Volunteer with Martha's Table

Beginning with humble roots in 1980, Martha’s Table was originally a place for children to receive free sandwiches and food after school.  We gradually grew to address the additional needs of the community by finding solutions to poverty in the short and long term.  We address emergency needs with food and clothing programs and break the long cycle of poverty with education and family support services.

As availability in our schedule allows, Martha's Table is able to accommodate those completing school or court mandated community service. Prior to your arrival, you must schedule an appointment with the Volunteer Program Assistant to receive approval to volunteer at Martha's Table, complete our Community Service Orientation, and discuss necessary paperwork and tracking of hours.

Contact our Volunteer Assistant at 202.328.6608 x 212 or volunteer@marthastable.org to schedule a COURT or SCHOOL Community Service appointment and Orientation.

Earn your hours at Capital Area Food Bank

The mission of the Capital Area Food Bank is to feed those who suffer from hunger in the Washington metro area by acquiring food and distributing it through its network of partner agencies; and educating, empowering and enlightening the community about the issues of hunger and nutrition. CAFB is a member of Feeding America, a national network of 200 food banks.

CAFB by the Numbers

The Capital Area Food Bank:

• Distributes 30 million pounds of food annually, half of which is fresh produce; 84,000 pounds of food daily and 500,000 pounds each week.
• Serves 478,100 people in the region struggling with hunger.
• Delivers 70 fresh produce drops each month to 40 sites in low-income neighborhoods.
• Spends 92 cents of each dollar raised for food distribution, transportation and programs.
• Provides nutrition and education training to more than 1,000 adults and children annually through CAFB programs.

To sign up, go to: https://capitalareafoodbank.volunteermatrix.com/

Community Service Opportunities Over Winter Break

If you're one of the many students looking for how to get some community service hours over the break, check out these six opportunities: 

*Remember to pick up your community service form BEFORE you leave for break! You can get a form from Ms. Hutchinson in the Main Office. 




1. Food and Friends is in Fort Totten and has holiday volunteer opportunities: http://www.foodandfriends.org/site/pp.asp?c=ckLSI8NNIdJ2G&b=7968713

2. Neighborhood Farm Initiative  is a farm right near the Ft. Totten metro station, and students can email Kristen Georger to see if they need any help over the break:

http://www.neighborhoodfarminitiative.org/volunteer/volunteer/

3. You can also email wangarigardens@gmail.com and ask Josh Singer or Sarah McLaughlin if they have any volunteer opportunities at Wangari Gardens, a community garden in NE DC, near the Washington Hospital Center. 

4. We Are Family DC has the following volunteer opportunities over Winter Break. To sign up, go to: www.wearefamilydc.org/calendar and click on the “Volunteer” button next to the date you want to volunteer.

Holiday Gift Wrapping Party

Tuesday, December 18 – 5pm-8pm

See Volunteer Spot sign up for location details

North Capitol Grocery Delivery

Saturday, December 22 – 10am-1pm

Meet at the Metro Community Church, 474 Ridge Street NW

2.5 blocks from the Convention Center metro, near 5th & M Sts NW

Holiday Gift Wrapping Party

Tuesday, December 23 – 3pm-6pm

See Volunteer Spot sign up for location details

Holiday Gift Delivery

Tuesday, December 25, 10 am – 1 pm

Meet at the Metro Community Church, 474 Ridge Street NW, 

2.5 blocks from the Convention Center metro, near 5th & M Sts NW

5. Books to Prisons: Information is Hope!

Location: Foundry Methodist Church

Address: 1500 16th ST NW, Washington, DC 20036

Date: Wed, January 2^nd  5:30 PM to 7:30 PM

Description: Come spend an evening reading letters from prisoners and answering their book requests, some of which are very interesting! We will select books according to these requests from prisoners around the country and package them for sending.

Other Info: Please bring any paper grocery bags that you have at home and don't need. They use them to pack the books and have a tough time getting enough. The books we most need right now are African American books (about or by), Westerns, Spanish learning books, Native Americans, dictionaries, GED, math, basic literacy, drawing, and science paperbacks - donations are welcome!

Since 1999, a concerned all-volunteer group of individuals has been responding to requests from prisoners around the country for books. They also develop and support local prison libraries. Unlike many programs, they do not limit requests to a particular geographic area or, for example, to women. Thus they receive a tremendous amount of requests from prisoners around the country and are truly swamped. In the past twelve months, they have sent out close to 4,000 packages containing over 10,000 books. These packages have gone to prisoners in 150 different prisons in all 50 states. The U.S. has one of the highest incarceration levels in the world (1 in 37 adults), but many prisoners have little access to books or educational material. Many face substantial barriers and are cut off from family and friends on the outside. While some prisons have libraries, many do not. Of those that do, access and selection can be extremely limited. Often, prisoners are not allowed to receive books from friends or family.

