Single men experiencing homelessness are rarely at the top of the waitlist when it comes to accessing services. The Father McKenna Center offers them a safe and stable environment. Every day, some 135 men drop in to eat nutritious meals, obtain clothing, and use the facilities. While there, they work with case managers and attorneys, attend workshops on topics like overcoming addiction and preventing recidivism, and address medical concerns quarterly. Households facing food insecurity shop at its Food Pantry, selecting fresh produce, eggs, milk, juice, meat, bread, and non-perishable items that meet their needs. During the winter, a Hypothermia Transition Program provides a committed group of men with shelter, case management, and nightly home-cooked meals as they work to find stable housing and employment. The Father McKenna Center means dignity, care, and respect for all.

WISH LIST: $100: 75 meals for men experiencing homelessness; $500: 375 meals for men experiencing homelessness; $1000: 375 meals and groceries for 5 families

Though Montgomery County is a largely affluent area, nearly half the residents Gaithersburg HELP serves earn annual incomes below $15,000, insufficient for a family of four. This all-volunteer organization ensures their basic needs are met. Clients can schedule a same-day pickup at its food pantry, stocked with fresh, canned, packaged, and frozen foods (including baby food and formula). Seniors and clients with disabilities rely on volunteer drivers to attend their medical and social service appointments. Uninsured and underinsured clients are referred to participating pharmacies that accept funding for medication and supplies (like insulin), as well as referrals to obtain ongoing assistance. More than 160 volunteers provide over 200,000 meals, make approximately 876 trips, and pay for 283 prescriptions annually. For more than 6000 English- and Spanish-speaking households, Gaithersburg HELP is a literal lifeline.

WISH LIST: $100: food to feed 5 individuals for 3-5 days; $500: 13 trips to medical or social services; $1000: 20 prescription medications

Founded during the height of the disability rights movement in 1983, Langley empowers adults with developmental disabilities to live full, rich lives. When individuals join its community, they receive a lifelong commitment of support. Each individual collaborates with program staff to outline their care needs and personal goals. Then, using a person-centered approach, staff help them foster their independence, providing thousands of hours of one-on-one drop-in support at their homes every year. Langley also operates in six group homes, where support professionals provide care after work during the week, across weekends, and overnight if intensive services are needed. As residents receive mentorship in grocery shopping, cooking, managing finances, and maintaining social relationships, their confidence and self-sufficiency grow. For some 44 individuals, Langley is home, where they can build family simply by being themselves.

WISH LIST: $100: 1 month of MetroAccess fare for 1 client; $500: dental surgery for 1 client; $1000: refrigerator, carpeting, or water heater for a group home

Nearly half of all renters in the region spend more than 30% of their income on rent. WHC uses an innovative mix of low-cost private capital, traditional financing, and philanthropic support to compete with private developers. Since 2019, it has purchased five mixed-income rental properties, keeping housing stable and affordable for more than 2600 residents (over 70% of whom are people of color). Its rent relief fund helps residents address immediate needs, while a credit reporting service allows residents to establish credit and improve their score by paying rent below market rate. Most residents have decreased their debt, increased their savings, and improved their housing stability. With some 220,000 households in the region at risk of displacement, WHC’s timely and sustainable model ensures that properties remain affordable for decades to come.

WISH LIST: $100: a digital community platform for 125 households; $500: 2 community building, resident-led events; $1000: partial purchase of a WHC property

Shepherd’s Table has never missed a single day of meal service in its 40-year history, serving well over two million meals to neighbors experiencing food insecurity, homelessness, and poverty. Anyone who enters its doors finds a comfortable place to eat. Hot, nutritious meals are created by in-house chefs using fresh ingredients from the urban garden. A team of staff and volunteers distributes hygiene supplies, toiletries, and clothing from the resource center. Vision exams and haircuts are available onsite while those in need of additional services (medical treatment/legal assistance) receive support to connect to resources. Clients build community in art groups and yoga classes, develop their leadership skills as policy advocates, and participate in culinary training to gain employment in the food service industry. At Shepherd’s Table, all are welcome and nourished.

