UMD Football Players Leverage Their Own Digital Media Company to Support Elementary School Students in NCCF’s Programs
When two University of Maryland (UMD) Football players, Beau Brade and Dante Trader, co-founded ONE SPEED Entertainment, they identified their mission as, “whatever you are doing, give it your best effort with no dilution.” Beau, Dante, and teammate Ruben Hyppolite, use ONE SPEED as a platform to produce content on sports, life experience, and pop […]
Congratulations to Brandon Rapp!
Brandon Rapp has a lot going for him these days. He seems like any young man about to embark on the next chapter of his life. A recent graduate of Maya Angelou Public Charter School with a full scholarship to study Cyber Security and Defense at Barry University in Miami. But Brandon has worked harder […]
Meet Maggie Spak: Read Aloud Volunteer
There’s a kind of magic that takes place when you read out loud to children. There is the shared experience of being transported into the narrative, the feeling of care and respect that the act of speaking and listening transmits, and most of all the joy of discovering or rediscovering a love of books and […]
Meet NCCF Volunteer Pamela Mintz
A seamstress by trade, Pam began working with us at our Greentree Family Shelter in 2016. Since that time and always accompanied by her trusty sewing machine, Pam has logged hundreds of volunteer hours with us. “Miss Pam,” as she is called by NCCF clients and staff, is one of our most consistent volunteers. Faithfully […]
Powerful Words Bring Black History Month to a Close at NCCF
NCCF’s Adolescent Services and Family Services Divisions teamed up to commemorate Black History Month with an Open Mic Night at our Bethesda campus. The event featured a showcase of the talent and creativity of agency staff and the clients that we serve. The night was a success and included an array of poets, spoken word […]
Meet Dejanae Dennis Northwood HS Senior and Beat the Odds Scholar
Congratulations to Dejanae Dennis a senior at Northwood High School. She was recently awarded a “Beat the Odds” scholarship from the Children’s Defense Fund. We are so proud to work with her and all the wonderful kids and families at NCCF’s Northwood Wellness Center.
The Art of Volunteering
Paul Glenshaw likes to say he has lots of paying gigs: artist, drawing instructor, filmmaker, author. About a year ago, he decided he wanted a “volunteer gig” that would draw on his creative skills but also as he says, “practically accomplish something. At the Smithsonian, I teach art to people who can afford it.” Glenshaw […]
Video: Vernon Davis and a Day with NCCF Youth
Recently signed Washington Redskin Vernon Davis spent a day with youth from The National Center for Children and Families. From African Art exhibits, to hot yoga, to painting outside, NCCF youth had the day of a lifetime, and we would like to extend our thanks to Vernon for brightening their day, and perhaps their future.
The Reunion
Dragging my carry-on baggage onto the plane heading for Nebraska, I was a little disconcerted. First, I was not fully recovered from the jet lag after a trip to the beaches of Dakar, Senegal and then the return to a snow bound city. Second, the mysterious disappearance of a Malaysian plane had thoroughly shaken my […]
Generative Reflections on Mr. Mandela
Recently, three young adult men visited the offices, catching me up on their lives. We laughed over the antics which kept them all under the intense scrutiny of the staff when they lived as teens in NCCF’s group home many years ago. Soberly, we talked about how they are doing now and their vision for […]
