Making a Difference for DC Residents
Friday, April 25, 2014(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