{Updated December 4, 2020 – We have added additional needs & resources to the alphabetized list below}
Neighbors and Friends –
These are uncertain times. Many of us have not experienced a public health crisis quite like this before. While the quick spread of the coronavirus is anxiety provoking for all of us, for some in our community, the situation is dire.
We have heard from some of our Grantee Partners and area nonprofits that they are having trouble maintaining supplies of items to keep their offices safe for their clients, who rely on their critical services. We encourage you to review the lists below and consider donating an extra bar of soap or bottle of cleaning solution that you may have at your house or buy at the store this weekend.
The examples below are only a few of hundreds of organizations across the region that provide critical services to our community. We encourage you to reach out to other non-profits and community groups with whom you may already have a relationship to inquire about their needs as well.
Let’s all work together to ensure our neighbors have the resources they need to stay healthy and safe during these uncertain times.
Sincerely,
Martine Sadarangani Gordon
Vice President of Programs
- Scholarships funds to equip residents for new post COVID jobs
- Hygiene items for families in need
Point of contact:
- Employment reduction or loss due to COVID-19
- New immediate need for childcare; therefore, not able to go to work
- Personal illness or need to self-quarantine
- Other needs as assessed by Resident Services staff and as the crisis evolves
Immediate priorities include food, toiletries/diapers/formula, medication, emergency supplies, and transportation (bus/shuttle/Lyft/Uber fare or gas money). The health and safety of both residents and staff is paramount.
Items requested:
- Food
- Essential toiletries such as diapers, feminine products, body wash, and baby products
- Essential household items such as toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, and cleaning supplies
- Medical supplies such as prescriptions, gloves, incontinence supplies, and wound care
Ayuda provides legal, social, and language services to help vulnerable immigrants in our neighborhoods access justice and transform their lives. Since 1973, we have served more than 100,000 low-income immigrants throughout Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia.
Ayuda has created a COVID-19 Relief Fund to support the immigrant community who are low-income and in need of assistance.
Learn more and donate here: https://www.classy.org/
The Black Swan Academy (BSA) a non-profit organization in the District of Columbia that concentrates its efforts on empowering Black youth through Civic Leadership and Engagement.
In recognition that the closing of District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and the reduction of hours for waged workers may add an additional burden on young people and their families, BSA will be providing support in the following ways:
Please drop off any of the following supplies during those times (If you need them to pick up supplies, please contact Samantha Davis at sdavis@blackswanacademy.org):
- Soap (bar or liquid)
- Hand sanitizer (to the extent you can find it)
- Gloves
- Disinfecting wipes or sprays
- Lotion
- Toilet paper
- Non perishable food items
- Paper bags
Beginning April 1st, they will do a food and toiletries drive, you can contact Kaya Lowery, to arrange pick up/ drop off. klowery@blackswanacademy.org
Bright Beginnings provides complete, wraparound services to children birth to five and their families experiencing homelessness or housing instability. BBI offers early childhood education, family services, home-based services, therapeutic services, health & wellness services and workforce development services in a comprehensive two-generation approach.
Need: Bright Beginnings needs support in providing every one of their children and their families with a holiday season filled with dignity and hope. You can support BBI by giving through their Amazon Holiday Wish List: https://a.co/1JowGyT
Point of contact:
Toyeka Milam
tmilam@bbidc.org
202-515-6931
The Capital Area Food Bank leads our region’s efforts to provide good, healthy food to people struggling with hunger and food insecurity. Each year, we source and distribute the food for over 30 million meals.
For members of the public who wish to provide support, they are experiencing a shortage of volunteers, and are in critical need of help sorting and packing food in their warehouse and assisting at their offsite food distributions. To learn more and sign up, visit volunteer.capitalareafoodbank.org.
- Antiseptic gel by the gallon
- Disposable face masks
- Disinfecting wipes
- Latex gloves
- Bottled water
- Grocery gift cards for women in our permanent supportive housing
- Donated meals for women in our transitional congregate housing
- A grant/stipend for teacher who continues to teach and is unemployed
Community Bridges empowers girls from diverse backgrounds to become exceptional students, positive leaders, and healthy young women. We do so by addressing the developmental needs of immigrant and minority girls and their families living at or below the federal poverty level in Montgomery County, Maryland.
