Friday, October 30, 2009

Have a Tummy for Some Yummy?

Girard Garden Workshop Series Continues...

City Blossoms will be hosting a cooking session presented by Chef Jamie Forsythe of B. Bistro on Saturday, October 31, 2009 from 10-11:30am at the Girard Garden, 1480 Girard Street, NW.

Chef Forsythe will give cooking instructions using some fall harvest recipes. Come to taste, see, hear, learn, and have fun with food!

For more 411 contact:
Rebecca Lemos
443-854-1669
rebecca@cityblossoms.org

This event is made possible by the the support of the Columbia Heights/Shaw Family Support Collaborative (CHSFSC) and Horning Brothers.




Holiday celebration for seniors

Ward 1's more than 7,500 residents age 60+ should save the date for the 12th Annual Senior Holiday Celebration to be held on December 9!
SeniorHolidayCelebrationSTD

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Annual Feast of Sharing, November 25

A Thanksgiving spread with all the trimmings is being served up by friendly volunteers at the annual Feast of Sharing, this year on November 25.   Salvation Army and Safeway are once again coming together to make this holiday festive for all.   The feast will take place at the Washington Convention Center on November 25 from 9:30 am – 2:30 pm.   In addition to the awesome food, attendees will be able to get information from community and government service organizations and have a health screening or two.   To learn more about transportation to and from the feast and other event features, read the event flier.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Clinicas gratuita de informacion legal

Para Sobrevivientes de la Violencia Doméstica se ofrece Información y Consejos sobre Órdenes de Protección Civil (CPOs) y Ley de Familia (incluyendo Divorcio, Custodia y “Child Support”).   Mas información en este volante.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Free legal clinics for survivors of domestic violence

WEAVE is offering legal information and advice on civil protection orders (CPOs) and family law cases (including Divorce, Custody, and Child Support).   More information in this flier.

Do you have something to say about drug use and treatment in Ward 1?

The City Council’s Committee on Health (Councilmember David Catania, At-large, committee chair) is learning from the public their view on service delivery – access, options, special populations, etc. – by the Addiction Prevention and Recovery Administration’s services and its contractors.   The committee had scheduled an oversight roundtable for October 15 but a scheduling conflict forced the cancellation.   Public comments are due to the committee by 5:30 pm on Wednesday, October 21.   Send to Jen Barry, Committee on Health, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Suite 115, WDC 20004.   Or email to jbarry [AT] dccouncil [DOT] us.

Why does this matter to Ward 1?   Well, consider these facts:

  • Ward 1 had the greatest number of alcohol-related robberies in 2006.
  • Ward 1 ranked second in police issuance of driving under the influence infractions in 2006.
  • Death from chronic liver disease, lung cancer, and emphysema were common causes of death between 2001 and 2005; these diseases largely affected adult Black males.
  • Young people over age 12 reported using/consuming illicit drugs at the same rate as their peers in other wards.
  • An average of young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 between 2002 and 2004 needing but not receiving treatment for illicit drug use was higher than averages for adults over age 26.   (www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/pubs/20080301.pdf)
  • As of February 2008, there were two substance abuse services providers located in Ward 1.   (dcahec.gwumc.edu/education/files/s5/copc%20in%20dc.ppt)

As you well know, drug use affects individuals, families, and communities and all of us in one way or another pay the cost of use and addiction.   If you are a service provider, you have a story to tell.   You could present data on the co-occurrence of drug use and homelessness for example.   You could also talk about the challenges facing your organization in serving clients with drug problems by comparing non-drug related cases with those involving drugs.   If you are a resident, you could talk about the challenges of living in a community with open air drug markets or drug-related violence as a way of life for some.

Want to learn more about the Committee on Health?

Check out the following pages on the City Council's Committee on Health Web site:

Friday, October 16, 2009

"The Great Harvest", a party for food for all

"The Great Harvest", a celebration of a new collaborative community food blog called The DC Food For All, is being held on October 24 at Big Bear Cafe.   The new blog will be about all things related to DC's food infrastructure and food culture, looking towards a healthier future for all of the city's residents.   There is a suggested $15 donation that will go to support the DCFoodFinder.org Web site, an interactive map of food resources in DC.   (But we mean the "suggested" part - all are welcome, regardless of ability to donate!)   Details about "The Great Harvest" are online at Beyond Bread.

So what does all of this have to do with Ward 1 and our residents?   To start, Ward 1 nonprofits (such as Martha's Table) are included in the DC Food Finder map.   Also consider that 6,991 individuals received food stamps in 2008.   The DC Food Finder is a terrific tool that links residents to the services they need.   So party for a great cause!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Halloween safety tips for kids and Ward 1 events

This easy-to-use tip sheet will help make Halloween fun and safe for children and youth this year.   And as an added bonus, we have listed events in Ward 1 on a separate page.   Please share far and wide!
HalloweenSafetyTips.Ward1Eventspdf

Monday, October 12, 2009

Ward 1 Halloween events

There are some fun and exciting Halloween events planned for children, youth and families in Ward 1 this year: