Emergency Food Deliveries

Thursday, January 28 through Saturday, January 30, the Capital Area Food Bank will make emergency food deliveries of fresh produce, shelf stable items and water to eight DC Recreation Centers across the city: Barry Farm, Bald Eagle, Malcolm X, Deanwood, Benning Park, King Greenleaf, Trinidad, and Fort Stanton.

The deliveries will be located at the parking lots of those recreation centers. It is first come, first served. Residents are encouraged to bring reusable bags.

The schedule is as follows:

Thursday, January 28th:
Fort Stanton Recreation Center(1812 Erie Street, SE), 2:00PM-4:00PM
Malcolm X Opportunity Center (3200 13th Street, SE), 2:00PM-4:00PM
Bald Eagle Recreation Center (100 Joliet Street, SW), 3:00PM-5:00PM

Friday, January 29th:
Deanwood Recreation Center (1350 49th Street, NE), 2:00PM-4:00PM
Benning Park Community Center (Southern Avenue and Fable Street, SE), 2:00PM-4:00PM
Trinidad Recreation Center (1310 Childress Street, NE), 3:00PM-5:00PM

Saturday, January 30th:
Barry Farm Recreation Center (1142 Sumner Road, SE), 10:00AM-12:00PM
King Greenleaf Recreation Center (201 N Street, SW), 10:00AM-12:00PM

Residents unable to receive food at these specified sites are encouraged to check the Food Bank Network to locate food assistance nearest to them.

Help For The Homeless

With weather predictions calling for a storm this weekend, if you see anyone out in the cold with no where to go, please call:

D.C. 1-800-535-7252

Prince George’s County 1-888-731-0999

Montgomery County 240-777-4448

Arlington 703-548-7500

Fairfax 703-222-0880

Falls Church 703-854-1400

Don’t Ever Give Up

*Please click the image above to watch the short video.

“Education is a priority, prioritize your life … but don’t ever give up,” says Linda Hunter.

Linda has been coming to Southeast Ministry since January 2014 and has been involved in our GED preparation class, as well as our job readiness program. “I like coming to Southeast Ministry because it’s a very supportive organization, you have great teachers, and you learn quite a lot,” Linda said.

When asked what she has accomplished while at Southeast Ministry, Linda mentioned a few of her most recent successes, “I passed my CASAS test with great scores, now I’m enrolled in the STAY program in another school going for my high school diploma.”

The STAY program is an alternative adult high school. There are numerous reasons why this is an option to help earn a high school diploma for some students. In some cases, the student is supporting a family and needs to earn a living while also going to school.

“And between that I applied for a job and got hired! I’ll be working at the Nationals’ stadium in the Diamond Club, I’m so excited about that,” Linda shared.

We are very proud of Linda and appreciative of her consistency and perseverance!

For information regarding donating to Southeast Ministry, our programs, or volunteering, please visit. www.southeastministrydc.org, or call 202-562-2636.

We also invite you to ‘Like’ us on Facebook, and follow our Twitter feed, as well as our Instagram page.

 

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I’m On My Way

*Please click the image above to view the short video*

Charles Carson came to Southeast Ministry in need of assistance finding a job. Charles knew that acquiring the necessary knowledge and training to find and keep a job would create more opportunities for him, improve his economic prospects, and help him do better in today’s competitive job market.

“I’ve been coming here for a few weeks to get help finding a job, and within three weeks, through this program, I’m on my way,” said Mr. Carson. “I believe (SEM) helped me a lot, it’s better than laying around and getting rejected all of the time. Here, I always felt like I had something positive going on, the wheels were moving.”

As a result of Charles’ consistency, dedication, and focus, he was able to successfully gain employment. “I will be working at Abe’s Hardware Store in Eastover,” he said.

We wish Charles nothing but continued success!

 

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For information regarding donating to Southeast Ministry, our programs, or volunteering, please visit. www.southeastministrydc.org, or call 202-562-2636.

We also invite you to ‘Like’ us on Facebook, and follow our Twitter feed, as well as our Instagram page.