The organization is in need of:
- Grocery gift cards
- Cloth masks
- Diapers
Point of contact:
Shannon Babe-Thomas
sbabethomas@communitybridges-md.org
301-512-4622
The District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH) is the largest provider of safe housing and services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence and children in the DC area.
Their doors remain open as they are still working to provide emergency safe housing, support, and services during this crisis.
Your gift today helps ensure that DASH’s critically needed services continue as the demand increases and the long-term effects of this crisis takes its toll on families to rebuild their lives.
The organization is in need of:
- Hand Sanitizer
- Disinfecting Wipes and Sprays
- Hand Soap
- Grocery Gift Cards (Giant, Trader Joe’s, Harris Teeter)
- Baby formula
Items can be purchased and shipped directly to DASH though its Target Charity Wish List.
Point of contact:
Jessy Murgel
jmurgel@dashdc.org
The DC Rape Crisis Center is a non-profit organization (501(c)(3)) and the designated sexual assault coalition for the District of Columbia. DCRCC is the oldest and the first rape crisis center in the country, and the only rape crisis center in the District of Columbia that has spent the past 46 years listening to the stories of survivors of sexual assault. In our 46th year, we are working to empower a culture of consent.
The organization is in need of:
- Cleaning supplies
- Facial tissue
- Hand sanitizer
- Bottled water
- First aid kits
- Disinfecting wipes
FAIR Girls provides crisis intervention, specialized housing, and holistic and compassionate care to survivors of human trafficking. FAIR Girls is located in Washington, D.C. but serves girls and young women trafficking survivors from across the DMV.
During the COVID-19 crisis, we have expanded our Vida Home hours to 24/7 — requiring an additional 45 hours of staff coverage per week, and increased groceries and cleaning supplies — to ensure that the survivors we serve have a safe, stable and healthy home they can count on during this crisis. While we are unfortunately not able to accept new clients during this time, FAIR Girls continues to provide information and crisis intervention, via our 24/7 hotline (855-900-3247), to law enforcement, government agencies, community service partners and survivors who need our assistance in this unprecedented time.
We need the following supplies at the Vida Home, and vital financial help to continue to provide lifesaving services during the COVID-19 crisis:
- Toilet paper and Paper towels
- Cleaning supplies
- Soap
- Canned and non-perishable goods
- Hand sanitizer
- Buy food and toiletries for the families and individuals we serve. Many people cannot get out to buy groceries and other items. Friendship Place staff have begun ordering items to be delivered to participants, but this need only grows.
- Continue and expand our street outreach activities. Friendship Place staff are still going out to meet with those in homeless camps, and we need tools to keep those in the camps safe.
- Prepare for an influx of people who have lost their homes and their jobs. We need to prepare all our programs to serve the surge of participants we will see in the wake of this crisis.
Donate to Friendship Place and their efforts on their website.
klowy@friendshipplace.org
Susanne Nyaga
- Grocery, restaurant, or Visa gift cards to provide to our families
- Virtual gift cards are preferable
caroline@
- Workforce grant assistance for citizenship application fees,
- Food insecurity,
- Housing emergency assistance, and
- Tuition assistance.
Valerie Burke
Greater DC Diaper Bank empowers families and individuals in need throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia by providing an adequate and reliable source for basic baby needs and personal hygiene products.
“We are looking for 10,000 people who can give at least $12 to help us purchase 1,500,000 diapers to meet the needs of families right now.
We know that many things are scary and uncertain right now. But what’s NOT uncertain is the fact that we need each other right now, more than ever. Our families, friends, and neighbors need us and you answer that need by joining our army of doers and donors!
Our reality at Greater DC Diaper Bank changes, literally hour by hour, BUT we remain committed to supporting families in need with critical resources, especially now, and what we know is that things will get tougher as this crisis unfolds.”
You can help by giving what you can on their website.
Healthy Babies Project is a private, not-for-profit, community-based support organization for District of Columbia pregnant and parenting women and families.
The organization is in need of:
- Hand sanitizer
- Germicidal wipes
- Water bottles
- Non-perishable foods
- Hand soap (Liquid)
Point of contact:
Regine Elie
relie@healthybabiesproject.org
House of Ruth empowers women, children and families to rebuild their lives and heal from trauma, abuse and homelessness.
The organization is in need of:
- Sanitizing wipes
- Hand sanitizer
- Bleach
- Bars of soap
Each year, Identity assists more than 3,000 in-school and out-of-school youth and their families who live in high-poverty areas of Montgomery County and who are most at-risk for poor academic and economic life outcomes.
