December 22, 2023
Dear Washingtonians,
Like many people, I find the holiday season to be a time of reflection and gratitude. At the start of 2023, we kicked off our Comeback Plan. Almost a year later, I am grateful for the many people across all eight wards who are bringing the plan to life. We made strong progress in 2023. Just this week, we announced that for the second consecutive year, our population has grown. We know our tourism numbers are bouncing back. Our transit numbers are strong. Our focus on downtown is producing results: this year, we welcomed new employers downtown, celebrated transformed spaces like the new Johns Hopkins University on Pennsylvania Avenue, and hosted big events like the World Culture Festival.
In 2024, we will keep our focus on bringing people together and building safe, vibrant neighborhoods across all eight wards. We will continue to create opportunity for Washingtonians. We will build on the gains our students continue to make. We will continue to break ground and cut ribbons on more affordable housing. We will support local businesses and work together to close amenity gaps. As communities around the world unite in praying for peace this holiday season, we will also stay focused on peace at home and ensuring our public safety ecosystem is holding people accountable and driving down crime.
I am proud to lead a city that time and time again stands shoulder to shoulder to support our neighbors and to defend our DC values. Those values unite us, and we know that we can do more good for more people when we stay united as a community. Let's keep pushing in 2024.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays, DC.
Sincerely,
 View photos from this week on Facebook.
 With students across DC on winter break, the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and other District agencies are hosting safe and engaging activities for kids and teens between December 23 and December 30.
Whether your teen wants to play eSports or take advantage of open gym time, or your younger kids want to decorate cookies or play in a bounce house, DPR has programming for youth of all ages this winter break. Some programming is designed specifically to give teens safe places to gather, socialize, and play through DPR’s Teen Break Time.
DPR programming includes:
- a skate party
- teen trips
- gaming lounges
- a pool party
- teen karaoke
- a winter ball
- teen open gym
- a pop-up indoor amusement park with inflatables and life-sized board games for all ages, and more!
Learn more about winter break programming HERE.
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 Join Mayor Bowser at the 10th annual FITDC Fresh Start 5K on New Year's Day!
- Where: Freedom Plaza (1455 Pennsylvania Ave NW)
- When: Monday, January 1, 2024, registration begins at 10:00 a.m. and 5K begins 11:00 a.m.
- Register HERE
Those who register in advance will receive a commemorative t-shirt, runner’s bib, and medal. And to save time on New Year's Day, you can pick up your items on Thursday, December 28 and Friday, December 29 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at one of the following four locations:
- Columbia Heights Community Center (1480 Girard Street NW)
- Edgewood Recreation Center (300 Evarts Street NE)
- Deanwood Community Center (1350 49th Street NE)
- Takoma Aquatic Center (300 Van Buren Street NW)
Also, check out Mayor Bowser’s Fresh Start 5K playlist to help get you moving, grooving, and training for January 1.
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 The DC Department of Public Works (DPW) will not collect household trash and recycling on Christmas Day (Monday, December 25). Trash and recycling collections will “slide” for the remainder of the week into Saturday.
- For example, households that normally receive trash and recycling collections on Monday, will be serviced on Tuesday, December 26.
Leaf collection will operate on schedule. Bulk trash removal will be suspended on Monday, December 25 and will resume on Tuesday, December 26.
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 The holidays can be a particularly stressful time of year. Please remember that DC has a free Mental Health Hotline that will connect you to a trained professional, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The number for the Mental Health Hotline is 1-888-793-4357 or you can call 988 and get connected to support. It is normal to feel depressed, anxious, or just not yourself at times, even and especially around the holidays; it also normal to seek out help when that happens.
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