Art, Healing, and Community

As part of our ongoing, wonderful community partnership with The Red Derby, we’re pleased to announce that two Red Derby staff, Ann-Marie VanTassell and Beth Hansen, started an Art Group/Class for DASH’s children every Tuesday night at our Cornerstone Facility. The class is a huge success and we could not be more grateful to Ann-Marie and Beth for bringing this experience to DASH as part of their innovative, new non-profit, The Arcade, which is dedicated to promoting and educating art in Washington DC, and whose goal is to establish studio and workshop space for artists in the area to enable artists to have a dedicated space to continue their craft both affordably and in a creative, collaborative environment, and to continue teaching and encouraging children to create art. They accomplish this through their arts programs for youth groups in the city, and they use their fundraising events as a space for education.

Most recently, DASH’s Children’s Art Group held its first Art Show at Cornerstone. Our resident children proudly provided tours of the works to their families and community members. The beautiful pieces represented projects ranging from an “About Me” magazine to prints made from melted crayons and paint mixed with water and soap. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our children’s hard work and support healing from trauma through creative expression. Michael Henderson, Edgewood resident and a valued member of the DASH community, attended the art show and shared the following: “The value of this type of expression for children cannot be described in an email. But I’ve seen the work you’ve done with the children and how you’ve engaged the community and, well, thank you. The art work was wonderful!”

Thank you to all of those who attended and a HUGE thank you to our volunteer art teachers Anne-Marie and Beth and to our extended family at the Red Derby.

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To learn more about Ann-Marie and Beth’s work at The Arcade, click here: http://thearcadedc.blogspot.com/2013/03/dash-art-group.html.

Domestic Violence Super Advocates!

DASH is proud to announce that two of our staff, Afusat Olaifa and Connor McFadden, received the Domestic Violence Super Advocate distinction from the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence and artist L’il Mo. Both will be given tickets to see L’il Mo and Keke Wyatt tonight at the Howard Theatre, as well as get to stay for a night at the Courtyard Marriott.

“I feel incredibly honored to be receiving the Super Advocate Award, especially after getting to know all the amazing people who work tirelessly to end domestic violence in the D.C. area,” said Connor. “I believe that the community of DV service providers faces many unique challenges, and it’s great to see us come together to celebrate the impact we are making in our communities for children, families and adults alike.”

Afusat weighed in on her role and the award. “My work as an advocate is a challenge. In order to be a good advocate, someone must be loving, caring and go beyond the job descriptions to get things done. The biggest challenge is not having enough resources out there for some residents and their families. The award is an honor and motivation to do more than before.”

We thank DCCADC and L’il Mo for honoring our advocates, and offer congratulations to Afusat and Connor! We are so lucky to have you working at DASH!

SPOTLIGHT ON ALLIES IN CHANGE AWARDEES: A WIDER CIRCLE AND MARK BERGEL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Thanks to the leadership and support of Mark Bergel and A Wider Circle, families moving into housing with DASH had their new households fully furnished and equipped, ready for them to easily and quickly move into their new homes and begin rebuilding their lives. When DASH doubled the number of families housed through our Empowerment Project, A Wider Circle provided everything needed to help them move into their apartments seamlessly. With the simple mission of helping children and families lift themselves out of poverty, A Wider Circle does so much more. They ensure that families who have escaped abuse, leaving everything they had behind them, not only have a safe place to live but everything need to make it a home.

We would like to honor Mark Bergel, the Executive Director of A Wider Circle, with our Building Brick Award. In construction, the building brick is that which makes up the substance of the structure. A Wider Circle’s help to ensure that the families at DASH are provided with more than just a safe place to run, but the ability to establish new homes – quickly, easily, and comfortably, the way a home should be – helps change lives. Read the interview with Mark Bergel below, and remember to buy tickets to the Allies in Change Luncheon here:

I believe that we can end poverty, that it is the single greatest blight on our society and on our world. I believe that poverty leads to so many other destructive forces and I am deeply devoted to working to end it.

My relationship to our nation’s capital is simply that it provides the perfect opportunity to show what is possible when people come together to address a major problem. I have spent many, many days in all parts of our capital city and am always shocked that we allow poverty to endure and two worlds to exist side by side in the same land. I think we owe it to every ideal on which this nation was born and every ideal we hold sacred in our lives to end poverty. To me, DC is a metaphor for the connection that is needed in this world.