Founded by a veteran as a 0.3-acre backyard garden in 2016, F4V is now operated entirely by veterans, who harvest over 1,200 pounds of food on its seven-acre farm. Nationally, one in nine veterans are food insecure, and many live with combat-related disabilities. F4V invites them onto the farm as volunteers to care for chickens, beekeep, tend seedlings in the field, and pick and package fresh produce. During the year, more than 300 brothers and sisters-in-arms grow and deliver free vegetables, eggs, honey, and herbs to their peers – enough to cover the weekly produce budget for a family of four. This practice of volunteering together simultaneously nurtures relationships, imparts valuable skills, and provides a sense of purpose. As F4V practices sustainable farming, it sustains the physical, mental, social, and emotional health of its community.

Locally and sustainably grown produce is often inaccessible and unaffordable for under-resourced communities. Arcadia was founded to address this supply and demand gap in the local food system by addressing all areas from production to distribution. Its five-acre fruit and vegetable farm grows healthy and sustainable food while a year-long Veteran Farmer Program helps to educate dozens of growers in ecologically sound methods – many have graduated to run their own sustainable farms. Partnering with local schools, churches, and community spaces to deliver food and agriculture education programs, Arcadia encourages young and old residents to try new fruits and vegetables and to start gardens. Mobile Markets stationed in low-income neighborhoods make culturally appropriate, locally grown food convenient and affordable. Good food improves public health, and the time is ripe to nourish our society.

Non-White households have been historically excluded from purchasing homes, contributing to a stark racial wealth gap that systemically disadvantages people of color. Rising interest rates and home values in DC exacerbate these challenges, especially for local Black households. birdSEED gives no-strings-attached cash to first-time homebuyers of color so they can transform their lives through homeownership. Through rapid housing justice grants, birdSEED ensures that dozens of residents have the funds they need at closing to purchase their first homes. Homebuyers apply for up to $15,000 in cash assistance that does not have to be repaid. A community-led advisory board evaluates applicants to ensure grant awardees can afford the costs of maintaining a new home. After closing, with less debt and more support, these new homeowners start on the path to generational wealth.

Founded at the height of the pandemic to fight food insecurity, NB now provides nutritious food and wraparound resources to nearly 5,000 individuals every month. Despite being an area with above-average household incomes, Bethesda has seen double-digit increases in residents of color living below the poverty line, including some 1,100 hungry children, who lack robust support systems. Each week, NB distributes food out of the BCC Rescue Squad and delivers to other community sites where residents pick up food, clothing, and children’s books, as well as participate in conversational English classes. Trained volunteers help identify them for dental and medical assistance, food stamps, cash assistance, and other social services. Coordinating 600 volunteers to distribute over 460,000 pounds of food annually, NB addresses food insecurity in Bethesda while making other intersectional issues visible.

FRN was born when several University of Maryland students noticed that campus dining halls were wasting nutritious food while community members were going hungry. It has since grown into one of the country’s largest student-led movements fighting food waste and hunger, mobilizing participants on 200 college campuses to recover surplus food at universities, businesses, and large events. The surplus is donated to local nonprofit food providers and simultaneously ensures that food waste is diverted from landfills (a sizable contributor to greenhouse gas emissions). To date, FRN has recovered more than 16.3 million pounds of food, donated 13.6 million meals, and prevented 19,900 metric tons of emissions. By working with existing infrastructure at institutions, FRN’s community-led model builds invaluable awareness of sustainable practices and transforms our food supply chain one area at a time.

RTDCA improves the homes of residents facing economic challenges, ensuring they can live in safe and healthy environments. Many of the neighbors it serves – elderly residents, individuals with disabilities, and households with lower incomes – lack the resources to address critical home repairs, turning emergency needs like fixing plumbing leaks and installing handrails into much larger problems. RTDCA provides these repairs and renovations at no cost, tailoring accessibility modifications to each household’s unique requirements. Known for its rapid response, it activates skilled volunteers and resources to fix safety hazards as quickly as possible, completing over 1,000 home repairs a year. RTDCA also strengthens community infrastructure by renovating shared spaces in under-served neighborhoods like schools and parks. Its impact is both swift and lasting – building a thriving region that everyone can call home.

GoPlay makes space to play in a city where youth from households with lower incomes have fewer opportunities to participate in sports programs. Underserved families are often unaware of sports opportunities or unable to juggle them alongside multiple jobs. Using targeted outreach, GoPlay works one-on-one with parents to find and register their children for programs, arrange scholarships, and purchase equipment. This personalized approach makes a difference - every year, more than 100 youth participate in a wide variety of sports, including frisbee and trapeze. To secure more field space for young athletes, GoPlay also operates the RFK Stadium Campus, where it installed DC’s first disc golf course and made it free for families and players of all ages. At GoPlay, where diverse groups of young people play side-by-side, recreational space bridges communities.

