National Chamber Ensemble (NCE)

EIN: 46-4007072

Mission Statement

The Mission of the National Chamber Ensemble (NCE) is to entertain as well as provide opportunities to appreciate and enjoy the art of chamber music, bringing together performers, audiences and composers. The NCE produces high quality chamber music performances for the general public at a reasonable cost. Through our performances and commissions of original musical works we present a full range of chamber music repertoire from the classics to the contemporary. The most important goal of the NCE is to build a sense of closeness between performers and audience that enhances the feeling of community and a deeper musical experience.

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

Contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. They support educational programs NCE produces as well as general operation support such as printing, piano movers, piano tuners etc. They may help with special projects involving guest artists.

Information provided March 2025

Britepaths

EIN: 52-1596259

Mission Statement

Britepaths provides short-term safety-net services to our neighbors in need while empowering them to work toward long-term self-sufficiency. We deliver our services with respect, compassion, and equity, always preserving the dignity and self-esteem of our clients.

Program Summary

Britepaths brings personal finance classes and career building skills to partners in Arlington: Bridges to Independence, ACH Inc., Arlington Agency on Aging, Catholic Charities, ECDC African Community Center, Enterprise Development Group, and Melwood. Clients participate in a series of classes that vary with the needs of each partner and have options for further one-one-one financial empowerment and/or career building services. Arlington residents who have low or middle incomes are welcome to sign up for any of the free services offered through the Financial Empowerment Center (FEC). The FEC assists over 2,000 individuals annually, providing most services virtually which are offered in English, Spanish, and other languages as needed. Services include personal finance workshops, classes, financial coaching and mentoring, small business and tax consulting, tax assistance, and some legal services. Workforce development programs  include workshops, coaching, leadership skills and soft skills training, mentoring, and culinary skills training. The best place for the most recent options is to go directly to the website at https://soco.financialempowermentcenters.org

Impact Statement

Britepaths offers services that actually help improve the lives of families in financial crisis. The services we provide to clients through our Arlington partners, help them to develop tools to organize, understand, and manage their finances. Using these tools, they can start to pay down debt, become banked, and/or start saving.  We also help them with job skills to help them find a job or move a better paying one. Any of these skills can help improve their current situation. We encourage clients to explore our other, more long-term services that have proven effectiveness. For clients who attended classes or workshops, 71% of respondents have improved their financial situation, and for clients who participate in financial mentoring for 6-9 months, 81% improve their situation based on survey score. We serve more than 2,000 clients annually through the Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) receiving personal finance and/or workforce development services. We continue to add workforce training and certification classes. 

What ways can the public get involved?

The Financial Empowerment Center uses many volunteers. Anyone with a financial background can be trained to be a financial coach, mentor, or instructor.  Workforce development needs volunteers to mentor clients in their own field to help them learn more about the field and develop a professional network.  We also need volunteers to do practice interviewing and review resumes. We are particularly seeking bilingual volunteers in any language but have a need for Dari and Pashto speakers. We also need office volunteers to help with data entry and calling clients to remind them of scheduled coaching sessions. The best way to find out about volunteering is https://soco.financialempowermentcenters.org/get-involved/ or https://britepaths.org/get-involved/volunteer/   

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

Donated dollars go to support the staff time, materials needed for classes and workshops, translation services, and other community needs. The services provided at the Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) are mostly provided by volunteer financial professionals. Staff coordinate classes, coaching sessions, mentor matches, develop curricula for workshops and classes, data entry, and reporting. Workforce Development staff provide coaching, some classes, curricula develop and use professional volunteers for classes and mentoring. Training classes are taught by professional instructors.  We provide training materials and in the case of culinary skills training, provide a kitchen and food to prepare. We engage in as many partnerships as possible to stretch donated dollars for maximum impact.

Information provided March 2026

Four Mile Run Conservatory

EIN: 81-1611867

Mission Statement

The Four Mile Run Conservancy connects nature, culture, and community at lower Four Mile Run through restoration, advocacy, recreation, and education.

Program Summary

COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP: we provide frequent opportunities for volunteers to improve the condition of lower Four Mile Run, such as land- and kayak-based litter clean-ups, native tree/shrub plantings, and invasive species removal.

YOUTH AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS: through our Nature Explorers And Restorers (NEAR) program, we offer outdoor learning opportunities for young people, mostly those from program partners that serve recently-immigrated families, families transitioning from homelessness, and underserved youth. NEAR programming is provided at no cost to them. Throughout the year we offer public interpretive programs, such as pop-up nature centers and park walks highlighting nature and local history.

