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Get Involved

Ways to Give

Monetary Donations

Our work is possible because of generous donors and partners like you. We can never overstate the ripple effect that one donation can have on the lives of our clients. Whether you give $1 or $10,000, the strength of our circle lies in all who are a part of it. Support at every level makes us feel proud to have you in our community and fortunate to have a generous circle of friends with a shared vision — a society where all of our neighbors have the resources they need to thrive.

We value our donors and take seriously the responsibility to use donations in the best way possible to achieve impact — supporting our neighbors to attain financial self-sufficiency and a pathway out of poverty.

Donations can be made online, or by sending a check to:

A Wider Circle
6841 Elm Street #6133
McLean, VA 22106

Checks should be made out to “A Wider Circle”

Stock Donations

Donating appreciated stock allows you to receive a tax deduction and presents a more efficient way of contributing compared with selling stock and then making an after-tax cash donation. Donating appreciated stock allows A Wider Circle to utilize the full proceeds of the gift to help families on their path out of poverty.

Please note that, in order to receive acknowledgment for your stock donation, you must inform us of the stock name and number of shares, as well as provide your contact information so we may generate a receipt.

Please send contact and stock information to contact@awidercircle.org.

Stock transfer information

Broker: Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
DTC: 0164
Account number: 4931-1732
Registration: A WIDER CIRCLE

Per IRS requirements, you will receive an acknowledgment of your stock donation with the name and number of shares. You can learn more about the IRS guidelines on reporting here.

IRA Donations

Qualified charitable distributions from an IRA are also a great strategy to consider for our supporters who are subject to required minimum distributions from their IRA account. If you have an IRA and are at least age 72, you can take a qualified charitable distribution from your IRA. Instead of receiving your mandatory taxable distribution, the funds go directly to charity, and the distribution is not included in your taxable income. We recommend consulting your financial advisor or brokerage firm in order to process the qualified charitable distribution.

Donor Advised Funds
Planned Giving

Adding A Wider Circle to your estate plans is a great way to build a legacy that supports your neighbors for generations to come.

One simple way to do this is by making a gift to A Wider Circle in your will. Our partner, FreeWill, has a secure online resource you can use to make or update your will in just 20 minutes for free.

If you’ve already included a gift to A Wider Circle in your will, please fill out this form so we can ensure our records are up-to-date and say thank you for your endless support.

Do you have an IRA, 401(k), life insurance policy, or any other non-probate assets not included in your will?
You can also use  FreeWill to name A Wider Circle as the beneficiary of one or more of your non-probate assets and organize these assets in one place so you can easily plan your beneficiary designations.

When you decide to make a planned gift to A Wider Circle, you are both preserving and furthering A Wider Circle’s mission for generations to come. Your contribution expands opportunities, enlarges our footprint, and ensures your legacy is stewarded.

For more information, please email Amy Javaid at amy@awidercircle.org.

Join Our Circle

Sign up for email updates about our work, news, and events.

Volunteer

Thank you for your interest in volunteering! We look forward to quickly getting you involved in the work that we do.

From the day A Wider Circle was founded, volunteers have been at the heart of our efforts. Every day a person volunteers here translates into more families having the opportunity to create stability and independence.

A Wider Circle is an open and welcoming environment for everyone. We welcome volunteers who need to complete SSL hours, we welcome volunteers who need to complete court-ordered hours, and we welcome volunteers who are looking for episodic and long-term volunteer opportunities.

All new volunteers are asked to participate in a virtual orientation session. Volunteers will learn about the history and mission of A Wider Circle and its volunteer program. Additionally, volunteers will learn A Wider Circle’s and our volunteer program’s policies and procedures and about the different volunteer opportunities that are available. This will take 1 hour.

Episodic and Short-Term Opportunities (18+ over)

Episodic volunteer opportunities are a great way for volunteers to serve when their schedule allows or for a short period of time. 