WISH LIST: $100: cleats & shin guards for 1 athlete; $500: registration fees & personal equipment for 1 athlete for 2 seasons; $1000: 4 weeks of sports camp (and childcare for a parent!)

Almost half of all children in the country experience mental health challenges, but only 7.4% attend even one mental health visit a year. Most of these children face financial barriers to accessing support, so RAB ensures that those from economically marginalized communities receive high-quality, proactive mental health interventions in the classroom. Local educators use RAB’s research-informed, group therapy approach that focuses on helping children strengthen social connections and bounce back from difficult experiences. Teachers use lesson plans, animated videos, relaxation exercises, and group activities to build students’ resilience skills. By training educators, RAB reaches some 400 students across underserved elementary schools and in after-school programming provided by community partners. Every child deserves access to mental health support – with RAB, they build coping mechanisms they can use for life.

WISH LIST: $100: 1 hour of teacher training; $500: materials for 30 classrooms; $1000: one Resilience parent education program

What started as a youth-led group for LGBTQ+ teens to find peer support is now an organization built by and for the LGBTQ+ community. The Frederick Center convenes over a dozen regular social groups for 500 LGBTQ+ individuals and their families. Professional, trauma-informed facilitators create environments where they can share their lived experiences, form bonds, and affirm and support each other. Throughout the year, Frederick Center partners with other local community organizations to offer social and educational events, including family game nights, drag story-times, and HIV testing drives. It also brings more than 20,000 people together for Frederick Pride, which began as a humble Pride picnic in the park in 2012 and is now Maryland’s second-largest Pride Festival. As the LGBTQ+ community faces mounting discrimination, the safe spaces The Frederick Center provides are critical.

WISH LIST: $100: 1 month of support groups for 1 child; $500: food for all support groups for 1 month; $1000: 1 year of peer support & programs for 1 child

Community Lodgings serves 1,000+ primarily local Latinx and immigrant residents. About 98% earn low wages, many work more than one job, and limited English proficiency increases economic disparity, leaving them vulnerable to homelessness. To address these challenges, Community Lodgings houses families in its affordable apartment and transitional housing units, ensuring that no family has to spend more than 30% of its income on housing. Families work with case managers to reach their housing, educational, and employment goals. Free programming for adults, like financial literacy mentoring and life-skills workshops on parenting, self-care, and more, also fosters community. Students in neighborhood schools receive mentoring and bilingual academic, social, and emotional support (also free of charge). Offering much more than a place to live, Community Lodgings puts economic stability within reach for families and future generations.

WISH LIST: $100: 1 month of internet service at 1 learning center; $500: backpacks filled with school supplies for 10 children; $1000: summer camp experience for 5 children

Parents who use an encouraging and positive parenting approach help their children grow up to be confident and resilient. For more than four decades, PEP has trained parents and caregivers to do just that. Its 8-week program uses a peer-led model that convenes small groups of parents living in under-resourced communities. Parents discuss topics like managing anger, supporting their children’s mental health, and setting limits – as they role-play with each other, they learn to adapt parenting strategies to their own familial and cultural contexts. Critically, facilitators are graduates of the program who create a non-judgmental space where parents feel less alone. School and community partnerships and an online platform make PEP’s tools and approaches more widely available. By building long-lasting connections between parents and children, PEP ensures the confidence and wellness of the next generation.

WISH LIST: $100: materials for 1 Family Resiliency Program Facilitator; $500: 8-week class for 1 caregiver; $1000: 4-week online class for 4 caregivers

STM was founded in 2017 to help Takoma Park neighbors in need through acts of kindness. Today, over 100 volunteers every week serve some 7,000 food-insecure residents in Takoma Park, Silver Spring, and Rockville. A food rescue team sources donations from farmers’ markets and distributors 5 days a week. Culturally relevant food is purchased through grant funding and monetary donations. Food is then distributed at drive-bys and delivered to apartment buildings, schools, senior centers, and community pantries, where residents shop for what they want market-style. In churches, schools, and businesses, children pick out brand-new books to take home while a teen-led crafting program makes scarves, blankets, hats, and cups for seniors. This mighty grassroots effort distributes 1 million pounds of food and 5,000 books a year, showing that small things do matter.

