Category: Events

We have three announcements to share with you this week:

Summer Homeless Census in Georgetown

Every winter, there is a nationwide count of homeless persons called the Point in Time survey. The Georgetown BID and GMC are working together to conduct a summer version of the Point in Time survey in Georgetown, and we need your help!

We are looking for volunteers to help us with the count that is scheduled to take place on Thursday, July 24 at 9pm. Volunteers will receive a brief training before breaking up into teams to cover certain areas of Georgetown and Foggy Bottom. The night usually takes 1.5 to 2.5 hours.

Volunteers should be 16 years or older and able to walk at least a mile. If they have one, volunteers should also bring a flashlight. If you are interested, please email Stephanie Chan at stephanie@gmcgt.org

Clothing Closet Changes

A few days ago, we announced on our blog some upcoming changes to our clothing closet. Just as a reminder, we are moving our clothing closet to a smaller space and can no longer accept general clothing donations. Instead, we have updated our wish list on our website and are encouraging people to take a look at our Amazon.com Wishlist.

Supplies Needed

We have a fabulous volunteer, Kirsten, who is a psychologist and hoping to start an art therapy group in our center. Please help us get this off the ground by donating crayons and newsprint pads! You can find more details on our Amazon Wishlist.

Update your Spring wardrobe

Enjoy light refreshments

and HELP Georgetown Ministry Center!

Looking for an easy and fun way to treat yourself and help GMC? Next Wednesday, April 9, enjoy refreshments while you shop at J. McLaughlin in Georgetown (3278 M Street NW). Our 2013 Spirit of Georgetown honoree, Page Evans, will be there, and 15% of sales will benefit Georgetown Ministry Center!

Representative Tim Murphy opened yesterday’s House subcommittee hearing on the shortage of psychiatric beds with this question. A panel of experts, including GMC’s own Gunther Stern, spoke for over two hours about the lack of adequate mental health care and the impact it has on families, taxpayers’ dollars, and our society.

This hearing, held by The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, is part of the Committee’s ongoing oversight of Federal spending on research and treatments for mental illness. The hearing, as described in the hearing’s memo,  examined “the strain that this shortage exerts on the seriously mentally ill throughout our communities in the form of homelessness as well as increased contact with law enforcement and the criminal justice system, more generally.”

Keep reading for a few excerpts from panelists’ testimonies.

Read more…

This has been a brutally winter. The entire city has been working extremely hard to make sure no one dies from exposure this season. In addition to the hypothermia vans and shelters, this year the city started stationing warming buses throughout the city, where the homeless can board and warm up for 30 minutes, 3 hours, the entire night… however long they need. We have heard great feedback from our homeless guests and other providers about the success of these buses.

Still, there are people who are sleeping outside, whose mental illness prevents them from coming inside, or who think they are strong enough to brave the cold, wind, and snow. During the day, GMC staff and our medical team checks on these individuals. However, we can’t often do outreach at night, when people are most vulnerable.

And so, we decided to create a group of volunteers to do street outreach for us when it gets cold and when the weather’s supposed to be bad.

Read more…

The 2014 Point in Time survey is scheduled for Wednesday, January 29, 2014, and we need volunteers! The Point in Time (PIT) is an annual, nationwide count of unsheltered homeless individuals that takes place every January. We need volunteers to help us walk around the neighborhood, count, and survey unsheltered individuals.

Volunteers will be split into teams and led by a team leader and should dress warmly and bring a flashlight if they have one. If you can help the night of the PIT, please let us know!

Here is our schedule for the night:

7:30-8:00pm — Volunteers arrive at Georgetown Ministry Center. We are located at 1041 Wisconsin Avenue in the alley next to Grace Church. Due to construction at one end of the alley, all access to our center is via the alley entrance on 31st Street next to the Capella Hotel. Here is a map for reference. If you get lost, please call the front desk at 202-338-3801 for help.

8:00-8:30pm — Volunteer training will start promptly at 8:00pm.

8:30-9:00pm — A few minutes of practicing administering the survey, followed by breaking up into teams, map distribution, etc.

9:00pm-2:00am — Teams are dispatched. Teams are usually done by 11:30 or midnight and report back to GMC once they are done. The official count goes until 2am, but we’re usually not out past midnight.