Category Archives: Adults

Preventing Blindness with the POB

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Jane Collins

As my husband drove me to the metro for my Prevention of Blindness (POB) project during the NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo, he casually mentioned that he was getting his eyes checked and hoped he didn’t have glaucoma.  He sometimes … Continue reading →

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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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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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Go Big or Go Home!

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Jane Collins

  Most college students go home during their short fall break, but not the Alpha Kappa Psi (AKPsi) business fraternity members from the University of Toledo. Thirty-nine of them, nearly two thirds of the entire fraternity, had signed up for … 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

What will you do on 9/11?

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Jane Collins

Ten years ago I was a lieutenant colonel with the Air Force Reserve and had just completed ten months of military graduate school at the Air Force’s Air War College (AWC). Our class of 265 senior officers from all branches … 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 →

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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

Get Out and Give Back: A Zen Volunteer Morning with Borromeo Housing

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Jane Collins

  Normally volunteer work entails lots of activity, people, energy and more often than not, chaos. What a nice change of pace it was to help out in Borromeo Housing’s infant care supply center, established to support young mothers, where … Continue reading →

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Cooking with Miriam’s Kitchen

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Jane Collins

  The first clue that Miriam’s Kitchen, located inside the Western Presbyterian Church, is serious about serving fresh food is their herb garden of parsley, basil and rosemary on Virginia Avenue. Inside, the kitchen was an organized beehive of activity, … Continue reading →

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Jailhouse Art

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Jane Collins

Three things I never knew about jails: 1. They need volunteers to do lots of interesting things 2. Jail is not the same as prison 3. Some inmates are incredibly artistic I discovered these factoids last week at the Alexandria … Continue reading →

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Ronald McDonald House – The Ultimate Comfort Food

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Jane Collins

This volunteer made tuna casserole, salad and peas for the Ronald McDonald House guests. Sometimes a homemade meal is the best part – and the only best part – of the day for them. Definition of horrible – your two-year-old … Continue reading →

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