This web site does not work optimally in old browsers like IE8 and earlier. Please update your browser.
Make a donation today
Georgetown Ministry Center Georgetown Ministry Center

Category: What’s New

There are 57 posts in this category.

March 20, 2018

What’s all the buzz about???

Georgetown Ministry Center has been chosen by Georgetown University as the recipient of 2,000 pairs of donated socks for men and women experiencing homelessness in DC from socially-conscious sock label, Bombas! That’s 2,000 pairs of specially-engineered socks designed to specifically meet the needs of people who don’t have the luxury of putting on a clean pair of socks every day. An antimicrobial treatment ensures they don’t need to be washed as often, and reinforced seams and darker colors give them greater durability with less visible wear.

Bombas’ mantra is “bee better”

How did this happen?

Georgetown University’s involvement with and support of GMC dates back to GMC’s founding over 30 years ago. This year, the University will honor as their Entrepreneur of the Year Randy Goldberg, a Class of 2000 Business School graduate who is the Co-Founder of Bombas.  Inspired by a Salvation Army press release quote that said that socks are the most requested clothing item at homeless shelters in the U.S., Randy and his co-founder David Heath started Bombas, with the goal of donating a pair of socks for every pair sold.

Just a few of the 2,000 pair of socks donated to GMC

As part of Georgetown’s Sponsorship of the Salesforce Higher Ed Summit at the Gaylord National Harbor on March 21-23, Georgetown University Information Services and their implementation partner, Appirio, will be giving away Bombas socks to highlight the plight of those experiencing homelessness and together, they have donated 2,000 pairs of socks to GMC to be distributed via our street outreach program, our winter shelter program and in our Center to men and women experiencing homelessness in the DC area!

GU student and GMC volunteer, Chris Hadsall, holding a package of donated Bombas socks

GMC is incredibly grateful to Georgetown University for its ongoing support of our mission to end homelessness and to Bombas for its commitment to making an impact in our local community!

A Georgetown University student holds Bombas socks to be distributed during street outreach with the Hypothermia Outreach Team

Categories: Programming, What's New

[ssba]
December 8, 2017

This Year at GMC, Give & You Might Receive!

Georgetown Ministry Center is excited to announce our 12 Days of Giving Campaign!

This year, we’ve partnered with 11 generous local businesses who have joined forces with us to help end homelessness! These amazing establishments have donated prizes to be given away one-by-one during each day of our 12-day online fundraising campaign which will run December 11 – December 22.

The way it works is simple: Each participating establishment has been assigned a day. Donate to GMC on that day, and/or share that day’s campaign link on your Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram accounts (don’t forget to tag GMC so we see it!), and you could win a prize! Keep an eye on your inbox and check GMC’s social media pages throughout the life of the campaign to receive details about each day’s prize give-away.

We hope you’ll join us and our amazing community supporters to achieve our end of year fundraising goal to support GMC’s center operations. It’s the Season of Giving and we are grateful to our community of supporters who have given so generously to this campaign — see their prize donations below and then get ready for Day 1 of the campaign, kicking off on Monday, December 11!

1st Day of Giving, December 11: Prize donated by The Kennedy Center – An assorted collection of Kennedy Center performance posters, a 50th Anniversary Washington National Opera coffee table book and an official program book from the 2016 Kennedy Center Honors (valued at $150)

2nd Day of Giving, December 12: Prize donated by  Georgetown Salon and Spa – A set of 2 haircuts and blow-dries at the upscale Georgetown salon by renowned stylist, Onder Yavuz (valued at $240)

3rd Day of Giving, December 13: Prize donated by Farmers Fishers Bakers – Gift certificates for Lunch and Dinner at this farmer-owned sustainable restaurant in Georgetown that serves made-from-scratch food & delicious hand-crafted drinks (Lunch certificate valued at $75; Dinner certificate valued at $100)

4th Day of Giving, December 14: Prize donated by The Graham Hotel – An overnight stay at the luxury boutique hotel nestled in the heart of Georgetown(valued at $469; all taxes and gratuities are included)

5th Day of Giving, December 15: Prize donated by Newseum – 2 Tickets for admission to the dynamic, engaging and interactive museum of news that allows visitors to experience the stories of yesterday and today through the eyes of the media while celebrating the freedoms guaranteed to all Americans by the First Amendment (valued at $70)

