Fair Chance for Youth
• August 15, 2013

Fair Chance’s 2012 Butterfly Bash on Oct. 19 supported the organization’s efforts to create opportunities for low-income DC children and youth. The Butterfly Bash revenues will allow Fair Chance to help speed up and build up 10 youth-serving organizations in the coming year with 350 hours of coaching and support. Supported by honorary chairs, Jean-Marie and Raul Fernandez, a host committee of 160 community members, and more than 35 corporate sponsors, this year’s Butterfly Bash raised more than $325,000 making is the largest in Fair Chance’s 10-year history. [gallery ids="101038,136256" nav="thumbs"]

The Beltway of Giving: Cooking for a Cause
• November 28, 2012

Benevolent Washingtonian’s are beam- ing over the grand opening of Cause Philanthropub (www.causedc.org/) in the U Street corridor. The restaurant has committed to donate 100 percent of its profits back to chari- ties, a first for an East Coast eatery and bar.

Founders Nick Villele and Raj Ratwani met in their respective PhD programs at George Mason. While they are new to the restaurant world, they have hired a cadre of industry experts to manage and run the bar. After a stint in the Peace Corps in Togo, West Africa, Nicholas returned stateside, where the philanthropub con- cept blossomed.

“Living in a country where the average annual income is around $300, I had seen the huge impact that a small amount of money could have when in the hands of the right people and organizations,” said Villele. “Right after I had returned, Raj told me about his idea of raising funds for charity through bar and restaurant operations, and our partnership was born.”

Noted restaurants, chefs and restaurateurs across the District have committed to support- ing charities through their kitchen, yet few have sacrificed their entire profit to benefit others. DC-based chef Jose Andres’ of Think Food Group (www.thinkfoodgroup.com/) launched World Central Kitchen to build kitchens for disadvantaged populations in Haiti. One of their current projects in Palmiste Tempe, Haiti, provides a school kitchen that will feed over 200 children. Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers (mellowmushroom.com) in Adams Morgan has partnered with several local charities including For Love of Children, Critical Exposure, D.C. Lawyers for Youth, Mentoring Today and Kids Against Hunger D.C.

“By sharing our success with D.C. non- profits, I’m able to connect my past work in the non-profit community to my current endeavors,” says Mellow co-owner Pooja Mehta. “Our focus is to spend an entire month with each organiza- tion to get a little more money their way and a little more exposure to their work.”

Philanthropic duo, Todd and Ellen Gray of Equinox restaurant (equinoxrestaurant.com) also lead by example. Their annual Sugar and Champagne charity event unites D.C.’s pas- try chefs and wine purveyors to benefit the Washington Humane Society. To date, the event has raised more than $300,000 for the organiza- tion. The Blue Banana Sports and Rock Bar (www.bluebananadc.com) located in Petworth, also supports the Washington Humane Society with a monthly “Yappy Hour” doggy friendly affair.

“Our patio is and always has been dog friendly. Many local dog owners were looking for a great excuse to drink for a cause and bring their pets with them,” says co-owner Jamie Hess. “We started the monthly charity Yappy Hour in April of this year and have raised thousands for the Humane Society. We donate 20 percent off the evening sales to the organization so our guests are not out of pocket anything other than what they drink and eat.”

While these restaurants are all making strides for local and international charities, Cause Philanthropub is the first in the District to donate 100 percent of its profits. Several other restaurants and food-centric businesses across the U.S. have tried, and many succeeded, including Newman’s Own (www.newmansown. com) food products and the Oregon Public House (www.oregonpublichouse.com). This quarter Cause is currently supporting Agora Partnerships, Common Good City Farm, Higher Achievement and Martha’s Table as their first group of featured organizations. Three are locale and focused on supporting the D.C. community, while Agora is based in the District and focused on impact entrepreneurship in Latin America. All four organizations were vetted and selected by Causes Advisory Board.

