From: Chuck Bean & Eduardo Romero, The Nonprofit Roundtable
Date: July 27, 2006
Re: Roundtable Events/News; Member Transitions; Members in the News; Welcome Jacquelyn Henry (Health Families/Thriving Communities Collaborative) and Curtis Watkins (East Capitol Center for Change); Reports & Other

Sponsored by:

Roundtable Leadership and Staff
Event with Chief Ramsey: DC Police Chief Charles Ramsey met with nonprofit leaders on July 21, as reported by The Examiner. The event highlighted the impact of building stronger relationships between law enforcement and nonprofits. Equally important is the push for the nonprofit community to improve service coordination and become more engaged in advocacy. We will continue to assist in coordinating efforts resulting from the meeting (stay tuned), and will support the leadership of other organizations as they take concrete and coordinated steps. If you have further thoughts please don't hesitate to contact Terry Gainer. Thank you to our host Earth Conservation Corps. Related:

• Life Pieces To Masterpieces was highlighted in The Nation's Editor's blog as one of the solutions to the District's crime emergency and acknowledged a visit by DC Mayoral Candidate Marie Johns to LifePieces.
• ROOT's Kenny Barnes told a forum on anti-violence in Ohio that '"we need to approach youth violence as a public health issue, not simply a police matter," according to the Cincinnati Post.

Nonprofit Congress: Over 80 nonprofit leaders met on July 19 for the Washington Region Town Hall in conjunction with the Nonprofit Congress. Roundtable Member Ross Ashley said, "we need to have a political impact that's commensurate with our size and importance to the greater good," according to The Examiner. Thanks to Robert Egger and Audrey Alvarado as guest speakers and the Center for Nonprofit Advancement for co-sponsoring this great event!

August 17: The Nonprofit Roundtable and TouchDC are hosting a discussion on social networking on Thursday, August 17 from 9:30-11am at The Community Foundation (1201 15th St. NW, Suite 420, in the District). Joining us will be Katya Andresen (VP at Network for Good and author of Robin Hood Marketing: Stealing Corporate Savvy to Sell Just Causes). This is open to any Roundtable Member staff. RSVP by email to Eduardo by August 10.

Summer Reading: The Roundtable will host a book discussion on Leading Beyond the Walls: How High-Performing Organizations Collaborate for Shared Success. If you are interested in joining this discussion, let Roundtable intern Claire Rivero know and she can send you a copy of the book and coordinate with you the September date for our book discussion. Contact Chuck if you have any questions at (202) 263-4761.

Member Transitions
Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry's Nathan Monell will become the CEO at Foster Care Alumni of America, according to a press release.

Washington Grantmakers announced Tamara Lucas Copeland as their President beginning September 15. She has been the President of Voices for America's Children, a national child advocacy network.

Members in the News
The American Red Cross of the National Capital Area's efforts to aid victims of flooding in the Huntington neighborhood were highlighted in The Connection. United Community Ministries' response to the same area was reported by the Mt Vernon Gazette.

Bread for the City's George Jones explained the possible negative implications of the new Medicare restriction requiring patients to prove their citizenship before qualifying for coverage in the Examiner. George suggests that the necessary documentation would make it difficult for many would-be recipients due to their age or health conditions.

The Cafritz Foundation's support for the Studio Theatre was acknowledged in the Washington Post.

Carpenter's Shelter received the Class Gift of the Alexandria Fire Department's 24th Emergency Medical Technician Recruit Class according to the Alexandria Gazette.

Catholic Community Services' successful GED programs were included in a story on high-school dropout rates rising, in PBS' Lehrer Newshour.

Affiliate Member Chevy Chase Trust was highlighted in "Mammoth Wealth Transfer Awaits the Area, Study Predicts" (Washington Post, July 26). It's worth reading and expect a convening on this topic in the Fall.

Children's Law Center is celebrating its 10th anniversary with Ten Years of Helping Children Soar on September 13 at the Kennedy Center. For more information, contact Catharine Clarenbach at (202) 467-4900 x567.

Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind's was a partner in the 44th Annual Braille Rallye which was featured in the Fairfax County Times. Drivers have to rely on the navigation of someone legally blind who is using Braille or large-print driving directions.

