Vietnamese-American Community Service Center Holiday Fete!

The Vietnamese-American Community Service Center (VACSC) invites the community to the VACSC Annual Holiday Party on December 22 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm.   This Children's Christmas event is being held at the Josephine Butler Park Center, 2437 15th Street, NW.   The event will feature refreshments, entertainment, lots of fun, and good cheer!

Please RSVP By December 15 to Hien Vu at (202) 667-0437 or hienvu [AT] vacsc [DOT] org.

More details are in the flier below.

VACSCAnnual HolidayDecember 2009

Parents: Help bring fresh fruit and veges to DC schools!

Parents can help bring fresh and locally grown fruit and vegetables to DC!

Learn the role parents can play in making Farm to School a reality here in the District at this December 9, 7:00 pm meeting.   The meeting is being held at the Northeast Library (330 Seventh Street, NE at Maryland Avenue in the Second Floor Meeting Room) accessible by using the Union Station/Eastern Market metros.

Questions?   Contact Laura Marks at lauramarks [AT] gmail [DOT] com or Tara Flakker at tara [AT] flakker [DOT] com, or visit http://dcfarmtoschool.org/.

Turning Point Center Recruiting Families

Throughout December, Salvation Army is recruiting applicants for its Turning Point Center for Women and Children located at 1434 Harvard Street, NW.

The Turning Point Center is an intensive, two-year, transitional living program offering housing and supportive services to guide homeless families to independent living and self-sufficiency.   The program targets single parent families, headed by women ages 16 to 30 years.   Candidates should have no more than four children, should be homeless or in an unstable living situation, and, most importantly, should be motivated to make positive changes in their lives.

If you have clients or know people who are eligible and interested in committing to a life-changing program, refer them to a Turning Point Center information session so that the full details of the program's requirements and offerings can be explained.   After completion of this information session, interested applicants can ask for a referral form to be completed in conjunction with their case manager.   Fully completed referral packets with accompanying relevant information will be due just after the holidays.

After the referral is received, candidates will be contacted for an interview with the Turning Point Clinical Team.   Please note that the submission of an application packet does not guarantee an interview and that an interview does not guarantee acceptance into the Turning Point Program.

The referral and interview process usually takes 4-6 weeks to complete.   Therefore, candidates in a "crisis" situation may not be appropriate if they cannot maintain stability in their current residence until the process is complete.   They anticipate accepting 10-12 new families for move in early February 2010.

An information session can be scheduled at your site if you have three or more potential candidates.

Sessions will also be offered at the Turning Point Center itself throughout the month of December for candidates from those agencies that may only have one or two potential referrals.   Your client must call to reserve her space.

Attendance at an information session is mandatory and applications will not be accepted for those candidates who have not completed this part of the process.

For more information or to reserve a space for an information session, contact Pamela T. Lieber, LICSW, Program Director at 202-250-7721 or Pam [UNDERSCORE] Lieber [AT] uss [DOT] salvationarmy [DOT] org.

Thanks to DC Campaign's Spreading the Word for this information.

Learn about the Afterschool Supper Program for kids

Ward 1 is home to many programs serving children and youth after school.   We all know how hunger has become more common with the youth in these programs.   That is why this December 16 event by the state superintendent's office is so important:   Afterschool Supper Program Information Session.

The session is designed to teach providers how to start participating in the new Child and Adult Care Feeding Program (CACFP) Afterschool Supper Program.

• WHEN:   Wednesday, December 16, 10:30 am - Noon
• WHERE:   Wellness & Nutrition Services, Office of the State Superintendent of Education (51 N Street, NE, Lower Level Conference Room) (Parking is available, but allow enough travel time to secure a parking spot before the session begins.   51 N Street is also Metro accessible.   The office is one block from the Red Line, New York Ave-Florida Ave/Gallaudet U station.   Be sure to bring ID; you will have to check in at the building's guard desk.)

Confirm your attendance by Thursday, December 10 by contacting Suzanne Henley (suzanne [DOT] henley [AT] dc [DOT] gov or 654-6119).   Direct questions to Suzanne Henley (information above) or Katie Vinopal, a Nutrition Associate at D.C. Hunger Solutions (KVinopal [AT] frac [DOT] org or 202-986-2200 x3042).

Holiday party and silent auction, December 10

You're invited to join with the U Street Neighborhood Association to celebrate another successful year of working for and in our neighborhood at the U Street Neighborhood Association's Annual Holiday Party and Silent Auction on Thursday, December 10 at 7:00 pm at Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th Street, NW.

Operation Fix-It Visits Ward 1

Greetings Ward 1 Neighbors:

The Mayor's Liaison to the Office of Community Relations will be conducting a Fix-It on December 2nd at 10:00am at the following locations in your Ward:

200-400 blocks of T Street

200-400 blocks of U Street

200-400 blocks of Elm Street

200-400 blocks of V Street

200-400 blocks of W Street and the surrounding area on Florida Avenue.

We will be addressing the following issues: Abatement of all bulk trash, graffiti removal, abatement of rats, inspection of potential vacant properties, abandoned autos, street signage, street light audit. Please join us!! Operation Fix-It is Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's multi-agency initiative aimed at abating crime, blight, and compliance issues in communities throughout the District of Columbia. The Fix-Its are held weekly and the locations are generated directly from concerned citizens.

To learn more about Operation Fix-It and how you can join us on our next project in Ward 1, please contact the Ward 1 Helpdesk at 202.727.6224.


  

Community Forum-Greater DC Cares

  Greater DC Cares is hosting a neighborhood meeting on Wednesday, December 2nd 2009 from 6:30pm-8:00pm. This meeting will take place at the Parkview Recreation Center, located at 693 Otis Place, NW. The discussion will be centered around various programs in the community initiated by Greater DC Cares. Additionally, information will be given as to how community members can become involved. To register for this event email Meghan at mmcnamara@greaterdccares.org