A key part of their model is that each custom- er has the chance to choose which organization they would like their profits to go to by checking the non-profit on their bill.

Cause accepts applications on a rolling basis at www.causedc.org causes and welcomes sug- gestions on deserving non-profits they should consider supporting.

Beltway of Giving: Going Gaga for Galas
• October 18, 2012

Gala season is upon us. Time to break out our checkbooks, dust off the gowns and take in (or out) that tux at the tailor. Year after year, organizations across the District scurry to prepare their signature events for the masses. Months of planning lead up to the big day as patrons anticipate historic events like the Lombardi Ball, Fight for Children’s Fight Night, its sister event Knock Out Abuse, and more. Hosting organizations look forward not only to increasing awareness about their causes and attracting potential donors but also to raising large amounts of money in only a few hours, which can sustain an organization for months.

Fashion for Paws is a true powerhouse among Washington galas, which is held in the spring each year. The gala raised $70,000 when it was first held in 2007. Fast forward five years and more than $720,000 was raised at its 2012 event, for which more than 1,700 tickets were sold. Created to support the Washington Humane Society, Fashion for Paws began as fun way to engage Washington’s animal lovers and increase awareness about animal cruelty and welfare. Today, the event is one of the nation’s leading gala events supporting an animal welfare organization. “We are re-engineering to better serve our mission and growth,” says Tara de Nicolas, executive director of Fashion for Paws. “We are thrilled with how far we’ve come in such a short time, but we also realize we have to continue to tweak and innovate if we want to keep this momentum.”

Yet with glitzy events left and right, organizations often fail to capitalize on partnerships, acquire sponsorships to cover costs and secure high-profile donors to make their events thrive. Many organizations see small returns once overhead costs, such as catering, entertainment and alcohol, are paid for. The 2012 Fashion for Paws event garnered more than $417,000 in-kind for event production, catering, alcohol, lighting, entertainment, sound and staging. “As a small non-profit, we would never be able to host an event like Fashion for Paws without the support of our in-kind sponsors like Syzygy Events, Design Cuisine, Digital Lighting, Edge Floral Event Designers and more,” says de Nicolas.
D.C.-based Fair Chance, an organization that offers free services to community-based organizations who positively impacting the lives of children and families in Washington will host its fourth annual butterfly this October. Money raised enables Fair Chance to support 10 new small-to-medium sized youth-serving non-profits each year, investing 350 hours of support for each organization – a $50,000 combined value. Working along alongside each organization, they embark on an intensive one-year partnership that strengthens the entire organization.

“We cover the costs of our partnership program giving each neighborhood nonprofit their own fair chance to reach their potential,” said Brett Norton, Director of Development. “In turn, a stronger organization, built to last, is able to open their doors a little wider for D.C. children and youth and keep the lights on for those that need them most.”

The Butterfly Bash is a celebration of ten years of service by Fair Chance with 35 corporate sponsors and a 163 member host committee who together work to make the gala event its most profitable fundraising event of the year. “In one night, you have the chance to drive multiple goals – to educate and inspire a large group of people, engage a sizable group of volunteers working together on the event, and it raise essential resources from individuals and corporations,” says Brett Norton.

The Beltway of Giving: Following Your Dollars
• September 21, 2012

As August draws to a close, fundraising drives are sprouting up across the U.S. targeting old and new individual donors for support. As donors, we have hard decisions to make with more than 1.5 million tax-exempt organizations in the United States vying for our dollars. In fact, individual giving increased by 3.9 percent last year, according to Giving USA’s Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2011, accounting for nearly $218 billion in contributions to organizations.

Despite this positive influx in giving, nonprofits nationwide have struggled during difficult economic times leading to reductions in programs, cuts in staffing and sometimes shutting their doors for good. This can result from funding cutbacks and often lack of stringent financial oversight. Nonprofits are witnessing firsthand the struggles that come with budget shortfalls, and many are now in “the red”, carrying significant debts. It is a precarious situation that staff and boards of directors must quickly address so that future donors, foundations and corporations can have confidence in an organization and continue supporting programs without hesitation. As donors, we sometimes waver in our support of organizations for fear that our money may not be spent wisely or that we can truly solve a social problem.

