Since Reservoir’s founding, our team has always prioritized supporting organizations and causes that advance meaningful changes within our communities.  This year, to align with our organization’s broader focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (D&I), we’ve focused our efforts on helping underserved communities across D.C. Here are some highlights of our activities over the past year:

Supporting Longstanding Social Good Partners:

• Helping Calvary Women’s Services encourage and engage residents in their second annual In This Together 5K. Team Reservoir organized cheerleading sessions and sponsored milestone rewards for 5K participants. In addition, Reservoir formed a 5K fundraising team to further help financially support the woman of Calvary. These donations went to help launch a new housing program, Sisters Rise, which creates permanent supportive housing for women who are experiencing homelessness and are survivors of domestic violence in the D.C. area.
• Hosting professional development workshops with GOODProjects, an organization committed to ending poverty around the world, starting in Southwest D.C., through family success planning and youth programming. Earlier this year, Reservoir hosted a series of workshops centered around resume building, cover letter creation, and interview preparation to help community members prepare for their next professional opportunity.

Maintaining flexibility to learn about and respond to significant additional needs:

• Providing Reservoir employees with an opportunity and avenue to contribute to non-profit organizations addressing pressing issues and supporting vulnerable populations. For example, in the wake of the Afghan refugee crisis, Reservoir employees supported refugees and relief projects through monetary donations to Afghan Allies, an organization dedicated to helping settle refugees in the area.
• Promoting mental health and wellbeing through a Give and Receive initiative. Colleagues received a small stipend to go towards self-care, and the same amount of funds to direct towards one of several health- and/or education-focused non-profits within the region. These organizations include local initiatives like Black Women Build-Baltimore – a homeownership and wealth building initiative – and the Capital Area Food Bank – the region’s leading non-profit providing equitable access to food and opportunity for people struggling with hunger and food insecurity.