Dear Friends,

I am once again honored to lend my support to Horton’s Kids this fall as part of the Host Committee for their 16th Annual Give Thanks & Give Back Gala on Friday, November 17 at the Fairmont Hotel in Georgetown.

I’ve been involved with Horton’s Kids for way longer than I can remember because the work they do is truly life changing for the children and families in Anacostia.  It all started when I was a member of the Junior League of Washington and I helped out with a present wrapping event.  That morphed into buying coats, backpacks and outfits for the first day of school for kids from 4 - 18.  Horton’s Kids recently acquired the Hub which I’ll write about later that has expanded our reach and made the organization even more important than it was before!

For 34 years, Horton’s Kids has empowered neighbors in some of DC’s most under-invested communities with the education, resources and support needed to thrive.

Horton’s Kids focuses on four pillars – academics, youth development, health and wellness, and family and community engagement – so every child graduates from high school ready for success in college, career, and life. Their holistic approach also connects parents and caregivers to resources to ensure household stability.

Horton's Kids reaches 600 children and families each year in Wellington Park and Stanton Oaks – two Southeast DC neighborhoods profoundly impacted by decades of disinvestment and barriers to opportunity. Opening Horton’s Hub, their third community resource center in Anacostia, and a new five-year strategic plan positions Horton’s Kids for greater impact.

They want to raise $255,000 at the 16th Annual Give Thanks & Give Back gala. My goal is to raise $10,000. Join me to create lasting change for our neighbors.