INNOVATIVE NON-PROFIT BRIDGES STUDENT, COMMUNITY DIVIDE WITH FOUNDATION SUPPORT

Washington, DC- Over 1,000 low-income, DC-area residents who face considerable barriers to success (no childcare, no money to commute, no GED, etc.) will receive holistic support services from National Student Partnerships (NSP) thanks to a $20,000 grant from The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. At NSP, local university students are trained to master the ins-and-outs of existing community resources and use their knowledge and tenacity towards helping individuals with any service they require.

"The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation strives to meet the ever-changing needs of the DC metropolitan area," says Calvin Cafritz, President and CEO of the Cafritz Foundation. "The service that National Student Partnerships provides to our community residents is exemplary. NSP volunteers donate hours of personalized assistance and are invaluable in helping individuals secure jobs, housing and other key support."

Within an average year of service, NSP clients visit the office at least six times to work with volunteers on their goals, receive support in four different service areas (i.e. employment, housing, legal services, and food support), and are provided with seven tangible services (i.e. resumes created, secured transitional housing, successfully placed in training program, etc.). In addition, clients receive a yearly average of 30 hours of invaluable listening and support services that can be shown to improve morale, increase motivation, boost confidence, and generally better equip clients to succeed in achieving their goals.

"The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation is at the forefront of recognizing effective organizations committed to improving the quality of life for residents in the DC area," says NSP's CEO Kirsten Lodal. "It is an affirmation of NSP's local work that a foundation of this caliber has chosen to support us."

National Student Partnerships (NSP) operates a national network of resource centers staffed by student volunteers from area colleges and universities. Working one-on-one with community members (clients), NSP volunteers act as community brokers, providing intensive on-site and referral services that enable clients to: locate employment; secure affordable housing, health care, childcare, and other services; and pursue long-term career and life goals. NSP's current office sites are in Baltimore, MD; Bronx, NY; Cambridge, MA; Canton, OH; Chicago, IL; Durham, NC; Evanston, IL; New Haven, CT; Philadelphia-North, PA; Philadelphia-Northwest, PA; Philadelphia-West, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Richmond, VA; Somerville, MA; and Washington, DC.

NSP's Washington, DC, Local Office is located in the Perry School Community Services Center in the heart of the Sursum Corda neighborhood. Students from American University, Georgetown University, and George Washington University comprise the majority of the volunteer base for NSP-DC; recruitment also takes place at Catholic University, Howard University, and Trinity College. For more information visit www.nspnet.org.

The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation is the largest independent grant making foundation focused exclusively on the Washington metropolitan area. The Foundation is the legacy of Morris Cafritz, one of Washington's leading commercial and residential real estate builders from the early 1920's to the mid-1960's, and is committed to building a stronger community for residents of the Washington, DC area through support of programs in arts and humanities, community services, education, and healthcare.