The Mayor's Community Service Awards (MCSAs) are an annual opportunity to recognize and reward extraordinary District residents who use service to make a significant, positive impact in our community. 2012 categories include: Community Service; National Service, Emergency Preparedness & Public Safety; Education; Youth; and HIV/AIDS Advocacy. 

Nominees must be DC residents and applicable volunteer activities must have taken place in DC within the past year. Visit Serve DC's website to learn more or complete an online nomination form. Please contact Clarence Fluker for further information.

In partnership with the Mayor's Office on GLBT Affairs and the DC Office on Women's Policy and Initiatives, Serve DC will honor World AIDS Day in the District with its second annual World AIDS Day DC Government Food Drive, which offers District Government employees a meaningful way to support neighbors in need and raise awareness for HIV/AIDS in our community.The 2012 World AIDS Day Food Drive kicks off on Friday, November 16th and runs through December 1st.

Donations benefit Food & Friends, a District-based nonprofit that provides free, home-delivered meals, groceries and nutrition counseling to people in the DC Metro area living with HIV/AIDS. Drop-off locations will be set up at DC Government buildings citywide and all employees are encouraged to participate.

If you are a DC Government employee, learn more about how you can get involved in Serve DC's Second Annual DC Government World AIDS Day Food Drive.

Serve DC announces the availability of AmeriCorps State Competitive funding for Fiscal Year 2013-2014 to eligible organizations. Subject to the availability of appropriations for Fiscal Year 2013 and release of Application Instructions by the  Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), new applicants with high-quality proposals will compete nationally with other State and National programs for Competitive funds made available through Serve DC and CNCS. 

Interested applicants must attend and RSVP for an assistance session. The next and final session is Monday, November 5, 2012. Please visit Serve DC online to learn more or download the 2013 AmeriCorps State Competitive NOFA. Contact Sarah Sarah Watkins via email or call (202) 727-7937 to RSVP.

Higher Achievement's rigorous after-school and summer academic program gives youth from at-risk communities their best opportunity to succeed in middle school and in life. Higher Achievement DC Metro has served more than 10,000 middle school youth in the Washington, DC area since 1975, helping them achieve success in school and beyond. The organization's strong record attracted national attention in recent years, resulting in investments that launched a national expansion beginning in Baltimore, MD in 2009 and Richmond, VA in 2011.

Higher Achievement DC Metro, held after school and during the summer, operates in six achievement centers in Wards 1, 4, 6, 7, 8 and Alexandria, VA. The program culminates with placement in the area's top high schools, including The Sidwell Friends School, Gonzaga College High School, Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, and The School Without Walls.

The secret to Higher Achievement's success? Higher Achievement produces results because of the commitment and enthusiasm of its volunteer mentors. Their mentors serve as role models who build a rich community that exposes Higher Achievement scholars to new perspectives and many forms of support. In turn, mentors are rewarded by making a dramatic impact on the lives of young people. Learn more about volunteer opportunities with Higher Achievement DC Metro.  

Higher Achievement: Closing the Opportunity Gap for Middle School Youth