WISH LIST: $100: 1 dozen eggs each for 30 families; $500: fresh produce bags for 20 families of 4; $1000: whole roaster chickens for 100 families

The CDC reports that, since the pandemic, almost 60% of girls nationwide experience persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness. GOTR combines running with social-emotional learning, giving girls in grades 3-8 the space to share their experiences, connect with peers and adult mentors, and see themselves as powerful forces for good. Meeting twice a week for ten weeks, they explore their emotions and build self-confidence in small groups with volunteer coaches. To ensure that every girl who wants to participate can, GOTR supplies running shoes, communicates in English and Spanish, offers accessibility support for girls with disabilities, and provides some 35% of its participants with financial assistance. Since its first season, almost 50,000 girls have crossed the 5K finish line (the program’s celebratory milestone), showing themselves how much they can accomplish.

WISH LIST: $100: social-emotional learning materials & activities for 1 team; $500: new running shoes for a team at a high-need school; $1000: CPR certification for 50 coaches

HER serves vulnerable young women ages 18 to 25, all of whom have experienced complex trauma such as substance addiction, sexual exploitation, early pregnancy, and homelessness. Staff members commonly hear from them that they have little sense of agency and little sense of choice. So across 24 months, each woman (or “peer”) co-creates a roadmap for her life. Trained staff develop relationships with peers using a trauma-focused approach, creating trust, and supporting women through immediate crises first. They then work with them toward long-term recovery, emotional healing, and self-sufficiency by offering one-to-one support (case management), skill building, workforce development training, and connections to mentors. Since its founding as a survivor-led organization, HER has walked side-by-side with 3,200 young women. Many return to encourage new peers and all find community on their path to independence.

WISH LIST: $100: 60 meals for young women facing hunger; $400: 200 rides for young women to and from work; $1000: 250 street outreach engagement kits

For over 50 years, DCRCC has offered free, confidential, trauma-informed counseling and case management to survivors of sexual violence and their friends, family, and partners. Trained advocates provide 24/7 crisis intervention, counseling, advocacy, and referrals through its hotline, and in hospitals and survivors’ homes. A Rapid Emotional Support Team coordinates crisis response while community educators proactively elevate public awareness of rape culture and how to reduce the risk of sexual violence through training in schools, community centers, and faith spaces. As the oldest rape crisis center in the country and the only one in DC, DCRCC has further evolved its training to assist in opening the first rape crisis center in Lagos, Nigeria, and to collaborate on the first rape crisis mobile app for refugee workers – all to create a world free from sexual violence.

WISH LIST: $100: 1 full set of clothes for a survivor after a medical forensic exam;$500: 4 days of emergency housing; $2000: 24 therapy sessions for a survivor of sexual assault

GOTR pairs running instruction with mentorship and social-emotional learning, giving girls in grades 3-8 the strength and support they need to thrive in life. Twice a week for ten weeks, girls meet with their mentors after school in small groups, challenging themselves physically while engaging in goal-setting and team-building activities that build their confidence, stamina, and character. GOTR tailors its evidence-based curricula by age group, addressing the different self-esteem, academic, and other issues girls face in elementary and middle school. At the end of the season, every girl completes a 5K run with an adult running buddy — achieving a milestone they set for themselves. Across all eight wards of DC and in part of Prince George’s County, GOTR promotes the well-being of 1700+ girls annually and inspires them to believe in themselves.

WISH LIST: $150: t-shirts & water bottles for 1 team; $320: 1 season scholarship for 1 girl; $1540: running shoes & 1 season scholarship for 4 girls

If Culmore Clinic did not exist, most of the 500 uninsured patients it serves annually would forego care. Some 96% are immigrants who do not speak English and all live below the federal poverty level, compounding the difficulty of navigating healthcare in Fairfax County. The Clinic serves as their comprehensive and compassionate healthcare home. Patients receive free primary and preventative care, women’s health services, mental health counseling, vision exams, sexual health screenings, and onsite cardiology and lab services. An extensive network of community partnerships makes further specialized services and referrals free for patients, a major boon to those in need of healthcare specialists. A critical resource for the community, Culmore Clinic means culturally competent prevention, education, primary care, and follow-up treatment – all under one roof.

