|
Next Volunteer Training Dates:
March 13th or April 10th
6:00-8:30 p.m.
St. Stephen's Church
1525 Newton Street, NW
Email Kelli to RSVP |
|
PLAYTIME IS HIRING!
Full and Part-time positions - Consider joining our fabulous team and help us spread the word!
Interested individuals should submit a cover letter, resume and writing sample to
Lana
|
Volunteer of the Month:
Megan Thompson
Megan is a true Playtime Project superhero! Though her job as a legislative assistant for Senator Dianne Feinstein keeps Megan quite busy, she always has time to go above and beyond for Playtime each week. Megan's empathy and patience stand out; she makes an effort to get to know and understand the kids and is often able to identify special needs that individual youth have (which she then helps to fill!) Most Thursday nights, you will find her staying late after Playtime to help organize the playroom, and Megan also coordinates birthday gifts and move-out packs for the kids.
As if that weren't enough, Megan and her husband Chris organize fundraising events that help fund all sorts of extras for Playtime - it was Megan's fundraising efforts that allowed our kids to go on the awesome trip to Luray Caverns that they took last year. And of course, Megan brings extra joy to Playtime when she and Chris bring in their pet tortoise, Senator, for the kids to play with!
Thank you, Megan, for nearly 3 years of dedication to Playtime!
Look out for our Volunteer of the Month feature in 2013!
|
|
|
Calling all Spring Party Planners for March!
Do you know a group that can host an Springtime/Easter party for Playtime? Connect us with them!! We need party planners! |
|
Playtime Volunteers and youth showed their love and appreciation for one another during some fun-filled Valentine's Day celebrations this year!
Teen Night volunteers spent hours making treats and handmade valentines for the youth. The heart-shaped cards filled with praise for individual talents, contagious smiles or hard work brought smiles out of even the toughest guys!
Playtime youth were so grateful for donor Chelsea Thorne who gave each of our children a box of valentines to hand out to their classes on Valentine's Day.  Thank you for the love!
|
|
Playtime is out of this world! Take off with us for a recap of February's Play Curriculum!
In February, our playrooms became mission control for volunteers as they launched children into a world of learning about outer space! Children at Playtime got creative with socks, clay, pom-poms and more in making their own space creatures and UFOs! From naming and counting the planets to learning new vocabulary, we have discovered some astronauts in the making in our playrooms!
As icing on the cake, for Valentine's Day, the children at DC General met a real NASA astronaut! Leland Melvin flew two missions on Space Shuttle
Atlantis before landing in our playrooms. Whether for his service to NASA or his professional football career, we know the many of the children in attendance found a role model in Leland!
 
In February, teens at DC General held their own private career fair! Members of the community including a police officer, fireman, and graphic design artist volunteered their time to speak to our teens about their dreams and career plans. Having applied to summer jobs, a few of our teens will be interviewing for jobs in the early April! Help them prepare by purchasing or donating a teen an interview outfit so they can dress for success during their interview and beyond! Check out their needs below:
Mike
- Men's size 11.5 dress shoes
- 34/32 dress pants
- Medium dress shirt (13.5 in neck - 23 in arms)
William
- Men's size 11-11.5 dress shoes
- 32/34 dress pants
- Large dress shirt (14.5 in neck - 21 in arms)
India
- Women's size 6 dress pants
- Junior's size 12-14 khaki uniform pants
- Women's medium dress shirt
Heaven
- Junior's size 10 khaki pants
- Junior's size large polo
Camren
- Men's size 9-9.5 black dress shoes
If you can fill any of these needs, please contact Kelli ASAP so the teens will be ready in time!
|
|
A Warm Welcome to Spring and Playtime's Advocacy season!
Advocacy season kicked off with a bang this year with at least seven publications about HCPP, DC General, and the families we serve in the media thanks to our outreach! The response was incredible and we are thrilled to see so many concerned DC residents step up to protect the District's families who experience homelessness.
 | |
Photo courtesy of Petula Dvorak/The Washington Post
|
We also had the privilege to support families who's testimonies at DC General indicated their need for affordable housing, child care, and stronger programs to prevent homelessness in the first place.
Since our families don't have lobbyists to protect them, we need your voice! The Mayor is crafting his budget right now! Volunteers are feverishly writing emails and making calls to him asking him to ensure that some of DC's most vulnerable families remain a priority. Will you join our call to action?
Want to help by making a phone call or sending a quick email? Simply em ail Kelli to join our advocacy list!
|
Help us make hundreds of birthdays special this year for children experiencing homelessness!
In order to maintain our program with the growing need, our budget is increasing by 25% in 2013
Help us by:
|
Read with Us! The Playtime Project Book Club
The inaugural book club discussion of
Fist Stick Knife Gun was a huge success! We had a wonderful discussion of the book's message and it's implications to our work over appetizers and drinks!
Our next read will be
by Paul Tough.Discussion will take place at the Getaway on a date TBD in April.
All Playtime volunteers and friends of Playtime Project are invited to attend! Get the book today!
|
|
HCPP Board of Directors: Kirsten Lodal * Robert Edwards * David Graling * Jamila Larson * Dr. Geoffrey MountVarner
* Patricia Mullahy-Fugere * Jan Piercy
|
|