Available Opportunities

Essential Support Volunteer
This program focuses on providing basic needs items for the home to our neighbors seeking to rise out of poverty. The donations we receive include household furniture, linens, kitchen items, toys, and professional clothing and accessories. Volunteers help us to sort donations and stock the showrooms where our clients select their items. With the help of volunteers like you, A Wider Circle is able to furnish 10-20 homes free of charge each day for our neighbors in need. Volunteer shifts that are available for this opportunity are at least 3 hours long.

Care Package Delivery Drivers

Each month, we deliver nearly 200 care packages to the residents of Highland Dwellings and Additions in Southeast, DC. We need delivery drivers with their own vehicle to pick up the bags at our offices located in Silver Spring, MD (9141 Brookville Road) and drop them off at the homes of the residents, in a contactless and safe way. Deliveries are made on the last Tuesday & Thursday of the month during the morning and early afternoon. Volunteer shifts that are available for this opportunity are at least 3 hours long.

Long-Term Volunteer Opportunities (18+ over)

Long-term volunteer opportunities are a great way for volunteers to continue utilizing existing skills, learn new skills, and meet new people.

Available Opportunities

Essential Support Volunteer (Sorting & Restocking)
This position focuses on providing basic needs items for the home to our neighbors seeking to rise out of poverty. The donations we receive to our warehouse from our donors include household furniture, linens, kitchen items, toys, and professional clothing and accessories. Volunteers help us to sort donations and stock the showrooms where our clients select their items. With the help of volunteers like you, A Wider Circle is able to furnish 10-20 homes free of charge each day for our neighbors in need. This opportunity is available for individuals who are the age of 18 and over and can commit to serving in one of the donation sections ( household furniture, linens, kitchen items, toys, and professional clothing and accessories) in our warehouse for 1 shift (3 hours or more) once a week for at least 6 months.

Personal Shopper
This position focuses on assisting job seekers as they shop for professional clothing at our Professional Development Center (PDC). Volunteers welcome clients into our shopping area, select items from our clothing showroom and storage area when needed, and pack up the selected clothing at the end of the appointment. This opportunity is available for individuals who are the age of 18 and over and can commit to a minimum of 1 shift (3 hours) every two weeks. As a volunteer in the professional clothing program, you contribute to the mission of the PDC by ensuring that each client who has an appointment is treated with dignity and has a wide selection of quality items from which to select a professional wardrobe.

Administrative Services Assistant
As a volunteer in the Administration department, you will help serve as the initial point of contact for the guest who arrive at our welcome center and for individuals who contact us by phone, helping to set a positive tone for each guest and caller experience so they know their needs are being addressed.

Key responsibilities include: Answering calls from those who have general questions about the organization, data entry into Google Forms, working within a department and answering calls specifically for that department, and greeting guest(s) at our front desk to determine their purpose for visiting.

This opportunity is available for individuals who are the age of 18 and over and can commit to a minimum of one weekday per week for two hours between 10:00am and 3:00pm (in person).

Furniture Shopping Assistant

The Furniture Shopping Assistant assists clients with their furniture selections and helps individuals and families find the items they need. They are in charge of guiding the client’s appointment from start to finish.

Key Responsibilities: Complete confidential intakes with clients receiving services, assist clients with the selection of their items including furniture, household items, and baby items, work alongside the Essential Support team and communicate with the Floor Manager when a client needs to make changes to their requests, accurately note the number of items a client receives and any important information regarding the appointment.

This opportunity is available for individuals who are the age of 18 and over and commit to one day every other week (more welcome if desired!). Shift hours are either 9:00 am – 12:00 pm or 11:00 am – 2:00 pm. This is an in person volunteer position. Help needed on Saturdays.

Volunteer Team Assistant

The Volunteer Team Assistant communicates with potential volunteers, groups, and in-kind donors by phone and by email in order to answer common questions and assist with scheduling. The Volunteer Team assistant will also work to maintain an accurate database so high levels of communication, recognition, and reporting can continue to occur.

Key Responsiblities: Schedule groups to volunteer with our Essential Support program, document volunteer and in-kind drives for donor accomplishments for recognition purposes, contact volunteers and in-kind drive donors to update profile information and input information into database, prepare and send program information to prospective volunteers, groups, and in-kind drive donors, send confirmation and thank you emails.

