CausesThe wealth of the Washington D.C. area can often mask the deep need in many sectors of the community. The following causes are important to me because of their impact in the immediate Northern Virginia or greater Washington D.C. area, and because of my personal connections to each.
I encourage you to consider donating to these worthy organizations. Please visit the links below to learn more, and access their donation options directly on their respective websites. |
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It is my pleasure and honor to serve on the Board of Directors of Legal Aid Justice Center. When I set out to become involved in pro bono immigration legal representation, I had the pleasure of meeting some of the attorneys in the Falls Church office of LAJC to handle emergency DACA renewals. Since then, we have co-counseled a lawsuit seeking timely release of detained minors in Office of Refugee Resettlement custody, fought for bond of detained immigrants, and so much more. Beyond immigration issues, Legal Aid Justice Center partners with communities and clients to achieve justice by dismantling systems that create and perpetuate poverty. Justice means racial justice, social justice, and economic justice.
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Education of all kinds is a passion of mine, and it has been my pleasure to serve on the Board of Directors of Computer CORE since 2016 in support of their mission furthering technical literacy for adults in the Northern Virginia area. Since 1999, Computer CORE has prepared underserved adults to realize career aspirations with foundational computer and professional skills. Beyond financial support, the community has been giving back through Computer CORE by serving as part of its all-volunteer instructor team--quite a unique thing in this space!
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I had the pleasure of meeting Tara, the Founder of Project Second Chance, during my immigration work. Somehow I knew I would end up rescuing one of her dogs, and sure enough that's how we met Nettie (and later, my mom adopted Lily). For almost 15 years, the volunteers at Project Second Chance have been rescuing satos (and pure breeds) in Puerto Rico as part of other rescue initiatives. After the hurricane in 2017, rescues and shelters in Puerto Rico were flooded with homeless dogs. Tara and her team have been working tirelessly to save these dogs, rehabilitate them where needed, and place them in loving homes.
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Founded by my friend Adelle Settle, Settle the Debt (clever name!) has helped families in Prince William County Virginia pay down school lunch debt and fought for free lunch programs to ensure that no kid goes hungry. Settle the Debt started small, paying off 3 schools in Prince William County, and then realized there were so many kids with unpaid lunch debts. Prince William County is amazing, because they give every kid an equal lunch regardless of their ability to pay that day. But at the end of the year, the lunch bills are due and families owing over $50 and unable to pay are sent to collections.
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