Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others? Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how. The moment you know how, you begin to die a little.
— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
As a reminder, we also have several Catalogue non-profits who are offering programming today. Check them out here.
Welcome to mid-January, Greater Washington.
First, to skip to the end of the long weekend … both Heart of America Foundation and Joe’s Movement Emporium are offering great Martin Luther King Jr. Day programming. HOA Foundation invites young students and their families to an annual MLK Day of Service Literacy Celebration at 11:00 at Howard University — striving to make this a great day “on” rather than a day “off.” And in Mount Rainier starting at 10:00, Joe’s will offer service projects, guest speakers, and featured performers, including the Buffalo Baptist Church Choir and students in their Arts Education programs.
Throughout the weekend, we also have a bundle of exciting performances at our non-profits. So read on and enjoy!
Let’s give a great Catalogue welcome to … Aleta Margolis, Executive Director of the Center for Inspired Teaching! Through in-depth training programs and even annual principal and teacher institutes, Inspired Teaching advocates for true educational reform by challenging how teachers understand their students, their teaching, and themselves. Check out her insights on education and why great teachers are profoundly essential to our communities:
1. What was your most interesting recent project, initiative, partnership, or event?
Center for Inspired Teaching is in the process of opening a school: the Inspired Teaching Demonstration School. This school will be a DC public charter school and will open in August, and it will serve as a model for how we believe all teachers should teach and all students should learn. It will also be home to a teacher residency where new teachers will train alongside master teachers. We’re very excited!
Welcome to Wednesday, folks! A bit of snow appears to be coming our way — along with some mid-weeks news here on GoodWorks.
Nonprofits Must Lead the Push for Civility — A post in The Chronicle of Philanthropy this Monday proclaims that, in the wake of the tragedy in Arizona, “we must ask ourselves what people at foundations and nonprofits can do to prevent such senseless acts of violence in the future.” Moreover:
Our public leaders and leading media personalities set the tone for the public square. It is their duty to promote civil discourse and encourage peaceful participation in society. In the wake of this tragedy, we must demand nothing less.
People in the nonprofit world — as trusted members of communities everywhere — are in a powerful position to set the parameters for a decent society. We can use the power of our collective voice in many ways.
As the Post reported yesterday, “DC residents rank as the nation’s most well-read” according to a new study from Central Connecticut State University. The America’s Most Literate Cities study “ranks the largest cities (population 250,000 and above) in the United States on six key indicators of literacy: newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodical publishing resources, educational attainment, and Internet resources.”
We are now into the second week of a new year and a new decade — so recaps and resolutions are still very much on the brain. Along those lines, I would suggest checking out Network for Good’s Non-Profit Marketing Blog, which has offered a number of helpful resolution-related posts over the past week. In particular, Katya Andresen’s list of “What’s In and Out for Nonprofits in 2011” caught my eye:
In: Integrated communications/Out: Multi-channel communications
In: Appropriate use of technology/Out: Maximum use of technology
In: Speaking from the heart/Out: Speaking from the left brain
In: Narrative/Out: Bullet points
And we’re back! 2011 already is yielding plenty of cool weekend happenings at our non-profits. Read on to find one (or many) events in your community:
First, congratulations to Class 16 on their graduation from Operation Understanding DC this weekend! For a great performance, written and directed by OUDC’s young leaders, about their year-long journey to find their voice and passion, head to Temple Shalom in Chevy Chase on Saturday at 7:00. Email info@oudc.org to learn more.
Double helping of “7 Questions” this week, folks! Today, we’re going to meet Beata Okulska, the Executive Director of KEEN Greater DC. When no other organization offered exercise and recreation designed specficially for young people with severe intellectual and physical disabilities, KEEN (“Kids Enjoy Exercise Now”) stepped up to serve those who are often left out of community sports and games — at no cost. Read on to learn more about KEEN and about Beata!
1. What was your most interesting recent project, initiative, partnership, or event?
2010 was a very busy year for KEEN Greater DC. In addition to the Kids Euro Festival organized for KEEN athletes by the French Embassy, as well as a new public service announcement video produced by Discovery Communications for KEEN, the most significant event this past year was the newly-formed partnership between KEEN Greater DC and the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. Through this partnership KEEN athletes had the opportunity to play soccer on the White House lawn and receive the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award presented at an official White House ceremony by none other than First Lady Michelle Obama — with a surprise visit from the President himself! It was truly an unforgettable experience for all of us and a high-profile way to reinforce KEEN’s belief that people of ALL abilities can be fit, active, and part of their community.
‘Tis the day for mid-week news and notes… And let us know if you have anything to share with the Catalogue crowd!
How to Find Generous Donors — Just before 2011, the Chronicle of Philanthropy reported on three new giving studies, conducted by Blackbaud, Network for Good, and the Daily Beast. Their findings? Our area stacks up quite well! In the Blackbaud study, DC and Maryland ranked #1 and #2 respectively for the number of donors with incomes over $100K. And Network for Good reported that DC is #1 and Virginia #8 in average giving per household.
Good morning, friends! Let’s welcome to “7 Questions” … Andrea M. Saccoccia, Executive Director of Project Mend-A-House (PMAH) in Prince William County, VA. With the help of a dedicated core of volunteers, PMAH mends an average of 120 households per year. Large and small, their home repairs are physically and financially beyond the means of the needy and elderly clients that PMAH serves — and they are provided at no cost.
1. What was your most interesting recent project, initiative, partnership, or event?
Making a bathroom accessible for a stubborn German man who had to take sponge baths for over a year. One of Project Mend-A-House’s volunteers and neighbors finally convinced him that it might make life a little easier for him if he could use his bathroom. One of our volunteers who is a world traveler happened to be in town and started modifying his bathroom. He widened the doorway to 36 inches, replaced the cabinet under the sink with a narrower unit, installed grab bars in the tub, loaned our client a raised toilet seat, and retiled the floor. These seemly simple modifications greatly improved our client’s quality of life. He was so appreciative of our volunteers’ assistance that he invited him to share a stein of beer with him. Prost! (“Cheers!” in German)