CONSERVATION INTERNSHIPS: we offer part-time paid summer internships for high-school and college age youth, providing on-the-job experience in natural resource management, field research, and program leadership.

COMMUNITY SCIENCE: we conduct ongoing research with community volunteers and youth interns that includes wildlife camera surveys, water quality testing, and documentation of the ecosystem using the iNaturalist app and online mapping tools.

PARK IMPROVEMENT: we advocate for and seek out resources to support better park infrastructure. Projects have included signage, public drinking water sources, bird nesting boxes, and our current project to build an ADA-accessible kayak and canoe launch.

Impact Statement

We see lower Four Mile Run, its associated park lands, and surrounding community as extraordinary in ecological and socioeconomic diversity, as well as in the range of activities that happen here, whether organized sports, outdoor recreation, informal play, fishing, picnicking, and more. The area’s demographic diversity is reflected in our volunteers, who come from the immediate neighborhood as well as from all across the DC metro region.

We continue to work to ensure the benefits of nearby nature are accessible to the community, both in terms of addressing physical barriers, as with our recently completed project to build an ADA-accessible public kayak/canoe launch, and in terms of sociocultural barriers, as with translation of signage and interpretive materials.

As we celebrate our 10th anniversary this year, we reflect on an impact that has included:

more than 20 tons of litter removed in 265 land and kayak-based clean-ups
200+ trees and 300+ wetland plants/shrubs planted
56 internships provided for high school and college students
Construction completion of an ADA-accessible kayak launch

Coming soon: freshwater mussel restoration and adaptive paddling programs!

What ways can the public get involed?

Volunteering for land-based and kayak-based stream/park clean-ups, planting, and invasive plant removal events, participating in our local nature/history walks, visiting our pop-up nature centers and tables at local events.

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

Donations support project and program expenses. We do not receive County or City funding, and depend on donations and grants to support our work.

Information provided March 2026

Equipment Connections for Children

EIN: 27-1062106

Mission Statement

ECFC connects with families of children living with disabilities in order to help fulfill vital unmet adaptive equipment needs, provide educational workshops, and foster community, free of charge.

Program Summary

Our equipment loan closet helps provide needed equipment to families struggling to get the equipment their child needs, either at all or in a timely manner. Families can use the equipment as long as needed. When the items are returned, they can then go out to another family in need!

Impact Statement

We have helped thousands of families with children living with disabilities in Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia since 2009.

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

All donations go to support our equipment loan closet program.

Information provided April 2024

Nature Forward

EIN: 53-0233715

Mission Statement

Nature Forward’s mission is to inspire residents of the greater Washington, DC region to appreciate, understand and protect their natural environment through outdoor experiences, education and advocacy. We seek to create a larger and more diverse community of people who treasure the natural world and work to preserve it.

Program Summary

GreenKids environmental literacy lessons for Pre-K to Grade 12 students in northern Virginia, DC and Maryland, and professional development training for teachers to be able to lead environmental education and Green School certification efforts.
Water quality monitoring at 25 stream tributaries of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers for over 30 years. We provide consistent, reliable water quality data to policymakers and the public.
Flood preparedness and resilience outreach and education for highly flood-prone neighborhoods in DC’s Wards 7 and 8.
Data center guidelines to protect the environment.
Planting thousands of native trees and installing rain gardens and other green infrastructure in high-density urban neighborhoods to increase tree canopy, reduce urban “heat islands” and mitigate stormwater runoff during heavy rain events.
Leadership, civic engagement and advocacy training for underserved communities in Fairfax County and Washington DC. Trained Conservation Ambassadors are equipped to be effective voices for their communities on issues that impact environmental and human health.
Wheelchair-accessible nature trail through the woods, nature play space and bathrooms at our 40-acre Woodend Nature Sanctuary just north of DC, and school field trips that are hosted at Woodend and at Rust Nature Sanctuary in Leesburg, VA.
Native plant kits to help with stormwater management and to support pollinators, native plant garden consultations, and best management practices on display at Woodend.
Popular Woodend summer camp and days off camps; nature preschool.