If you are doing anything of importance in this city, you will hear about DASH. It was
fairly early in the life of A Wider Circle, the organization I founded in 2001, that I came across DASH and forged a relationship with its leadership.

I believe that the work that DASH does – and the way it is done – is a real uplift. DASH and its leadership represent truly the best in social service, and we need to serve in an extremely high-quality and dignified way. That is what I see with DASH.

A mutual desire to serve well – that is what brought us together. A Wider Circle’s relationship with DASH is a true partnership. They provide support in many ways for our work, and we respond with urgency when a family from DASH is in need of our support.

While it may not sound unique, what stands out about DASH to me is the exceptionally
professional manner in which is it is managed and in which its programs run. It may not seem unique to be a consistently high-quality and first-class operation, but the way in which DASH is managed makes me feel good about how the women and families they serve will be supported.

Unfortunately, domestic violence is almost synonymous with poverty, so I am connected with domestic violence much more than I expected to be. In fact, I always say that it would be difficult to meet a woman who was born and raised in poverty and did not face some form of violence. Every conversation is heartbreaking, but at the same time, motivating. So, to be a part of what DASH is doing, and to partner in the effort is among the most important things that I and A Wider Circle do. We are deeply committed to confronting the issue of domestic violence and to making sure that those who have been victims of it can realize a future filled with positivity and joy.

SPOTLIGHT ON ALLIES IN CHANGE AWARDEES: EagleBank and Ronald D. Paul, Chairman and CEO

Since DASH first approached EagleBank for help with refinancing DASH’s Cornerstone Residence, their consistent support for our organization and vision of safe housing for all survivors has made a notable difference in the lives of the women we serve. Even though DASH was then a young and relatively unproven organization, Eagle saw fit to invest in our services and ultimately help to ensure that women and children had safe, stable homes. Their commitment to DASH has been steadfast from the beginning and without their confidence, we would not be able to ensure those safe homes remain for the
families that need them.

For this year’s Allies in Change Awards Luncheon, we are recognizing them with our “Anchor Award.” In construction, an “anchor” provides structural reinforcement
for the walls of the building, which perfectly describes what EagleBank has done for DASH in providing us with the reinforcement to maintain the health and stability of our
financial, organizational, and residential. EagleBank has been more than just a financial lender – through their consistent and enthusiastic support, they have been an anchor to the health and safety of the community. Read the interview with EagleBank Chairman and CEO Ronald D. Paul below, and remember to buy tickets to the Allies in Change Luncheon here:

EagleBank is a local community bank that has provided financial products and services to businesses and individuals throughout the Washington, DC Metro Area for nearly 15 years. We believe in supporting and strengthening the community we serve. Helping to make it a safer place in which to live, work and play is important and essential for all of us.

Our employees’ involvement and ability to serve the financial needs of DASH is how we learned about this very worthwhile organization. We strive to learn everything there is to know about a potential client in order to provide the best financial solutions. In that process, we recognized the serious subjects of homelessness and the domestic violence that DASH addresses. It is well in line with EagleBank’s own commitment to community involvement and desire to keep DC safe for all – our employees, customers, citizens and neighbors have helped alert us to the needs and deeds of DASH.

Any organization that is devoted to saving and protecting the homeless, especially women and children, and fighting the trauma of domestic violence should be on the radar screen of every local business. A city that protects and defends its homeless women and children is a city where businesses can grow and thrive. Safe, secure citizens can get jobs, provide support for their families and eventually help support the local economy on which we all depend. DASH provides a base, a cause, a draw… that pulls EagleBank and others in to focus on the dire needs of homeless women and children.

Our community support and efforts usually start with a need for financial expertise, a custom solution or a chance to partner in something worthwhile. As a community bank, everything EagleBank does for the sake of business involves touching the community. They are often inseparable. Sometimes, the cause and needs of a client that serves the community is a more powerful draw than mere business-as-usual. Such is the case with DASH. EagleBank is proud to be involved.

DASH has a focus that touches hearts – an abused female, a child without a home – violence and irresponsibility – a Mom left behind, bruised and battered, without the funds to feed, clothe or shelter her children. While so many organizations provide services on a bigger level – family, group or whole community – DASH shines a powerful beam on the weakest segment of this group.