WISH LIST: $100: background check for 4 volunteer providers; $500: 1 month of patient prescriptions; $1000: 4 months of transportation support for patients

Vida is our city’s largest dining site serving Hispanic and Latino seniors with low incomes and has been their home community for over half a century. Despite facing poverty, language challenges, ageism, and discrimination that threaten to un-house them, many of its seniors are determined to age in place and live independently. Vida offers 135 free programs every week for 1,900 seniors annually at its two facilities. Daily lunches and individualized nutritional guidance accompany social dancing, music, exercise, handicrafts, and educational sessions on art and literature. Seniors prepare for citizenship tests and receive support in applying for public benefits. Vida’s Spanish-speaking staff also provide chronic disease management alongside mental health support. At Vida, Friday afternoons end with happy hour, every senior’s birthday is celebrated, and one can always find seniors joyously sharing Latin culture with their neighbors.

WISH LIST: $100: winter clothing for 150 seniors (gloves, boots, & hats); $500: 20 $25 transportation gift cards; $1000:40 $25 gift cards to help with grocery shopping

WCDMV empowers people with disabilities to live independently and with dignity. Its adult clients have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, autism, Down syndrome, invisible disabilities, and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. Many also experience poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and neglect. When they enter the doors of WCDMV’s center, they are greeted warmly and invited to participate in meaningful activities. Each client develops a care plan based on their needs and desires, as well as age, medical stability, psychological status, and cultural diversity. Center staff support them through various social, physical, educational, and recreational activities, engage them in day outings, and administer medical treatment if needed. Outside of the center, WCDMV provides day support in residential communities, building individuals’ social connections and life skills. For WCDMV, every person is valued and deserves care.

WISH LIST: $100: 1 week of arts & crafts supplies for 10 people; $500: 1 month of upkeep for one van; $1000: 1 week of administration & operating cost for Day services

Peer support is critical for people experiencing mental illness: offering each other empathy and validation gives hope to everyone in recovery. Since 1981, NAMI PGC has used its evidence-based model to provide free, quality mental health support to individuals and families in Prince George’s County, where many lack access to health insurance and available providers. Residents of all ages participate in family and recovery support groups, classes, and presentations that improve their coping skills, reduce social stigma, and empower them to advocate for themselves. Special programs for returning citizens aim to reduce the county’s recidivism rate while trainings for community partners and law enforcement ensure that people in mental distress get the help they need when they encounter the police. By creating spaces for community members to connect, NAMI sends a clear message: you are not alone.

WISH LIST: $100: mental health awareness merchandise for 4 community outreach events; $500: 1 virtual monthly support group for 6 months; $1000: 2 eight-week education classes

DC faces complex and compounding mass incarceration issues that disproportionately impact residents of color. SLP provides direct representation and advocacy for those who are eligible to reduce their sentences. Its clients were convicted before the age of 25 and have been incarcerated for more than 15 years in federal prisons across the country because DC is not a state. Building trust over the phone, SLP navigates multiple institutions to advocate for better treatment during incarceration, petitions the court to release them from prison, and offers wraparound support when they return. SLP also trains over 65 teams of pro bono attorneys to provide similar high-quality representation and partners with regional organizers to advocate for continued criminal legal reform. Since its founding in 2020, SLP has saved its clients from serving 1183 years in prison collectively.

WISH LIST: $100: client communication for 3 months; $500: 2 hours of an expert’s time to review a client’s case; $1000: a month of litigation costs for 1 client

More than 80%. That’s how many young people in DC’s juvenile justice system have special education needs. But court-involved students with disabilities rarely receive the education to which they are legally entitled. Instead, without proper support, far too many students are pushed out of school and into the criminal legal system. Determined to change this trajectory, School Justice Project (SJP) champions the rights of these students. SJP is a DC-based special education legal services and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that older, court-involved students with disabilities receive a quality education, both during incarceration and throughout reentry. By integrating special education law into the juvenile and criminal court contexts, SJP works to build racial justice by increasing educational equity and decreasing the use of mass incarceration.

WISH LIST: $100: school-related expenses for 1 student; $500: legal advocacy for 1 special education meeting for 1 student; $1,000: 1 month of reentry case management

Established in the 1970s when the restorative justice movement began, OAR walks alongside individuals returning to the community from incarceration. It offers pre-release workshops so individuals can learn about reentry issues, participate in group psychotherapy, and plan their transitions. After release, OAR assists them with immediate needs (securing identification and accessing cell phones) and provides longer-term coaching and employment support, including gender-responsive therapeutic services for female-identifying individuals. To help more people stay in the community, OAR works with local courts and the Commonwealth Attorney’s office to facilitate community service as an alternative sentencing option and diversion program. In addition, its Racial Justice and Liberation work guides community members through dismantling personal and systemic racism in the criminal legal system. At OAR, liberation means dignity and justice for all.