The organization is in need of:
- Hand sanitizer
- Disinfecting wipes
- Disinfecting spray cleaner
- GROCERY STORE GIFT CARDS Because many of our client families are not in traditional salaried jobs, their lives and livelihoods will continue to be disrupted. In addition, the nutritious meals served at school that augment many of their children’s food supply are temporarily unavailable. Donated grocery store gift cards (we suggest in denominations of $25-$50) would have an immediate and welcome impact. Gift cards can be mailed to Identity, 414 E. Diamond Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20877
- DIRECT DONATIONS TO IDENTITY’S LIFT FUND which provides short-term financial relief to Identity clients facing truly extraordinary crises or hardship. It was created last year in honor of Identity Co-Founder Candace Kattar to ensure her legacy of never giving up on any young person in need. To contribute to this Fund, please visit this link.
- Remote learning actually increases the need for supplies at a time when families are struggling. Your support during our Back-to-Learning Supply Drive will help fill age appropriate backpacks with school supplies from pens, binders and calculators to noise-cancelling earphones that block out distractions in crowded homes. Help us help up to 1,000 Latino and other historically underserved youth start the school year prepared and excited to learn. Each backpack filled with the supplies needed will cost about $100. To contribute to this fund, please write BACK TO LEARNING in the Additional Comments box on the donation form.
- Emergency rental assistance;
- Assistance for utility bills;
- Childcare funding;
- Temporary grocery assistance;
- LSSNCA administrative funding and most critical needs.
Shelby Kruczek
- Grocery store gift cards
- Canned vegetables
- Canned tuna and chicken
- Dry goods (rice, pasta, beans)
- Pasta sauce and tomato sauce
- Cleaning supplies
- Bar and liquid soap
- Personal hygiene items (lotion, body wash, toothpaste)
- General donations for emergency family needs
“At Martha’s Table, we remain deeply committed to protecting the health, safety, and well-being of our community. Throughout this difficult time, we are doubling down on our mission to support strong children, strong families, and strong communities. As we continue to stand alongside our community, we will roll out an unprecedented level of support.
- Survivors of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and other crimes are requesting additional support from our Survivor Support Fund, and we need additional resources to provide that. For example, we are seeing requests for food donations.
- We also would like to pay our Advocates hazard pay (time and a half). Our advocates are still responding to Washington Hospital Center 24/7 to provide crisis advocacy for sexual assault survivors seeking forensic exams. Our funders are not able to approve hazard pay, so we would like to provide this to advocates, but estimate it would cost us an additional $145.20 per 12 hours of response to survivors at the hospital.
Northern Virginia Family Service’s (NVFS) breadth, depth and scope of services offer the resources and support to ensure that everyone in need, at every stage of life, maximizes their potential and fully contributes to a thriving community.How you can help a family prepare:
Donate Food, Goods, Grocery Gift Cards, or Funds
Make a donation through their website.
Drop-Off Location: NVFS SERVE Campus, 10056 Dean Dr, Manassas, VA 20110
To minimize person to person contact, please consider mailing donations to: NVFS Headquarters, 10455 White Granite Drive #100, Oakton, VA 22124
Most-Needed Items:
- Diapers
- Shelf-stable canned goods
- Hand sanitizer
- Household Cleaning supplies (Clorox wipes, Lysol, rubbing alcohol)
- Antibacterial soap
- Grocery Gift Cards
You can also purchase items through their Amazon Wish List. On the shipping address page, select NVFS HQ—this will ship it to their Oakton office. On the gift message, please include your name & address so they can properly acknowledge your generous donation.
- Hand sanitizer
Unity Health Care provides life saving health care for over 104,000 men, women and children in DC every year. Over 10% of COVID-19 patients are cared for by their incredible health heroes. You can help them save lives by donating here.
Point of contact:
Andrea White
202-465-6134
awhite@unityhealthcare.org
- Women’s cosmetics
- Food
- Women’s clothing – for victims of domestic violence at Freddi House emergency shelter
Point of contact:
- Technology needs, such as wifi-hotspots and Chromebooks
- School supplies, such as materials for independent work activities
- Food assistance, since many students relied on National School Lunch Program meals served at school
Additionally, families impacted by COVID-19 have needed cash assistance for a variety of basic needs such as health-related expenses, transportation, childcare, household supplies, and more. WSG has a limited family emergency fund for such needs, but anticipates a significant increase in requests for assistance once utilities and landlords restart fee collection.