Determined To Get It Done

*Please click the image above to play the video. 

We are excited to share that one of our program participants has passed the new GED exam!

Yao Midodji participated in our Adult Basic Education and GED preparation classes for ten months. A native of Togo, West Africa, Yao realized the importance of education, especially in a new country.

“I started coming here the 23rd March, 2015, and I was here for ten months,” said Yao. “When I came here, I didn’t know much about the math and the writing, but during these ten months I really learned a lot of things. I’m just grateful for this great program.”

When asked about the difficulty of the new GED exam, Yao acknowledged that the exam required great effort. “The exam was really hard, it was super-hard, but I was determined to get it done. With hard work, I believe anything is possible.”

Yao says that Southeast Ministry has helped him tremendously, he also stated that he passed on other programs that were closer to his home because of how everyone, staff and learners alike, made him feel. “Southeast Ministry is a great place to learn, with nice people, they really care about us and they really love what they do here. I invite everyone to come and learn here. I came and got my GED, if they really want to get their GED they can come to Southeast Ministry, and with hard work they can also pass the GED test.”

For information regarding donating to Southeast Ministry, our programs, or volunteering, please visit. www.southeastministrydc.org, or call 202-562-2636.

We also invite you to ‘Like’ us on Facebook, and follow our Twitter feed, as well as our Instagram page.

Home Sweet Home

This month has been full of the holiday spirit! Thanks to our friends at Emmanuel Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church of the Reformation, our learners have gifts to take home to their families!

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Gifts were given to our learners and their loved ones at our annual holiday party for our program participants and members of our staff. “I thank Southeast Ministry so much, now I have the dignity to be able to give a Christmas gift to my family,” said a SEM learner.

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In addition to the warm holiday spirit shared in fellowship at the holiday party, we were recently informed that one of our learners has passed the new GED exam! This is an amazing accomplishment due largely to the fact that the new GED exam is considered to be a much more difficult exam than the previous version. USA Today recently published an article highlighting the challenges of the new GED exam.

More details about our new GED recipient and his path to success are coming soon.

For information regarding donating to Southeast Ministry, our programs, or volunteering, please visit. www.southeastministrydc.org, or call 202-562-2636.

We also invite you to ‘Like’ us on Facebook, and follow our Twitter feed, as well as our Instagram page.

 

 

Hope on Good Hope Road

On Tuesday, December 1, the Skyland Workforce Center celebrated its one-year anniversary! At the open house celebration, guests were able to learn more about the services the center provides, meet the partner organizations, and share in the successes of the past year.

The celebration began with series of workshops, starting with a Southeast Ministry Construction Math Workshop, facilitated by our Director of Workforce Academics, Paul Ruffins. During this workshop, Mr. Ruffins engaged the participants in an active lesson about converting different units of measurement in order to find out how many square feet of tile one would need in order to build a floor.

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Mr. Paul Ruffins Facilitating a Workshop

The event was opened by Bob Wittig, Executive Director of the Jovid Foundation, and included remarks from former Mayor, Vincent Gray and Deputy Mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity, Courtney Snowden.

Speaking in regards to the idea of the Skyland Workforce coming into fruition and its success thus far, Bob Whittig said, “if you bring a bunch of people together, amazing things can happen.”

“We’re on Good Hope Road, just think about it, Good Hope Road, this center has made that a very fitting  name,” stated former Mayor Gray.

Speaking on the future of the Skyland Town Center and it’s connection to the Skyland Workforce Center, Deputy Mayor Snowden said, “if we do it right, we will change the city and we can keep the culture.”

The one-year anniversary celebration also included a community panel. Valarie Ashley, Executive Director of Southeast Ministry, Edmund Fleet, Executive Director of THEARC, Chris Smith of WC Smith, and Charles Young, a community partner participated in the panel.

“I thought I had a good job, making a few dollars a day. After coming here and going through all of the classes and training, and really taking advantage of what they have to offer, I am a operator of heavy labor, right across the street. I thank God for this center,” said Charles Young.

