Georgia Avenue/Rock Creek East 

Family Support Collaborative

The Georgia Avenue/Rock Creek East Collaborative is one of the seven Healthy Families Thriving Communities Collaboratives dedicated to developing a neighborhood-based system that builds on strengths, nurtures families and keeps children safe from abuse and neglect

Mission

The Georgia Avenue/Rock Creek East Collaborative works to bring people and organizations together to build healthier, stronger families and neighborhoods. The Collaborative:

Collaborative Boundaries

16th Street, Spring Road, Georgia Avenue, and 6th Street on the west; Bryant Street, N.W. on the south; Michigan Avenue, N.E. and Ward 4/5 line on the southeast; and Eastern Avenue on the northeast

Collaborative Organizational Members

Include Lutheran Social Service of the National Capitol Area (LSS/NCA), a regional social services agency and licensed child placing agency, and the Urban Family Institute (UFI), which operates the Community Academy Public Charter School and other youth-serving programs throughout the city and country. These organizations put out the call to individual residents and other stockholders to form the Collaborative. Early on, churches such as Zion Hill Baptist and Peoples Congregational, and an affiliated community organizing entity, Petworth Assembly, contributed space, time, ideas, outreach assistance and spiritual nourishment in support of a common purpose--the safety of children and well-being of families--and the leveraging of resources, both monetary support and social capital.

Neighborhood Summary

The Georgia Avenue/Rock Creek East Collaborative area is a rapidly changing, diverse community, which brings both issues and opportunities. We believe that bringing together diversity of the community will make our strength. Although the Collaborative area is predominantly African-American, the fastest growing ethnic group in Ward 4 is Hispanic. We have pledged throughout the coming year to recruit from this group for each component of the Collaborative Steering Committee, membership, staff, and clientele.

Accomplishment

Community building and community engagement are guiding principles in the Georgia Avenue Collaborative's work, buttressed by a range of outreach activities and a commitment to intrusiveness and the open sharing of information. Our commitment to building on existing cultural and community strengths is demonstrated in monthly collaborative meetings held in various settings, such as schools and churches, to involve people throughout the community. We have used these meetings to share information about he need for foster homes, the prevalence of youth violence, and youth program funding opportunities. We have also showcased model projects in the community, such as the Dads of Whittier, one of our FY99 Community Grantees that grew out of the Million Man March, which provides outreach and support by men to students in their local elementary school. A key partnership development focus continues to be with organizations that work with youth such as the Park View and Upshur Recreation Centers, Park Morton Kids House, and New Commandment Baptist Church.

Collaborative Services

Under the FY2002 contract with CFSA, the Collaborative will provide intensive case management services to 140 at-risk families. In addition, the Collaborative offers

Service Referrals

To receive services or refer a family, call (202) 722-1815 and ask to speak to the staff member on intake duty. To learn more about our programs, contact Karen Feinstein, Executive Director (ext. 289) or Greg Pretlow. Family Services Director (Ext. 244)

Locations

Administrative Office

1104 Allison Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20011

 

Family Support Center

4422 Georgia Avenue

Washington, D.C. 20011