DSpace Community: Centers and Research Services (GT)

Latinos and Philanthropy

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:25:09 GMT

Title: Latinos and Philanthropy

Authors: Boli, Eleanor

Abstract: One of the ways that philanthropy has manifested itself to create change in the Washington, D.C. area for the Latino Community is through the creation of a philanthropic organization by and for this same Latino Community. The Latino Federation of Greater Washington (LFGW) was created in the spring of 2007 to be an umbrella philanthropic organization for the various non-profit and non-governmental organizations in the D.C. Area. The Latino Federation differs from other mainstream philanthropies, though, in that it seeks to engage the D.C. area Latino Community in the giving process to eventually become a self- sustaining philanthropic organization. The idea of being self-sufficient is critical to the on-going support of the various NGOs and NPOs serving the Latino Community. This study will explore how philanthropies in communities of color work with their community’s culture of giving to achieve success, specifically focusing on philanthropy in Latino communities. This study will also consider contemporary philanthropic practices and ideas of how to establish a successful, sustainable philanthropic organization. This data will be used to generate recommendations for the Latino Federation of the Greater Washington Area on how to successfully establish itself in this Latino Community. http://www.cfkeep.org/html/snapshot.php?id=33116062947657

Moving Out of Poverty: A Service Program Assessment

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:14:00 GMT

Title: Moving Out of Poverty: A Service Program Assessment

Authors: Wheatley, Anna

Abstract: As part of the Community Based Research course: Project DC, this report is intended to help the Perry School Community Services Center (PSCSC) evaluate the effectiveness of the Perry Center in meeting its mission through an assessment of the Social Services Department. Interviews were conducted with staff members and resulting data were analyzed to assess challenges to clients and the ways in which these challenges are addressed by program activities. Program operations and data were also determined in order to improve abilities for evaluation of programs and tracking of clients. Findings suggest the need for additional client perspectives to ensure that needs are fully being met. In addition, findings suggest a need to foster a greater sense of community among clients being served and the greater neighborhood community.

HIV Positive Women and Political Advocacy

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:05:43 GMT

Title: HIV Positive Women and Political Advocacy

Authors: Lippitt, Margaret

Abstract: There is a growing epidemic of HIV/AIDS among women in the U.S., making women the new “face” of this disease. Women with HIV/AIDS face unique social and biological risk factors, as well as unique challenges, since women with HIV/AIDS tend to be poorer than their male counterparts and more likely to be the primary caregiver for children. However, because of the continuing legacy of HIV/AIDS funding going towards policies and programs that address men’s issues, women’s challenges continue. Today, there is growing activism among HIV-positive women who seek to change policies to better support their peers. The current paper investigates how women with HIV/AIDS advocate for social policy changes in the U.S. Specifically, I seek to better understand the barriers to political involvement that face HIV-positive women and the ways in which organizations can be supportive of this sort of action. My research is designed to: 1. Increase the effectiveness of established advocacy programs 2. Help other AIDS service organizations to develop new advocacy programs and, 3. To encourage their clients to be involved in influencing the policies that shape their daily lives. This research was conducted in collaboration with the Policy and Advocacy Department of The Women’s Collective, which is a non-profit organization in Washington, DC, led by women with HIV and their allies/advocates. The organization has been working for 15 years to serve the needs of HIV-positive women in Washington, DC and beyond. Their mission is “to meet the self-defined needs of women and their families living with and at risk for HIV/AIDS, reducing barriers to care and strengthening their network of support and services.”

Carver Terrace

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:12:36 GMT

Title: Carver Terrace

Authors: Murphy, Mary

Abstract: During the 2005-2006 academic year, members of a research team at Georgetown University (GRT) volunteered in a community development project at Carver Terrace. Carver Terrace is a low-income housing community located in Northeast Washington D.C. that has suffered neglect and segregation by the D.C. city government and developers in the past decades. In 2002, the Telesis Corporation purchased the Carver Terrace properties, renovated apartment units, and re-landscaped the outdoor areas. Telesis plans to sell some of the units to residents well below the market value over a fifteen year homeownership transition period. Telesis will also sell some properties at market value in order to develop a mixed-income community at Carver Terrace. Telesis subcontracted research at Carver Terrace to the GRT in order to find out residents’ feelings about the Carver Terrace property, the surrounding neighborhood, and the homeownership project. The GRT conducted three focus groups with a total of 30 of residents and 92 door-to-door surveys to gather information from residents. The data collected allowed for more specific analysis on particular aspects of the homeownership project. The following research analyzes the residents’ feelings of trust and distrust regarding the successful transition to being homeowners. Residents were generally distrustful in regards to the Telesis Corporation, the GRT, and the homeownership project in general, presenting a serious obstacle in the successful completion of the transition to homeownership at Carver Terrace.

