Letter from the Mayor 7/22/2022
 Mayor Bowser is creating a stronger, more resilient, connected, and equitable DC. To get a glimpse of the important work happening across all eight wards, read Mayor Bowser's "Letter to Washingtonians" here.
Letter from the Director
Greetings Service Ambassadors,
August is upon us!
Join me as we reflect together on our July activities and share opportunities to engage in the upcoming weeks.
This July, we...
- held our Volunteer Generation Fund Kickoff where grant recipients got inspired, made connections, and received support from our national service team staff.
- celebrated the opening of Wegmans grocery store in Ward 3
- represented #DCValues and Serve DC at the Points of Light Conference.
- held two Active Shooter Preparedness Trainings
- wrapped up our CERT Mid-Spring Cohort and launched our Mid-Summer Cohort
...and so much more that you can learn about below in this newsletter! On the horizon, we have an exciting Snow Team recruitment event to boost participation in the DC Volunteer Snow Program, our 9/11 Day of Service, and more. We are looking forward to wrapping up summer with events and activities. Coming off the heels of a successful Spirit of Service Awards Community Celebration Day, we cannot wait to show you some highlights in next month's newsletter!
Mayor Bowser is creating a stronger, more resilient, connected, and equitable DC. To get a glimpse of the important work happening across all eight wards, check her newsletter by clicking “Letter from the Mayor”. Thank you for being a part of our story. We look forward to seeing you and serving DC with you soon.
In partnership and collaboration,
Alexis L. Squire
Director and Chief Service Officer
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Serve DC in the Community
 Forging New Partnerships: Welcome to DC, Wegmans!
On Saturday, July 9th, at the newly opened Wegmans grocery store in Ward 3, Director Squire was excited to join Keith Sellers, President at Washington DC Economic Partnership, Mike Curtin, CEO of DC Central Kitchen, and rising young professional Nicole, a DC Public Schools graduate who joined Wegmans in June.
Serve DC looks forward to partnering with Wegmans for future community events and initiatives across all 8 Wards!
VGF Kickoff: Generating New Volunteer Engagement!
In partnership with the Center for Nonprofit Advancement , on Monday, July 18th, Serve DC held a Kickoff event for recipients of the Volunteer Generation Fund grant.
Grantees connected with each other, heard from the Center CEO Glen O'Gilvie, and received program and technical assistance from Serve DC National Service Team Director Traci Rollins Johnson and Grants Management Specialist Glenda Gudiel.
In addition to the to $10k grant awards, grantees will benefit from a series of technical assistance sessions, equipping them with the necessary skills and best practices to recruit and retain volunteers to support men and boys of color.
 Points of Light: Making Connections
From July 13th to 15th, our Serve DC staff and Commission Chair Horwitz, both in-person and virtually, attended Conference!
This annual conference brings together nonprofit, government, business and civic leaders for inspiration, education and connection. Our staff both shared and received insights into how service commissions can spark change and drive impact.
We were able to network with other service commission members, deep dive into relevant issues, and leave inspired by keynote speakers and panelists. Points of Light 2022 was one for the books and we're looking forward to continue working with leaders across the nonprofit, corporate and government sectors to form public-private partnerships.
 Adding Capacity to AmeriCorps: Recruitment & Retention Strategies Training
On Wednesday, July 13th, Serve DC's National Service Team gathered AmeriCorps sub-grantees for a training focused on identifying and sharing practices for recruitment and retention tools and strategies.
Program staff networked and learned to think through each stage of an effective process and identify attainable outcomes such as: 100%-member enrollment and retention, securing members, and lower exit rates. Check out our YouTube page for additional capacity building content!
 Stay Ready, DC! Active Shooter Training for Nightlife, Religious Communities
On Thursday, July 14th, Serve DC in collaboration with the Mayor's Office of Community Affairs, the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services (FEMS), the Mayor's Office of Religious Affairs (MORA) and the Mayor's Office on Nightlife and Culture (MONC), hosted two Active Shooter Trainings with 200+ community members in attendance.
Attendees learned various tips and skills to navigate emergency situations like when an active shooter is present and had an opportunity to learn from and ask questions to DC's experts on public safety.
To read about this event, check out our feature in the Washington Post. To request an active shooter training for your organization, visit HSEMA's page.
 CERTified to do Good
During the month of July, we both closed out our Mid-Spring Cohort and kicked off our Mid-Summer Cohort of our Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Programming!
In the Mid-Summer Cohort, 30 DC residents, representing all wards, participated in a team building exercise and learned key skills from emergency preparedness experts such as: Disaster Medical Ops including life-saving first aid, post-disaster survival skills a CERT Overview. Stay tuned!
 All About AmeriCorps: Volunteer Engagement Network Discussion
On Thursday, July 28th, Director Squire was invited to virtually speak to the Volunteer Engagement Network (VEN) about AmeriCorps in the District.
Did you know that in 2021, AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers served at more than 400 locations across DC, including schools, food banks, homeless shelters, health clinics, youth centers, veterans facilities, and other nonprofit and faith-based organizations?
The Director shared key information on how organizations can recruit and use AmeriCorps members, as well as how to apply for relevant grants. If you've got questions, please email us at [email protected]!
 Leading the Way: DOES Panel
On Thursday, July 28th, Director Squire joined DC Chief Technology Officer Lindsay Parker and other DC Government leaders by participating in the Department of Employment Services' Advancing in Leadership panel. In this virtual session, panelists shared key experiences and strategies for advancing in their career as an effective leader.
Audience members had the opportunity to ask more about what leadership and service mean to Director Squire, as well as how to plan a meaningful career rooted in public service: it's a marathon, not a sprint!
 Whose Streets? Ward 7's Open Streets!
On Saturday, July 30th, on Benning Road and Minnesota Ave, Serve DC along with MOCA staff greeted residents at the District Department of Transportation. We shared information about CERT and ways to get involved as well as various resources and volunteer opportunities. It's always a good day to meet residents, share more about our agency, and celebrate community!
Thank you to residents who biked, walked, and scootered around the streets and stopped to say hi to us and learn more about our work.
We'll see you in
 SYEPA Students Walk to Promote Peace
Every Friday, our cohort of Summer Youth Emergency Preparedness Academy students gets involved in the community!
Led by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice and the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, the students participated in the 202 for Peace Walk on July 15th.
We're so proud of them today for walking to promote peace and #endgunviolence in our city. #peacewalk
 Monthly Partner Highlight
This month, Serve DC is featuring our partner, the Washington Area Women's Foundation.
The Washington Area Women’s Foundation is a community-supported foundation that invests in the power of women and girls of color in the Washington, DC region. They open doors to opportunity, safety and security through grantmaking and advocacy.
Since 1998, they have awarded more than $15 million in grants to more than 200 community-based organizations in the Washington, D.C. region.
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