The high cost of home care…Getting fresh food on convenience store shelves…400 years ago, the Anacostia was actually pretty nice [News, 9.30.11]

HEALTH
- D.C. Central Kitchen, along with D.C. Hunger Solutions and the Department of Health, have launched a new program that delivers fresh produce to convenience stores in food deserts around the city. (WaPo, 9/29)

- A farm in Montgomery County seeks to provide job skills and healthy food options to people with developmental disabilities, by employing them as growers and providing  specialty produce to  group homes. (WAMU, 9/30)

AGING | A segment on All Things Considered covered the challenges of “aging in place” and the high costs of home health care. (NPR, 9/29)

Related: Last year WRAG’s Working Group on Aging looked at aging in place policies and asked whether, for some, it is the “wrong ideal.” (WG Daily, 10/2010)

EDUCATION
- Here’s an interesting take on the connections between housing policy and education reform. (Atlantic Cities, 9/15) This is a good reminder of the importance of taking a cross-cutting look at these issues for those focusing on the implementation of the Region Forward plan in our region.

- Arlington high school loses full accreditation (Examiner, 9/30)

GIVING | 2012 GOP Presidential Candidates’ Charitable Giving Habits (Huffington Post, 9/29)

ENVIRONMENT | Here’s a look at the history of the Anacostia River, from the 1600s, when it was “fed by ‘innumerable sweet and pleasant springs’” (as John Smith put it, when he wasn’t otherwise engaged), to the not very pleasant stream we know today. (WaPo, 9/29)

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Yesterday, China launched its ambitious Tiangong 1 space station, and someone at the government-run television station decided to mark the occasion with a very interesting choice in background music for its coverage of the launch.

-Rebekah

Billionaire’s call for ideas gets lots of responses…Youth poverty on the rise for Latinos…Christopher Oechsli named new president of Atlantic Philanthropies [News, 9.29.11]

GIVING | Earlier this week, billionaire Bill Conway asked for suggestions about how to spend his wealth on creating jobs for the poor. He’s already received more than 700 responses. Robert McCartney surveys the overwhelming number of submissions thus far and says, “Above all, I was impressed by the degree of difficulty in the challenge that Conway has set for himself.” (WaPo, 9/29)

- First Half of 2011 Was Sluggish for Fund Raising (Chronicle, 9/29) Bad news, but at least “sluggish” is a fun word to say.

POVERTY | A new report from the Pew Hispanic Center finds that for the first time, there are more Latino children living in poverty (6.1 million) than either white (5 million) or black children (4.4 million) in the country. Locally, the numbers are distributed differently (WAMU, 9/29):

130,000 young people live in poverty, with blacks accounting for half of those numbers and Hispanics about a quarter, but moving up quickly. The jurisdiction with the highest rate of poverty among Hispanics is Arlington County, where nearly 40 percent of poor kids are Hispanic.

PEOPLE | Atlantic Philanthropies has appointed Christopher Oechsli, who has been serving as interim leader over the past few months, as the foundation’s new president. (Chronicle, 9/29)

SUNNY DAYS | American landmark Sesame Street, which you’ll recall was created through a philanthropic partnership, has a new goal as it starts its 42nd season – “tackling math, science, technology and engineering — all problem areas for America’s students — in hopes of helping kids measure up.” (ABC, 9/28) Ah, what the heck. Here’s the theme song. Sing along and cheer up any grouches you might work with.

ARTS | TheatreWashington is a new service organization, spun-off from the Helen Hayes Awards, that aims to “serve as the concentrated voice of theater here and to cement a stronger identity for the area as a theater destination.” (WaPo, 9/23) Thanks to the Cafritz Foundation’s Michael Bigley for pointing this out.

- The city-owned Lincoln Theater on U Street is on the brink of closure as the District budget doesn’t include funding for it next year. (NBCWash, 9/29)

LOCAL
- Rebekah went on the Community Foundation’s first installment of its new Putting Race on the Table Community Tours series. The group explored H Street, and Rebekah reports back. (WG Daily, 9/29)

- Walter Reed’s closure is hurting local businesses, including delicious Ledo’s Pizza. (WTOP, 9/29)

TRANSIT | Arlington, Fairfax bringing streetcars back to life (WaPo, 9/29) There are so many cool transportation projects being planned in the region. I wish they were cheaper and didn’t take so long to build though (this one is slated for 2016). Somebody should plan high-speed mule barges for the C&O Canal.

