We are what we eat Ward 2

Our nutritional status, health, physical and mental faculties depend on the food we eat and how we eat it. In ward 2 the access to good quality food has been a challenge to families with low income specially Undocumented Latino families. More than 17 percent of the Ward 2 population lives under the poverty line. Poverty among African- American DC residents jumped nearly one fifth, rising from 23 percent in 2007 to 27 percent in 2010. Poverty stood at 8.5 percent for non-Hispanic White residents and at 15 percent for Hispanic residents in 2010. Many of them children are today hungry and malnourished with serious impact on growth and learning capacity of children and the ability of adults to lead fully productive lives. The Columbia Heights/Shaw Family Support Collaborative (CH/SFSC) in partnership with The Executive Office of the Mayor on Latino Affairs (OLA), and the Capital Area Food Bank are determined to stabilize families, and provide all families with their basic needs.

Roxana Olivas Director of The Mayor's Office of Latino Affairs
helping families receive food services at Seaton Elementary.

There are several agencies across the District that shape how we get food.  There are at least 13 agencies that deal with food in our city! Bread for the City is an amazing agency that provides people in need with food. However the Latino population in Ward 2 is very hard to reach. CH/SFSC has an outstanding record with Latino Families in Wards 1 and 2 which allowed them to partner with OLA to provide a much needed food distribution site at Seaton Elementary located in Ward 2. On January 12, 2012 CH/SFSC alongside OLA, and the National Area Food Bank were able to provide food to over 40 Latino and African-American families for the first time at Seaton Elementary. Seaton will be the first of several food distribution sites that CH/SFSC, OLA, and the Food Bank will coordinate and serve families. 



  

Help DC Doors Raise Money

DC Doors is a grassroots initiative that provides housing to the homeless immigrant population in the District of Columbia. It seeks to accomplish this goal by providing transitional and permanent housing and comprehensive supportive services in a culturally competent and sensitive manner to families and single females. Please join DC Doors for their first Happy Hour Fundraiser at Cafe Citron (1343 Connecticut Ave, NW Washington DC 20036) Thursday February 16, 2012 from 6-9 pm. They are asking for a $10 donation at the door.

The federally-sponsored F.E.E.D (Fatherhood Empowerment Education Development) Program

  

February SWOT Meeting

Hello everyone! I hope that this email finds you in great spirits! On behalf of the Columbia Heights/Shaw Family Support Collaborative, I would like to personally invite you to attend the Strengthening Ward One Together (SWOT) monthly meeting Scheduled for Friday February 3, 2012 from 9:30 – 11:00 am at the Columbia Heights Youth Club, located at 1480 Girard Street, N.W..

SAVE THE DATE: The next Strengthening Ward One Together (SWOT) meeting will be held February 3 2012, from 9:30 -11:00am at 1480 Girard St NW.  At this meeting we will: 1) Hear from Ward 4 City Council Member Muriel Bowser, Ward 1 State Board of Education Representative Patrick Mara, and , and Ms. Myrna Peralta, of CentroNia 2) Give update of SWOT Successes 3) Discuss Next Steps. For more information, please contact German Vigil at gvigil@chsfsc.org or check out the SWOT blog: http://swotdc.blogspot.com/   

Thanks, and see you all at the February SWOT meeting/workshop! And please invite any service provider that you know! I want to thank each of you so much!

Creating Solutions Together – 2011-2012 Community Feedback Survey

The Columbia Heights/Shaw Family Support Collaborative was recently awarded federal funding to strengthen and expand our community violence prevention and intervention work.

We value your opinions about your neighborhood. As part of this grant, we are conducting a short survey in order to gain a better understanding of what residents think and feel about their community.

We hope to use this feedback to better provide resources and address community needs. The survey should take about 5-7 minutes to complete.

No names or identifying information will be associated with your responses and all questions are voluntary. Please click on the following link to complete the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SBMYJ22

If you have further questions about the Collaborative, our funding, or this survey, please contact Carmona Ross at cross@chsfsc.org or 202-518-6737.

Hispanic Heritage Month @ Cardozo SHS

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

This year with the leadership of Ms. Benitez who is the new after school coordinator, Cardozo Senior High School celebrated their first Hispanic Heritage Month ceremony. This was a great event for Ward 1, it brought youth of all races together and shared the Latino culture and customs. The program included typical Latino food (Tacos from Mexico, Pupusas from El Salvador, Sancocho form Domican Republic, and much more). Youth from all ethnic back grounds were able to indulge in different foods, and music. Nothing stood out more than the performance by youth from GALA Theater, and the talented Quique Avilés. Youth from Gala presented to those in attendance an amazing skit that portrayed the struggles of immigrant mothers. This was followed by a song that left its audience in a whimper of silence. The performances both shocked and left the audience wanting more. In the end Quique Avilés stunned the audience with a poem that gave confidence, and amazed youth from all back grounds.

At the end of the program over 30 youth walked and talked without any immigration boundaries, and treated each other as equals. This was an amazing event that needs to be commended and supported! This is a great step for Ward 1, and a great accomplishment to Cardozo Senior High School.

  

Substance Abuse Community Conversations

One of the things we talk a lot about on the blog is the importance of community engagement. Through Community conversations communities discover what they care about, and what issues are key to the success of their community. Conversation is part of life. And it’s an important part of community building. In conversation, we not only discover what we care about, we uncover new ideas for building healthy community. “Drug and alcohol abuse rates are higher in the District than anywhere else in the country, and experts say the wide availability of drugs, high stress levels and difficulties getting abusers into treatment fuel the city's persistently stratospheric rates.” To read more please see this article that goes in depth on DC’s substance abuse rate.
Since September SWOTDC has taken much interest into finding more information to help with this issue. In September SWOTDC held meetings that discussed substance abuse rates in Wards 1 and 2, and has continue to hold meetings and community conversations to discuss possible solutions. Please join in conversation facilitated by the DC Prevention Center October 18^th 2011 at 6pm at the Northwest association Community Meeting. It will be held at the Saint Stevens Episcopal Church for more information please see attached flier.