“No one wants to give their hard-earned money to an organization that isn’t financially sound,” says Barbara Harman, president and editor of the Catalogue for Philanthropy of Greater Washington. “We all want our gifts to have impact, but it isn’t just a question of financial stability. Donors should want to know whether the organization they are giving to is worthy, whether it’s doing a good job, whether it’s effective in meeting the needs of the community.”

Supporting a non-profit that is truly in need can mean your dollar stretches father. “If donors only invested in healthy organizations, there would be very little nonprofits out there to support,” said Brett Norton, director of development for Fair Chance – a Washington D.C. based organization that works to identify promising community-based youth and family organizations in Wards 5 through 8 and increase the sustainability of their programs. “Donors should have realistic expectations for what their dollars can accomplish and realize they are only one piece of the solution.” Authors Thomas Tierney and Joel L. Fleishman in the book, “Give Smart,” address this same issue. They argue that a donor’s good intentions can lead to wishful thinking that they can solve complex problems with only a few dollars.

Assuaging your fear as a donor is achievable. Donors can invest their dollars fully informed and to align themselves with causes where they then make a difference – both big and small. It is important to research the potential impact of your investment and the stability of a non-profit. You owe it to yourself and your hard-earned money to do your due diligence. With just a few clicks through online resources, donors can research potential organizations and understand how their dollars are utilized. A number of resources are ready for your use, for example:

•Guidestar: Donors can track down financials and nonprofits’ annual Form 990 which they are required to submit to the Internal Revenue Service each year. Form 990 provides information on the organization’s mission, programs, and finances – such as employee salaries and annual revenue. However, these forms are often more than a year old. Visit www.guidestar.org

•Charity Navigator: Analyzes financial data from Form 990 for organizations that acquire at least $500,000 in giving from individuals and have a total annual revenue of more than $1,000,000. Visit www.charitynavigator.org

•Catalogue of Philanthropy: Working with Raffa auditing firm, audits nearly 250 metropolitan D.C. nonprofits each year for cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and financial transparency. They then select 70 who are featured in the Catalogue, a publication that enables donors to choose and donate to nonprofits by theme (i.e. education, human services, nature, etc.), region and the donors overall interest. Visit www.catalogueforphilanthropy-dc.org

•Twitter & Facebook: Nonprofits use social media networks to keep in contact with their supporters and attract new ones. Consider sifting through their posts, photos and tweets to learn more about programming, events and what messages they portray to the outside world.

•Annual Reports: Review annual reports from the non-profits you are considering, and speak with the executive director and board president to learn more about the accomplishments, goals, funding needs and challenges the organization is facing.

THE BELTWAY OF GIVING: From the Classroom to the Kitchen
•

Washingtonians are no stranger to
fine dining. Travel + Leisure and
Food & Wine have both given the
city’s food scene notable accolades, and a
number of chefs have joined the ranks of James
Beard Foundation finalists, including Cathal
Armstrong of Restaurant Eve, Johnny Monis
of Komi, Peter Pastan of Obelisk, and Vikram
Sunderam of Rasika. Yet these chefs weren’t
always on top. They all started somewhere—
perhaps in the back kitchen cleaning dishes as
a teenager, or mirroring their mentor just out of
culinary school. Throughout the District, youth
are being groomed to take the reins of the next
great eatery gaining critical skills to succeed in
the workforce.

Cohn’s Kitchen, founded by Elizabeth
Scott and Paul J. Cohn’s of Georgetownbased
J.Paul’s, Paolo’s and Neyla, is part of
Cohn’s Culinary and Hospitality Management
Academy. Working with local chefs, restaurateurs
and local business leaders, Cohn’s partners
with the District of Columbia’s Department of
Employment Services (DOES) and the Summer
Youth Employment Program (SYEP) to provide
students exposure into the industry.