Transit: Located 2.5 blocks east of Dupont Circle. To get there via metro, one can either take the red line to Dupont Circle, leave via the south entrance, walk partially around the circle to P St. and go east 2.5 blocks. To get there via the blue/orange line, one can go to McPherson Square, leave via the White House exit, walk one block west on I St. Once you get to 16th St., wait for buses heading north (come about every 5 minutes or so, before 7:30). When the bus goes through the tunnel, pull the "stop requested" wire and get off at the next stop which is the intersection of P St and 16th St.

Please Note: Once you get to the church (door on 16th St.) ring the doorbell to be let in, then go downstairs to the basement. Turn left, go to end of hall, then turn right, and we are the last door on the right after the bathrooms (B2). There is not a parking lot, but it is generally not too difficult to find street parking if you look around a bit.

1500 16th ST NW, Washington, DC 20036

6. 2011 Holiday Gift Wrapping Fundraiser Arms Outstretched Ministry

GIFT WRAPPING SERVICE FUNDRAISER..VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!

Event to be held at the following time, date, and location:

Dec 7 through 24

Mon-Sat: 12:00-9:00 p.m.

Sundays: 10:00 am-6;00 p.m.

Dec 24th: 8:00 am-6:00 p.m. To sign up, email:

armsoutstretchedministry@yahoo.com

Fashion Center At Pentagon City
100 South Haynes Street
Arlington, VA

View Map

We hope you can make it!

All proceeds benefit our wounded warrior and Adopt a Soldier programs, along with other programs to the community through ARMS OUTSTRETCHED MINISTRY, INC. Learn more about our cause and programs at www.armsoutstretchedministry.com armsoutstretchedministry@yahoo.com

Calling all Green Thumbs to Wangari Gardens THIS Saturday!

Guess What? It's Fall!

A Fall Pumpkin Growing at Wangari Gardens!

Come celebrate the season with Wangari Gardens, a community garden and public park in near Washington Hospital Center. This Saturday, September 29th, Wangari Gardens will be working with other DC organizations to plant trees, fall gardens, and more!
Lunch will be provided.

No need to call ahead, just show up with your community service form in hand! (Ask for Josh or Sarah.)

Need a community service form? Come to the Programs Office (Room 210) or get one in the Main Office!

Volunteer with America the Beautiful and Take Home Free Seeds!

Free Veggie and Flower Seeds Available from America the Beautiful Fund! 

 

Volunteer at the America the Beautiful Fund seed warehouse and take home all the veggie and flower seeds you could ever want! If you or your group are interested in volunteering at least 4 hours during the week or weekend helping us to sort seed packets, please contact Katie at katie@america-the-beautiful.org to set up a day! No skill required, everyone 10 and over welcome!

Kids, Cooking & Culture: Volunteer with Common Threads

Common Threads educates children on the importance of nutrition and physical well-being and fosters an appreciation of cultural diversity through cooking. Common Threads' after-school program engages low-income children 8 to 12 years old by teaching them how to cook healthy, ethnic meals while learning about their similarities and differences by preparing and sharing a nutritious meal. Common Threads is currently recruiting volunteers to support their chef instructors for their Spring Session, February through May, at five sites throughout the District. While Common Threads does ask that classroom volunteers commit to the full 10-week session, they also encourage anyone interested to contact them for more information other available opportunities.

Note: Common Threads classes are held at various locations, some more metro accessible than others. To see all upcoming classes, click here. You'll need to scroll down to the bottom of the page for the DC class list.

For more information, please email Susan Reilly, DC City Program Manager, or call (202) 660-3286.

Foggy Bottom Food Pantry

Foggy Bottom Food Pantry 
 
Share the splendors of food with families in need. Volunteers help bag groceries that will be given to low-income and homeless families. The Foggy Bottom Food Pantry provides over 200 families supplemental groceries twice a month. 

Metro accessible. Located in DC. This project is accessible for the deaf and hard of hearing. 


To sign up, visit: http://www.greaterdccares.org

N Street Village: Volunteer on Sundays!

N Street Village

Come spend your Sunday morning with us! Help prepare and serve lunch to homeless women. Bethany provides homeless women with day programs and social services. 

Metro accessible. Located in DC. No minimum age.

For more information, visit: http://www.nstreetvillage.org/

To sign up, visit: http://www.greaterdccares.org

Emmaus Services for the Aging - Grocery Bagging

Emmaus Services for the Aging 
 
Join Emmaus Services for the Aging on the third Thursday of the month to help package groceries that will be delivered to home-bound seniors. Emmaus is a local nonprofit that reaches out to build trust with seniors to provide support, advocacy and services that help them remain active, respected, and independent members of the community. 

Located in DC. Metro accessible. No minimum age. This project is accessible for the deaf and hard of hearing.