WISH LIST: $100: ID retrieval to secure housing & employment; $500: up to 3 months of coaching including wrap-around direct services; $1000: 1 month of rent

Since 2016, AsylumWorks has provided nearly 3,000 newcomers seeking humanitarian-based immigration protection with culturally and linguistically appropriate services. AsylumWorks helps newcomers ineligible for government assistance and unable to work for an extended period navigate a system ill-equipped to promote equity and justice. Bilingual, bicultural staff offer free Health & Wellness services so newcomers can address mental, physical, and social health challenges; employment & education services to guide newcomers in finding and retaining jobs; and legal navigation services that ensure newcomers understand their rights and connect with quality legal services. Together, these services empower newcomers across the Greater Washington region to protect and promote their health, access community opportunities, and participate in immigration proceedings. AsylumWorks builds a healthier, more just society for migrants.

WISH LIST: $100: gift card for a family of 4 to purchase culturally appropriate food; $500: transportation to medical appointments; $1000: computers for 3 clients

Many individuals involved in DC’s criminal justice system come from low-income households and faced education, employment, and housing challenges prior to incarceration. Changing Perceptions offers them a comprehensive system of support as they reenter society so they can succeed and thrive. Six months before incarcerated individuals are released, CP’s staff provides mentorship, case management, and advocacy support. Case management continues for a year so that participants connect with the legal, health, and employment resources they need to meet their goals. Additional job training and emergency funding ensure they can pay their bills while securing meaningful employment. Peer mentorship and monthly breakfasts foster connections, allowing clients to journey together. Founded by and for returning citizens, Changing Perceptions welcomes all with a culture of care so they can seize the second chances they deserve.

WISH LIST: $100: a nutritious meal for 10 individuals; $500: transportation to appointments for 1 month for 5 participants; $1000: partial support for 5 office Chromebooks

DCALF serves DC’s “forgotten middle,” residents who are too “wealthy” to qualify for free legal services but cannot afford private representation. Some 93% of this group represent themselves in divorce or custody matters and 97% appear in Probate Court without a lawyer. Whether clients need brief advice or full representation, DCALF ensures that income is never a barrier to legal representation. Supporting domestic violence survivors to obtain custody of their children, guiding immigrants in how to attain status and safety, advocating for Black and Brown families to preserve homeownership–these are just a few examples of the critical work in which DCALF routinely engages. Cultivating the next generation of public interest attorneys, its fellowship program provides recent law school graduates with experience, mentorship, and a competitive salary. DCALF advances economic justice by making the law accessible to all.

WISH LIST: $100: consult for 1 DC resident; $500: pro bono assistance to secure Special Immigrant Juvenile Status for 1 child; $1000: multi-year representation for 1 mother

Whether it’s a dispute with a police officer, neighbor, or classmate, CRCMC is there to broker agreements and avoid violence, lawsuits, and suspensions. Its Landlord-Tenant Mediation Program helps resolve conflict and builds understanding while providing a safe space for complaints and rebuilding community relations – particularly resonant in this year of pain, harm, and unrest. School programs focus on resolving conflict through teacher training, dialogue circles, and mediation; community programs include couples negotiating child custody, Spanish speakers in need of bilingual mediation, and others. Participants are more available for mediation online – an unexpected benefit of our virtual existence – and in more intense cases actually appreciate not facing each other in person. Restoring justice, mending relationships, supporting small businesses, creating safer schools and neighborhoods: this is the kind of healing we need.

WISH LIST: $100: 2 hours of family mediation; $500: 1 Youth Restorative Justice Dialog Circle for 10; $1000: Mediation Training for communities experiencing conflict

Centro Hispano creates life-changing opportunities for the diverse and growing Hispanic and Latinx community in Frederick County, where anti-immigrant sentiment has disconnected many from needed social services. Since 2008, local law enforcement has processed over 1500 Frederick residents for deportation, impacting thousands of families who face increasing racial profiling and stigmatization. Centro Hispano cultivates and strengthens a sense of community, engaging some 10,000 residents annually. Students from 1st grade through high school participate in afterschool STEAM programming while seniors develop relationships and access care three days a week at the Centro offices. Women undergo job skills training to secure better jobs or start their businesses. And everyone can take its free English, citizenship, and computer classes. For 17 years and counting, Centro Hispano empowers residents so they can fully participate in their community.