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How much do you know about the constitution? We should all get 100 percent on that quiz, but I bet we won’t! I didn’t, and it wasn’t because my brain was sluggish today. Time to hit the books!

Putting Race on the Table: The Community Foundation explores race and neighborhood revitalization on H Street

By Rebekah Seder, Program Coordinator

Earlier this month, the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region launched its Putting Race on the Table Community Tours series by examining the issues of race and neighborhood revitalization as they are playing out on the H Street NE corridor in the District. H Street, once called the “Georgetown for African Americans” and later neglected after the 1968 riots devastated many of the neighborhood businesses, has become a nightlife hot spot with restaurants and bars that attract people from all over the city. This influx has created a dynamic between residents and newcomers that is receiving much attention lately, as long-time residents experience the impact of major changes in their neighborhood.

Tour attendees, among them several local funders, spoke with H Street residents about the impact of rising property taxes, visited Mason’s Barbershop, a decades-old family business, and heard from Jane Lang and Sam Sweet, respectively the founder and executive director of the Atlas Performing Arts Center. While the challenges resulting from the changing character of H Street were a major focus of the day, the group also saw the positive impact that these changes have had.

Although some small businesses have disappeared due to the disruption caused by the streetscape and streetcar projects, others, such as Mason’s, have continued to thrive with a more diverse clientele. Jane Lang, who refurbished the long-abandoned Atlas Theater into a state-of-the-art performing arts center, made community engagement an integral part of re-opening the theater. Thanks to these efforts, Atlas has become the hub of H Street development, allowing people from all over the city, as well as neighborhood residents, to enjoy and benefit from the arts.

In a panel discussion, Derrick Woody, formerly of the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, and Anwar Saleem, head of the nonprofit H Street Main Street, talked about the great potential for H Street to once again become the vital and inclusive residential and business district that it once was, particularly with the opening of the streetcar from Union Station to Minnesota Avenue in 2013.

Critical to the success of inclusive development, however, is ensuring that housing remains affordable through strong inclusionary zoning practices and progressive tax policies, and that government, local businesses, and nonprofits partner to create equitable opportunities for all by helping the corridor attract diverse new businesses – beyond restaurants and bars – that serve and employ neighborhood residents, old and new.

Related: Jane Lang and the impact of the Atlas Performing Arts Center on the revitalization of H Street were profiled in WRAG’s 2009 publication Beyond Dollars.

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CFNCR’s Putting Race on the Table Community Tours series continues next month with a look at race and community wellness in the Port Towns Communities of Prince George’s County. More information here.

Washingtonian recognizes WRAG members in list of powerful women…Survey: Ten percent of D.C. 8th graders attempt suicide…District short on doctors [News, 9.28.11]

COMMUNITY | In its October issue, the Washingtonian features its annual list of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the region. We’re excited to see some of our members recognized for their leadership. Congratulations Rose Ann, Carol, Terri, Nicky, Julie, and Vicki! From the print edition:

Rose Ann Cleveland, executive director, Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, and chair, Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers. Cafritz keeps many local arts and humanities groups alive.

Carol Thompson Cole, president and CEO, Venture Philanthropy Partners. Her community and government experience and her interpersonal skills make Cole the ideal go-between for the hard-charging entrepreneurial funders of VPP and the nonprofits that receive VPP investment funds.

Terri Lee Freeman, president of the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, inspires local philanthropists to put their money where the needs are. [Terri is also the vice-chair of the WRAG board.]

Nicky Goren, president of the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, is a catalyst for increasing local philanthropy by and for local women.
…

Julie Rogers, president of the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, does more than give away money – she has taught grantsmanship and fostered collaboration among local nonprofit leaders as a way of helping their organizations survive.
…

Victoria P. Sant, president of the board of trustees of the National Gallery of Art, is a major philanthropic force in the area, involved in Vital Voices, the Community Foundation, and the Summit Foundation.