Impact Statement

FY2026 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: OVER 35,000 PEOPLE SERVED

Planted 960 native trees at schools and other Justice 40 communities, and 8,868 native shrubs, grasses, sedges and perennials in soft landing gardens.
Distributed over 250 pollinator garden kits with instructions and support to residents of the Northwest Branch and Northeast Branch of the Anacostia.
Assisted 70 schools in becoming Green Schools since the program began and reached 11,968 students and 406 teachers in the DC metro area with GreenKids hands-on environmental literacy lessons.
Successfully advocated for natural resource parks and trails maintenance budgets to be restored in Fairfax and Montgomery Counties; made progress on data center regulations and education.
Engaged Spanish-speaking residents of the Route 1 Corridor in Fairfax County in contacting their elected officials.
We broke a Nature Forward record with the highest number of perfect scoring streams in over 30 years of the Water Quality Monitoring program’s existence, when 6 of 27 sites scored a 5.00 on the Index of Biological Integrity.
Held successful Taking Nature Black #6 and Naturally Latinos #5 with rave reviews.

What ways can the public get involved?

Founded and run by volunteers for many years, Nature Forward continues to rely on their help in all areas of our mission. Nature Forward offers a range of volunteer opportunities to fit a variety of schedules, interests and abilities.

For more information about how to become a volunteer, please email Volunteer Coordinator Peihan Orestes at peihan.orestes@natureforward.org. To fill out an application, click here.

Master Naturalists train with experts to become key players on Nature Forward’s volunteer teams.
Teens:  MCPS students can earn service learning hours through our camp programs or by participating with an adult in our water quality monitoring program.

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

DONATIONS CAN SUPPORT ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:

General Operating
Conference Sponsorship
Conservation and Advocacy
Environmental Education
School Programs Scholarships
Summer Camp Scholarships
Woodend Sanctuary Restoration

Information provided March 2026

Greater DC Diaper Bank

EIN: 27-4276547

Mission Statement

Greater DC Diaper Bank supports vulnerable families across DC, Maryland, and Virginia by providing diapers and other critical hygiene items, and expanding access to essential services for those who need them most.

Program Summary

In collaboration with our partner network, we execute the following programs:

Diaper Collection and Distribution Diapers are secured through in-kind donations and discounted wholesale purchases. Distribution partners receive 5,000–40,000 diapers each month. Because of our purchasing power, we can buy two diapers for the cost of one in stores. 
The Baby Pantry Established in 2014, the Baby Pantry distributes formula, wipes, baby food, and essential hygiene items for babies, teens, and adults. These include body wash, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, period products, and adult incontinence supplies.
The Monthly Launched in 2016, this program provides menstrual products to those experiencing period poverty and is distributed through our Baby Pantry.
The Nursery Project Established in 2017, the program provides bundles of baby gear that promote safe sleep, play, and travel, including cribs, strollers, and car seats.

Impact Statement

Greater DC Diaper Bank (GDCDB) continues to lead the charge as the largest diaper bank in the DC region and one of the largest nationwide. Distributing diapers, formula, baby food, period products, and other hygiene essentials through partners across DC, Maryland, and Virginia, we’re making a powerful impact by reaching families in 375 zip codes.

In 2024, we increased our regional service level from meeting 20% of the diaper need to 23%-a result of both operational improvements and strategic growth-to reach record levels of impact.

This growth was made possible by the addition of eight new community partners located in geographic areas of the highest levels of unmet diaper need. These data-driven programmatic decisions had a ripple effect—expanding our geographic reach, increasing equity in distribution, and deepening relationships across our community.

We distributed 10.2 million diapers, turning a value of over $4.02 million back to local families!

Our programs – The Baby Pantry, The Nursery Project, and The Monthly – provide basic needs items beyond diapers. In 2024, the value of these items provided to families for free was nearly $1 million.

In addition, we served 46,740 babies and 39,800 families, increasing service levels by 11%and 8%, respectively, over 2023. 

What ways can the public get involved?

Give

Give Items: We accept items for families at our warehouse and around the region! Visit greaterdcdiaperbank.org/donate-in-your-neighborhood
Give Dollars: Financial support makes our work possible! Make your donation any time at greaterdcdiaperbank.org/give-dollars. For every $1 you spend on diapers at the store, we can buy two!

Volunteer

On-Site: We welcome dozens of volunteers to our Silver Spring, MD warehouse each week! Visit greaterdcdiaperbank.org/volunteer to sign up today! All opportunities are family friendly and all ages are welcome.
At Work: Our new Mobile Volunteer Program gives employers the chance to bring GDCDB to you! Visit greaterdcdiaperbank.org/mvp to learn more!