DC Appleseed is engaged with Phase Two of their Solving DC Problems and this week connected the contest winner with the Adopt-A-Block program in the District and many others involved in environmental initiatives. If you are interested in learning more about this work, contact Josh Levinson. (Collaboration DC's Mary Jacksteit helped facilitate the discussion.)

DC Appleseed studies were cited by news sources including their 'HIV/AIDS in the Nation's Capital' by the Washington Post; their study on DC School Governance by the Washington Post; and on City Council Reform in a letter by DC City Council Member Carol Schwartz in the Washington Post.

DC Fiscal Policy Institute is seeking DC parents with low or moderate incomes ($1000-$4000 per month) to participate in focus groups for their Bridging the Gaps project which will transform the collected data into policy recommendations. Separately, Ed Lazere was cited in the Washington Times regarding the District residency of those who hold city government jobs.

DC Hunger Solutions' Kimberly Perry described areas of "community food insecurity" for neighborhoods in our region which do not have access to fresh, healthy foods, in the Washington Post. They just released Healthy Food, Healthy Communities, a ward-by-ward assessment of hunger and nutrition in DC and outlines factors which contribute to the availability, cost, and quality of food for District neighborhoods. Separately, their parent organization released Hunger Doesn't Take a Vacation, a national report assessing the Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program.

DC Vote endorsed HR 5488 a bi-partisan bill which would give the District a voting member in the House of Representatives, according to the Examiner. DC Vote's new public awareness campaign was recently launched and covered by the Washington Post and The Examiner, among others.

Fannie Mae Foundation's Help the Homeless Walkathon was praised in a USA Today column.

For Love of Children's strategic and warm relationship with WJLA's Leon Harris was noted in the Washington Post. Harris was FLOC's keynote speaker at their recent year-end ceremony where DC Councilman Jim Graham pronounced June 21 'For Love of Children Day' according to a press release.

Freddie Mac Foundation's photography exhibit, The Heart Gallery, was featured in the Arlington Connection. The exhibit continues to tour and is now at the Department of Housing and Urban Development through Aug 11.

The Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital will provide the Color Guard for the White House South Lawn Tee Ball game on July 30, according to this White House press release.

Goodwill of Greater Washington's Catherine Meloy was one of 11 nonprofit leaders "who have played leadership roles in both for-profits and nonprofits and reveal the critical differences between the two" in What Business Execs Don't Know - but should - About Nonprofits in the Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Higher Achievement Program's Maureen Holla and a program graduate, 15-year-old Kristian Smith, participated at a local National Summer Learning Day. The briefing, entitled "Creating Opportunities for High-Quality Summer Learning," was sponsored by Senators Barack Obama and Barbara Mikulski.

Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington's event The Bridge Builders Awards was featured on The Voice of America, the Washington Diplomat, and India Abroad, the widest read Indian newspaper in the US. Rev. Clark Lobenstine set an agenda of tolerance in an interview by El Diario.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation's support for eight new DC principals as graduates of the New Leaders for News Schools program was acknowledged in the Common Denominator.

Junior Achievement of the National Capital Area selected Kailyn Cage as Youth Entrepreneur of the Year, granting her $1,000 towards her business, Kailen's Candy Catering, according to the Montgomery Sentinel. The Award is co-sponsored by Ernst & Young.

Latin American Youth Center's work in opening the Center for Educational Partnership in Prince George's County was described in the Montgomery Sentinel and a press release.

Metro Teen Aids will be providing peer educators to facilitate a 'hip-hop forum' on YouthAIDS Day on July 27, according to The Examiner. The YouthAIDS forum is co-sponsored by the Freddie Mac Foundation.

The Meyer Foundation's Julie Rogers and Mary's Center Maria Gomez were interviewed by WUSA-TV Channel 9 about the issue of nonprofit executive burnout and the Foundation's new Exponent Award.

National Association of Social Workers study, 'Social Workers are Aging Faster Than They Can Be Replaced,' says that "Whether it's working with the Red Cross to help disaster victims or addressing issues like bullying or teen suicide at schools, social workers play an important role in everyday life," according to a press release.