Domestic violence, abuse, depression, illness, and other misfortunes lead to homelessness. Depression, abuse and violence, in particular, are on the rise and are directly related to mental illness. Until we all realize that mental illness is a disease (like diabetes, lupus, AIDS, MS and more), we cannot fight it or treat it properly. Thus, violence and abuse against women and children and the fright of being homeless will continue. Addressing mental illness which leads to the horror of domestic violence, and the resources needed to shelter the battered and homeless is important to EagleBank and should be important to everyone who hopes for a healthier, happier community.

Spotlight on Allies in Change Awardees: MOI and Jennifer Lee

DASH’s longtime corporate community partner, MOI, is this year’s recipient of the Keystone award. MOI not only works with DASH to build awareness and support for the cause of safe housing and safe lives through events, they also donate their time volunteering and organizing much-needed drives for DASH’s women and children. MOI has also donated endless amounts office furniture for DASH staff and its staff has helped design our office spaces. Jennifer, Senior Consultant for Commercial Interior Solutions, explains more about this wonderful partnership below, and remember to buy tickets to the luncheon here:

My name is Jennifer Lee, I’m a Senior Consultant at MOI. MOI is a Commercial Furniture Dealership with 30 years of experience providing clients with comprehensive furniture solutions.

I work and play in DC! I first heard about DASH back in 2009 when we hosted an art show that raised funds and awareness for DASH. It also gave members of the industry an opportunity to showcase our artistic talents.

When DASH was renovating the Cornerstone building MOI donated furniture as well as our services for design, labor, and project management for their staff offices.

DASH knows firsthand how large the need is locally for safe housing and support services. They bring vital awareness needed to educate others on the cause and effect relationship between domestic violence and the prevention of homelessness.

Their low barrier policy and the passion that their team has for the mission along with their unbridled resolve to give their residents the tools/skills needed to rebuild their lives with the respect and kindness they deserve. DASH addresses the need for services and local housing for victims and assists with getting them into safe, supportive environments, where they can find success at their own speed. DASH is nationally recognized for their best practice model organization.

I feel passionate that women and children should be protected from violence and sexual abuse. Having a sense of security and safety in your home…this is the most basic need most of us take for granted. All women should have an alternative housing solution to living in an unsafe environment or on the streets.

“We” in the global sense, are ALL affected by domestic violence, sexual abuse, and homelessness.

Spotlight on Allies in Change Awardees: Sasha Carter

On April 24th, DASH will hold its 3rd Annual Allies in Change luncheon, honoring individuals and community partners who have supported the organization’s work to provide relief to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, through emergency and long-term safe housing, and innovative homelessness prevention services. We are doing a series of interviews of our awardees beforehand to share a bit more about them. This blog focuses on The Red Derby, a local, neighborhood pub, and its wonderful and generous founder and owner, Sasha Carter. The Red Derby provides DASH with incredibly generous donations throughout the year, making sure every single DASH resident has food and gifts for every holiday, big and small, and school supplies/backpacks when the kids return to school each year. And the Derby’s generosity doesn’t end there! Two of their wonderful staff, Ann-Marie VanTassell and Beth Hansen, have also started an After School Art Group for DASH kids ( to read more about this wonderful group, click here).

Remember to buy tickets to the luncheon here.

Sasha Carter had the following commentary on The Red Derby’s iinvolvement with DASH:

D.C. has been my home since I moved here in 1988. Over five years ago, my husband and I opened the Red Derby, a local, neighborhood pub in the Petworth section of D.C. Upon opening, one of our friends, Jordan Fitzgerald, told us about DASH and asked if she could host a fundraiser at the Derby. We said, yes, of course. Remembering back to that first event, although there was a rain storm combined with an unexpected street closure, the fundraiser was a success. That was when we first started to learn about DASH. A couple of months later, with Mother’s Day on the horizon, we thought it would be a great idea to host our own fundraiser for DASH. We pulled our staff and our regulars together, and made it happen. That was the first of many fundraisers we were to give. Since we have been open, over the years we’ve focused on the following events for DASH: Halloween costumes and candy, non-perishable food for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas gifts, Easter egg baskets, mother’s day gifts, and a back-to-school drive over the summer (for back packs and school supplies). We have tremendous support from our staff and our regulars for all the DASH fundraisers we host. In fact, this February two of our staff members began a pilot after school arts class at DASH.

