AACRAO staff holiday drive helps homeless in DC

December 13, 2016
  • AACRAO Connect
Cupped hands holding a cardboard square that says "give."

There are 8,350 homeless men, women and children in our nation’s capital. Nearly one in five DC residents live at or below the poverty line.

This holiday season, AACRAO's staff and Board of Directors are contributing to the DC-based organization SOME (So Others Might Eat). Founded in 1970, SOME is an interfaith, community-based organization that exists to help the poor and homeless of our nation’s capital. 

"It is a privilege for AACRAO to have the opportunity to give back in a small way to the people of Washington, DC," said Julia Funaki, Associate Director of AACRAO International, who helped organize the drive. "We value our place in DC and our neighbors in the community."

SOME meets the immediate daily needs of the people they serve with food, clothing, and health care. They help break the cycle of homelessness by offering services, such as affordable housing, job training, addiction treatment, and counseling, to the poor, the elderly and individuals with mental illness. 

In 2015, SOME provided:

  • Nearly 400,000 meals

  • More than 23,000 free sets of clothing and showers to homeless men and women.

  • 8,276 visits to a doctor or dentist in our Medical and Dental Clinics.

  • Emergency housing for 22 abused and neglected elderly.

  • Support and care to 218 homeless adults with chronic mental illness at Isaiah House.

  • 191 homeless and extremely low-income adult students with intensive job training. On average, SOME CET students earned $12.98 per hour. In 2015, 77 students graduated and 100% of graduates were placed in living-wage jobs.

  • Safe, affordable housing for 150 families with 338 children, as well as 576 single adults.

SOME has asked AACRAO to help with clothing donations.

AACRAO members can also help. To donate, visit SOME’s Wish List and click on the Wish List tab to reach SOME’s Amazon list. If you have Prime Membership you can send the items directly to SOME or to AACRAO and we will deliver all items received to SOME. 

Subscribe

AACRAO's bi-weekly professional development e-newsletter is open to members and non-members alike.