National Children's Center received a grant from Maryland Affordable Housing Trust to renovate "Stepping Stone," a group home for youth with developmental disabilities in Prince George's County, according to a press release.

The National Community Reinvestment Coalition's work on legislative activity around predatory lending was featured in The New Standard.

Our Place's advocacy efforts in having those released from jail clothed in civilian clothes rather than orange jumpsuits are described in the Washington City Paper. In 2005, Susan Galbraith spoke at a DC Council meeting saying, "I'm in here in a jumpsuit today because I've been before this committee four years in a row before today, asking for release of people in civilian clothing. We've even offered to provide the civilian clothing for women at the D.C. Jail."

Piedmont Environment Council's Director of Communications Bob Lazaro became Mayor of Purcellville on July 1, according to the Loudoun Times Mirror.

Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington hosted a documentary film screening about DC women infected with HIV/AIDS in their effort to increase dialogue among community advocates, according to the Washington Post.

Stopping Child Abuse Now's Board President had a letter in the Washington Post commending an earlier article in the Washington Post that profiled SCAN's CASA program. "The unique aspect of CASA is that it brings the community perspective into the equation for abused and neglected children."

Tenants and Workers United were profiled in the book, Worker Centers: Organizing Communities at the Edge of the Dream. "Worker centers are a new organizing form emerging among low-wage workers."

United For DC is underwriting 50 youth in southeast D.C. to attend a seven-week camp, run by DC Scores, according to a press release. "United for DC saw great things occur through the DC Scores camp last summer," said Stephen Zack, Sr. Vice President of D.C. United and President of the United for D.C. Board of Directors.

Venture Philanthropy Partners was profiled in an editorial in the Washington Business Journal after five years of operation: "The result: 12 local nonprofits have dramatically increased their outreach to the communities they serve. They're better staffed, their boards include people who understand business as well as mission, and they're making a bigger difference in the lives of kids and their families."

Washington Regional Network for Livable Communities was included in an article titled, 'D.C.'s affordable housing push could get pushier,' in the Washington Business Journal.

Washington Scholarship Fund's DC Opportunity Scholarship program was highlighted in the Wall Street Journal. (summary here). You can also read a related press release. Also, WSF's Signature Scholarship student, Lauren Gaston-Hawkins, was named an Oprah Winfrey 2006 National High School Essay Contest winner.

Wendt Center's Susan Ley described anticipatory grief as when "a hospice patient has the opportunity to say farewell and give the type of goodbye that is lasting and memorable," in an article on grieving in the Washington Times.

Welcome
Jacquelyn Henry is the Executive Director of Health Families/Thriving Communities Collaborative Council which brings together seven family support collaboratives. The mission of the Council is to provide leadership and direction regarding the development and implementation of a citywide neighborhood‑based family support system.

Curtis Watkins is the President of the East Capitol Center for Change, a youth and family development organization that runs the majority of its programs in Wards 7 & 8 as well as Prince George's County.

Reports & Other
Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Chairman of the US Senate's Finance Committee wrote an opinion piece, 'Strengthening The Nonprofit Sector' in The Hill.

DC Vote holds weekly meetings to discuss the acquisition of congressional voting rights in the District of Columbia. They meet every Tuesday from 3:30-4:30 at the Office of the League of Women Voters 1730 M Street NW, Suite 1000. These meetings are open to the public; for more information, contact Eugene Kinlow at (202) 462-6000 x13 or ekinlow@dcvote.org

Young Nonprofit Professionals Network is holding a Discussion Circle on August 9 from 9-10:30 on challenges faced by nonprofit staff working with youth. You can email Karlo Marcelo (kmarcelo@umd.edu) with 1 or 2 challenges you have in working with youth and two or three experts will be at the event to discuss the most common entries.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments recently released a report entitled Homeless Enumeration for the Washington Metropolitan Region, highlighted in the Washington Post The report finds that homelessness is up for the 6th consecutive year, but also reports a reduction in the overall number of homeless families region-wide as well as continued advancement in addressing root causes of homelessness such as the need for more affordable housing and increased services. A second, related article was published in the Washington Post.