Why do we host a DASH fundraiser every couple of months? Because we wholeheartedly believe in and support DASH and we want to help in any way we can. With the tremendous growth D.C. has experienced over the past ten years, DASH provides an invaluable component to D.C.’s landscape; it helps make D.C. not only a vibrant world class city, but also a community that cares.

Moms and kids are the nucleus of our society. We must be a community that takes care of, protects, and helps to grow this nucleus. Domestic violence and sexual abuse are full on attacks to the safety of this nucleus. By providing safe housing for up to two years and access to a whole range of social services, including financial counseling to help restore damaged credit and regain financial footing, DASH makes sure we are that community who takes care of our own by helping our own to rebuild their lives on their terms.

As a local, neighborhood pub, that is part of the D.C. community, the Red Derby wants to support DASH to succeed in its extremely important goals and mission. We are honored to be able to help in any way possible.

New DASH Playground Built in a Day!

Designed by Kids, Built by Volunteers

On Saturday, November 3, DASH, in partnership with KaBOOM! and with the support of the Washington Redskins Foundation, Wells Fargo, and Salesforce.com, created and built a state-of-the art playground for the children and families living in DASH’s Cornerstone Residence.

Since opening in 2006, DASH has been the largest dedicated housing provider for victims of domestic and sexual violence in the city, helping thousands of families find safe housing in their programs and throughout the District. The children currently living in DASH’s Cornerstone Residence did not have a safe playground to enjoy within walking distance.

This playground is one of more than 150 playground builds KaBOOM! has lead across the country in 2012 in an effort to fulfill its vision of a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. KaBOOM! is a national non-profit organization dedicated to saving play. Since 1996, KaBOOM! has used its innovative community-build model to bring together business and community interests to construct more than 2,100 new places to play across North America. Our KaBOOM! playground build began early in the morning with volunteers arriving at an empty site. Within hours, KaBOOM! led volunteers in transforming the space to a vibrant place for children to play. It was an old-fashioned barn-raising with an urban twist!

The playground build began with a kickoff ceremony at 8:30 a.m. and then the 250 volunteers gathered for the event went to work. Throughout the day, there were teams shoveling mulch, mixing cement, painting murals, building benches, and assembling playground equipment, all with the goal of completing the playground by 2:30pm! Former Redskins and their families worked alongside staff of Wells Fargo and Salesforce.com, as well as members of the DASH community to achieve this incredible goal.

But it wasn’t ALL work. With the help of the delicious food donated by DC Central Kitchen, Papa Johns, Matchbox, and Diane Cottman, as well as the dynamic music DJ’d by DJ M Dot, the crowd enjoyed a community block party as well, at one point stopping to demonstrate their amazing dancing skills!

The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at 2:30 p.m. It was a celebration of everyone coming together to realize the vision of a safe and healthy place for the families living at DASH to live and play. DASH and our residents couldn’t be more grateful for all of the incredible help and support to make this dream come true!

HELP DASH BUILD A PLAYGROUND FOR OUR CHILDREN

WASHINGTON REDSKINS, WELLS FARGO, SALESFORCE FOUNDATION, DISTRICT ALLIANCE FOR SAFE HOUSING AND KaBOOM! TO BUILD PLAYGROUND IN ONE DAY FOR CHILDREN

On Saturday November 3^rd, 2012, more than 250 volunteers from the Washington Redskins, Wells Fargo, the Salesforce Foundation, the District Alliance for Safe Children (DASH), organizers from KaBOOM! (the national non-profit dedicated to saving play for America’s children by creating play spaces through the participation and leadership of communities), and residents of the Washington D.C. community will join forces to build a new playground at DASH’s Cornerstone Housing Facility, the District’s largest dedicated safe housing program for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and their families.

DASH acts as a safe haven for women and their children by providing long-term safe housing and services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and their families as they rebuild their lives on their own terms. We help them move toward not only safety, but also hope, independence, family, peace, and everything that “home” represents community programs. We want to be a place where people can find “help, hope and healing.”

DASH needs the community’s help to make this playground project a success for our children. You can sponsor this exciting project by volunteering on prep or build days (Nov. 1, 2, and 3), making a monetary donation, donating food and/or snacks for the 250 volunteers, or loaning/donating other needed materials such as tents, chairs, tables, coolers, heaters, etc. Please see the detailed list below to find out what is still needed and how you can be involved!