“Local chefs and restaurants recognize the
need for well-trained employees. Cohn’s Kitchen
youth are educated and empowered by the
opportunity to learn about kitchen management
and leadership, preparation and cooking, recipe
and menu development and restaurant management,”
Co-Founder and Executive Director Elizabeth Scott explains.
“We teach the kids to work their way up and a set of skills that go well
beyond the kitchen. They learn responsibility.”

Like Cohn’s Kitchen, D.C.-based Brainfood
provides after school and summer programs that
allows youth to spread their culinary wings.
Brainfood first opened its doors with the goal of
using food and cooking to provide high school
students with supervised and structured after
school activities.

For two days a week, the All Star Program
introduces participants to life and leadership
skills through food and cooking workshops at
their Chinatown, Columbia Heights and Mount
Vernon Square locations. Graduates of the program
have thrived and gained the opportunity to
work with guest chefs and food industry professionals
like Chef Teddy Folkman of Granville
Moore’s and Chef Sina Molavi of Occasions
Caterers who is also a Brainfood alumnus.

“While driving youth toward a culinary
career has not been our primary goal, it does
certainly happen,” said Executive Director Paul
Dahm. “We have had some participants go to
culinary school, including the Culinary Institute
of America. But the skills we are teaching are
those that translate to and beyond the kitchen.”
Dahm touts the program’s success in teaching
the students reading, math, science and how to
communicate with others and to demonstrate
their creativity. “These are all skills necessary
to do well in school and to compete in the job
market,” he said.

However, the opportunity to learn doesn’t
always start in the kitchen, it can be rooted in
local community gardens. Kid Power has provided
nutritional and service-learning programs for
more than 1,000 youth throughout the D.C. area.
Founded by Max Skolnik nearly a decade ago,
Kid Power tackles issues around food insecurity
and creates budding entrepreneurs one farmers
market at a time.

“Kid Power works with students from lowperforming,
under-served public and charter
schools that typically reside in food deserts. Too
many of our students and their families did not
have access to fresh food, nutritional information,
or cooking classes,” said Skolnik. “We
created VeggieTime to attack the root causes of
food insecurity. Youth and their families manage
city-wide gardens, incorporate high-quality
produce into their daily lives, raise funds through
market sales and support food-related service
projects and advocacy initiatives.”

More than 50 Veggie Time gardens are located
throughout D.C. where students sell a portion
of their harvest at farmer’s markets in Columbia
Heights and Petworth, partake in weekly cooking
classes and local schools harvest sales that
target the surrounding communities and donate
to families in need.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Cohn’s Kitchen: The 2nd annual Battle of the
Bistros takes place July 30th at Clyde’s Gallery
Place. Battle of the Bistros challenges teams of
students to put their summer job training and
education to the test in a friendly competition
for the “Best New Restaurant Concept.” Tickets
are $10 a person at http://battleofthebistros.
eventbrite.com

Kid Power: Visit the Kid Power table at the
Columbia Heights Farmer’s Market on August
4th or donate a greenhouse, gardening equipment
or irrigation systems for their larger garden
sites. Email katie@kidpowerdc.org for more
information.

Brain Food: The 6th annual Brainfood Grill-
Off fundraiser hits D.C. September 13th.
Sponsorships are still available and guests can
purchase tickets at http://brain-food.org/brainfood-
grill-off ?

Jade Floyd is a managing associate at a
D.C.-based international public relations firm
and has served on the board of directors for
several non-profits. She is a frequent volunteer
and host of fundraising events across the
District supporting arts, animal welfare and
education programs. Follow her on Twitter @
DCThisWeek. [gallery ids="100919,129145,129121,129139,129127,129135" nav="thumbs"]

Beltway of Giving: Giving by the Numbers
• September 20, 2012

Washingtonians may fancy themselves some of the most charitable individuals in the country and now they have the stats to back them up. D.C.-based Chronicle of Philanthropy’s recently released the “How America Gives” study analyzing the charitable giving patterns within the United States.

