As the pandemic comes to another lull and more people are getting vaccinated, community service opportunities are opening up. Sophomore counselor Marcell Brown has been sending emails to students throughout the year with community service information that would be good for students throughout the whole school.  

Recently he sent a link to the official DCPS community service page here: https://dcps.dc.gov/page/community-service )  

If you don’t want to scroll through the list or are looking for something specific, or just some inspiration, here are specific opportunities you may find interesting. 

 For students looking for more project/group-oriented opportunities. 

• Anti-Racism Coalition of DC.  
• Program Preview: “Be a part of the Bridge Building: Youth Coalition. Create a service learning project for your school by bringing anti-racist storytelling to your class through any art form. (Make sure it is approved by your counselor.)” 
• Contact Information: [email protected]  
• Sign-Up: https://www.antiraciststandingtogether.com/bridge-builders-youth-coalition

• Centro Nia 
• Program Preview: Every year hundreds of volunteers visit CentroNía and change the lives of our children and families. Whether it is weekly tutoring sessions, leading art projects to decorate our walls, or one-time intensive projects with our facilities team – your time at CentroNía and your talent shared makes an enormous impact! We offer a variety of individual and group volunteer opportunities. 
• Location: 1420 Columbia Road NW, Washington, DC 20009  
• Sign Up & Contact Information: https://www.centronia.org/volunteer/ 

• Hillcrest Children & Family Center 
• Program Preview: Mentoring children and youth
  Performing office administrative duties
  Community outreach and program support
  Assisting with organizing community and special events 
• Location: 915 Rhode Island Ave NW Washington, DC 20001 
• Contact: [email protected] 
• Sign Up: http://hillcrest-dc.org/careers/volunterring/ 

• My Sister’s Place (Virtual) 
• Program Preview: Currently offering virtual CS opportunities such as drawing pictures, writing letters and cards and creating fundraisers to support victims of domestic violence 
• Location: 1436 U Street, #303 Washington, DC 20009 
• Contact: [email protected] 
• Sign Up: https://mspny.org/virtual-volunteering/ 

Cards for Hospitalized Kids (Virtual) 

Program Preview: Students can earn community service hours by creating hospital cards for kids. CFHK accepts cards year-round. For directions how to create general cards for kids, please review guidelines here. Please review frequently asked questions here. You must mail the cards to CFHK so they can distribute cards to hospitals around the country. This organization will provide community service hours for students. 

Contact: [email protected] 

Sign Up: http://www.cardsforhospitalizedkids.com/make-general-cards.html 

 Letters of Love to the Elderly (Virtual) 

Program Preview: We would love DCPS students support elders around the globe. Students can write a letter to an elder by telling the elder about yourself, share a joke or riddle, and let them know they are loved. **Please note: Letters to anonymous elders are no longer accepted. Please visit the website for more information on criteria. We will provide one hour of community service for each card you submit to the Love for the Elderly. Please send pictures of your work with your complete community service hour form. 

Contact and Sign Up: https://loveforourelders.org/letters 

For students looking for more hands-on, physical-type opportunities: 

Campus Kitchen 

• Program Preview: Picking up/bagging groceries. Packing lunches and making
  sandwiches. Supporting Afghan refugees by collecting clothing
  and other household items. 
• Location: St. Luke’s Shelter 3655 Calvert St, NW 

• Sign Up: https://nationalchurch.org/online-serving 

 Wreaths Across America 

• Program Preview: Lay wreaths at veterans graves 
• Location: Cemetaries throughout DC, MD, VA 

• Contact and Sign Up: https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/ 

 Martha’s Table 

• Program Preview: Plenty of volunteer opportunities such as driving to and from food banks, packaging and prepping food, helping at markets, stocking food etc. 
• Location: 2375 Elvans Rd. SE
  Washington, DC 20020 

• Sign Up: https://marthastable.org/volunteer/ 

United Mission for Relief & Development 

• Program Preview: Volunteers will be asked to assist with various components of home set ups for new arrivals, including but not limited to the many newly resettled Afghans, under the various classifications for US entrants. Some of the assistance we will be asking for includes, but is not limited to:
  Moving in furniture and household items
  Picking up and transporting furniture
  Assembling furniture
  Assembling and making beds
  Setting up various rooms such as the kitchen, living room, dining room, etc.
  Organizing warehouse in-kind donations and household items 
• Location: 1990 K St. NW Suite 425
  Washington, DC 20006 

• Contact: [email protected] 
• Sign Up: https://www.umrelief.org/get-involved/volunteer/ 

For students looking for more social and person to person opportunities. 

• DC Jazz Festival 

• Program Preview: We need volunteers for brochure distribution,
  social media, street team marketing, information tables,
  survey distribution, and other onsite event efforts. 
• Location: 515 M Street SE
  Washington, DC 20003 
• Contact: Preethi Babu at
  [email protected] 
• Sign Up: https://www.dcjazzfest.org/support 
• For Love of Children 

• Program Preview: Volunteers can serve the Neighborhood Tutoring Program as a tutor, tester, or substitute tutor.  
• Or, the JBG SMITH City Leaders Program
  as a Project Based Learning Coach, PSAT/SAT Coach, or a
  College & Career Readiness Coach. 
• Location: 1301 Pennsylvania Ave, SE
  Washington DC 20003 
• Contact: 202-462-8686
  [email protected] 
• Sign Up: https://www.tfaforms.com/4925229 

• International Rescue Committee 
• Program Preview: Supporting Afghan refugees by being a family mentor, a housing set-up volunteer, or an intern to help families adjust to American life.  
• Location: Silver Spring, MD 
• Sign Up: https://www.rescue.org/volunteer 

• Student Conservation Association (SCA) 
• Program Preview: Are you a high school student who is passionate about conservation? Do you like working as part of a team to get things done? Do you just love being outdoors?Join an SCA camping or commuting crew and plug yourself into SCA’s nationwide network of young conservationists. SCA offers a range of programs for youth ages 15-19. Whether you want to serve in your local community or explore public lands across the country, SCA has something for you! 
• Contact and Sign Up: https://www.thesca.org/serve 

These are opportunities located all over the city and some that you can even do without leaving the house. Please take advantage of these community service opportunities and get on top of your 100 hours. Those hours do not magically appear.