Making a Difference for DC Residents

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

“It’s really easy to just write checks and think you are helping your town,” said Community Foundation President Terri Lee Freeman. “But what’s really gratifying is to know that those checks go to agencies that are really making a difference for DC residents, and helping them benefit from the economic development activity that is booming here now.” Freeman spoke at a reception Wednesday night for local grant-winners, including the Community Services Agency, DC Central Kitchen, N Street Village, and the Urban Alliance (CSA Awarded CityCenterDC Grant 1/31/2014 UC), which have been working with residents from neighborhoods surrounding the CityCenter DC project at 9th and New York Avenue NW. The Community Foundation coordinated the request for proposals and grantee award process, and co-sponsored the reception with Hines, the project’s developer, along with the CityCenter DC Residential Advisory Committee. Standing in front of a detailed miniature of the project, which extends from 9th to 11th Street between H Street and New York Avenue, Hines’ Howard Riker introduced the awardees and expressed gratitude for their interest in the project, reiterating Hines’ continuing commitment to ensure community input and community benefit moving forward. “We’re thrilled to be part of this partnership and look forward to helping more DC residents get into good jobs and apprenticeships in construction with assistance from this grant,” said CSA Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy, adding that CSA will continue its successful Building Futures construction pre-apprenticeship program for low-income residents and work with the partnership when phase two construction begins on a new hotel at the site in 2015.
photo (l-r): Community Foundation’s Sarah Oldmixon, MWC and CSA President Jos Williams, Building Futures Case Manager Jennifer Gajdosik and Job Developer Andrea Thompson; photo by Kathleen McKirchy