nonprofit

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Buildings in Clarendon and the Clarendon Metro station

School Board Candidate Skips S. Arlington — Arlington School Board challenger Barbara Kanninen has held all of her published campaign events in north Arlington, skipping south Arlington entirely, says political blogger Ben Tribbett. Although she’s a challenger, Kanninen is thought by some to be the favorite in the race, thanks to high expected voter turnout in north Arlington. Kanninen will face incumbent James Lander in a debate at tonight’s Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting. The Democratic School Board caucus will be held May 9 and 11. [Not Larry Sabato]

John Paul Stevens to Speak at Cmte. of 100 — Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens will be the featured speaker at the May 8 Arlington Committee of 100 meeting. Stevens is an Arlington resident. [Sun Gazette]

AMEN Becomes ‘Arlington Thrive’ — Arlingtonians Meeting Emergency Needs (AMEN) has been rebranded as “Arlington Thrive.” The nonprofit still provides “same-day, emergency financial assistance to County residents who experience sudden financial crisis such as temporary unemployment or illness,” with priority given to families. [Arlington Thrive]

Annual Marymount Fashion Show — Marymount University will hold its annual fashion show this weekend. “Portfolio in Motion 2013” will showcase the work of Marymount fashion design students. It’s being held on campus in the Rose Bente Lee Center at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 4. [Facebook]

Arlington Among Top Cities for Online Donations

By Katie Pyzyk

Money (file photo)(Updated at 11:05 a.m.) When it comes to online activity, apparently local residents aren’t just shopping and checking Facebook all day. Arlington has been ranked as one of the top cities in America for online donations.

Blackbaud, a company that provides software and services to nonprofits, put together the list after examining 265 cities’ online donations. Arlington came in fourth, just behind third place Washington, D.C. and second place Alexandria. Seattle took the number one spot. The top ten list is:

  1. Seattle, WA
  2. Alexandria, VA
  3. Washington, D.C.
  4. Arlington, VA
  5. Ann Arbor, MI
  6. Cambridge, MA
  7. Berkeley, CA
  8. San Francisco, CA
  9. St. Louis, MO
  10. Minneapolis, MN

The analysis ranked 265 cities with a population of 100,000 or greater based on per capita online giving. The rankings cover the time period from January 1-December 31, 2012. The full list of cities and where they stand can be found online.

“Online giving continues to be an important part of a nonprofit’s overall fundraising strategy,” Steve MacLaughlin, director of Blacbkbaud’s Idea Lab, said in a press release. “While overall giving remains relatively flat, we continue to see double-digit growth in online giving and expect the trend to continue throughout the year.”

In total, the cities included in the analysis donated more than $509 million online, which is a 15 percent increase from 2011.

Photos: Leadership Arlington’s Monte Carlo Fundraiser

By ARLnow.com
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Leadership Arlington, a local nonprofit that works “to develop trained leaders who are committed to building and strengthening our community,” held its annual Monte Carlo fundraiser at Reagan National Airport over the weekend.

The event drew some 450 people, the group said. Among those pictured above are Leadership Arlington graduates Megan Lake (of Bean Creative), Bobby Wright (of Virginia Heritage Bank), Mary Johnson (of ESI International), Lee Anne McLarty (of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District), Omar Sider (of SuperStar Tickets — and an avid poker player), and respective spouses.

Additional photos can be found on the Leadership Arlington Facebook page. From the group’s press release:

With more than 450 Washington metropolitan community stakeholders in attendance, Leadership Arlington’s eighth annual Monte Carlo Night exceeded expectations. The event was held Saturday, March 9, 2013 at Ronald Reagan National Airport, Historic Terminal “A.” Proceeds from this event support Leadership Arlington’s mission and Youth Program.

The theme of the evening was “Monte Carlo Night Goes to Paris.” Guests were transported to an elegant Parisian soirée without having to leave the DC area. Patrons were treated to an exciting array of activities from a silent auction benefiting the Leadership Arlington Youth Program to Monte Carlo casino-style gaming tables. Mark Ingrao, President of the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, graduate of the inaugural Leadership Arlington Signature Program Class of 1999 and member of the Leadership Arlington Board of Regents, led guests through an exciting live auction as the evening neared its end.

“We were thrilled to receive such amazing support from the community for this year’s Monte Carlo Night,” said Betsy Frantz, President & CEO of Leadership Arlington. “This event is critical to the success of the Youth Program and mission of the organization. We appreciate the collaboration of leaders from the area validating our organization.”

Each year, the “who’s who” in the business, nonprofit and public sectors enjoy the opportunity to connect with other key leaders in our community in a fun and elegant environment at Monte Carlo Night, and this year was no exception.

Photos courtesy Leadership Arlington

Eighteen Local Nonprofits Receive Grants

By Katie Pyzyk

United Way presents grant money to Arlington CountyEighteen Arlington nonprofits will receive part of the more than $200,000 in grants the United Way of the National Capital Area presented to the county on Tuesday (January 29).