This opportunity is available for individuals who are the age of 18 and over and can commit to at least one day per week for at least 3 hours from 9:00am-12pm or 10am-1pm .

Care Package Delivery Drivers

Each month, we deliver nearly 200 care packages to the residents of Highland Dwellings and Additions in Southeast, DC. We need delivery drivers with their own vehicle to pick up the bags at our offices located in Silver Spring, MD (9141 Brookville Road) and drop them off at the homes of the residents, in a contactless and safe way. Deliveries are made on the last Tuesday & Thursday of the month during the morning and early afternoon. Volunteer shifts that are available for this opportunity are at least 3 hours long.

High School/SSL Hours

Available Opportunities

Essential Support
This program focuses on providing basic needs items for the home to our neighbors seeking to rise out of poverty. The donations we receive include household furniture, linens, kitchen items, toys, and professional clothing and accessories. Volunteers help us to sort donations and stock the showrooms where our clients select their items. With the help of volunteers like you, A Wider Circle is able to furnish 10-20 homes free of charge each day for our neighbors in need. This is an SSL hour-approved opportunity for high school students. All volunteers under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult during their orientation, training, and volunteer service. Volunteer shifts are 3 hours long.

Heavy Lifter volunteers are also a part of our Essential Support program. They help our Inventory team unload donations from vehicles that pull up to our warehouse to drop off donations, help load furniture and other items into client vehicles, and take donated items (bags of clothing, boxes of toys, etc.) to the appropriate section in our warehouse. All volunteers are supervised by a member of our Inventory team and provided appropriate instructions and assistance at all times.

Opportunities for Youth

All volunteers between the ages of 7-13 are welcome to give back by helping with our Essential Support program as long as they are accompanied by an adult during their orientation, training, and volunteer service.

We work to identify volunteer opportunities in our warehouse that are safe and that don’t require as many steps so our youth volunteers have an easier time staying engaged.

For more information about youth volunteer opportunities, email us at volunteer@awidercircle.org.

In-Person Volunteering for Groups

A great way for your group to give back is by helping with our Essential Support program. This program focuses on providing basic need items for the home to our neighbors seeking to rise out of poverty. The donations we receive include household furniture, linens, kitchen items, toys, and professional clothing and accessories. Volunteers help us to sort donations and stock the showrooms where our clients select their items. In addition, volunteers unload donations from vehicles that pull up to our warehouse to drop off donations, help load furniture and other items into client vehicles, and take donated items (bags of clothing, boxes of toys, etc.) to the appropriate section in our warehouse. 

With the help of volunteers like you, A Wider Circle is able to furnish 10-20 homes free of charge each day for our neighbors in need.

At this time, we are able to host groups of up to 25 volunteers. The days when we need the most help are weekdays. Available shift times are 10:00am to 12:00pm or 1:00pm to 3:00pm, but we are also happy to explore longer shift times.

Questions: Email us at groups@awidercircle.org.

Virtual Opportunities for Groups

Our virtual volunteer opportunities are open to individuals of all ages and groups.

Immediate Needs as of June 30, 2023: We are most in need of individuals and groups to host a non-persishable food drives.

Host a Non-perishable Food Drive

A Wider Circle provides nutritious food to one of our region’s food deserts, Washington Highlands in Southeast DC. We could use your help to continue this effort, by collecting nutritious non-perishable food items. Some of the most needed items are healthy soups, packaged foods (seeds, nuts, oats, granola, rice, quinoa, beans, pasta) canned fruit (in fruit juice instead of syrup if possible), canned vegetables (low in sodium if possible), plastic jar foods (nut/seed butters, jelly, cooking oil), spaghetti and spaghetti sauce, shelf-stable milk (rice, almond, regular milk, for example), healthy cereals, and oatmeal.

Create Care Packages (Market Bags)

A Wider Circle is always in need of care packages to provide to those we serve. You or your group could create care packages from your home, office, faith community, or school and then drop them off at A Wider Circle.

Here are some of our most needed care packages:

  1. Essential Item Care Packages – toilet paper, body soap, toothpaste, dish soap, laundry detergent, and all-purpose cleaner.