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

When you give to Greater DC Diaper Bank, your dollars go twice as far, every day. For every $1 donated, we can purchase two diapers through our wholesaler—twice as many as you’d be able to buy at a store.

Your dollars help us purchase hygiene supplies such as diapers and wipes, and support our programs including the Baby Pantry and Nursery Project. Financial support enables us to flexibly respond to the community’s most urgent hygiene needs and leverage our wholesale and corporate relationships for greater purchasing power and to ensure your dollars go as far as possible.

Information provided April 2025

CARE, Inc.

EIN: 54-1807476

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide and serve our clients with resources, education, enrichment and economic opportunities.  We do this for the disadvantaged and underserved, primarily serving and mentoring low-income, at-risk youth and families.  

We work with community partners and provide them with project/program management and support, fundraising events, technical skills and grant writing. 

Program Summary

Our programs and activities include the following:

Community Learning afterschool programs and summer camps that build collaborations through resources and education for those we serve with opportunities, apprenticeships, classes, workshops and retreats. 
Association of providers who we support and encourage them to support our participants.
Resources for Parents, Seniors, Ex-Offenders and Youth to support and enrich their lives. 
Education and opportunities through programs like Dinner Chats, Community Gardens and Youth Markets at our Green Valley Farmers Market. We believe in “Teaching Men to Fish and Farm for a Living” to become self-sufficient.
Enrich the lives of those we serve in underserved communities.
Economic development opportunities at our Green Valley Farmers Market and Learn to Earn Program, Mobile Food and Concession Stands.  We provide opportunities for employment and income through these programs in underserved communities. 
Preserving the history in communities and engaging residents to learn more about how they can enrich their lives and their communities, by understanding their past.

Impact Statement

Underachievers who attend our programs find purpose and grow up with skills learned for a lifetime of living.  
Parents gain access to resources and programs that can meet their needs.  We engage them in community matters as volunteers and resources, helping them to relay their needs and get any help that they need. 
Our programs created to serve youth are now modeled by others and offered in several communities.  
We work with partners and help them to be successful in delivering their programs and activities to those in need.  
Our youth are provided opportunities afterschool and outside of home that can lead them to learn skills and fulfill their goals in life.
Starting with Gardening for the community we have now connected our Gardening Apprenticeship Program (GAP), Farm to Table and the Green Valley Farmers Market (GVFM) that will provide coupons and encourage healthy eating and wellness through other market activities. 

What ways can the public get involved?

CARE is primarily an organization served with volunteers.  We look for volunteers that want to share their knowledge and skills to enrich the lives of our program participants.  Volunteers are needed to mentor, teach and chaperone.  Volunteers works with groups in our gardens and will be helpful in setting up and operating our Farmer’s market and selling goods and services.  No specific skills are required, just time and energy.  Students in middle and high school can volunteer and participate in GAP and Learn to Earn, while preparing for college. 

We always welcome any donations and contributions of resources that we use in our programs and distribute to families in need.  We provide family time meals and snacks and refreshments in our programs afterschool and when we meet with parents.   Parents can attend Dinner Chats to meet service providers and share their needs. 

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

Donations help us to buy and provide school supplies for students, snacks afterschool, meals for family times and programs.  For programs we provide supplies that includes arts & crafts, healthy eating and incentives and awards.  Awards includes trophy’s, certificates, gift cards and gifts to recognize special achievements and accomplishments.  

Student scholarships are awarded to those who want to participate in organized sports, clubs and camps.  Sometimes we supplement fees that can be several hundred dollars for a summer camp.  Donations help to support our summer and afterschool programs with staffing when needed.  Transportation cost for field trips and admissions are needed for those we work with, that cannot afford to pay added cost.   

We use space and facilities that sometimes charges us fees and requires us to have insurance to cover any liability issues. 

Our programs and support for the communities we serve is based on donations, grants and in-kind services. 

Information provided March 2025

Rosie Riveters

EIN: 47-4710197

Mission Statement

Rosie Riveters, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, works to close the gaps in today’s workforce by increasing participation in STEM, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills to develop the innovators of tomorrow.

Program Summary

Rosie Riveters offers hands-on STEM programs that foster confidence through productive struggle, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Designed for flexibility, its K-8 projects adapt to various settings—whether a 45-minute classroom lesson or a two-hour group experience—making STEM learning accessible in classrooms, military family programs, and community events. The high school program, Rosie Innovators (9-12), builds on this foundation, deepening STEM engagement and preparing participants for future education and careers.