6th Day of Giving, December 16: Prize donated by Chez Billy Sud – A gift certificate for Lunch or Dinner at this neighborhood French restaurant situated in the heart of Georgetown, offering a delectable menu, handcrafted cocktails and a French-focused wine list in an inviting atmosphere, steeped in history and conviviality (valued at $100)

7th Day of Giving, December 17: Prize donated by Rosewood Hotel – A gift certificate for a 1-night stay at the refined Georgetown boutique hotel, breakfast included (valued at $545; taxes and service charges may apply)

8th Day of Giving, December 18: Prize donated by Paper Source Georgetown– A Creative Card-Making Party hosted for a group of 4 to 6 at the premier paper store for unique gifts, cards, gift wrap, wedding invitations, stationery, and crafts (valued at $120 plus 10% off shopping opportunity)

9th Day of Giving, December 19: Prize donated by Vineyard Vines – A signature whale tie from the preppy brand for the whole family, inspired by Martha’s Vineyard, that believes “Every day should feel this good” (valued at $85)

10th Day of Giving, December 20: Prize donated by Kendra Scott Georgetown – A beautiful matching earring and necklace set from the jeweler’s new Georgetown store, perfect for yourself or the special lady in your life! (Aiden necklace valued at $85, Addie gold drop earrings valued at $60)

11th Day of Giving, December 21: Prize donated by Cafe Milano – A gift certificate to the trendy, upscale Italian restaurant, reminiscent of a stylish Milan boutique and renowned for being a power center for diplomats, politicians, journalists, broadcasters, lobbyists, entertainers (valued at $200)

12th Day of Giving, December 22: Prize donated by Rosewood Hotel – A gift certificate to the luxury hotel’s Rooftop Bar and Lounge, valid for use through the 2018 Rooftop Season (valued at $100)

Donate Today!

Categories: Activities, Events, What's New

[ssba]
October 23, 2017

‘Best Spirit Ever’ Raises Unprecedented Amount for Georgetown Ministry Center

Spirit of Community Shines Bright at Annual GMC Benefit

In a watershed year for Georgetown Ministry Center, Thursday evening’s Spirit of Georgetown benefit was, fittingly, one for the books! GMC would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all those who attended this year’s benefit and to all those who have aided GMC’s work in other ways throughout the year — with your generous support, we raised a record-setting amount of $137,373 for our Center operations! This feat was only possible through the incredible support and commitment of our generous donors. Thank you!

This year’s event was an embodiment of the spirit of community so vibrantly alive in Georgetown, exemplifying what is possible when a group of individuals come together for the common good. More than 200 GMC supporters gathered in the stately Georgetown home of consummate DC hostess, Sally Quinn, to commemorate 30 years of GMC service in our community.  Guests spent the evening mingling from room to impeccably decorated room, spilling onto a wraparound back porch perfectly suited for the mild October temperatures. While there was plenty of DC star power in attendance — including honoree Mayor Bowser, Deputy Mayor HyeSook Chung, Councilman Jack Evans and our gracious host, Sally Quinn — it was truly the spirit of community that shone brightest throughout the evening.  Retiring GMC Executive Director, Gunther Stern, aptly described his final Spirit after his nearly 3-decades-long tenure as the “best Spirit ever” — and we couldn’t agree more!

A special thanks to this year’s honorary hosts, Carrington Tarr and Amy Tercek, and our event sponsors, Washington Fine Properties, Kilpatrick, Townsend, Stockton, Walker & Dunlop LLC, John D. Richardson Company and Martin’s Tavern.

Whether you were there in person on Thursday, or just in spirit, we hope you’ll recognize the profound impact your support has on the lives of our community’s most vulnerable. American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead’s famous quote resonates as much today as it did upon GMC’s founding 30 years ago: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

Thank you for helping us end homelessness — and change the world! — one person at a time.

View all event photos on our Facebook page.

 

 

Categories: Events, What's New

[ssba]
September 12, 2017

Exciting renovation plans are in the works at Georgetown Ministry Center! Last fall, the Share Fund offered to help GMC drastically improve its space. With additional support from the Arcana Foundation and Georgetown University’s Office of Campus Ministry, construction plans are approved and the renovation will begin in early October.