We hope you will be our partner in transforming the lives of children who need our help.

If you have any questions, please contact Dana Arneson at darneson@dashdc.wpengine.com.

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DONATION OPPORTUNITIES

You can help sponsor the playground with a monetary donation by clicking HERE and writing “playground” where it says Designation, or sending a check to P.O. Box 91730, Washington, DC 20090, or contacting Dana Arneson, DASH’s Development Director, at darneson@dashdc.wpengine.com.

You can also sponsor the playground by donating items DASH needs to gather in the next month to build this playground for our children.

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FOOD & PAPER GOODS

PAPER GOODS, UTENSILS FOR 250 PEOPLE

Prep Day 1—Thursday, November 1^st

Breakfast (for 30 volunteers)
Lunch (for 30 volunteers)
Drinks-non water (for 30 volunteers)
Snacks (for 30 volunteers)

Prep Day 2 –Friday, November 2^nd

Breakfast (for 30 volunteers)
Lunch (for 30 volunteers)
Drinks (for 30 volunteers)
Snacks (for 30 volunteers)

Build Day—Saturday, November 3rd

Breakfast (for 200 volunteers)
Lunch (for 200 volunteers)
Drinks (for 200 volunteers)
Snacks (for 200 volunteers)

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EQUIPMENT

Tables
Chairs
Large Tents
PA System
Coolers for food
Space heaters

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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Volunteers do not have to be trained, skilled or have any special tools!

1. DJ: for Build day Saturday, November 3^rd

will be present on site throughout build from 8am-2:30pm to play music for the volunteers and keep the energy level high.

Certified First Aid Provider for Build Day: Saturday, November 3^rd

will be present on site throughout build from 8am-2:30pm

3. Build Day Captain (16-20 needed)

will be assigned 10-20 volunteers, attend training on Prep Day, and arrive very early on Build Day morning to help set up the site

Volunteer for Prep Day 1—Thursday, November 1^st: 8:00am-5:00pm (30 needed)

Volunteer for Prep Day 2—Friday, November 2^nd: 8:00am-5:00pm (20 needed)

Build Day Volunteer—Saturday, November 3^rd:

8:00 AM: Registration and Breakfast

8:30 AM: Kick-Off

11:30-1:30 PM: Lunch in shifts for all volunteers

2:30 PM: Ribbon-Cutting and Dedication Ceremony

Registration Volunteer to oversee registration for Build Day November 3^rd: 7:30-2:30pm (4 needed)

Food Service Volunteers to staff food service area, set up and serve breakfast and lunch

Saturday, November 3^rd: 7:00am-2:00pm (8 volunteers needed)

DASH Presents to Fairfax County, VA Conference

Yesterday, Peg Hacskaylo, DASH’s Executive Director, spoke to a gathering of domestic violence and housing advocates to discuss ways in which they can adopt the DASH model of safe housing in Fairfax County, Virginia. Peg spoke about DASH’s Safe Housing programs and initiatives, as well as how to advocate for additional permanent, affordable housing for survivors.

The Fairfax County Commission for Women advises the County Board of Supervisors on issues related to women and girls in the county. In response to the increasing need for housing for survivors of domestic violence in the region, they convened the dialogue to develop strategies and recommendations which will be written up in a white paper to be presented to the Board.

DASH Benefit Compilation CD Release Show at Black Cat

Southern Problems

DASH celebrated the release of a compilation CD with 16 tracks to benefit the organization this past week at The Black Cat, our hometown rock club. The CD came out on Exotic Fever Records, and copies are available both on the label’s site here and through Itunes by searching its title – “And Tonight the City Safely Sleeps.” Proceeds go directly to support DASH’s work.

Cat Furniture

Cat Furniture started off the show with homemade signs to spell out D-A-S-H on their shirts. They kicked off the set with their song from the comp, Beepy. After their set, Hugh McElroy, formerly of the prominent DC band Black Eyes, treated the audience to a compelling a capella set. Capping off the night was Southern Problems.

One of the best parts of the event was seeing the musicians

Hugh McElroy

meet DASH staff, for whom they already had a lot of respect. The event did well with over 60 people attending. Thanks so much to the bands who played and to Black Cat for hosting! If you have not gotten a chance yet, pick the comp up now and check out this review of it here on the Washington City Paper’s blog – including a preview track!