If you happen to work for the government you would have by now, if not in the very near future, received your Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) pledge card and catalog. If you haven’t filled it out already please consider some of the charities working right here in Shaw. You can give all at once or spread it out like I do, over the course of a year. Invest in your neighborhood, please give.
N Street Village, Inc (8281) Provides services to homeless women, addiction recovery, emergency housing and advocates for affordable housing, and daycare. I came to know N Street when I got lost looking for the Episcopal Church in the area and wound up at the Lutheran Church instead. When the tithes were being collected I had the option of earmarking my donation to N Street. I have been supporting them ever since.
Historical Society of Washington(9139) Oh they need your help. The city museum did not bring in the numbers they hoped for and so they need your support. They do, and did before their museum days, offer programs to assist you with historical research of things DC. It was in their archive I found photos from the 1940s of my street.
Shaw Eco Village (7606) They run the bike shop on 6th and R where I bought the crap bike (it’s a good bike, but it looks like crap) and had the good bike fixed. The bike shop and other programs that train and focus on the neighborhood youths.
Studio Theater (8619)- Your contribution would support reduced ticket and free programs for this P Street theater.
Manna, Inc (8847) Despite my occasional problems with this non-profit, I still think it is worthy of support. It advocates for and builds affordable (and market rate) housing. It provides home buying classes for first time homeowners and recently opened Maggie Moos, an ice cream shop on U Street.
Bread for the City (8219) Provide health services, food, clothing, and some legal aid to needy citizens. They have an office at 1525 Seventh Street, NW.
Africare (0303) Has their offices in Shaw on the 400 block of R in an historic building that used to be the Morse School. Their charitable work takes place in Africa.
Kingman Boys and Girls Club (8135) Provides activities for Shaw youth. I believe they are in charge of my neighbor’s pee wee football team.
Shiloh Family Life Center Foundation (8523) Supports the day care center and other activities at the Family Life Center on the 1500 block of 9th Street. It’s parent organization is the Shiloh Baptist Church, my aunts’ church.
Catholic Charities (8054) I really wanted to support St. Matthias Mulumba House on 621 Rhode Island Ave but it is part of a packaged deal. I occassionally run into D’Arcy the social worker there. He’s nice. I like D’Arcy.
There are other charities in Shaw, but these are a few that are close to my heart. Feel free to add others in the comments section.