There's Still Time: Be A Do-Gooder

Originally uploaded to flickr by gin soak.

The year is winding down, but there’s still time to squeeze in a few more good deeds for 2010.  If you’re thinking about making some year-end charitable contributions, don’t forget the great organizations right here in our neighborhood.  Small contributions make a big difference to these groups.

This list is by no means exhaustive, its just meant to give you some suggestions and maybe trigger some ideas of your own so feel free to share any additional suggestions.  Please also remember to only give to credible, reputable organizations.  Sadly, there are far too many scams out there.  Good third party resources for researching charitable organizations are Guidestar and Charity Navigator (which seems to be better for larger charities).

A good place to start is with the Capitol Hill Community Foundation.  You may already know them for the Literary Feast in the fall, but this organization does much more than dinners.  Since they were founded in 1989, they’ve raised and granted $6.2 million to various community organizations.  Plus, 100% of dollars raised go to programs, none to administrative overhead.

We are an artistic neighborhood, too.  With organizations like the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, Theater Alliance, and Atlas Performing Arts Center you too can be artsy, whether or not you can act, dance or draw.  You can also contribute directly to theaters like the H Street Playhouse or Folger Theater and maybe they’ll put your name on one of those fancy walls.

If you are thinking extra local this season, maybe you want to explore something that can impact your block.  Many neighborhood associations are 501(c)(3) non-profits.  Rosedale Citizens’ Alliance — which they tell me would most likely use donations to help improve programs at the Community Center, particularly those for neighborhood youth —  and Stanton Park Neighborhood Association are a couple of examples.  If somebody drops off a newsletter or manages a community association blog that focuses on your corner of the Hill, chances are they’re set up to accept donations that will go right back into your part of the neighborhood. We also have one well-known virtual neighborhood:  Capitol Hill Village.  Recognized by NPR in the spring, CHV provides services that help our neighbors age in place.

Hidden behind our homes, in the labyrinthine alleys that connect our backyards, are several community gardens as well.  If you’re a member, or aspiring member, of a garden consider being generous with them as the year closes.  Donations to gardens like King’s Court, the 13th Street Community Park and Garden, or Kingman Park – Rosedale Community Garden can help support learning partnerships and improve aesthetics.

Religious organizations are often a charitable focus this time of year.  Certainly your local church is good place for donations, but if you’re looking for something with a broader reach, Capitol Hill Group Ministry is an interfaith organization providing a variety of services in the local community.  From regular programs for families and housing support to crisis services for food and shelter, CHGM seeks to support the spiritual and social needs of Capitol Hill and Ward 6.

There are also our local libraries, where you can contribute to the DC Public Library Foundation or join and contribute to a Friends of the Library group (both Northeast and Southeast have one).  And don’t forget the schools.  Most PTAs can accept contributions, while many private and charter schools, like Two Rivers Public Charter School, accept donations too.

Now, go be a do-gooder.

Sharee Lawler serves as treasurer on the board of the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop.