You can join the movement by simply engaging in or planning any number of activities or events that help create safer communities. For assistance with getting your project or event off the ground, please click here. See below for some ideas:
Volunteerism
There are a number of community-based organizations and agencies in the District seeking volunteers to support youth engagement and other neighborhood improvement efforts. Some of these resources are listed below:
- Serve DC, the Mayor’s Office of Volunteerism and Partnerships is an excellent resource if you are looking for volunteer opportunities to support programs for all interests. Get more information here.
- The Department of Parks and Recreation sponsors youth-based programming for all ages across the District from the early morning hours to late evening year-round and provides a great opportunity for residents interested in volunteering to serve their communities. Learn more about DPR youth-based programming
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington have been providing youth programming in the District for over five decades and offer a plethora of after school and weekend programming opportunities for teens and children. Learn more about Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington youth programming, find a location near you and learn how you may get involved.
- Zoe’s Doors and Sasha Bruce Youthworks serve young people of all ages across the District experiencing homelessness. Zoe’s Doors is a drop-in center in Ward 5 for young people from 18-24 and open early morning until late evening. Get involved with Zoe’s Doors. Sasha Bruce is a non-profit organization that has been providing services to vulnerable District youth for many decades. Their services include, overnight youth shelter, family counseling and reconciliation and youth drop-in services and other programming for young people needing a safe place to be. To get involved, visit Get involved with Sasha Bruce Youthworks.
Community-Based Projects
Although we know the best way to address the root causes of gun violence is to connect residents with jobs and other needed services, and you can learn how the District is doing so here, research also shows that community investment in “greening and cleaning” helps reduce violent crime. Request help organizing your neighborhood project. Examples of greening and cleaning and other community-based projects include:
- Sponsor neighborhood clean-up days
- Plant a garden (learn about getting a free tree to plant in your yard)
- Repaint or refinish outdoor porches, steps, or decks
- Organize neighborhood porch contests
- Report abandoned vehicles, broken streetlights, and missing traffic signs to DC 311
- Give to/organize a local food drive
- Sponsor neighborhood wellness events
- Organize a community tutoring program
- Create a neighborhood resource hub
- Share the 202forPeace web site address with friends and family
Family and Community Based Events
Many researchers believe that the social isolation and anxiety caused by COVID-19 have increased violent crime in many cities across the country. Now that many communities, including the District, have reopened, opportunities to reconnect with family, friends and neighbors can help restore a sense of normalcy. Request support for your community-based event. Some suggestions for small to large family and community events include:
- Take your family to visit the National Building Museum’s Gun Violence Memorial Project (Details here)
- Resume family barbecues or outings in one of the many DC Parks and Recreation parks or spray parks (DC is Open)
- Organize a neighborhood block party or community resource fair
- Host a safe and supervised neighborhood youth events such as small gatherings and talent shows
- Schedule family neighborhood clean-up days
- Supervise neighborhood recreation activities for youth
Mentoring
If you are interested in mentoring a young person in your community, there are many local organizations seeking mentors to engage youth and support connection to needed services.
Higher Achievement mentors work with small groups of middle school scholars across the District to help them identify their personal and educational goals, and again awareness of high school, college, and career options. Learn how you can become a mentor.
Serve DC, the Mayor’s Office of Volunteerism and Partnerships is an excellent resource if you are looking for mentor opportunities to support programs for all interests. Get more information here.