more) of our non-profits as they ensure that all area students have what they need for a strong and healthy start to the school year. Check out the Wish List right here. And if you happen to do some shopping at DC metro area Staples in the coming week, you can take part in the Staples for Students: Do Something for Kids in Need national school supply drive, which will benefit Catalogue non-profit Neediest Kids.

Have a good and safe week, Washington!

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 →