September 2024 Roundup

Read on for volunteer opportunities, events, local nonprofit news, and job openings! If you have thoughts or feedback you'd like to share, don't hesitate to email Amanda Liaw at [email protected].

Volunteer Opportunities

?? A few more spots just opened up for our volunteer day with Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy! On September 21 from 9am-1pm, we're partnering with City Girls Who Walk DC and Not Bored in DC to engage in some fall volunteering outdoors. Sign up here.

?? Do you have an hour a week to help a child learn to read??Be a Book Buddy! The Alexandria Tutoring Consortium (ATC) seeks volunteers to tutor Alexandria City Public Schools K-2 struggling readers.?ATC provides training, weekly materials, and ongoing support.? Volunteers commit to working with a student in 30-minute sessions, once or twice a week during the school day?(8:00 – 2:25), October – May.?Tutoring occurs in-person in the schools.?Across this year-long commitment, you become a Book Buddy and your student will look forward to seeing you each week.?Learn more here and contact Alexa Allmann at [email protected]?for more information.

?? ArtStream, Inc. is looking for mentors for its inclusive theater program, in which they create original musicals with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. If you're a high school student looking for service-learning hours or someone who is interested in performing on stage while helping their theater and disability community, this opportunity could be for you! View their full list of opportunities here -- they are especially looking for volunteers to assist in Gaithersburg on Tuesdays from 7-9pm, Oakton on Thursdays from 7-9pm, and at Prince George's County Public Libraries. Visit their website and contact Opal Foster at [email protected] for more information.

? BEST Kids is a nonprofit mentoring organization that empowers at-risk youth to build better futures, one child at a time. They are looking for volunteers to help with their annual fundraiser, Heart of the Matter, on October 4 from 6-9pm. Volunteer roles involve event setup and breakdown, guest assistance, and auction support. Learn more about the gala here and contact Letrice Weaver at [email protected] or (202) 397-3272 ext 102.

Search for more ongoing volunteer opportunities by issue area, location, group size, and time on our website.

Other Local Opportunities

?? Ready to make a difference? Unleash your potential as a progressive leader with the New Leaders Council! Join a dynamic community that drives positive change in government, business, and advocacy. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to receive top-notch training and connect with like-minded individuals shaping the future. Apply by October 2 and be part of the movement for a better tomorrow!

? Our friends at YNPNdc are looking for talented young professionals to join their Board of Directors. Their mission is to elevate, energize, and educate the Washington DC Metro nonprofit community by sharing resources, building skills, and fostering connections. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Learn more about their exciting positions available here.

Events

?? On September 20 from 6-10pm at Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles, celebrate the Britepaths and their 40 years of providing help and hope to our Northern Virginia neighbors. Gala admission includes red carpet arrival photos, cocktail hour, 3-course plated dinner with choice of entree, complimentary wine and beer, an inspiring multi-media program, live auction, and after party with dancing and live music. Get tickets here.

?? The Cloverleaf Polo Classic supports the mission of the Cloverleaf Equine Center and showcases their impactful work serving children and adults with disabilities, youth from marginalized communities, and recovering military personnel. On September 21 from 12-4pm, enjoy an afternoon of world-class polo, live and silent auctions, music, drinks and dining in the heart of Virginia's picturesque hunt and wine country. Get tickets here.

?? The Anacostia Youth Media Festival is one of the first youth-directed festivals in the DC area! On September 21 and 22 from 10am-5pm at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, watch films submitted by DC youth that reflect their lives and communities in the post-covid world. Reserve free tickets here.

?? Join The Barker Adoption Foundation's Annual Family Picnic on September 22 from 12-3pm at Wheaton Claridge Park for a free afternoon of fun activities for the whole family. Learn more here.

??? Join Spur Local for a screening of the newly-released documentary UnCharitable on Tuesday, September 24, from 5:30-7:45pm at The Avalon Theatre! Based on Dan Pallotta's record-breaking TED Talk, this film introduces a radical new way of giving and is a powerful reminder that our fate lies in how much we are willing to invest in positive change. RSVP here. This event is presented in partnership with Thread Strategies.

?? On September 24 at 7pm at the True Reformer Building, come witness Inner Voices: a performance created and performed by survivors of solitary confinement. Ally Theatre Company & Voices Unbarred partnered with survivors of solitary confinement from the Unlock the Box Coalition -- through several ongoing workshops, they have been sharing their stories and collaboratively creating an original play that advocates for change and focuses on the topics of mental health and freedom. Buy tickets here.