For more information, check out: http://www.emmausdc.org/

To sign up, click here: http://www.greaterdccares.org/

Food for All: Help Make Food Accessible for DC Residents

 Food For All strives to provide food to those who are in temporary situations of need. Clients are generally elderly citizens, handicapped or single mothers with young children. The operation is entirely volunteer operated! Come help pack groceries, deliver food or help a driver navigate while deliveries are being made. A CAR IS VERY HELPFUL FOR THIS PROJECT, but not necessary. Located in DC.

Check out their website for more information:

Food for All-DC http://www.foodforalldc.org/wp/

To sign up, click here. 

Needs and Opportunties at A Wider Circle

Come work with A Wider Circle this Saturday, February 4th. Help move donated beds so that DC residents will have places to sleep in their homes and apartments!

This Saturday, as part of a special event with corporate partner First Finish, A Wider Circle is getting three floors of beds from a local hotel and they need volunteers to work either 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. to help them load and unload the beds.  If you want to help, please email Anne Thompson.

A Wider Circle also needs volunteers for their educational jobs programs. Here are a few ways you can help:

We are looking for a few good cooks!

We need volunteers to provide dinner for one or more classes. The classes will take place in A Wider Circle's new classroom on Tuesday evenings; dinner would need to arrive by 6:15 and serve 20-30 people.  You can provide all or part of the dinners!

Good with children?

We are also looking for volunteers to help out with childcare during classes, Tuesdays from 6:00-8:00 pm, on-site at A Wider Circle.  Volunteers help with homework, play games, and help serve dinner to the children while their parent(s) attend(s) class.  In addition to childcare for the adult education, we will be having a formal reading program for children on Tuesday evenings, so volunteers to read with children will also be helpful.

Interested in providing one-on-one support?

We need volunteers willing to work with adults to format résumés, practice interviewing, and search for jobs during and/or outside of class time.

For more information, or to sign up, please contact Marian Cooper at: Marian@awidercircle.org

Three Upcoming Volunteer Events with Washington, DC Jewish Community Center

The DC Jewish Community Center (JCC) has three upcoming volunteer events. To sign up for any of the events, visit the link below the description and click "Buy Tickets" at the bottom of the page. NOTE: You do not have to pay for any of these events (tickets cost $0); however, you should reserve a spot through the online sign up. Hunger Action at the 16th Street J - February 2, 2012 Washington DCJCC

Register to prepare food for the homeless on February 2 from 7:00-9:00 pm. Join MCCCS's most successful year-round program! Hunger Action prepares over 7,000 meals a year, at about 35 events annually. Join us as we mix, chop and create food for the homeless shelters in the DC area. It's a great and rewarding experience. 2-4 Hunger Action projects are held each month. Two of these are usually held at the Center. People of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to participate. No cooking experience needed. The food prepared though this program is donated to our year-round partner, DC Central Kitchen. Sign up here. Emery Shelter Visit - February 12, 2012 Washington DCJCC Dear Volunteer, Make a difference in the lives of the homeless. If you know how to play cards, chess, checkers or backgammon, your gamesmanship will be valued. Play a game or simply visit with the men staying in this shelter in Northeast DC. Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to participate. Volunteers will meet at the 16th Street J and travel together to Emery Shelter.                Date: Sunday, February 12, 2012 Time: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM If you'd like to attend this event you can RSVP online here. Handmade for the Homeless - February 29, 2012 Washington DCJCC    Each year for the MCCCS December 25th Day of Service (D25), we gift wrap hats, scarves, socks and slippers for the homeless in the Washington DC community. THE GROUP MADE OVER 300 ITEMS IN 2011!! Join fellow knitters and crocheters to make handmade goodies for a great cause!  Whether you're an experienced knitter or crocheter or just interested in learning, we hope you'll join us at a Handmade for the Homeless!  Our goal is to contribute as many warm winter items as possible to distribute as gifts at D25. We know December is still months away but we want to start off the year on a warm note! December 25th seems far away but it will be here before we know it. We hope you will help add to our collection. What Should I Bring? Please bring your own needles/crochet hooks.  All levels of knitters and crocheters are welcome.  Don't know how to knit or crochet? We'll teach you! If you are not already working on a warm winter item and are looking for a great project or just starting out, please bring: #8 or #10 knitting needles (circular or straight) or a size H crochet hook at least 6 oz of any color(s) "worsted weight" yarn Patterns can be provided. Additional hat patterns using #17 needles or a size N crochet hook are also available. If you have questions about this event please contact Sheryl at sherlinov@gmail.com. If you can't join us in person, join us in spirit by knitting or crocheting: Hats Scarves Gloves and Mittens Socks or slippers Other items to keep people warm and toasty in the cold winter months Knitted and other donations can be brought to the 16th Street J. Contact Erica Steen at ericas@washingtondcjcc.org to make arrangements. Thank you! Date: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Sign up here.