The data examined itemized tax returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service in 2008, the most recent year for which data are available, for individuals making more than $50,000 per year. More than one million itemized tax returns were included in the analysis of the Washington metropolitan area, placing the region 4th nationwide for a total giving contribution of $4.3 billion.

Not surprisingly, several of the region’s most affluent zip codes topped the list, including Potomac, Maryland (20854), followed by Chevy Chase, Maryland (20815), McLean, Virginia (22101), Bethesda, Maryland (20817), Washington, D.C. (20016) and (20008), Fort Washington, Maryland (20744), McLean, Virginia (22102), and Upper Marlboro, Maryland (20774 and 20772).

The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, a tax-exempt, public charity made up of charitable giving funds established by individuals, families, corporations and other organizations currently manages more than 800 donor funds with assets totaling more than $360 million. Terri Lee Freeman, president of the Community Foundation, asserts a majority of individual donors in the region focus their dollars on higher education, K-12 education and human services. “I think many folks are interested in making sure that their philanthropy is personally rewarding and beneficial to the larger community….There are a growing number of philanthropists far more interested in solutions to problems than simply plugging the dyke.”

Potomac resident June Hess attributes her long-term individual giving patterns to life circumstances. “Having been very fortunate in my life it’s very important to give back to those who need,” said Hess. “I’ve always been surrounded by loving family and friends [and] I like to support women and children that are in financially, physically and emotionally abused circumstances.”

The Chronicle report also found that while Potomac may be one of the most affluent zip codes in the area and lead the pack in contributions, low-to-middle income communities in the region were more inclined to give a higher percentage of their discretionary income to charity. In fact, District Heights, Maryland (20753) ranked number one in the region, followed by Hyattsville, Maryland (20787), Washington D.C. (20030 and 20019), Capitol Heights, Maryland (20791), Washington, D.C. (20032), Capitol Heights, Maryland (20743), Suitland, Maryland (20746), District Heights, Maryland (20747) and Temple Hills, Maryland (20757). Important to note is the total contribution amount and number of itemized tax returns analyzed by the Chronicle for these zip codes was significantly smaller.

“I really don’t see any difference by jurisdiction in the issue-areas for giving. Years ago we could look to the suburban jurisdictions and really view them as bedroom communities of privilege,” says Freeman. “That is no longer an accurate description. I can’t think of any jurisdiction that isn’t in some way touched by an education gap and wealth gap within their population.”

Learn more about the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region at www.thecommunityfoundation.org and find out how your zip code ranks in the Chronicle of Philanthropy report [here](http://philanthropy.com/article/Interactive-How-America-Gives/133709/)

Jade Floyd serves on the board of directors for the D.C. Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative and Project Create. She is a frequent volunteer and host of fundraising events across the District, supporting arts, animal welfare and education programs.

Beltway of Giving
• August 10, 2012

Advocacy months exist for hundreds of causes — from yoga to bicycling to ovarian cancer. These months create a time when the world can come together to foster awareness about each cause and utilize those treasured Twitter hashtags that public relations professionals like to dream up. March is home to Arts Education Month and National Nutrition Month, and the Georgetowner is highlighting two D.C.-based organizations working to increase arts access in the city and end childhood hunger.

In an acclaimed food-centric city with the likes of Jose Andres, Michel Richard and Kyle Baley, Washingtonian’s have access to some of the most noted restaurants in the United States. Yet on a daily basis one in ten households across the U.S. are food-insecure, accounting for more than 16 million children. Within the District, that number escalates with nearly one in four kids at risk of hunger. D.C.-based non-profit, Share Our Strength, has worked to provide long-term food solutions for families and children across the U.S. for nearly 30 years. To date, the organization has raised more than $350 million in funds which have trickled into the organization through signature events – from the Great American Bake Sale and Taste of the Nation, both taking place this April.