This idea came about because every day, 50 to 70 vulnerable homeless people visit our well-worn space. Our 13-year-old shower has a cracked floor, our hot water heater doesn’t keep up with the demand in the winter, our roof leaks during heavy rainstorms, and the center is often standing room only.

To improve the quality of our services, an architecture firm came up with a plan to expand our space in an ingenious way. Their plans include the installation of higher efficiency equipment, the ability to do more loads of laundry and offer warmer showers in the winter, the addition of one bathroom, the improvement of storage space for supplies, and the transformation of an office into a medical clinic for our consulting psychiatrists and doctors.

While this project will dramatically improve our program, it will require us to close for about 7 weeks. We can’t thank the Share Fund enough for making this possible. We look forward to keeping you updated on the progress and are eager to return to an improved day center!

Categories: What's New

[ssba]
September 12, 2017

GMC is happy to share that Alfred Ricketts has received housing after experiencing more than 40 years of homelessness! We are excited to share Alfred’s story with you and thank our many volunteers, donors and supporters who helped along the way. Congrats to Alfred!

Alfred Ricketts, 70, sits on a metal stool across from his Case Manager, Sabrina Burrell, in her tiny, rectangular-shaped office in the back of Georgetown Ministry Center (GMC). His hands are neatly folded in his lap and tufts of curly black hair, fringed with gray, peek from beneath his black baseball cap. He is dressed in a black T-shirt, gray cargo shorts and black woven sandals — all items purchased on a recent shopping trip. Alfred began coming to the Center regularly almost two years ago and since his first meeting with Sabrina, she’s seen him wear the exact same clothing every single day.

That is, until today.

Today, Alfred’s outfit is new, but it is perhaps the least of what he has to newly celebrate. The week prior, after a year’s worth of casework and advocating on his behalf, Sabrina presented Alfred with keys to his very own apartment: a place to call home after spending more than 40 years without one.

When asked how he felt upon receiving the keys to his new home, Alfred pauses, shakes his head in momentary bewilderment and says in a low, incredulous tone, “I was, like, in a state of shock. I didn’t think it would happen that quickly after being homeless so long.”

Forty years is a long time half a lifetime for most, if we’re lucky. For Alfred, it’s been more than half a lifetime spent living in homeless shelters, subway cars and on street corners. Originally from New York, Alfred has faced mental and physical challenges since birth, including partial blindness in one of his eyes. These challenges have contributed to difficulties he’s had in retaining employment earlier in his life and they made him an easier target for predators once he found himself living on the streets as an adolescent.

While experiencing homelessness in New York, Alfred was robbed repeatedly and the city eventually became what he describes as “a nightmare.” During his time there, he says he did his best to “stay out of trouble,” continuously praying to God for protection. In 1985, after New York had become unbearable, he found his way to DC. It would be 26 more years – not until 2006 – that GMC’s street outreach team would first encounter him living on the streets of our nation’s capital. The meeting had been a long time coming, but it would prove to be a turning point in Alfred’s life.

Alfred began regularly coming to the Center in 2015, around the same time that Sabrina began working as a Case Manager. Both new to their respective Center roles that year – Sabrina as a service-provider and Alfred as a guest in need of service – they embarked on a series of “firsts” together.

“He was my trial-and-error child,” Sabrina says, referring to the challenges she faced as a then-novice Case Manager navigating bureaucratic systems to obtain Alfred’s birth certificate, ID, and social security benefits. “He’s like my baby. I went through it with him.”

Sabrina played a vital role in Alfred being housed in a very timely manner by the system’s standards. She was a fierce, vocal advocate on Alfred’s behalf and her diligent efforts were successful in her “trial-and-error child” being approved for a Housing Voucher in near record-time: less than two months from the day he was matched with one of DC’s Permanent Supportive Housing Programs (PSHP) to the day he moved in.

When asked what he’s been up to since being housed, Alfred shares he’s been visiting art galleries and museums (the Udvar-Hazy Air & Space has been a favorite), taking “quiet strolls” (enjoying nature, the sky, the clouds, trees, rocks and animals), and reading books (ones on architecture are his favorite).

“I look back on how far I came,” Alfred reflects, “I never thought I’d get this far.” For Alfred, now that he has the safety and security of his own home, the possibilities seem endless as to how far he can still go.

 – Carolyn Landes
[ssba]
Make a donation today
CONNECT: Newsletter Sign-up