From: Chuck Bean & Eduardo Romero, The Nonprofit Roundtable
Date: December 15, 2005
Re: Disaster Recovery Workshop; Members-In-The-News; Welcome Vera Steiner Blore (Fairfax Futures); and Affiliate Member Stacey Saunders (Saunders Consulting Group)

Sponsored by:

Roundtable Event
Sponsored by AOL: On January 24, the Roundtable and NPower Greater DC Region will hold a Disaster Recovery Workshop from 9:00-10:30am at Bank of America (breakfast served at 8:30). This event will review how nonprofits can be organizationally prepared when a disaster occurs. It will feature Linda Mathes (American Red Cross of the National Capital Area), Ben Hendricks (Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital), and Mark Bolgiano (Council on Foundations). Any staff from any Roundtable Member organization welcome. To RSVP, contact Mary at mknighton@nonprofitroundtable.org or (202) 263-4771.

Member Transitions
Heidi Brooks is the new Associate Director of Strategic Alliances at Bridgestar.

Members in the News
American Red Cross of the National Capital Area was among the finalists for the Spokesperson of the Year for Television and Radio by PR News according to a press release.

American Red Cross of the National Capital Area, Greater DC Cares, Hoop Dreams, Junior Achievement of the National Capital Area, and the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship were among those recognized by the Potomac Officers Club's new Corporate Citizenship program recognizing outstanding nonprofits in the region, according to this press release.

Audubon Naturalist Society was cited in an article regarding the recent County Council decision to deny a large-scale development project in Maryland's Agricultural Reserve, according to The Gazette.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington and IKEA Washington Metropolitan stores announced a new partnership at the IKEA 20th birthday celebration and includes a promotion in all three Washington area IKEA locations, according to Venture Philanthropy Partners' e-newsletter.

Brainfood is the 2005 Lehrman Foundation Impact Award recipient. Fair Chance was among the finalists in the process.

Capital Area Food Bank was cited in a Washington Post article regarding the status of area food banks after many contributed their stock to Hurricane Katrina relief. Separately, CAFB has partnered with Zenith Community Arts Foundation to create "Food, Glorious Food" 2006 calendars, according to the The Examiner. Calendars are available online.

CentroNía's Isabel Barranzuela published an article about the inauguration of their 'Smart Spot Playground' in DC North. "Nearly 200 DC volunteers recruited by CentroNía, most of them parents, teachers, and local partner organization members such as Carlos Rosario Charter School, Capital One, and American University, helped build the playground." (Tip to Members: These neighborhood newspapers are hungry for your stories!)

DC Fiscal Policy Institute's Ed Lazere is organizing a response to the DC Council's vote on December 20 on the baseball stadium lease. "Rejecting this lease does not mean rejecting the Nationals. It means demanding a fairer deal for the District." Ed also published an op-ed 'Home Heating Costs: Doing Something Before the Crisis' in the Hill Rag.

DC Hunger Solutions new 'School Breakfast Scorecard' noted that the District School Breakfast Program served 16,022 low-income children in 2005, an increase of 2.9%, according to a press release.

DC Scores' had more than 300 public school students take the stage with their original poetry at their "Young Poets Exhibit the Art of Spoken Word" event, according to the Washington Post (not online).

Goodwill of Greater Washington received a large donation of new wheelchairs. Contact Brendan Hurley if you are interested in more information.

Hoop Dreams held their "Harvest of Dreams" dinner, hosted by Essential Grille of Tyson's Corner, according to the Washington Business Journal (not online).

IMPACT Silver Spring will be featured on NBC's "Twelve Days of Giving" on Dec. 16 at 6am and 6pm. Anchor Barbara Harrison will be on-site at the Parent Training Institute highlighting IMPACT's work in the public schools.