WISH LIST: $100: supplies for 1 week of Exito programming; $500: printer ink & paper for 6 months; $1000: ESL books & arts & crafts supplies for women’s empowerment program for 1 year

MLOV works with more than 350 immigrant women, youth, and families in DC, fostering deep relationships with them that often span multiple generations. The ongoing housing crisis and inflation have hit this community hard, with many unemployed and unable to access food and other essential resources. Through its wraparound services, families receive assistance to obtain the social services they need. Educational, career, and leadership training build parents’ skills so they can match with job opportunities, while Know Your Rights presentations equip them to negotiate for better workplace conditions. Some 140 refugee and immigrant youth co-create the afterschool and summer programming they want to engage in. In addition to championing language access through coalition work, MLOV also empowers community members to advocate for issues that impact them and lead the change they want to see.

WISH LIST: $100: 1 legal consultation on immigration; $600: 1 years supply of diapers & baby wipes; $1000: a computer & workplace skills training for 1 person

Most refugee families encounter tremendous language, economic, and cultural challenges upon arrival in the US. During this vulnerable and often isolating time, SHC facilitates meaningful connections between newcomers and longtime residents while introducing them to the community resources they need. Many of its clients are mothers with little to no formal education whose caregiving responsibilities prevent them from participating in traditional programs for newcomers. SHC tailors its Welcome Workshops so their accompanying children can attend preschool in the same space. Clients continue to learn English in online classes alongside their children. Staff work with each family to advance their goals inside and outside of the classroom, helping them access citizenship preparation, housing, legal services, and other resources. Welcoming hundreds of newcomers into a warm community annually, SHC gives them the confidence to thrive.

WISH LIST: $100: 1.5 hours of one-on-one tutoring support for SHC Adult Citizenship; $500: 2 months of skills training for SHC newcomer employees; $1000: classroom space for 1 month

Over one in ten Washingtonians is Latino, and the majority of these are immigrants; up to 80% of them need legal services, unaffordable for many with limited English skills, unstable housing, and low wages. CARECEN provides them with low- and no-cost direct services, helping them reunite their families, defend against deportation, gain permanent residency, and attain citizenship. Citizenship classes are paired with English language and interpretation support to thoroughly equip individuals, while election forums and voter registration campaigns encourage their full civic participation. Housing counseling and tenant rights workshops give community members vital financial literacy tools to prevent their displacement. At public hearings CARECEN advocates for immigrants’ rights, ensuring its community is protected against discrimination. Each year, CARECEN ensures over 1,000 immigrants can thrive across our community.

WISH LIST: $100: citizenship class & materials for 1 student; $500: study materials for 50 citizenship class students; $1000: family petition to legally bring relatives into the US

Nationwide, 85% of adults with intellectual and developmental differences (I/DD) are not employed. For almost three decades on its organic farm, Red Wiggler has provided this historically under-valued and under-served population meaningful work as growers. Each is paired with a mentor and experiences every aspect of farming and distribution, earning fair wages and receiving regular support. Alongside youth volunteers with and without I/DD, they tend to 200+ plant varieties, learning about and growing healthy food together. In addition, Red Wiggler’s educational experiences for the public promote environmental stewardship while a Community Supported Agriculture program ensures that half of all vegetables harvested are distributed to food banks, community organizations, and neighbors with low incomes. At Red Wiggler, preventing food waste and addressing hunger go hand-in-hand with cultivating sustainable farming practices and the leadership of neurodivergent individuals.

WISH LIST: $100: adaptive gardening tools for staff & volunteers; $500: continuing education & training for staff & volunteers; $1000: 2 weekly share of fresh produce to 60 families

CareerCatchers provides the region’s most vulnerable residents with individualized job counseling so they can move out of poverty and into fulfilling careers. Many of its un- and under-employed clients also experience homelessness, have disabilities, were previously incarcerated, or are domestic violence survivors. Trained career coaches meet them where they are, working with each client one-on-one to create an individualized employment plan. Clients set career and education goals, map their existing skills, and identify barriers. CC then guides them in creating a resume, applying for the free or accessible training they need, and connecting with potential employers. Community volunteers assist clients with job applications and check in regularly to offer additional support. In just one year, this full suite of services helps over 200 clients obtain jobs, adding $7.9 million to the economy.

