From Children’s National Hospital:
“Blood donation is safe. The blood collectors check the health of all donors before they are allowed to donate. Individuals are not at risk of contracting COVID-19 through the blood donation process or via a blood transfusion, since respiratory viruses are generally not known to be transmitted by donation or transfusion.
Please consider donating blood to your local blood donor center. Children’s National Hospital has its own Blood Donor Center and appointments can be made here.”
“Dear PoPville,
I’m interested in opportunities to volunteer on MLK day this month. Do you or others in the community know of places that are hosting volunteer events? I’ve done park clean ups in the past. Thank you!”
Rock Creek Conservancy usually have park clean ups. Anyone have other plans/options?
Photo by angela n.
Please add your charity of choice in the comments.
“Dear PoPville,
I have some money saved up that I would like to give to a good cause this year but I’m not quite sure where my money will do the most good. Do you have any charity recommendations in DC?”
One option from an email:
“Catholic Charities DC’s Angel Tree Christmas gift program just had a steep increase in the number of families who signed up to be sponsored. In a typical year, families register approximately 1,000 children for the program; right now there are more than 1,600 signed up. Obviously, more kids means the need more sponsors/”Angels.” Because of the pandemic, we are asking Angels to donate money (instead of gifts), which will be used to purchase gift cards so the families can buy presents for their children. There is a suggested donation of $35 per child.
Sponsor registration closes this Saturday (December 12) and there are still a fair amount of children who still need sponsors.
Any excess donations will go to purchase coats for those in the community who need them. So all donations will benefit people in need, even when all the children on our list are paired with sponsors.
Also, here are some other holiday giving opportunities we have available, just in case: Read More
“Dear PoPville,
Could you do a thread on volunteering in DC during the pandemic?”
Photo by Miki Jourdan
“Dear PoPville,
For my best friends Christmas present I would like to donate new toys and a gift card to a DC family in need. We are both born and raised in DC and find ourselves very blessed during this tumultuous scary time. Do you know of a family or where I can find out how to do this?”
Another reader asks:
“Every year around thanksgiving you normally post about an organization that is donating handmade cards to the Veterans home in DC. I didn’t see the post this year, but thought maybe I’d missed it. I’ve been making cards off/on since Halloween because well, the pandemic and would love to donate them if I can find out where I should send them.”
Ed. Note: Regarding the Armed Forces Retirement Home the organizer tells me: “Base is on lock down so no delivery allowed and there was some back and forth about whether or not the staff could deliver but the risk of cards bringing in germs with unknown data on how long the virus can live on surfaces means.. no card drive.
The pandemic strikes again!!!!! Next year!”
Photo by Tim Brown
“Dear PoPville,
Looking for volunteer opportunities over the Thanksgiving weekend in the DMV for those of us unable to visit family this year. Any suggestions?”
and
“My company is working remotely across the DMV, but there’s a desire for my team to rally behind a coat drive or any sort of way to give back virtually and safely. Looking for options – to support those who would feel comfortable giving from home (money donations, mailing items, etc) and those willing to drop-off or contribute in person. Appreciate any recommendations you might have, thank you!”
and
“Was wondering if anyone had a local charity that they can recommend for taking care of a family’s Christmas / Hanukkah / Kwanzaa gifts (or any other holiday I missed)?”
From a press release:
“On November 3, 2020, Election Day, Bartenders Against Racism (BAR) will provide water and other supplies to people waiting in line to vote as part of their #HYDRATETHEVOTE initiative. Expecting record numbers of people at the polls, BAR is building on its successful “supplytending” program that provided necessities for peaceful protestors at most DC-based demonstrations this past summer. The organization is calling for volunteers to give out supplies at polling stations and for donations to support efforts.
“This may be the most important election in our lifetimes – especially for people of color like me. And we believe that everyone should be able to exercise their right to vote,” said Allison Lane, president of Bartenders Against Racism. “We should celebrate voting, not suffer through it. We’ve got voter’s backs this year.”
BAR is calling on everyone to help by volunteering to “adopt” a polling location in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Montgomery and Prince Geroge’s counties to distribute water, snacks and other supplies to voters waiting in line. Read More
1500 Harvard Street, NW
Thanks to Mary Ann for sharing from All Souls Unitarian Church:
“All Souls is home to A Pantry for All Souls, a Little Free Pantry where neighbors can pick up grocery goods donated by other neighbors. The pantry is stocked by all of us, for all of us.
We need volunteers to help keep the pantry in good working condition–sign up here if you can help. No donation is necessary to volunteer.
If you need anything in the pantry, go ahead and take it!
If you’d like to donate to the pantry, you can put donations directly into the pantry at any time. If you can’t make it to the pantry in person, you can order from our Amazon Wishlist–select “Little Free Pantry” as your shipping address and it will be sent to our volunteer who stores extra supplies. Read More
Photo by Miki Jourdan
“Dear PoPville,
Would love to know what opportunities people have found to volunteer on Election Day other than being a poll worker? I have heard of people working phone banks, driving folks to polling places, etc. but have not been able to find much info on those kinds of opportunities online.”
Photo by Jacques Arsenault
“Dear PoPville,
I would like to ask the PoPville community to help get the word out to recruit more DC residents, including young people 16 years and older, to sign up as DC poll workers. It’s a great way to be a part of this historic election and earn about $750 dollars for attending 1 training and 5 short early voting shifts as well as full shift on voting day. Masks, social distancing and other protocols are strictly followed throughout for safety.
In the District, there will be ballot drop boxes around town, but also a full week of early voting with lots of polling places to make sure everyone will be able to vote. Poll workers can request assignment to their most convenient polling places. Read More