Loudoun Cares' Andy Johnston was included in an article on the impact of high real estate market on nonprofits in the Loudoun Times-Mirror. He is working on a multi-tenant center site. Separately, Andy Johnston was interviewed by the Loudoun Times-Mirror upon receiving Leadership Loudon's Barbara Dutton Founder's Award. Finally, Loudoun Cares Fuel Assistance Fund was profiled in The Connection. Andy Johnston explains that "part of the beauty of this initiative is the inclusive partnership involving the nonprofit community, the business community and the faith community and government."

Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations is having their 2nd Annual Legislative Preview on January 5, 2006 with a full day of policy and advocacy sessions.

Meyer Foundation's Danielle Reyes was named one of three fellows to the Council on Foundations' Emerging Philanthropic Leaders Fellowship Program, according to PNN Online.

The Quality Trust participated in the DC Mayor's Committee on Persons with Disabilities conference titled, "Children with Disabilities" earlier this month. The conference provided the parents and caregivers of children with information that will enhance their ability to make fully informed decisions regarding their children's education and development.

Reaching Out to Others Together joins DC Councilman Vincent Orange in a holiday party for children on December 17.

Reston Interfaith's Kerrie Wilson was cited in an article on affordable housing in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. "Some fail to make the connection between housing overcrowding and the lack of affordable housing. Reston Interfaith sees problems like overcrowding and homelessness. But we understand that it is not a choice that working adults make intentionally for themselves or their families." Separately, the Herndon Day Laborer Center which just opened continues to receive a lot of press coverage.

Suited For Change is a featured nonprofit in The Examiner's "Every Penny Counts" holiday campaign last week and this week. This is a daily series that will run through the end of the year in the Examiner highlighting five local charities. Washington Grantmaker's TouchDC helped pitch the series. (Editor's note: TouchDC's Eric Rigaud pitches stories as well he pitches for a softball team of nonprofit types that includes Chuck and Eduardo.)

Tenants and Workers United is offering a sociology course on the status of affordable housing in Northern Virginia (scholarships available). This is a credit course through Roundtable Member Northern Virginia Community College. Contact Jon Liss for more information.

Washington Grantmakers released their Region of Givers Report according to the Washington Post. "Private foundations in the Washington area increased grant amounts 11.5 percent in 2004 from 2003."

Washington Grantmakers released Pathways to Promise: A Funders' Guide to Positive Youth Development. Contributors to the Guide included Carmen Lane (Meyer Foundation), Bomani Johnson (Community Foundation for the National Capital Region), and Evelin Uriutia and Juan Garcia (Tenants and Workers United).

Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless announced that Dec. 21 is National Homeless Persons Memorial Day, "the darkest day of the year." Patty Mullahy Fugere notes "We will be gathering at 5 pm in McPherson Square to honor the lives of those who've died this year while homeless."

Washington Regional Network for Livable Communities offered recommendations for the creation and preservation of affordable housing units for low-income families according to WTOP Radio.

United Way of the National Capital Area is holding their annual UW agency eligibility process for the 2006 United Way. UWNCA also applies to the Combined Federal Campaign on behalf of their campaign participants. Applications will be available in electronic form on their website (http://www.unitedwaynca.org/) starting December 20th, 2005. Please contact mailto:applications@uwnca.org with any questions.

Other
'The Council of Government's New Report Sees Housing Shortfall' (Washington Post; see also COG reports)

'Nonprofits Feel Reform Pressure' looks at the new regulations Congress wants to enact on nonprofits, as well as the effect Katrina had on the general perception of nonprofits (San Jose Business Journal).

Welcome
We warmly welcome:
· Vera Steiner Blore, Fairfax Futures: Investing in School Readiness. Fairfax Futures is dedicated to ensuring that Fairfax County's youngest children are well prepared to succeed in school and in life. In collaboration with partners across the county, they invest in early childhood education and school readiness by bringing attention and financial resources to sustain our region's future.

· Stacey Saunders, Saunders Consulting Group as our newest Affiliate Member. Saunders Consulting Group exists to assist public agencies and nonprofit organizations in the child welfare, social services, juvenile justice, and health care industries. In 2006, we will roll out opportunities for Members to use "power analysis mapping" tools to help clarify what's needs in systems change, and Stacey will help us.