Category Archives: In the Neighborhood

Finding Peace at Joseph’s House

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Jane Collins

  A Joseph’s House resident and one of the five pets. Photo courtesy of Joseph’s House. I have only one wish on my bucket list-to spend a month in Calcutta at Mother Theresa’s Home for the Dying. To bathe and … Continue reading →

Posted in Adults, Disease and Illness, Homelessness, In the Neighborhood, People | 1 Comment

Sasha Bruce Youthworks – Touched by an Angel

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Jane Collins

  Sasha Bruce Youthworks (SBY) has been an angel to thousands of Washington DC’s most vulnerable kids, including those who run away from home since it opened its doors in 1974. The angel experience I had on my way to … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, In the Neighborhood, Kids, People, Women | 2 Comments

Running with Running Brooke

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Jane Collins

Right now Brooke Snyder Curran is in Antarctica, running 26 miles across snow, ice, mud and rock. While this is pretty spectacular all by itself, Brooke runs a marathon every month to raise funds for five local charities.  This latest … Continue reading →

Posted in Adults, Children, Donating, Family, In the Neighborhood, Kids, People, Women | Leave a comment

Meals on Wheels Delivery with Senior Services of Alexandria

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Jane Collins

It’s been 5 ½ years since my last Meals on Wheels (MOW) project. Now, working through Senior Services of Alexandria, I was eager to see if my MOW experience with them was different than it was in 2006. The conclusion? … Continue reading →

Posted in Adults, Eldercare, Hunger, In the Neighborhood, Senior Citizens | Leave a comment

Chairman of the Board

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Jane Collins

Someone told me 20 years ago that if you want something done, ask a busy person. No one, I’ve decided, is busier than a nonprofit executive director, and this posting is a shout-out to them by way of my whining … Continue reading →

Posted in Board Membership, Group Work, In the Neighborhood | 3 Comments

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 →

Posted in Adults, Arts & Culture, Children, Education, In the Neighborhood, Kids, Life Skills, People, The Arts | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Adults, Homelessness, In the Neighborhood, People | Leave a comment

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 →

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

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 →

Posted in Arts & Culture, In the Neighborhood, The Arts | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Education, In the Neighborhood, Other, People, Women | Leave a comment