Point of contact:
Point of contact:
- Monetary donations and volunteers
- Donations of new and gently used clothing and accessories
- Diapers and baby wipes
- New and unopened toys and gifts for their Holiday Gift for Kids event
Founded in 1905, YWCA National Capital Area dismantles barriers faced by women, girls, and people of color as they work to develop and sustain healthy lives. Women and girls come to us in times of transition for job training and career counseling. They come for mission-based skill building programs for their families. They come in times of crisis as survivors of rape or domestic violence.
The organization is in need of:
- Non-perishable items, canned goods of all kinds, some meat products
- Personal care items (soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes)
- Masks and gloves
YWCA National Capital Area is taking donations of grocery items as well as monetary donations.
Bread for the City is an award-winning front line agency serving Washington’s poor. They operate two Centers in the District of Columbia and provide direct services to low-income residents of Washington, DC. All of their services are free. Their mission is to provide comprehensive services, including food, clothing, medical care, legal and social services to low-income Washington, DC residents in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.- They have organized a food sign-up form in order to add those who are experiencing need in the District to their food distribution list. Call 202-265-2400 or click the link above to have a bag of groceries delivered.
- ¡Haga clic aquí para registrarse en línea para la entrega de comestibles! Las cosas son difíciles para muchos en este momento. Estamos contentos de compartir lo que tenemos. Llame 202-265-2400 o haga clic en el enlace arriba para recibir una bolsa de compras el lunes 27 de abril o más tarde.
Food: Food and meal distribution — including St. Maria’s Meals, the Southern Maryland Food Bank, food pantries and the SHARE Food Network — continues with safety protocols such as curb-side pickup in place. Because schools are closed and senior centers are limiting contact, the distribution of snack saks and senior saks has been suspended.
Shelters: Five low-barrier shelters operated by Catholic Charities on behalf of the District of Columbia are open 24 hours. Those seeking access to shelters are being screened by health-related questions, with 1,200 clients processed so far in the District and at a transitional housing facility in Rockville, Md.
Additionally, our medical clinics remain open to act as a frontline filter to alleviate stress on hospitals!
Health care: Our medical clinics continue to be open, some with limited hours. Patients are being screened before arrival. We are not accepting walk-ins or new appointments. Telemedicine appointments are offered for sick patients. Health Care Network services as they are available are being done remotely, and many behavioral health services are being done remotely.
Find out more on their website!
Concentric Private Wealth is providing a variety of support to our clients and the larger community to help people have an outlet so that we can stay centered and thrive during these uncertain times.
Check out a brief description of each weekly session below:
PARENTS: Mindful Parenting in Times of High Stress with Francine Ronis, LPC
Parents, this one’s for you – a special opportunity to connect with a behavioral therapist in a group discussion to help navigate the difficult conversations of today as a family. Every Monday at 11:00 ET, you can join these enlightening discussions to help ease your mind and offer a sensible perspective. Date and registration details will follow soon.
ADULTS: Meditation led by Yogi Marni Sclaroff
Start your day with our weekly meditative Zoom-cast. It will be both calming and centering – a short, 15-minute escape from the headlines and negativity that will help you cope with the events of the day, and stay connected. Please join us for this live stream every Tuesday at 7AM ET and 11AM ET
OPEN TO ALL: Growth IGNITED with Katherine Liola
And finally, twice a week please don’t miss our live storytelling podcast where Katherine interviews people from various backgrounds and careers (including an Olympian, multiple Emmy winner and physician) to hear about their personal journeys of growth, and how they arrived where they are today. Their stories will lift and inspire you. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:00 ET.
TEENS: Resilience Building in Uncertain Times with Corinne Coppola, M.A.
Our upcoming live streaming Zoom-cast for middle-schoolers, and our live-streaming Zoom-cast for high-schoolers. These warm, meditative sessions will help ease the mind and promote self-confidence and a more positive, hopeful tone while adding valuable perspective.
2:00 ET – Middle School Students
2:30 ET – High School Students
TEENS and COLLEGE STUDENTS: Financial Bootcamp with the Concentric Team
Check out our MoneySmartSeries for teenagers and young adults, look for Office Hours with the Concentric Team – a candid forum for answering common questions and offering tips for high-schoolers and college students. Our MoneySmart series has become a favorite among students and we’ll be announcing our weekly schedule soon.
