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1302 Kenyon St. NW
Washington, DC
(202) 667-2979
Service
Volunteering in the nation's capitol offers an exciting variety of service opportunities with non-profit and intergovernmental organizations in areas such as: health, education, youth, homelessness, poverty, advocacy, policy and law, religion, the arts, immigration, and issues involving race, gender, and class.
Location
Washington DC is located along the Potomac River between Maryland and Virginia. The climate is moderate in spring and fall with generally mild winters and hot, humid summers. The District has a population of nearly 600,000, with a greater metro area of 5.3 million. About 58% of the population is African-American and 12% is Hispanic.
Washington is an interesting clash of power and poverty—a wealthy and powerful government world amidst a city of unsettling levels of homelessness, crime, and hunger. The clashes of culture bring a distinct beauty and vigor to DC, as do its pleasant abundance of trees, parks, monuments, and museums. DC offers one of the nation's best public transportation systems of buses and metro-rail, making much of the DC area easily accessible. Biking and walking are also convenient ways to maneuver throughout the city's assortment of colorful, diverse neighborhoods.
Unit
The MVS house is located in Columbia Heights, a neighborhood undergoing rapid change in the Northwest quadrant of the city. The advent of a Columbia Heights Metro stop, located just one and a half blocks from the house, has brought with it developers, higher income levels, and new faces. At the same time, this has led to housing crises, displacement, and growing neighborhood tensions. Directly three miles north of the Capitol, the MVS house is within walking distance to the historically and ethnically rich neighborhoods of Mt. Pleasant and Adams Morgan.
The Unit holds six members in a spacious, three story row house on a residential, tree-lined street. House members are encouraged to share meals and household chores, as well as participate in house meetings and activities to create and maintain community.
Church
Unlike most units with a single supporting congregation, there are several churches that have a history of supporting DC MVS'ers, namely Community House Church, Hyattsville Mennonite Church, and Washington Community Fellowship. Volunteers are encouraged to participate in at least one of these or another local worshipping body. While not participating in a single church as a house has its downsides, this arrangement enables each volunteer to explore various faith communities and hopefully find a good "fit." This can add a rich spectrum of faith experiences to unit life.
Points of interest
- DC is a hot spot for volunteer groups besides MVS. Several of them, including Lutheran Volunteer Corps, Sojourners, Discipleship Year and AVODAH (Jewish service group), are located within blocks of the MVS house, offering a promising network of friends and colleagues.
- DC has a plethora of free recreational activities, including the National Zoo, a host of Smithsonian Museums, the Library of Congress, the National Mall, the Botanical Gardens, and a variety of other venues that offer free lectures, films, exhibits, and musical performances.
- There are many scenic bike routes, both in and outside of DC, as well as places to hike, walk and be with nature tucked in amongst the hustle and bustle of the city.
- DC is an exciting environment for service with many opportunities to become involved in the community and work for social change on a grass roots level.
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