Assessing national student partnership

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:06:40 GMT

Title: Assessing national student partnership

Authors: Cloke, Annie

Abstract: This paper reflects research conducted while working with National Student Partnerships (NSP), to reestablish their satellite office at the Virginia Williams Family Resource Center for the homeless (VWFRC). NSP’s goal is to provide better assistance to a greater number of VWFRC’s clientele who are in need of social services and resources. NSP has not been able to establish a stable and continuous presence at the VWFRC for a number of reasons including the following: 1. Few people at the VWFRC, clients and staff members, know that NSP has a work station in the center. 2. People are unaware that NSP provides services to clients at the VWFRC who need more assistance or do not qualify to receive services from the VWFRC. 3. It is unclear what the needs of NSP’s clients at the VWFRC are and if NSP has or can develop these services and resources. 4. NSP is unaware of other service providers in Washington D.C. NSP would like to increase its clientele at the Virginia Williams Family Resource Center by assessing the needs of its clients, creating greater awareness of NSP’s services within the VWFRC, and identifying the best ways to access the resources that its clients need. NSP’s presence at the VWFRC and its help in assisting homeless families who come to the intake center can potentially help NSP to develop a symbiotic and more consistent relationship with the VWFRC, in which both agencies can communicate and refer clients in a manner that is more effective for clients in gaining help and that is beneficial to the functioning of the organizations.

The Carver Terrace Community Building Project: Resident Attitudes towards Homeownership

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:02:10 GMT

Title: The Carver Terrace Community Building Project: Resident Attitudes towards Homeownership

Authors: Beckford, DeAnn

Abstract: The Carver Terrace housing development, located in Northeast Washington D.C., was recently purchased and renovated by the Telesis Corporation as part of a fifteen year plan designed to give residents the opportunity to buy their current housing units below market price. Their ultimate goal is to create a mixed income community in Carver Terrace, while displacing as few residents as possible. This research project, in collaboration with Dr. Sam Marullo, utilizes data from resident focus group sessions and an extensive survey conducted by both student and resident volunteers within the Carver Terrace community. I have used this data to focus on residents’ positive or negative perceptions of homeownership. In addition, I have explored how these opinions may help or hinder the Telesis Corporation’s plan to transition the Carver Terrace residents to homeownership. Findings show that residents are interested in homeownership, stating that they would like to own their own home for financial or security reasons. However, they are not interested in owning their current housing units. Many residents stated substandard renovation materials, dissatisfaction with management and a lack of parking as reasons for not wanting to own at Carver Terrace. Based on the condition of the Carver Terrace housing units, research findings suggest that resident’s negative opinions regarding the purchase of their current apartments may, in fact, hinder the Telesis Corporation’s plan to transition the residents to homeownership.

Meeting the Needs of Latino Undocumented Immigrant Children in Washington, DC

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:55:26 GMT

Title: Meeting the Needs of Latino Undocumented Immigrant Children in Washington, DC

Authors: O’Brien, Annie

Abstract: This research project, conducted in collaboration with the National Center for Refugees and Immigrant Children (NCRIC), seeks to better understand and meet the needs of undocumented and unaccompanied children in the Washington, DC Area. Specifically, the current research project seeks to do the following: 1) better understand the needs of Latino undocumented, unaccompanied immigrant children in the DC area; 2) create an asset-map of services available to these children; and 3) to identify the extent to which the children’s needs are being met . The NCRIC is run by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) (U.S. Committee for Refugee and Immigrants, 2005) and matches undocumented children who are out of detention and in need of representation in court with lawyers who are willing to provide their services, pro-bono. However, the NCRIC has found that undocumented immigrant children have needs that extend beyond the legal realm and has committed itself to addressing the medical, psychological, physical and educational needs of the children. The NCRIC is putting together a database organized by city that lists organizations and services that can meet the social and psychological needs of its clients. Though undocumented children come from all over the world, the majority of children with whom the NCRIC works in Washington, DC are Latino. After determining the needs of the Latino undocumented immigrant children who are involved with NCRIC and the resources available in the Washington DC area that address those needs, I will then determine the capacity of the organizations and their current ability to serve children with whom the NCRIC works.

Georgetown Education Outreach Initiatives:An Assessment of Staff and Student Education Outreach Programs

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:52:05 GMT

Title: Georgetown Education Outreach Initiatives:An Assessment of Staff and Student Education Outreach Programs

Authors: Rodriguez, Annie

Abstract: Georgetown University’s education outreach programs lack a formal communication network or central repository of information. This deficit makes it difficult for programs to coordinate their activities, and for the university to provide strategic direction to the outreach programs. The purpose of this research is to map and catalog all staff and student-run education outreach programs at Georgetown and to create a research model that other universities can replicate in order to describe and organize their outreach programs. Twenty-three university staff and student program coordinators were surveyed. Participants were asked for program information and training materials, to complete an online survey, and to participate in follow-up interviews. This information now provides a clear overview of student and staff-run education outreach at Georgetown.