Hats Off to Proper Topper!

July 11th - July 25th

Proper Topper is lending Martha’s Table a hand by collecting men’s and women’s clothing for Martha’s Outfitters! Proper Topper is a charming little shop that collects and sells a beautiful collection of gifts, accessories, clothing, jewelry, children’s items, and, of course, hats!

They are hosting this event at the Georgetown shop, located on the corner of Wisconsin Ave. and P St.

Check out their site for more information:

http://www.propertopper.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/page170.html

and their blog:

http://www.propertopper.com/wordpress/

So stop by Proper Topper’s Georgetown Shop, drop off your no-longer-needed items and gently worn clothes, and get some quality shopping done at their Patio Sale!

On behalf of Martha's Outfitters and all those we serve, we thank you, Proper Topper!

National Volunteer Week - Thank You Volunteers!

Our volunteer program is the backbone of Martha's Table. In the early years, almost 30 years ago, Martha's Table was run entirely by volunteers. Now, they are still a very large part of what we do here at Martha's Table everyday, and are essential to allowing our programs to run smoothly.

Our Food program provides 1200 meals daily on McKenna's Wagon. This is possible through dedicated schools, churches, businesses and community members that come to Martha's Table every morning at 10am. The volunteers help prepare peanut butter and jelly and meat and cheese sandwiches, and they chop vegetables for the soup, all to go out on McKenna's Wagon. In the evening, a new set of volunteers gear up to go out on McKenna's Wagon's vans, and serve over 1200 meals, 65 gallons of soup and hot tea. In 2008, volunteers helped prepare and serve over 500,000 sandwiches for McKenna's Wagon!

Martha's Outfitters, our community thrift store and clothing distribution center relies heavily on committed volunteers. They help take in donations and sort clothing for the store. Every Wednesday and Friday, volunteers help referrals from partner shelters and organizations find things that they need for free. They often go the extra mile - recently a volunteer created a data system to check in referrals more efficiently and track relationships with partner organizations more effectively.

Our Child Development Center is a great place for volunteers to come and spend quality time with our kids ranging in age from 4 months to 4 years old. Volunteers often enjoy reading to the kids, helping them with arts & crafts, going on field trips, helping the teachers feed them lunch, etc.

Volunteering for Martha's Table is not just about service and helping those in need, it is also about education. Martha's Table takes pride in educating our volunteers about poverty, hunger, homelessness and education. These are issues that Martha's Table faces everyday. Our volunteers understand what Martha's Table does and the difference their service makes. Martha's Table volunteers become our greatest advocates and help us build a stronger community. Over 10,000 volunteers served their community through Martha's Table in 2008!

Thank you, volunteers, for helping us make Washington, DC a better place for at-risk children, youth and families.

This week at Martha's Outfitters

Caitlin Welch, our dedicated intern from The Washington Center helps out with the referral process @ Martha's Outfitters twice a week. Martha's Outfitters opens its doors to clients from partner organizations on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10-12pm. These individuals receive free assistance from Martha's Outfitters, which could include clothing for an upcoming job interview, blankets for their new born baby, or household items. Caitlin shares her story below.

"While helping out with referrals one day at Martha's Outfitters, I happened to notice that a woman had been wondering around the store for about an hour and was struggling to find clothing. I asked if she needed help and she gladly accepted my offer. She described what kinds of items she was looking for and as we discussed her desires, I got to know a little bit about who she was as a person. The woman had just gotten out of prison and in order to get back on her feet, needed an outfit for a job interview. She explained how she had searched and searched, but wasn't sure what kinds of items looked nice together. I found a skirt and professional, yet feminine jacket that I thought would suit her well. After she tried on the outfit and looked at herself in the mirror, a huge smile came across her face along with a sigh of relief because it was exactly what she was looking for. The woman was so grateful to have her new and well fitting job-interview outfit that she gave me a big hug and thanked me for helping her."