MENTAL HEALTH | This is completely unacceptable. A CDC survey of 1,186 District middle-schoolers finds that ten percent of eighth-grade students said they had attempted suicide in the past year. The same survey also found 30 percent claiming to have had sexual intercourse and 15 percent of sixth through eighth graders saying they belong to a gang (Examiner, 9/28).

“Children are the canaries in the coal mine, and middle schoolers are often the canaries for children’s issues — it’s a very vulnerable time,” said Judith Sandalow, executive director of the Children’s Law Center, which represents at-risk children. “A third of all students in the District live in poverty, so the number of those children who have witnessed violence in their homes or communities or schools is extremely high, and as a community, we don’t offer significant assistance.”

WRAG’s Health Working Group and Children, Youth, and Families Working Group have both identified mental health as priorities (CYF’s next meeting is about school-aged mental health), but this conversation needs to expand well beyond philanthropy or school advocates immediately.

YOUTH | New D.C. center to serve disabled youths, vets (WaPo, 9/28) The National Youth Transitions Center will be “a one-stop shop with a variety of services aimed at people with disabilities and injured veterans, ages 14 to 26.”

EDUCATION | Here’s a debate among leaders in education, including Geoffrey Canada (who spoke at WRAG’s annual meeting in 2007) about whether the school day should be longer. (NYTimes, 9/26) I emphatically say, maybe!

AGING | Quick Action Saves Food Programs For Low-Income DC Seniors (Poverty and Polcy, 9/27)

HEALTH
- D.C. has fewer than 3,000 active doctors, report says (WaPo, 9/28)

- Health Insurance Costs Rising Sharply This Year, Study Shows (NYTimes, 9/28)

FACTOID | We’re halfway through the week, so let’s celebrate with a Philanthropy Factoid! Today’s looks at how the intersection of marketing and pop culture can break down barriers. (WG Daily, 9/28)

RIP | The wonderfully talented Jessy Dixon, who worked with Paul Simon to make gospel music popular, passed away at 73 this week. (WaPo, 9/28) Here’s a video of Dixon performing Simon’s Gone at Last at the Warner Theatre a few years ago (honestly one of the best concerts I’ve seen).

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Does anyone know if the sun still exists? I think we need to laugh a little today, so here’s something great – bad lip reading of famous people. Here’s one of Rick Perry, which I think you’ll enjoy regardless of political inclination. It’s the concept rather than character that is funny, though Perry’s southern drawl does add some depth to the humor. Ice cream.

Philanthropy Factoid Wednesday: Getting the public to talk about cancer

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Rebekah Seder is reading Give Smart: Philanthropy that Gets Results by Thomas Tierney and Joel Fleishman, and shared this factoid from the book. In her words:

In 1942, Albert Lasker, a businessman considered to be the father of modern advertising, and his wife, Mary, founded the Lasker Foundation to support medical research. The Laskers’ particular interest was in fighting cancer, and they leveraged their own giving by advocating to Congress to fund medical research. But they found that galvanizing public support was difficult, as cancer was still considered to be a taboo subject.

Albert Lasker realized that in order to get people talking about cancer, the right voices needed to be delivering the message. So, he applied his expertise in communications and worked connections in broadcasting to get the lead characters on a popular radio show, Fibber McGee and Molly, to make a frank point: “Cancer isn’t a thing that will go away if you close your eyes. Cancer isn’t a disgrace; it’s a disgrace to think it’s a disgrace.”

Vicki Sant on philanthropy and achieving impact…District and Maryland tops for brain health in country…Foundations struggle with assessment [News, 9.27.11]

HEALTH | A study from the National Center for Creative Aging finds that Maryland and D.C. are the top two states for “good brain health” – determined by mental health, physical health, social well-being, and diet and nutrition. (NPQ, 9/26) This study was conducted before the region collectively banged its head against the wall after last night’s Redskins game.