  2. Oral Care Kits – toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash.

To get started with either opportunity, please complete our donation drive form. 

Court-Ordered Community Service

Pre-screening interviews for individuals completing court-ordered community service take place on Monday from 4:00-5:00pm and Wednesday from 4:00-5:00pm via phone. To begin your community service with A Wider Circle, you must complete a 15-minute pre-screening interview. Following approval, your next step is to schedule an orientation (this will count towards your requirements).

Virtual Opportunities

Our virtual volunteer opportunities are open to individuals of all ages and groups. For more information, please email us at volunteer@awidercircle.org.

Available Opportunities

Host a Non-perishable Food Drive

A Wider Circle provides nutritious food to one of our region’s food deserts, Washington Highlands in Southeast DC. We could use your help to continue this effort, by collecting nutritious non-perishable food items. Some of the most needed items are healthy soups, packaged foods (seeds, nuts, oats, granola, rice, quinoa, beans, pasta) canned fruit (in fruit juice instead of syrup if possible), canned vegetables (low in sodium if possible), plastic jar foods (nut/seed butters, jelly, cooking oil), spaghetti and spaghetti sauce, shelf-stable milk (rice, almond, regular milk, for example), healthy cereals, and oatmeal.

Help Deliver Essentials (low-touch opportunity)
A Wider Circle is seeking volunteers to help deliver care packages, baby items, groceries, and more to the families that we serve. In most cases, volunteers would pick up these items from our headquarters in Silver Spring and deliver them to the doorstep of a client living near our Southeast DC location who will be expecting them.

Create Care Packages
A Wider Circle is always in need of care packages to provide to those we serve. You or your group could create care packages from your home, office, faith community, or school and then drop them off at A Wider Circle.

Here are some of our most needed care packages:

  1. Essential Item Care Packages – toilet paper, body soap, toothpaste, dish soap, laundry detergent, and all-purpose cleaner.

  2. Oral Care Kits – toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash.

Help with Pro Bono Services
A Wider Circle is so appreciative of our volunteers who offer their trade or professional skills to benefit this work. Whether you are a mechanic, a therapist, a lawyer, etc. ​—​ we invite you to use your expertise in support of the individuals we serve!

Volunteer FAQs
Do you offer SSL/school hours?

A Wider Circle can provide SSL hours for youth looking to complete their school-related volunteer requirements. Students will track their own hours and should speak to a staff member on the day of their volunteering about this process. The volunteer engagements that have been approved for SSL hours are noted above.

Where do I go to volunteer?

All volunteers serving at our Center for Community Service or Professional Development Center should report to 9159 Brookville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910. We do not have on-site parking for volunteers, other than for those with mobility concerns. Please email volunteer@awidercircle.org or call 301-608-3504 for our convenient parking directions just offsite!

What do I wear?

In order to serve our clients with dignity and respect, we ask all our volunteers to dress in a professional manner.

Professional attire includes:

  • Family-friendly and non-political messaging on clothing
  • Jeans, t-shirts (shoulders covered), or shorts
  • Sneakers or other comfortable footwear that is closed-toed

Attire that is not considered professional includes:

  • Tank-tops or mid-rise shirts
  • Shorts that are too short, leggings worn as pants, sweatpants/pants that are too baggy to stay up.
  • Clothes with excessive holes
  • Non-family friendly messaging or political messaging on clothing

If a volunteer is not dressed professionally, unfortunately, we may have to ask them to return at a later time/date with appropriate attire.

What precautions are taken to protect volunteers from COVID-19?

We care about the health of all in our shared space and therefore require anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 to stay home and reschedule their volunteer service for another time. Per CDC guidelines, if you have recently recovered from or were exposed to COVID-19, please wear a mask when volunteering. Otherwise, the practice of mask-wearing is encouraged but optional. Masks are readily available at A Wider Circle for anyone who needs one.

As of May 12, 2023, in accordance with the end of the federal public health emergency, we have suspended our policy requiring volunteers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This policy may be reinstated if we deem it necessary to do so (e.g., due to a spike in COVID cases in the region).

Help Us Help Our Neighbors