Debbie Shore, co-founder of Share Our Strength, sat down with the Georgetowner to chat about the upcoming Taste of the Nation festivities and talk about philanthropy. One might be surprised, but Shore doesn’t fancy herself a philanthropist but more like a “connector” in the Gladwellian sense of the word. She maintains joining influentials to your cause entices others to rally and builds brand awareness. The community of chefs within the District are united, and she credits stand-out chefs like R.J. Cooper of Rogue 24, Cathal Armstrong of Restaurant Eve and Jeff Tunks of Passion Food Hospitality as a few of the chefs with the passion to end childhood hunger. So far, more than 700 chefs nationwide have joined Share Our Strength in its efforts.

“Our core belief holds true: chefs care about feeding people,” Shore said. “However, we are not going to end childhood hunger alone. We need the community support, private sector investments, government and boots on the ground.”
 
Uniting a community is exactly the approach the D.C. Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative has taken for nearly 13 years. As an arts advocacy organization with a budget of less than one million dollars per year, each dollar counts and partnerships are crucial to providing free arts experiences for the District’s public school students. This April, the collaborative will host its 2nd Annual Arts Benefit to garner much needed funds for programs and bus transportation. While part of Share Our Strength’s strategy is recruiting chefs, the D.C. Collaborative has recruited nearly 80 arts-related performance venues, including the internationally recognized Kennedy Center and Shakespeare Theatre to its roster.

“More and more influential voices and performance venues are calling on arts education to take center stage in school improvement efforts within the city,” said Louise Kennelly, executive director of the D.C. Collaborative. “While our budget is small, we serve more than 30,000 DC public school students and teachers. We’ve learned to pool our resources with our member institutions who sell us tickets at a reduced rate and often waive ticket prices to ensure public school students from D.C. are able to come through the door and see a performance”.

Both organizations – one with a multi-million dollar budget and nationally recognized events and another with a fraction of the funds and fundraising dollars generated through small events – have managed to unite communities in an effort to serve children and promote their causes.

Interested in joining in and learning more about which cause you can support in the coming months? Visit www.Fundraisers.com/causes to learn more.

If you have a notable charity or event that you believe should be featured in the Beltway of Giving, we want to hear from you: DCthisweek@gmail.com.

Jade Floyd is a managing associate at a D.C.-based international public relations firm and has served on the board of directors for the D.C. Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative for nearly five years. She is a frequent volunteer and host of fundraising events across the District, supporting arts, animal welfare and education programs.

Giving Radar: Upcoming Awareness Months You Can Support

March
National Kidney Month
National Nutrition Month
Arts Education Month

April
National Autism Awareness Month
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
National Child Abuse Prevention Month

May
Skin Cancer Awareness Month
National Stroke Awareness Month
Arthritis Awareness Month

New Column to Highlight Non-profits: ‘The Beltway of Giving’
• February 23, 2012

Washingtonians have a benevolent spirit. When we give, it’s in a big way. Gala and charity events at $1,000 per person do not turn donors away. That spirit brings out their pocket books for round-trip, first-class tickets to Paris, week-long excursions to Cape Cod and Georgetown Cupcake parties for their children and 20 of their closest friends. You might think the charity circuit in this town is all about the allure that comes with the ball gown or the whispers of which politico or celebrity will be seated near or at your table To some degree, you might be right, but it doesn’t take $1,000 to give or make an impact for a deserving charity.

Donors, both big and small, accounted for more than $346 billion in charitable donations last year, according to Atlas Giving, a company which forecasts giving trends each month across the United States. Atlas found that individual donors within the U.S. accounted for 75 percent of giving in 2011, followed by foundations at 13 percent, bequests at 7 percent and corporations at 5 percent. In 2012, the company predicts that philanthropic giving is expected to grow by nearly four percent to $360 billion.