HOUSING | Solar Decathlon Team Builds Home For D.C. Mom (WAMU, 9/23)

GIVING | Lessons in Working With Trustees (Chronicle, 9/27)

COMMUNITY | At WRAG’s “Philanthropist to Philanthropist” luncheon earlier this month, philanthropists from around the region came together to learn from one of their own: Vicki Sant, co-founder and president of The Summit Foundation and The Summit Fund of Washington. In an interview-style session, Vicki shared her passion and commitment for our community, as well as some of the strategies that have helped her and her team achieve powerful results with their giving.

Since the late 90s, the Sants have directed their giving – locally, nationally, and internationally – in two key areas: environmental conservation and empowering youth to reduce teen pregnancy. Read more about the Sants’ giving and the impressive impact they’ve achieved over the years in our recap from the event. (WRAG website)

REPORT | A report released earlier this month by the Center for Effective Philanthropy finds that foundations “still are not satisfied with their ability to measure their impact.” (Philanthropy Journal, 9/19)

EARTHQUAKE! | It rocks! It shakes! It starts to crumble! It’s newly released footage from the inside of the Washington Monument during the quake! (NPS.gov)

TRANSIT | We’re number one! We’re number one! D.C. area is No. 1 nationwide in traffic congestion, study says (WaPo, 9/27)

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I think that the Cowboys greased the field and wore spikes to compensate. That’s all.

On a different note, you may have already about this, but Queen is staging a 40th anniversary tour. Obviously this presents problems since front man Freddie Mercury has been deceased for sometime, so the band is holding public (internet) auditions. Well, Mercury (or at least his voice) might have been reincarnated. First, listen to the original version of Somebody to Love. Then, listen to Marc Martel’s audition. Hear the difference? Neither does anyone else.

Local billionaire Bill Conway seeks advice on how to fund lasting impact [News, 9.26.11]

Bill Conway, co-founder of the Carlyle Group who has given more than $6 million to the Capital Area Food Bank, is preparing to give away more than half of his net worth. In doing so, he’s seeking advice on how to achieve lasting impact (WaPo, 9/25):

“So much of what I do now is stopgap. Somebody’s hungry; we give money to the food bank,” Conway said in an interview in his Pennsylvania Avenue office.
…
Conway is intrigued by a recent suggestion from his wife, Joanne, to use his wealth to create large numbers of productive, self-sustaining jobs for the poor.

“More effective than giving away half my fortune before I die is finding a way to help people have a good-paying job,” he said. That would help not only the newly employed, but also their families and the rest of the community.

Readers – here’s your big chance. If you have an idea, email Conway at inquiries@carlyle.com. Post columnist Robert McCartney wants you to copy him as well – mccartneyr@washpost.com. Let’s see what we can come up with.

COMMUNITY | On Friday, Northrop Grumman cut the ribbon at its new headquarters in Falls Church. Welcome (officially) to the neighborhood! (WBJ, 9/26)

EDUCATION | D.C. parents raise concerns about middle schools (WaPo, 9/26) Bill Turque says, “Without dramatic improvement in middle school quality, the long-term prospects for reform are bleak.”

SUSTAINABILITY | As it begins a new sustainability planning effort, the District is seeking ideas on how to make the city the “greenest, healthiest, most livable city in the country.”

GIVING | Most Americans Believe in Starting Movements Online, Study Says (Chronicle, 9/26) And here employers are trying to limit social networking at the office. The nerve! (WTOP, 9/26)

WORKFORCE | Inflation swallows raises in the Washington area (WaPo, 9/26)

TRANSIT | Here are the top 10 busiest Metro stations. See how many you can guess before you click the link. (WBJ, 9/24) Hint: this list does nothing to explain why there has been single-tracking between Medical Center and Grosvenor nearly every weekend for the last three years.

REMINDER | WRAG members: Don’t forget to join us for a very quick webinar today at 2:30pm about how your foundation can best support Give to the Max Day. Register here.

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I learned a valuable lesson this weekend. When the waiter at Lauriol Plaza says, “It’s just a mild grilled jalapeno,” he’s either lying through his teeth or the chef is secretly trying to kill diners. Whatever sort of sinister item really was served was high enough on the Scoville scale to make two grown men cry in front of our girlfriends as we shoveled sour cream and rice into our mouths to combat the raging inferno.