ADULTS: Money Talk with the Concentric Team
We will also be making space each week for a high level Q&A session to help those you care about find direction in these uncertain times. Invite your friends and loved ones.
All reflective and learning sessions are virtual and compliments of Concentric Private Wealth. Learn more on their website.
Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) is a new program which provides benefits to purchase foods to families who have lost access to free school meals due to COVID-19 related school closures. Benefits are retroactive to when schools initially closed. The first round of benefits to households already enrolled in SNAP/TANF will be transferred this Friday, May 22.
Eligibility:
All households with students in pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade receiving free school meals at D.C. Public Schools and public charter schools are eligible for P-EBT. This includes income-eligible families who have submitted a Free and Reduced-priced Meals (FARM) application, families receiving SNAP or TANF, and all families with students attending a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school.
Expecting Health was founded by a group of women with a simple idea: families deserve and should expect more – more support, more guidance, better health. At Expecting Health, we believe that new and expecting families, regardless of makeup, income, or background, should and deserve to expect health. We simply don’t think it needs to be this hard.
As a soon-to-be or new parent, you have a lot going on! With the recent outbreak of coronavirus, also called COVID-19, there is even more misinformation, confusion, and fear around what you need to do to stay healthy. It’s important to be informed, up to date, and prepared to help you stay calm and empowered during this time. You may have a lot of questions about what you can do to keep yourself and your baby healthy. Being a new or expecting parent is never easy but during this pandemic, it may be even more challenging, scary, and stressful. While there are many things out of your control, there are things you can do to keep yourself and your baby as healthy as possible.
Check out COVID-19 resources for new and expecting parents on our website! Follow along on our Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/expectinghealth), Twitter (@ExpectHealthOrg), and Instagram (@ExpectingHealth) for more information and useful infographics that make it easy to understand what’s going on!
Point of contact:
Jamie Loey
jloey@expectinghealth.org
- Social impact coffee from Puerto Rico and they are happy to donate to organizations and families in need.
- Free counseling, victim advocacy, and legal services for victims of power-based violence.
- Helpline open during business hours for safety planning while being quarantined with an abuser.
- Prevention, Education & Training to teach adults and teens about healthy relationships.
- MHA’s COVID19 website houses information and resources specific to the current public health emergency including live events and webinars, screenings, and educational resources: www.mhanational.org/covid19
- MHA’s May is Mental Health Month Toolkit may also be helpful as its handouts focus on life after loss, eliminating toxic influences, creating routines, supporting others, and connecting with others. www.mhanational.org/may
- MHA’s affiliate, Vibrant Emotional Health, administers the Disaster Distress Helpline https://www.samhsa.gov/find-
help/disaster-distress- helpline and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. https://www.samhsa.gov/find- help/disaster-distress- helpline. Calls (1-800-985-5990) and texts (text “TalkWithUs” to 66746) are answered by a network of independently-operated crisis centers around the country, who provide psychological first aid, emotional support, crisis assessment and intervention, and referrals to local/state behavioral health services for follow-up care & support. - For policy changes related to tele-health services in Medicaid and Medicare, here is a summary of changes including a link to the state-by-state breakdown.
Rock Recovery (Rock) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Arlington, VA whose mission is to support the journey to freedom from disordered eating by bridging gaps in the treatment and understanding of eating disorders and related mental health challenges. Rock provides affordable and accessible comprehensive eating disorder recovery services and hosts community empowerment events designed to decrease mental health stigma, increase access to care and spread the message that complete recovery is possible.
Along with individual sliding scale therapy, Rock offers weekly, clinical therapy groups which include:
- Bridge to Life: A three-hour therapy program that includes combined clinician-led meal support and therapeutic processing in a supportive group setting
- Body Image Therapy Group: Weekly therapy group to help clients health their self image
- Coffee & Conversations for Moms: Monthly therapy group to help clients in all stages of motherhood navigate daily challenges of being a parent while pursuing recovery
- Freedom & Faith: Virtual faith-based recovery therapy group to help clients find support in their faith as they overcome their eating disorder
- Bridge to Life Virtual: Virtual therapy group with a clinician-supported meal exposure and therapeutic processing and support
Point of contact:
info@rockrecoveryed.org
571-255-9906