For information regarding donating to Southeast Ministry, our programs, or volunteering, please visit. www.southeastministrydc.org, or call 202-562-2636.

We also invite you to ‘Like’ us on Facebook, and follow our Twitter feed, as well as our Instagram page.

 

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Skyland Workforce Center Open House

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During the last year, we have collaborated with other organizations in Washington, DC to open the SkylandWorkforce Center, where programs and services are co-located on-site that connect job seekers with positions and services that can help them to successfully obtain and retain employment, via training and referral services.

 

Tuesday, December, 1, there will be open house at the center, where you can learn more about Southeast Ministry, the organizations we collaborate with, as well as the center as a whole.

 

The details are as follows:

Time: 3p.m. – 6p.m.

Address: 2509 Good Hope Road SE, Washington, DC, 20020

Phone number: 202-793-2141

 

For information regarding donating to Southeast Ministry, our programs, or volunteering, please visit. www.southeastministrydc.org, or call 202-562-2636.

We also invite you to ‘Like’ us on Facebook, and follow our Twitter feed, as well as our Instagram page.

Equitable Economic Development East of the River

 

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Mayor Muriel Bowser

On November 5th, our staff attended the City First Community Development Finance Conference, which was held at the R.I.S.E. (Relate, Innovate, Stimulate and Elevate) Demonstration Center in Southeast on St. Elizabeth’s campus.

With a focus on equitable economic development east of the (Anacostia) river, this day-long summit brought together the District’s key community development stakeholders and thought leaders to discuss the primary challenges and opportunities impacting Washington, DC’s neighborhoods in Wards 7 and Ward 8.

Industry best practices, trends in public policy, and innovative ideas were also shared, in order to provide tangible solutions, as well as a roadmap to deliver inclusive and visionary opportunities for all.

There were over 25 panelists at the conference, with the featured speakers being Brian Argrett, President of City First Bank, Chris Smith of WC Smith Companies, and Mayor Muriel Bowser.

There were eye-opening statistics shared by the Urban Institute, such as the fact that the average income for black residents in the District is $29,000, while the average income for white residents in the District is $65,000. Another alarming fact was that 17% of adults in Ward 7, ages 25 and above, do not have a high school diploma or GED, and 20% of adults in the same age range in Ward 8 do not have the aforementioned credentials.

Out of the 5 panels of discussion, there was a reoccurring message throughout the day that, not only is there a need for more jobs, but that jobs and economic opportunities must go hand-in-hand with affordable housing, as development east of the river continues.

For information regarding donating to Southeast Ministry, our programs, or volunteering, please visit. www.southeastministrydc.org, or call 202-562-2636.

We also invite you to ‘Like’ us on Facebook, and follow our Twitter feed, as well as our Instagram page.

An Hour of Music

2015 18th st singers

 

On Sunday October 18, at First Trinity Lutheran in NW, was the third annual Gifts of Hope benefit concert. This year, the featured artists were The 18th Street Singers, who have been named one of the best vocal groups in the area.

Gifts of Hope (GOH) is an alternative gift-giving program with gifts available year-round to anyone who wishes to help those in need on a local or international level. Gifts of Hope serves as an intermediary between donors and organizations serving persons in need.

Carolyn Sowinski, Director of GOH, said the following in regards to The 18th Street Singers and the concert,

“On behalf of our Gifts of Hope volunteers and our beneficiary organizations, I want to thank you so much for sharing your time, your skills, and your glorious music with our audience on Sunday afternoon. From the opening chord of Stars (which took my breath away) to your final piece, you provided us with time to listen, relax, and absorb beauty.  We left the concert with words and music in our thoughts and hearts–a true gift.

Wishing you all the best with your concerts and your gift of sharing wonderful music with your audiences.”

 

For information regarding donating to Southeast Ministry, our programs, or volunteering, please visit. www.southeastministrydc.org, or call 202-562-2636.

 

We also invite you to ‘Like’ us on Facebook, and follow our Twitter feed, as well as our Instagram page