‘Hold ’em high’
courtesy of ‘Megan Garner’

At We Love DC, there are a few causes close to our hearts. One of them is Safe Shores, – The D.C. Children’s Advocacy Center. Safe Shores serves child and youth victims of abuse and witnesses to violence, with over 800 children and youth served annually. As children come in to Safe Shores, they’re often brought there directly from a crime scene, or directly on their way to foster care, so sometimes they aren’t in the best shape (as I’m sure you can imagine) and so Safe Shores staff will give them new clothing, duffel bags, and backpacks to take with them. It’s little, but sometimes it’s the little things, like clean clothes or a new backpack on an otherwise horrible day, that can make all the difference.

Unfortunately, like every other charity in DC, Safe Shores is feeling the economic downturn. So they’ve put out an all call for duffel bags and backpacks. This is where you, dear We Love DC reader, come in. Get your butt to Target, before August 3rd and put together a duffel bag full of children’s clothing, or a backpack full of school supplies.

And dude, shopping for school supplies is so fun. I’m stoked. I used to love fresh crayons, a cool notebook, and sweet pens! Everyone has fond memories of Trapper Keepers, Lisa Frank and Crayola. Or if school makes you shudder, you should go shop for children’s clothing – any size, any style, whatever you like! I adore shopping for my nephews, so I’m probably going to throw together a backpack and a duffel bag and shop til I drop. Safe Shores has a goal of 200 new backpacks and 200 new duffel bags (note: all donations to Safe Shores are tax deductible, to the fullest extent of the law) – I know know know our awesome readers can help them make this happen.

Drop your clothing duffel bag, or your school-supply full back pack off at Safe Shores’ 300 E Street, NW location (practically on top of Judiciary Square Metro Station, and in short walking distance of Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro) during normal operating hours (8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday). If donors cannot make these drop off times (i.e., need to come by earlier or later), you can email SooAnn directly (srobertspisano (at) safeshores (dot) org) to make other arrangements.

Alternately, if you just don’t think you can get over to Safe Shores to donate in person, you can let us handle it for you- hit the Paypal button below; $15 buys one backpack for a local kid in need of some help. The button will send the money to Don Whiteside, who will purchase the backpacks and drop them off all at once.

Button removed – time’s up! [but Safe Shores will always be delighted by your donations. Go there directly!]

To recap:
Who: YOU!
What: Duffel bags full of children’s clothes or a backpack full of school supplies (or both!)
Where: Drop them off at 300 E Street, NW location (practically on top of Judiciary Square Metro Station, and in short walking distance of Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro)
When: Now til August 3rd during normal operating hours (8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday).
Why: Cause you love DC, and part of loving DC is loving our younger, cuter residents in need. Plus, ’cause shopping is good times, and you’ll get warm fuzzy feelings.

Katie

Katie moved to DC in 2007, and has since embarked upon a love affair with the city. She’s an education reform advocate and communications professional during the day; at night and on the weekends, she’s an owner here at We Love DC. Katie has high goals to eat herself through the entire city, with only her running shoes to save her from herself. For up-to-the-minute news and reviews (among other musings), follow her on Twitter!