Playtime Delivers Joy!  

Volunteers throw holiday parties and donors provide over 300 gifts!

In the week leading up to the winter holidays, volunteers banded together to create wonderful holiday memories for about 200 children living in shelters!

Thanks to everyone's contributions:

- Donors from the Howard University Emergency Department, employees from the U.S. Capitol Police, Bath & Body works, and volunteers' workplaces fulfilled the wishlists of more than 200 children, giving bikes, books, clothes and toys that children wished for! 

- Families at Park Road celebrated together with neighborhood volunteers; the party even had a special visit from Santa Claus and a Christmas tree raffle!

- Children at DC General got to select presents for their parents from the "Parent Gift Shop" thanks to Claire, 

- Festive holiday games, sparkly crafts and ornaments and delicious holiday cookies came to our eight programs so families could make special holiday memories.

Thanks to everyone who made the holiday celebrations and gift delivery possible!

Upcoming Clothing Drive for Families living at DC General 
 

This winter, hundreds of families are moving into DC General, and we hear story after story of children with only one change of clothing. In February, volunteers from DC General will be organizing a clothing distribution for families! 

If you have clothing to donate, please plan to deliver items to DC General (1900 Mass. Ave. SE) on Tuesday, February 8 between 6:30-9:30 or February 10 from 6:30-8:30. Please email lana.hcpp@gmail.com to notify us! 

CLOTHING ITEMS NEEDED:

Seasonally appropriate, stylish clothing for infants through adults. Please NO HOLES, STAINS, RIPS, MISSING BUTTONS, BROKEN ZIPPERS; ONLY CLOTHES THAT ARE GENTLY USED OR NEW. No accessories, please.

We especially need coats, NEW socks and underwear, laundry bags, and shopping bags for parents to fill with clothing as they "shop." Thank you for spreading the word! 

ADVOCACY UPDATE

Play Matters! And It's Disappearing...

 This recent article in the New York Times highlights the importance of play, and how it's vanishing from schools.

"[S]cientists, psychologists, educators and others who are part of the play movement say that most of the social and intellectual skills one needs to succeed in life and work are first developed through childhood play".  

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/06/garden/06play.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&hp

We are now a CFC Charity! Our CFC number is #92397

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!

Take the sting out of homelessness with playdough, balls and blocks! Volunteers are needed for the following programs:

DC General (near Capitol Hill) Tuesdays or Thursdays 6:30-8:30

NCFN (near Gallery Place)

Mondays 6:30-8:30

DASH (near R.I. Ave. metro)

Saturdays 11:00-1:00

Turning Point (Col. Heights)

Thursdays 6:15-8:30

Please visit our website for more information and email Lana to come to our next training on Feb. 3!

Have fun after work, and make a difference for children in DC shelters!