Summary
On April 30, 2011, Hands on DC (HoDC) completed its seventeenth annual Work-a-thon to refurbish Washington, DC, public schools, raise college scholarship funds for local students, and enable community members to become more involved in the District’s schools. Just over 1,500 volunteers provided more than 8,500 students with a better learning environment by completing more than 280 projects in 25 schools.
The nearly 100 members of the HoDC Organizing Committee safely and efficiently executed the Work-a-thon’s logistical effort, managing hundreds of gallons of paint, an array of tools, vehicles, staff and enough landscaping mulch and materials to cover an area the size of a football field about half a foot deep. To provide our volunteers with the supplies and tools needed, Hands on DC raised nearly $77,000 from a diverse mix of new and existing donors. In addition to the Work-a-thon, we hosted a handful of work day events throughout the year, including our own “March Mural Madness” Day and DCPS Beautification Day, both of which brought talented volunteers into schools for specific projects. Finally, we were pleased to receive overwhelmingly positive feedback about our work from the principals and staff at the schools, and from our volunteers.
These achievements build on 16 years of success. Hands on DC began as, and continues to be, an entirely volunteer-run organization. Over the past 17 years, more than 33,000 volunteers have created a better environment for learning in more than 125 schools and have funded more than $660,000 in college scholarships for DC public school students. For the 2012 fiscal year, HoDC is well underway to continuing its tradition of providing “better schools and brighter futures” for DC local students.
Read the Hands on DC 2011 Annual Report