Also, I’m still a bit incredulous about the Redskins’ 2-0 start to the season, so I will refrain from trash-talking the Cowboys. Until tomorrow. Can’t wait for the game tonight though! Hail victory!

New census data reveal impact of recession and demographic change in the region [News, 9.23.11]

REGION
- Census data released Thursday reflect the impact of changing demographics around the region. While household incomes have risen and fallen in different jurisdictions in the Washington area, they have declined in Fairfax and Montgomery counties, due to the recession, immigration, and a rapidly aging population (WaPo, 9/22).

- Economic inequality is also on the rise in the region. As the median household income in D.C. rose between 2007 and 2010, the number of residents living in poverty also rose. The DC Fiscal Policy Institute looks at the data and finds that 17,500 DC residents have fallen into poverty since 2007. (DCFPI, 9/22)

HOMELESSNESS
- Editorial: On the right track with homelessness (Gazette, 9/22) Montgomery County’s Department of Health and Human Services “deserves credit for shifting its approach on combating homelessness, with the goal of moving away from temporary and transitional housing toward permanent, supportive shelters.”

- Arlington starts campaign to help end homelessness (WaPo, 9/22)

HEALTH | Pregnancy rates climb for Montgomery’s Hispanic teens (Examiner, 9/23)

EDUCATION
- Fairfax County Superintendent Jack Dale has announced that he will retire when his contract is up in June 2013. (WaPo, 9/22)

- Arbitrator’s order to rehire 75 D.C. teachers is upheld (WaPo, 9/22)

GIVING | PBS NewsHour recently interviewed Joel Fleishman and Tom Tierney about their book, Give Smart: Philanthropy That Gets Results.  (NewsHour, 9/21) WRAG will also have a review of the book in a couple of weeks, so stay tuned.

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- Have a great weekend, everyone! – Rebekah

Baker distinguishes himself from predecessor, improves county’s relationship with funders…Lots of appointments and promotions…Redefining ‘affordable housing’ [News, 9.22.11]

PRINCE GEORGE’S | The Post’s Robert McCartney says that the result of yesterday’s primary election for the Prince George’s County Council demonstrates that “reform-minded” executive Rushern Baker’s “political organization, which aided Davis’s campaign, continues to get stronger.” One particular area of strength is Baker’s relationship with funders:

Amina Anderson, senior program officer at the Community Foundation for Prince George’s County, said philanthropic leaders have been impressed that the Baker administration has consulted with them and streamlined procedures for obtaining grants.

“He and members of his staff really spent a lot of time listening to folks in the county in the nonprofit sector about what their concerns were, what their needs were, how the county should be responding,” she said. The new grant process “is modeled on some of the best practices” in the field, she said.

NONPROFITS | The Meyer Foundation’s Rick Moyers has a new post up at his Against the Grain blog- Five Ways Foundations Can Strengthen Nonprofit Boards (Chronicle, 9/22)

HOUSING | New Study Redefines Affordable Housing (WAMU, 9/22) A D.C. Office of Planning study that says mortgage companies should look at more than just payments, insurance, and taxes.

EDUCATION
- Education finance commission finally forming (WaPo, 9/22)

-Obama prepares to revamp ‘No Child Left Behind’ (WaPo, 9/22)

COMMUNITY | Lots of announcements from the WRAG community:

- Big news from the Consumer Health Foundation (WRAG’s neighbors down the hall). After more than 12 years, Julie Farkas will be leaving the foundation. Fun fact – she was the first program office hired by the foundation! Rachel Wick has been promoted from program officer to Director of Policy, Planning and Special Projects. Nivo Razafindratsitohaina has been promoted to Executive Assistant to Margaret O’Bryon. And, Ria Pugeda, formerly of the Public Welfare Foundation, has joined CHF as a program officer. Congratulations to all, and we’ll miss you Julie!