Impact Statement

Since our inception in 2016, we have had the privilege of serving over 20,000 participants, witnessing remarkable outcomes with 96% of our participants enjoying the program and 89% being inspired to further explore STEM.

What ways can the public get involved?

You can get involved with Rosie Riveters in a few impactful ways! Volunteer your time by helping with quarterly STEM programs, packing STEM kits, or supporting events. If you’d rather contribute financially, donations go a long way in expanding programs and reaching more girls. Businesses and organizations can also partner by sponsoring programs, matching employee donations, or getting teams involved in volunteer activities. Want to stay in the loop? Subscribe to our mailing list for updates and event info. However you choose to help, you’ll be making a real difference in inspiring the next generation in STEM https://rosieriveters.org/volunteer/

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

At Rosie Riveters, every charitable dollar goes directly toward providing hands-on STEM experiences for students. Thanks to generous donations, we’ve served over 35,000 participants, giving them the opportunity to build confidence and critical thinking skills through engaging STEM projects. Your support helps fund program materials, STEM kits, educator resources, and expansion efforts to reach even more future innovators. Every contribution makes a tangible impact in inspiring the next generation of women in STEM!

Information provided March 2025

Read Early and Daily (READ)

EIN: 82-3345797

Mission Statement

Ensuring babies and young children have new, quality, culturally relevant books of their own that are mirrors and windows into their everyday lives and communities

Program Summary

FACT: All babies are born with the same number of neurons…BILLIONS. 

FACT: Neurons are pretty much useless unless they make a connection (aka synapse).  

FACT: Connections are made through talking, singing, cuddling, and most importantly, READING books with your baby. 

Every time a book is read to a baby, a connection is made in their brain, that is, a neuron is activated (*lit up*). Isn’t that amazing?! It’s that simple.

BUT without books in the home, reading to babies and young children every day is nearly impossible. 

• On average, children from low-income families have 1 book compared to 12 books that their peers from middle income families have. 
• As a result, these young children hear 25 hours of 1-to-1 reading before school while children from middle-income families hear 1,000 hours of listening to books read aloud. 
• By age 3, a child from a low-income family has a listening vocabulary of 500 words, compared to 1,100 for their peers from middle-income families. 
• Arriving at school, they score 60% lower on cognitive tests and lag 12-14 months behind in language and pre-reading skills. 

READ was created to address reading inequities faced by Arlington’s youngest and most economically vulnerable children. We meet expectant, uninsured families at their prenatal appointments and start them off with a baby book bag filled with five board books plus tips for reading. When the baby is born, they are automatically enrolled in our cornerstone program READ With Me and receive a texted order form for a new FREE, quality, culturally relevant book each month for their baby’s first year. In addition, they receive monthly reading texts and tips.

Impact Statement

In 2024, over 400 babies and toddlers from economically vulnerable families were enrolled in our cornerstone program READ With Me, allowing their families to choose and receive a new, quality, age-appropriate, culturally relevant book every month. 

100% of families report READ With Me has helped them build a home library
99% of families report spending more time reading with their baby.
97% of families report they have made reading part of their daily routine
99% of families report their child has learned new words and/or new information from the books.
Over 50% of our families report READ is their only source of books

One family’s story

Annie, age 2, has received 28 books from READ: five prenatally and one each month via READ With Me. READ is her family’s only source of books.  These books have helped Annie’s brain develop, and she has gained the following skills:

Recognizes basic colors, shapes, and some numbers (1-10) and letters,
Sorts objects by size, shape, or color,
Speaks in full sentences,
Shows enhanced vocabulary and language development,
Understands and follows along with simple stories.

What ways can the public get involved?

READ with Me Book Fairies (Delivery Drivers)

• Drivers spend about 2 hours on a Friday or Saturday morning toward the end of each month delivering books to families in Arlington. A car and valid driver’s license are needed.

Email clairemorris@readearlyanddaily.org for more information and to sign up to volunteer.

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

Our model is simple. READ gets free, quality, culturally relevant books to vulnerable babies when they need them the most. You can choose to help one baby or many babies.

• $100 helps build and *light up* one baby’s brain 
• $500 helps build and *light up* five babies’ brains
• $1000 helps build and *light up* ten babies’ brains 

When you support READ, YOU are enhancing the literacy and language experiences of economically vulnerable babies and toddlers at their most vital brain development by providing books for them to keep and for parents to read aloud. These early simple acts of reading together sets a baby on the path to future academic success and self-sufficiency. 

Information provided March 2025