GHBC Residents: Giving - Community Service Projects

(Updated 11/23/2023)

Giving Through Community Service

THE COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMITTEE is responsible for a host of outreach activities and services to our surrounding Northern Virginia community. Project ideas are considered and ongoing projects are evaluated at monthly meetings the 2^nd Thursday of each month, 2:00 p.m., Top of the West. Contact: Jamie Gallagher, apt. 1219, ext. 7678, jamieg2905@gmail.com.

Current Projects

CLOTHING COLLECTION
Donations are delivered to the Clock Tower Thrift Store.

Contacts:

Pointe: Ken McCloud (ext 3104), Jane Roningen (ext. 3109), Rosalie Smith (ext. 3130)

Crossroads: Beverly Augustitus (ext. 7679), Jane Karpick (ext. 7399), John Ewing (ext. 7538)

We will accept only clean, gently-used men's and women’s clothing. This includes slacks, dresses, shirts, blouses, sweaters, shoes, belts, scarves, ties, jackets, and hats.
We will not accept torn or dirty clothing, underwear, socks, or any non-clothing items.
We will accept donated clothing only in commercial 13-gallon trash bags, also referred to as Tall Kitchen Drawstring or Flap Tie Bags. Residents are responsible for providing these bags, which can be purchased at the Market Place, major grocery stores, and online. No other bags will be accepted.
The Crossroads Storage Clothing Bin is now locked, and access is limited to members of the Donated Clothing Team.
Residents donating clothing should call Ric Blacksten at ext. 3171 to arrange for a pickup. If Ric is unavailable, an alternate will be appointed and his or her contact information will be on the Mailroom bulletin board.
Do not leave clothing in the Executive Director’s Office or at the Front Reception Desk.
Residents also are welcome to take their clothing in any size bag to the collection facility of their choice.

KNIT FOR KIDS
Contact: Noel Sipple, ext. 7588.

Sweaters and blankets are knit by residents and donated to World Vision. Patterns, yarn, and information on restrictions are available from Noel.

CULMORE CLINIC
Contact: Susan Daniels (ext. 3162)

Volunteers from GHBC no longer assist in setting up the clinic on Tuesdays and Thursdays but are ready eady to assist as needed, e.g. advocacy, fundraising. GHBC also collects new dental supplies for distribution at the Clinic.

LITTLE LIBRARY

Contact: Nancy and Bob Simpson (ext. 3181)

GHBC’s Little Library is located in front of GHBC on S. Jefferson Street. The project was a joint effort between GHBC residents and staff under Adrienne Wyman’s direction, designed and built by residents Bob Lassiter and Ron Karpick and installed by staff members Nathan Neufer and Danny Moore. The Little Library is overseen by the GHBC Community Service Committee. Feel free to place books inside the Little Library and to take those you would like to read. The lower shelf is reserved for children’s books, which are especially popular with our neighbors. If the Little Library is full, leave your donations in the designated box inside the Art Center.

Education Projects

MOST SCHOOL PROGRAMS ON HOLD INDEFINITELY DUE TO COVID
GRANDINVOLVE
A project of Fairfax County Schools at Parklawn Elementary School

ARLINGTON SCHOOLS
Current Arlington School projects include:

Mentoring Dreamers (DACA)
Tutoring Arlington Community High School students
Conversations with parents of Even Start students at Barcroft - conducted virtually

ASSIST EMPLOYEES WITH CITIZENSHIP AND LANGUAGE

Improving English Language Skills. Contact Fred Morhart (ext. 3186)
Preparation for Citizenship Exam. Contact Mary Bullock (ext. 3176)
Mentoring Projects with GHBC Staff

Second Floor Service Projects
Contact: Donna Cornman (ext. 7385) and Vy Tran (ext. 7247)

Residents of the Health Care Center, Assisted Living, Independent Living gather on Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for one of the following projects:

Prepare Snack Packs for elementary school student
Prepare net bags for produce distributed by Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC)
Assemble Dental Kits for Culmore Clinic to distribute to its clients

Annual Projects

MAKE-A-DIFFERENCE DAY
Residents donate funds to provide Thanksgiving dinner for Bailey’s Crossroads Shelter. Food is purchased by GHBC Dining Services with the collected funds and prepared by the Shelter staff and volunteers. Any extra money is donated to the shelter.

ANGEL TREE
Residents donate funds or gift cards that are given to the Patrick Henry Family Shelter so that parents can purchase holiday gifts for their children.

SUITCASES FOR ESWATINI
Contact: Otto Reinbacher (ext. 3111)

Thank you for your support by giving used suitcases for our Michilu project for Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). Due to the coronavirus, the trip did not happen this summer. That means we have many suitcases. Thanks to Goodwin House, Mollie Warner, and Jane Kenny for providing storage space. We have more than enough suitcases for two future trips. Some smaller bags and duffle bags have been donated to the new Bailey’s Crossroads Shelter. We have 16 larger bags for Eswatini and 20 smaller bags for the Shelter. We also disposed of 14 that were no longer needed. We are still open for donations. Otto Reinbacher, ext. 3111 or email Oarrock@aol.com.