The 20 grants total $202,000 and come from designations to the Arlington Community Impact Fund during the annual workplace giving campaign.

Each year, United Way NCA solicits funding proposals from its member nonprofit organizations for specific programs and work in the community. This year, organizations from Arlington submitted 51 proposals totaling $895,500. A citizen-led task force made up of volunteers determined the grant recipients by examining where there may be gaps in services and where the funds would do the most good.

“One of the reasons why I continue to make donations to the Community Impact Fund and now also participate in the grant selection process myself is that there are certain areas I want to impact and I don’t necessarily know all the charities involved in that pursuit,” said Afua Bruce, a member of the grant selection committee. “I’m confident that the money I and so many others entrust to United Way NCA is going to organizations that will have the most impact creating the changes I want to see in our community.”

The following 18 organizations will share the grant money:

  • Arlington Food Assistance Center
  • Arlington Free Clinic
  • Arlington Pediatric Center
  • Arlingtonians Meeting Emergency Needs
  • A-SPAN (Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network, Inc.)
  • Ayuda
  • Borromeo Housing
  • CrisisLink
  • Doorways for Women and Families
  • Friends of Guest House
  • Goodwill of Greater Washington
  • Just Neighbors
  • Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry (NOVAM)
  • Northern Virginia Family Service
  • ReSET
  • SCAN of Northern Virginia
  • The Child and Family Network Centers
  • The Reading Connection

Low-Income Students to Receive Donated Bikes

By ARLnow.com

Brian Burgess, a W-L 11th grader, working on one of the bikes to be given away (courtesy photo)More than two dozen children from low-income Arlington households will get something special for the holidays on Saturday afternoon.

The children, elementary students at Patrick Henry, Barcroft and Randolph schools, were chosen to receive a refurbished bike from the Arlington-based nonprofit Phoenix Bikes shop. The presentation will be made at Arlington Presbyterian Church (3507 Columbia Pike).

From Phoenix Bikes:

Working with the three South Arlington elementary schools — Patrick Henry, Barcroft and Randolph — approximately 25 children from low-income families have been selected to choose a refurbished bike to keep. Each has been repaired and inspected by the staff at Phoenix Bikes. The children will also be given new helmets.

This inaugural event is an effort to spread the wealth of bikes donated to Phoenix Bikes to the communities that need them most. “We get many children’s bikes donated that often need just a little work,” said Henry Dunbar, Phoenix Bikes Executive Director. “This holiday season we felt we would see how many we could repair quickly and put back into the community with children who might not have one otherwise.”

The cost of the new helmets has been generously sponsored by Nick Kuhn and McEnearney Associates, Inc.; and the Arlington Presbyterian Church.

(Courtesy photo)

Cuccinelli Warns of Holiday Scams

By Katie Pyzyk

It’s a season for giving, but apparently some scam artists are instead using the opportunity for taking. The Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s office is warning residents to watch out for holiday scams, particularly those involving false charities and phishing.

Some groups use names that sound similar to legitimate charities and pressure consumers for donations. They might also offer particularly touching stories in an attempt to garner sympathy and contributions. The AG’s office said many consumers who would typically notice the sketchy “charities” may be too busy or distracted by the holidays to pick up on the normal cues.

Phishing involves using deceptive emails or text messages to obtain usernames, passwords and financial information from a victim. Consumers might receive an email or text message from someone posing as a representative from a bank or retail establishment, saying the customer’s account has been restricted due to unusual activity or too many unsuccessful online login attempts. The scammer then requests bank account numbers, passwords and/or a social security number to reactivate the account.

Some consumers have received fraudulent text messages, emails or phone calls stating they won a gift card from reputable companies such as Target or Best Buy. Scammers might also say the consumer entered a contest at a store. Both of these tactics are used to bait consumers into providing personal information.

In all cases, consumers should avoid handing over sensitive personal information, and should never feel obligated to donate to a charity under pressure. Ask charity representatives who approach you for more information, and do your own research, the attorney general’s office advises. Check the charity’s website, along with resources such as the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance or the National Association of State Charity Officials.

If a charity is legitimate, it will accept your donation at any time and will not need to pressure for donations. Never give cash, and if using a check, make it out directly to the charity instead of an individual person. Do not use money transfer companies to send money to a person you haven’t met.

“My office is committed to helping consumers protect themselves from falling victim to fraud. When it comes to charity scams, especially around the holidays, it is best that people do lots of research and only give money to charities and businesses they can really trust,” said AG Cuccinelli in a statement. “It is our hope that all Virginians can enjoy a joyful and safe holiday season without being taken advantage of by scammers.”

You can file complaints regarding scams on the consumer protection section of the attorney general’s website.

Local Nonprofits Make ‘Top-Rated’ List

By ARLnow.com

Nearly a dozen Arlington-based organizations have been recognized as “2012 Top-Rated Nonprofits” by the review website GreatNonprofits.

The nonprofits made the list by accumulating positive reviews from volunteers, donors and clients. A total of 1,386 U.S. nonprofits were listed this year. Among those based in Arlington:

Encore State & Studio Executive Director Sara Duke said the organization is “excited to be named a Top-Rated 2012 Nonprofit.”