?? Crossroads Community Food Network is celebrating their extraordinary milestone of distributing $1 million in matching nutrition benefits to over 26,000 families in the Takoma/Langley Crossroads! Join their celebration on September 25 at 12pm at Anne St. and University Blvd. in Takoma Park, featuring live music, children's activities, and more. Learn more here.

?? Art All Night is back on September 27-28! Kick things off at the Anacostia Playhouse with an Intro to Play Writing workshop on September 27 at 7pm! Learn more here. Can't make it that evening? The next day on September 28 from 1-5pm, they are also offering play writing as a way to kick off DC Theater Week. Sign up here.

?? Sprint to Stop Hunger: Lace up with Food for Others at their 11th Annual Tysons 5K & Fun Run on September 28. Food for Others serves as part of Northern Virginia's safety net by serving thousands of families and children each week. Learn more here.

?? Love puzzles? So do we! Spur Local is partnering with Game Genius on the 6th Annual District Hunt, a city-wide treasure hunt centered around a local social theme. This year's story on arts & culture includes puzzles for every age,?and you can play to win prizes (or just have fun!) as an individual or team. Learn more and get tickets here.

?? Sitar Arts Center is hosting a Benefit Gala & Auction to help them reach The Next Stage. Funds raised advance equitable arts education and career training for DC's children, teens, and young adults. Join them on October 9 at 6:30pm at The Mayflower Hotel. Get tickets here.

??? Join BroadFutures for an evening dedicated to celebrating the diverse voices shaping impactful change within their community. BroadFutures creates access, cultivates skills and revolutionizes the workplace for all through innovative training, mentoring and paid internship programs. Attend their fall gala, Voices for Change, on October 19 from 5:30-8pm at the District Wharf Rooftop. Get tickets here.

??? Celebrate a season of new beginnings with Langley Residential Support Services at their Fall Tastings & Auction Benefit on October 19 from 6-9pm. Proceeds benefit their mission and programs to ensure local neighbors with developmental disabilities have every opportunity to live happy, valued lives. Get tickets here.

?? Spur Local is hsoting our annual Community Changemakers celebration of social impact on Wednesday, October 30, from 6-8:30pm at Hook Hall! Meet dozens of local nonprofits, enjoy drinks and Timber Pizza, and have fun while learning about ways to get involved in the area. Get early bird tickets here.

News & Happenings

??? "Movies should learn from TV shows -- and do a better job alerting audiences when a project contains sensitive content," writes Bridgette Stumpf, founder and executive director of Network for Victim Recovery of DC. Read their full guest column in The Hollywood Reporter on the film It Ends With Us about how critical true roadmapping (letting people know what is going to happen ahead of time) is for survivors.

?? Ahead of Spur Local's screening of the documentary UnCharitable, we want to highlight reflections from our partner, Thread Strategies, about how we can use lessons from the film to help redefine philanthropy. As Chiara Frechette, our very own Nonprofit Programs Director, shares, "In the small nonprofit capacity-building space, we know how much the narrative of "more overhead must mean less impact" can affect nonprofits' ability to both stabilize and/or grow their reach."

Job Openings

Spur Local collates job openings from local nonprofits as a resource for our community, with the majority of these positions at nonprofit partners in the Spur Local network. For more information or to apply for the positions listed below, please reach out to the appropriate organization directly.

Full-Time Positions

Entry-Level | Operations -- Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper | Langley Residential Support Services | $40,000 - $50,000. Contact Maureen Gum at [email protected].

Program Manager | The National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens | $52,000. Contact Jarnese Harris at [email protected].

Entry-Level | Outreach Coordinator | The National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens | $17.50 per hour. Contact Jarnese Harris at [email protected].

Development -- Grants Manager | One World Education | $70,000 - $75,000. Contact [email protected].

Institutional Giving Manager | College Success Foundation | $80,000. Contact Maggie Nayyar at [email protected].

Entry-Level | Program Coordinator | Girls on the Run of Montgomery County | $50,000. Contact Amalia Lopez at [email protected].

Development Associate | Homestretch, Inc. | $40,000 - $50,000. Contact [email protected].

Part-Time Positions

Fellowship for Marketing and Outreach | Docs In Progress | $5000 stipend. Contact Barbara Valentino at [email protected].

Missed last month's roundup? View more news, ways to get involved, and opportunities from August 2024.