By Russell McIntyre
Despite our desire for life to slow down, the world continues to move at breakneck speed, and 2024 was no exception. From the Summer Olympics to a presidential election; from astronauts stuck in space to Hollywood reboots in the box office; from Caitlin Clark and expanded interest in women’s basketball to Ozempic and the rise of weight-loss medication – the news in 2024 seemed to constantly be “defyyy-ing gravityyy.”
Thankfully, many of our charitable organizations in Southwest DC were undeterred by this constant commotion, providing ample opportunities for Friends of Southwest DC to invest in projects and events that benefit our local community.
Since 1998, Friends of Southwest DC has actively supported local organizations working to make DC’s smallest quadrant a better home for all. Throughout the past two-and-a-half decades, Friends of Southwest DC has helped to fund a wide variety of activities – from food banks and clothing drives to after-school programming and college scholarships – and 2024 was no different.
For the twenty-sixth straight year, Friends of Southwest DC partnered with the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly (SWNA) to provide college scholarships for Southwest DC students. In 2024, we were able to provide three scholarships of $2,000 apiece to help incoming freshman students pay for their tuition. Furthermore, we provided a $5,000 scholarship to one local Southwest DC resident to continue her education in a graduate-level program.
In addition to our annual scholarships, we were able to support multiple other educational opportunities for local Southwest DC students. This included a grant to Arena Stage to help fund the annual Voices of Now theater program; a grant to DC STORM for prospective college students to visit multiple colleges in the mid-Atlantic area; a grant to Emma U.S. for local students to visit the Harriet Tubman home; a grant to GOODProjects to support their Learning Hub; and a grant to Richard Wright Public Charter Schools to help pay for science, technology, and math-related educational supplies.
Our donations this year also included a focus on local community events. Friends of Southwest DC provided funds to the Omicron Eta Lambda Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity to fund distribution of school supplies at the annual Southwest Community Day; to the SW Comm-Unity Forum for their annual Summer in Lansburgh Park event; and to the SWDC Community Center for their Fall Fest and Mutt Strut event.
Finally, Friends of Southwest DC was able to provide a number of grants to help those who need it most. This included multiple grants to Christ United Methodist Church to support their 5000 Food Pantry; a grant to the SW Comm-Unity Forum for their Toys for Tots event; and a grant to Waterfront Village to support member subsidies and outreach.
“It’s amazing how small donations from neighbors can make such a meaningful impact,” said Peter Eicher, president of Friends of Southwest DC. “There are so many wonderful organizations in Southwest that are ready to do so much if we can provide them with the means. I hope readers will be inspired to pitch in.”
With spring fast approaching, Friends of Southwest DC is already working hard to ensure that we build upon our past successes in 2024. For more information on the work that we do – or for details on how to contribute or apply for a grant – please visit FriendsofSWDC.org. Donations can be made online on our website, via Venmo (@FOSWDC) or by mailing a check to: Friends of Southwest DC, P.O. Box 44434, Washington, DC 20026.
Russell McIntyre is the Treasurer of Friends of Southwest DC.