The nation’s capital is filled with charitable organizations of all sizes which are worthy of our attention and dollars. That is what this new column, “The Beltway of Giving,” is all about: highlighting worthy causes and their signature fundraising events that bring in the dollars to keep programming at full capacity. We will report on such deserving non-profits as the D.C. Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative which provides more than 30,000 D.C. public school students and their teachers with free arts experiences and transportation each day to shows at the Washington Ballet, Shakespeare Theatre, Kennedy Center and more as well as fundraising powerhouses like Share Our Strength working to eradicate hunger by 2015 across the nation. SOS has raised almost $350 million over 20 years to fund food and nutritional grant programs in local communities. These are just two examples of the D.C.-based charitable groups, making meaningful contributions within the Beltway and beyond.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Louise Kennelly, executive director of the D.C. Collaborative, and Debbie Shore, co-founder of Share Our Strength, both of whom will be profiled, along with their organizations in our next column. The D.C. Collaborative and Share Our Strength will host two top fundraising events this spring. Taste of the Nation 2012 is Share Our Strength’s largest revenue-generating event of the year: 85 of D.C.’s most notable chefs and mixologists from the metropolitan area, including Volt, Rogue 24, Citronelle and Graffiato, will join local foodies at the National Building Museum on April 2. (Tickets, $95 to $150 — http://taste.strength.org. The D.C. Collaborative will host its Second Annual Patriotic Arts Celebration at Lincoln Restaurant, April 25. Guests will enjoy Lincoln’s signature bites, performances from D.C. public schools students and soundscapes from DJ Jahsonic. Tickets, $25 — www.dcahec.com

If you have a notable charity or event that you believe should be featured, we want to hear from you. Email: dcthisweek@gmail.com

Jade Floyd is a managing associate at a D.C.-based international public relations firm and has served on the board of directors for the D.C. Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative for nearly five years. She is a frequent volunteer and host of fundraising events across the District, supporting arts, animal welfare and education programs.

Giving Radar: Upcoming Events You Can Support

February 29: Film Screening of Dark Girls, benefiting the Paul Public Charter School hosted by the Duke Media Foundation, Black Benefactors, Black Philanthropic Alliance and Jackson and Associates Group. Tickets, $25 to $50 — theconversationwomenofcolor.eventbrite.com

March 3: Washington Project for the Arts 2012 Art Auction Gala and dinner with chef Barton Seaver, including live and silent art auction with works by Billy Colbert, Ken Aston, Sondra Arkin and Joan Belmar. Tickets, $300 — http://auction.wpadc.org

March 13: Everybody Wins!, D.C.’s largest children’s literacy and mentoring program, 17th Annual Celebration Gala, with David Rubenstein of the Carlyle Group, as keynote speaker.  Tickets, $150 — www.everybodywinsdc.org

Georgetown’s Antiques
• November 3, 2011

Abigail Adams remarked upon Georgetown for its muddy roads in the 18th century. It has come a long way since then. But the history stays with it, and antiques are part of the heritage of Georgetown. In our neighborhood there is an ample selection of shops selling high-quality curios, relics and treasures that will become part of the personal history of the person acquiring them.

The people who own and work in these shops have an extraordinary knowledge of antiques. They are more than willing to share their bounty, and enjoy educating potential customers.

Along with antiques come interior designers who will help weed through what is available to find the right pieces that make up interior ensembles. What better than a great architect to help make your home breathe not just its history, but move into the present and as the future? Come meet our favorite Georgetowners with a knack for classic décor.

TAKE THE TOUR:

Christian Zapatka: Reinventing the Georgetown Townhouse
Frank Randolph: Interior Designer Extraordinaire
John Rosselli: Georgetown’s Antique Aficionado
Marston Luce: In Search of Elegance
Scandinavian Antiques & Living: International Accents
Susquehanna Antique Company: Redefining Tradition
Sixteen Fifty Nine: A Mid-Century Renaissance