The Foundation, which is dedicated to making home a place where families and children thrive, approved 27 grants during the first six months of 2008 that will specifically serve District residents. The Foundation focuses its investing in primarily three areas: Stable Homes/Stable Families, Foster Care and Adoption, and Academic and Career Success.
Organizations serving Washington, DC that received grants of $25,000 or more between January and June 2008 included:
Adoptions Together, Inc. received $50,000.00 to support the Birth Parent Advocate program, which will expedite permanency through reunification for children of 50 families whose children have been placed in out of home care in the District of Columbia.
CASA for the Children of the District of Columbia received $40,000.00 to support the Preparing Youth for Adulthood program using trained volunteers to help foster youth leaving the system gain the skills, resources and adult connections they need to achieve self-sufficiency.
Center City Public Charter Schools, Inc. received $200,000.00 to support Center City Public Charter School's work to obtain parent and staff endorsements, prepare the charter application and build the infrastructure to convert these seven schools to DC Public Charter Schools.
CentroNîa received $50,000.00 to support comprehensive suite of early childhood education and family support services to over 1,000 children, youth and families in the District of Columbia.
College Summit, Inc. received $50,000.00 to provide 18 under resourced schools in the Washington metropolitan area with the tools, training and resources needed to ensure that 2,700 low-income students are ready to enroll in college upon high school graduation.
Community Family Life Services, Inc. received $50,000.00 to support vulnerable families escaping domestic violence and in need of transitional housing in the District of Columbia.
Community of Hope received $750,000.00 to provide transitional and permanent supportive housing to homeless children and their families in the District of Columbia.
Girls Inc. of the Washington DC Metropolitan Area received $25,000.00 to expand delivery of high-quality gender-specific educational programs and developmental opportunities to middle-school girls living in Wards 1, 4, 5, 7 and 8 of the District of Columbia.
Home Builders Care Foundation received $25,000.00 to support construction related projects for agencies serving homeless and other at-risk families in the District of Columbia and Maryland.
Horton's Kids, Inc. received $50,000.00 to provide comprehensive services centered around a thrice-weekly tutoring program designed to improve academic skills in children ages 5 to 18 who live in the Wellington Park housing project in Ward 8 of the District of Columbia.
Martha's Table, Inc. received $50,000.00 to support the development, education and academic success of low-income children ages 3 months to 9 years in Ward 1 of the District of Columbia.
Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care, Inc. received $50,000.00 to support first-time mothers to ensure that children are healthy, safe and ready for school through home visitation, long-term partnering with families and linkages with community resources in the District of Columbia.
National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty received $50,000.00 to increase public awareness among key individuals and groups about the housing, education and income needs of homeless children and their families in the Washington metropolitan area.
Recreation Wish List Committee received $30,000.00 to support the year-round Academic Scholars program, including an intensive six-week summer session and a nine-month after-school program designed to strengthen and increase the academic performance for youth in Ward 8 of the District of Columbia.
SOME, Inc. received $800,000.00 to support the replication of a comprehensive family service model that provides on-site services at five housing programs in Ward 7 and 8 of the District of Columbia.
The Children's Law Center, Inc. received $90,000.00 to support the Family Permanency project, which provides pro-bono legal representation to prospective adoptive caregivers of children in the District of Columbia child welfare system.
The DC Children's Advocacy Center received $35,000.00 to support a multi-disciplinary public-private intervention that includes joint investigation and review of child abuse cases in the District of Columbia and the provision of victim services and therapy.
The Reading Connection received $50,000.00 to provide the Read A Loud program and additional literacy services to homeless families, working in partnership with 14 homeless organizations in the Washington metropolitan area.
The SEED Public Charter School of Washington, D.C. received $50,000.00 to prepare District of Columbia students for the college admissions process and provide support so that students will achieve their college goals.
Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School received $50,000.00 to support out-of-school programs at Thurgood Marshall Academy, including after-school tutoring, one-on-one mentoring, Summer Prep, college guidance activities and enrichment programs.
Wider Opportunities for Women received $35,000.00 to support public education and advocacy activities to address the need for affordable housing and services for the District of Columbia's most vulnerable families.