Category Archives: In the Neighborhood

Busting a Move with CityDance

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Jane Collins

You have got to love a nonprofit that teaches dance, conflict resolution and self-esteem–and performs at the Verizon Center. When Sarah Levy, the CityDance Community Programs Coordinator, asked me to help out at a DREAM rehearsal–where nearly 150 3rd –5th … Continue reading →

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Helping out in a Hypothermia Shelter

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Jane Collins

When the temperature gets down in the 30’s, that normally means flannel blankets and nerdy pajamas. For the homeless, sometimes it means sleeping in a church. My husband Mike and I discovered just what that was like when we volunteered … Continue reading →

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Dedicate to Insulate

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Jane Collins

Help insulate a low-income family’s home and save them up to 30% off their next utility bill. By Jane Hess Collins AmeriCorps members Dorothy Shepard and Ryan Baesten, assigned to Rebuilding Together Alexandria, stayed warm by hauling these heavy bags … Continue reading →

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Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (or anywhere)

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Jane Collins

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington ICON 11 Talent Showcase winners Question: What do District of Columbia Mayor Vincent C. Gray, Georgetown University Men’s Head Basketball Coach JohnThompson III and Roy Hibbert Jr. of the Indiana Pacers have … Continue reading →

Posted in Adults, Children, Homework Assistance, In the Neighborhood, Job Preparation, Kids, Life Skills, Mentoring, People | Leave a comment

Boys & Girls Clubs

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Jane Collins

The girls from the Dunbar Alexandria-Olympic site of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington rock their handmade napkin rings.   Good news! The Dunbar Alexandria-Olympic site of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington (BGCGW) in Old … Continue reading →

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The Neighborhood Dish

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Jane Collins

For hundreds of nonprofits in metropolitan Washington DC, a little donation goes a long, long way. We asked a handful of the area’s earnest, hard-working and small nonprofits what local restaurants and catering companies they can count on over and … Continue reading →

Posted in Donating, Hunger, In the Neighborhood | Leave a comment

Give to the Max!

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Jane Collins

  It’s starting already. My Facebook page, Twitter feeds and email in-boxes are filling up with facts, countdowns and requests for Wednesday’s Give to the Max Day-and I can’t wait! Click here to read the rest of the story.

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A Wider Circle: Circle of Compassion

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Jane Collins

Deputy director Dr. Anne Thompson’s favorite part about working for A Wider Circle is when she can’t distinguish the clients from the volunteers from the staff. That pretty much sums up the inclusive, family atmosphere of A Wider Circle. Click … Continue reading →

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On Stage with MetroStage

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Jane Collins

Natascia Diaz plays the desperate Denise Savage in MetroStage’s “Savage in Limbo” You’d never guess from the outside that this gigantic, corrugated box of a building housed MetroStage, a vibrant community theater and the oldest professional theatre in Northern Virginia. … Continue reading →

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The Women’s Collective

Posted on October 7, 2011 by Jane Collins

Robin was lovely, with black hair, ebony skin and fingernails that alternated between purple and leopard print. She broke away from her two friends when she saw our white The Women’s Collective van parked on the corner of H and 8th … Continue reading →

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Say “Cheese” with FACETS

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Jane Collins

Brooke Keplinger, Maura Williams, Logan Alley at the FACETS’ Opening Doors Benefit Breakfast in May, 2011 Monique loves her job as a sales clerk at a shoe store in one of the area’s most upscale outdoor malls. She rarely smiles … Continue reading →

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Advocates for Good

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Jane Collins

SCAN Executive Director Sonia Quinonez, Jose Quinonez, Joyce Bliss, board member Jeff Bliss at the 2010 Toast to Hopes event.   Linda Franz was at a crossroads. Her daughter had graduated from college and her son was about to start. … Continue reading →

Posted in Adults, Children, Family, In the Neighborhood, Kids | 1 Comment

Lorton Community Action Center

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Jane Collins

Some nonprofit projects are more complicated than others, yet even the simplest among them require the cooperation and teamwork of dozens of people. Take, for example, backpack assembly, a project of the Lorton Community Action Center (LCAC) and several other … Continue reading →

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Jubilee Jobs

Posted on August 29, 2011 by Jane Collins

If you’ve ever searched for a job, you know how important it is to own computer. Imagine how difficult it would be to find work if you didn’t have one. Now imagine trying to find a job if you didn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Adults, Education, Faith-based, In the Neighborhood, Job Preparation, Life Skills, Mentoring, People | Leave a comment

Community Lodgings

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Jane Collins

Not long ago I wrote a story about kids who read to puppies. When Community Lodgings asked me to help with Read Aloud, their reading program created for toddlers whose parents attended evening life skills classes, I was ready for … Continue reading →

Posted in Adults, Children, ESL, Homelessness, In the Neighborhood, Kids, Life Skills, Literacy, Mentoring, People | Leave a comment