GMC Board Member and Watergate resident Arlene Pietranton, along with community member Ronnie Oestreicher, led a summer supply drive in partnership with their fellow Watergate residents to benefit the guests of Georgetown Ministry Center. Together, they collected essential items including toiletries, sunscreen, and summer clothing.
Summer poses unique challenges for our guests experiencing homelessness, and our supply needs increase significantly during the hotter months. GMC is deeply grateful for the compassion and generosity shown by the Watergate community in helping us meet these critical needs.
Georgetown Ministry Center (GMC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Claire Wilson as our new Executive Director. With over 15 years of leadership in nonprofit, association, and government sectors, Wilson brings a wealth of experience, a deep commitment to social justice, and a proven track record of driving meaningful change in the lives of vulnerable populations.
Wilson joins GMC following her tenure as Executive Director of The Loppet Foundation in Minneapolis, where she expanded equity-focused programming and grew the organization’s staff and budget significantly. Her leadership through the pandemic strengthened the organization’s infrastructure and community impact, connecting over 80,000 Minnesotans with nature-based, inclusive programming.
Prior to that, Wilson served as Assistant Commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Human Services, where she oversaw supportive housing, mental health, and disability services. Her work there resulted in major policy reforms and increased investments in critical services for underserved communities.
“Claire’s experience and passion make her an ideal leader for growing GMC’s impact within Georgetown and voice in the greater DC community,” said Jennifer Whatley, President of the Board of Directors. “Her deep commitment to equity aligns perfectly with GMC’s mission to support our chronically homeless neighbors with dignity and compassion.”
“I am honored to join Georgetown Ministry Center,” said Wilson. “I am deeply inspired by the team’s commitment to meeting people where they are and building lasting relationships with both guests and the Georgetown community. I look forward to working with the members, board, staff, and partners to deepen our local impact and continue seeking lasting solutions to homelessness, one person at a time.”
Wilson holds a Bachelor of Arts from Bowdoin College and is a Public Policy Fellow of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Her civic leadership includes founding legislative internship programs for youth of color and serving on several boards focused on homelessness and equity.
The Spirit of Georgetown 2022 will be honoring The John Dickson Home, represented by its President, Terrence Collins. Over the past year, Georgetown Ministry Center supported over 80 guests transition into housing, none of which would be possible without the generous support of The John Dickson Home.
On October 19, 2022, Pamela & Bryne Murphy will be hosting The Spirit of Georgetown2022 to increase awareness about homelessness in Washington, DC and to build support for Georgetown Ministry Center and it’s critical programs serving chronically homeless individuals. Colman Riddell, Elena Tompkins, and Cailin Monahan are co-chairing this year’s event. This event will be the perfect kick off to the fall social season.
Georgetown Ministry Center guides service-resistant, chronically homeless individuals towards stability through provision of a safe and welcoming environment where everyone is treated with respect, street outreach, and advocacy for the homeless. We seek lasting solutions to homelessness one person at a time.
Every staff meeting starts with each teach member celebrating one success they had in their with work at GMC in the past week. These successes range from celebrating a guest moving into permanent housing, fundraising updates, to sharing a story of a particularly good interaction with a guest. No success is too small to uplift at Georgetown Ministry Center. At the height of the pandemic, GMC pivoted our services, and our mindset, to that since it is not safe for guests to come into the Drop-In Center, it is time to go out and meet guests where they are. Fast-forward to July 2021, and our Drop-In Center is back with indoor capacity and GMC’s morale feels renewed thanks to the grit and series of small successes from our staff.
One of our first in person events this summer was a Memorial Day Cookout. Our guests were enthusiastic to have the tradition back after a year off, and our staff were extremely thankful to have the guests there to help figure out how to get George Foreman grills working outside with a tangle of extension cords and give pointers on how to grill the perfect burger. While it may have been just one Monday lunch, it represents the small successes that are imperative to GMC’s missions. One afternoon of banter and grilling helped reconnect our staff with guests after a long year of exchanges being limited to our Walk-Up window.
On a recent visit to GMC’s latest pilot program, our Summer Pop-Up at Georgetown Lutheran Church, volunteers were welcomed back in person to GMC for the first time since March 2020. In the time since we last saw our volunteers, GMC served over 779 guests, launched the Pop-Up, welcomed a new Executive Director, Program Director, three full time staff members, two part time weekend coordinators, and 3,400 hot dinners served through our GMC Extends program. The world does not look the same as it did in March 2020, and neither does GMC. However, the past year demonstrated the resilience of GMC, and the infectious forward momentum our staff feel going into the second half of the summer. Every smile, sandwich, shower, and conversation is another step on our guests journey. GMC is there uplift and celebrate that every step of the way.