WISH LIST: $100: first meeting with a client; $500: employment preparation and plan for 1 client; $1000: empower a client to mitigate employment barriers & negotiate a job offer

Since 2003, Street Sense Media has been changing the story of homelessness – literally. Its biweekly newspaper features articles and creative writing about poverty and injustice, authored by homeless and formerly homeless individuals (as well as staff and journalists-in-training), who earn an average of $780 per month selling the newspaper in their communities. At the Media Center, 130 men and women experiencing homelessness participate in free weekly workshops in writing, theater, photography, and more. Through a model of increasing responsibility and rigor, participants work toward gainful employment while also building key life skills: setting goals, managing relationships, and making goal-based decisions. On-site case managers expedite pathways towards housing and healthcare – and help pave the way toward self-sufficiency. Staff and volunteers view participants not as beneficiaries, but as talented, hard-working colleagues whose voices should be heard.

WISH LIST: $100: food for a monthly vendor meeting; $500: new branded visibility vests for 50 vendors; $1000: professional development conference for 1 staff member

Conflict resolution skills are essential for navigating everyday encounters with landlords, employers, and others, but many historically marginalized people who have experienced trauma lack access to such skill-building resources. Negotiation Works partners with community organizations to provide custom courses for their clients who are returning from incarceration, experiencing homelessness, living in domestic violence shelters, or recovering from substance abuse. During sessions, participants role-play scenarios familiar with their lived experiences practicing active listening, effective communication, and other strategies. Course graduates become ambassadors, meeting regularly to continue mutual problem-solving. Partners also take part in professional development workshops so they have the tools to better advocate on their clients’ behalf. Improved relationships, employment, and housing situations cumulate impact, one positive interaction at a time.

WISH LIST: $100: 3 classes for 1 woman on navigating the housing agency; $500: 6 classes for 1 on negotiating custody & visitation arrangements; $1000: 8-session employment course

Landfills are the largest local source of methane (and pollution) in Prince George’s County where, simultaneously, many residents lack access to the affordable materials that crowd those landfills. So Community Forklift diverts over 170,000 refrigerators, power tools, lumber, and other landfill-bound items into the local “re-use” economy every year, ensuring that residents, small businesses, and nonprofits can acquire them at low- or no cost. Its model does more than eliminate waste. It allows community members to create assets out of these materials – residents repair their homes; organizations reduce their costs; and artisans hone their craft. Having donated more than $1 million worth of materials since 2011, Community Forklift also offers good jobs to returning citizens and those facing employment barriers, all while furthering the local green economy.

WISH LIST: $100: 1 refurbished air conditioner for 1 family; $300: 5 pairs of steel-toed boots; $1000: 1 month of community programming on reuse, home repair, & sustainability

LAR began as a group of incarcerated Black mothers working together to build a self-determined life after release. Staff, who have all been impacted by incarceration, collaborate with directly impacted community members to break the cycle of policing, supervision, and incarceration. Individuals and families learn to navigate the criminal justice system through skills training, expungement clinics, and legal support. Family retreats, support groups, therapy, and healing spaces ensure that families rebuild strong bonds after a traumatic experience. Formerly incarcerated women participate in job coaching and workforce development training, as well as an 8-week cohort where they practice self-love in a safe community. Pre-trial, LAR also offers women alternatives to incarceration through an education-based diversion program. More than a service provider, LAR empowers some 500 Black and brown individuals annually to advocate for abolishing systemic inequities.

WISH LIST: $100: 1 week of the Justice and Liberation Institute for 1 person; $500: 1 week of workforce development classes for 5 people; $1000: 1 week of civic education classes for 10

For more than three decades, SCC has been a place of refuge for families of color in the increasingly gentrified Shaw neighborhood and is currently its sole community-based provider of out-of-school-time programs. Throughout the year, 150 children in grades K-12 engage after school and during summer camps. Individual reading, math, and literacy instruction, as well as science project assistance, strengthens students’ academic skills at their own pace. Youth collaborate in small group STEAM projects and arts enrichment, learning to code and design webpages, training as film and production interns, and designing fashion apparel to sell at local markets. Community members of color serve as mentors and offer youth apprenticeships and jobs. SCC’s emphasis on positive role models, social-emotional learning, and arts-based education ensures that youth feel culturally connected and empowered to transition into the workforce.

WISH LIST: $500: art & school supplies for 1 youth for 1 month; $1000: 6 hours of small group programming for 20 youth; $1200: food for a family of four for 1 month