“We are proud of our many accomplishments this year, a successful first season of our Encore Presents series, new programs including the Encore Show Choir, and over 10,000 audience members for our 2011/2012 season,” she said.

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

County Proposes Tax Cuts to Lure Advertising Firms — Arlington is proposing to eliminate its tax on media buy receipts in the hopes of luring a new advertising firm, and keeping the existing ones. Trying to reduce the tax in 2004 didn’t have the desired effect, and there are now fewer advertising agencies in Arlington than there were in 2004. The suggestion is to eliminate the tax by early 2013. [WTOP]

Gifts that Give Hope Fair — Fifteen locally based non-profit organizations will participate in the second annual Arlington Gifts that Give Hope Fair tomorrow (December 8) at Calvary United Methodist Church (2315 S. Grant Street). During the alternative gift fair, shoppers can choose to donate for a specific gift, such as an “apartment application fee for one family as they leave a shelter” or “a prescription for a sick child.” The fair runs from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. and features holiday music, face painting, crafts, refreshments, special $5 items for children to contribute and a visit from Santa from 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Professional Racquetball Tournament — Some of the world’s top professional women’s racquetball players will participate in the 2012 Christmas Classic this weekend, including #11 ranked T.J. Baumbaugh of Reston and #39 ranked Paola Nunez of Falls Church. The event will take place throughout the weekend (today through Sunday) at the Crystal Gateway Sport and Health Club (1235 S. Clark Street). A list of start times for each player is available online.

Library’s Holiday Tunes Released — The Arlington Public Library has released its fifth annual “Too Cool for Yule Blog,” which includes about an hour of holiday tunes. While some of the songs are standard holiday favorites, the blog offers versions by some non-traditional artists (such as Cee Lo Green singing “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch). Purists, fear not. The list also features classics from Louis Armstrong, Andy Williams and the late Dave Brubek, who passed away on Wednesday. [Arlington Public Library]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

More on the Arlington Goat Prank — The Navy has confirmed that Bill the Goat, the U.S. Naval Academy mascot, was the goat that was found tied up in a median at the intersection of Army Navy Drive and S. Eads Street, near the Pentagon, this past weekend. The goat was “recovered Saturday morning in good condition.” The Army-Navy football game is Dec. 8 and a Navy spokeswoman noted: “Bill the Goat has been a part of our 10-game winning streak against Army, so we are glad to have him back before the big game next week.” [Navy Times]

Arlington GOP Counts Accomplishments — Even though Republican candidates did not win a single race in Arlington, members of the Arlington County Republican Committee are tallying some small victories. “We kept Arlington moving toward more common-sense policies,” said Matt Wavro, this year’s GOP County Board candidate. [Sun Gazette]

‘Shark Tank’ Charity Pitch Event — Twenty entrepreneurs from around Virginia will have a chance to pitch their business startup ideas to panel of business leaders and investors in Arlington this morning. The Shark Tank-like pitch competition will help raise money for charity. The event is taking place at the Ballston offices of Arlington Economic Development, but tickets are no longer available. [Eventbrite]

Arlington Firefighters Selling T-Shirt for Breast Cancer

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County firefighters are selling a t-shirt in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

IAFF Local 2800, the local firefighters union, says members will be wearing the shirt while on duty this week. The shirts can be purchased online or at an Arlington fire station.

From a union spokesman:

“During the week of October 13-19, ACFD/L-2800 members will wear their member designed t-shirts on-duty as a way to raise awareness of breast cancer. The t-shirts will also be sold with the goal of raising as much money as possible to benefit breast cancer treatment and/or research. This year all proceeds will benefit the Sharon McGowan Breast Health Fund, a local non-profit right here in Arlington, that provides breast cancer screenings and other related services free of charge. The Sharon McGowan Breast Health Fund is developed and managed by the Arlington County Medical Society (ACMS). More information can be found at http://www.arlcoms.org/found.shtml. Shirts are available in Pink or Blue. Shirts are $15, and anyone wishing to purchase one can contact any fire station or any member of the ACFD or go to http://www.iaff2800.com/ to purchase from the online store.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Gun Confiscated at DCA — TSA agents confiscated a 9mm handgun from a 59-year-old Fairfax man who tried to bring it with him on his trip to Dallas. The TSA said the man, who was charged with a misdemeanor weapons offense, was “just a forgetful passenger” and not a terrorist. [Washington Post]

WAMU Offers Voter Guide — WAMU has built an interactive voter guide for D.C. area elections. Among the races where voters can compare and contrast positions are the Virginia Eighth District congressional race, the Arlington County Board race, and the non-competitive Arlington School Board race.

W-L Students Collect “Cleats for Bare Feets” — Three brothers, all students at Washington-Lee High School, have been collecting hundreds of pairs of old athletic cleats for shipment and donation to disadvantaged individuals in countries like India, Mozambique, Haiti, Macedonia and Nigeria. [Arlington Mercury]

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