- The Washington Area Women’s Foundation has named four new members to its board of directors, including Julie Rogers, president and CEO of the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation. The other new members are Audrey Bracey Deegan, managing director of OMG Center for Collaborative Learning; Alex Orfinger, publisher of the Washington Business Journal, and Sonal Shah, former director of the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation.

- Crystal Townsend is the new president of the Healthcare Initiative Foundation. Welcome to the WRAG community, Crystal!

VOLUNTEERING | New data shows that states in which there is a high rate of volunteerism and civic participation have had better joblessness rates during the economic downturn. (Chronicle, 9/22) But the study doesn’t seem to point out why this is the case. Curiouser and curiouser.

MENTAL HEALTH | Mental health study tries Capital Bikeshare as therapy (WaPo, 9/22) Not to sound like a broken record, but Capital Bikeshare is awesome.

REGION | Business Week ranks Arlington and D.C. as two of the best cities in the country. (WaPo, 9/22)

METRO | This isn’t news, but I snapped this picture at a farecard machine at Capitol South last night. I’m glad they tried to clarify things with a marker.

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Is there anyone funnier than Steve Martin? Eddie Murphy has been announced as the host of  the next Oscars, so Martin – who has hosted the ceremony before – wrote Murphy a letter. It starts off, “I heard you’re hosting this year’s Oscars. First of all, CONGRATS. Even though you didn’t ask for my advice and specifically said, ‘please, no advice,’ here are a few tips!” It only gets better.

Hope you all enjoy the last weekend of September (how did that happen?) – Rebekah has the Daily covered tomorrow.

- Christian

Graham: TANF cuts would hurt neediest families…Tutu challenges Obama on HIV/AIDS…Prince George’s primary winner [News, 9.21.11]

POVERTY | Opinion:  D.C. Councilmember Jim Graham says Hasty TANF Cuts Would Place Neediest Families at Risk (HuffPo, 9/21)

TAXES | Following an intense debate, the D.C. Council voted to increase taxes on residents making more than $350,000 a year – from 8.5% to 8.95%. The hike should generate $106 million in revenue over four years. (DCist, 9/21) Is 8.95% like gas that costs three dollars and ninety-nine and nine-tenths cents?

HIV/AIDS | In an op-ed for the Post, Desmond Tutu cites a new study that shows antiretroviral treatment can prevent the spread of HIV, and says: (WaPo, 9/21):

Armed with this new data, President Obama should lead the world in a massive effort to expand access to treatment and rid humanity of AIDS — the most devastating disease of our time.

But just as the end of AIDS has finally come within reach, we are witnessing an unprecedented drop in financial and political support for the cause.

TRANSIT | The fantastic (and regional!) Capital Bikeshare program turned one yesterday as it also recorded its millionth ride.

GRANTS
- The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Future Fund will award two grants of up to $25,000 to youth serving organizations that develop young leaders and provide significant leadership opportunities for young people between the ages of 9 and 18. More info.

- The AARP Foundation will award grants “to identify and fund innovative and strategic business models that begin to build a national network of employment and income support services that address the specific needs of unemployed workers age 50 and older.” More info.

ELECTION | Derrick Leon Davis won the very crowded Democratic primary in the race to fill Leslie Johnson’s seat on the Prince George’s County Council. Davis will face off against Republican nominee Day Gardner on Oct. 18th, though the county’s 18-to-1 Democrat to Republican ratio gives Davis the advantage. (Gazette, 9/21)

GENIUSES | The MarArthur Foundation has announced its 2011 fellows – “talented individuals who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction.” Each fellow receives a $500,000 stipend, with no strings attached, emphasizing MacArthur’s commitment to “people, not projects.” Very cool stuff!

FACTOID | Today’s Philanthropy Factoid Wednesday looks at the rise of the hospice movement in the United States, which shifted the philosophy of treatment for terminally-ill patients. (WG Daily, 9/21)

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I always feel like Beetlejuice is a great movie to transition summer into fall. It’s a mix of summer comedy and Halloween macabre. The Day-O dinner scene is a true classic. And while I’m at it, Chuck Brown’s go-go take on the song is pretty great, too.