A New Direction

Here are some pictures of our new product and the youth who are producing them. Research has shown that the number one identifier of whether a young person will stay away from harmful activities such as drugs and gangs is how many times a week they eat a family meal around a dinner table. In order to encourage this behavior among families in the community, the Off The Block Artisans will be producing these dining sets and donating them to households in need.

Artisans with their work
(l to r) Jimmie, Chris, Vance, Reggie, Ty, and Alfonzo

The dining set.

On November 8, 2008 the Artisans Program of Covenant House Washington was awarded a donation by the Builders' Ball. The Builders' Ball is an initiative of a host of local organizations involved in all aspects of the building trades whose number 1 mission is "To raise funds for local charities in the National Capital Area". We were incredibly thrilled to be acknowledged by such a great initiative and were even more thrilled when a few months later we were presented with the real check. After the actual Ball, the committee realized that they had far exceeded their initial contribution goals and rather than the $60,000 on the big cardboard check, we received a check for $84,000! This money will go a long way towards helping the program continue to serve our youth and move then further on the path towards a fulfilling and worthwhile career. Thanks again Builders' Ball!