Washington Nonprofits and Charities

I first came across Leadership Initiatives in my Sophomore year of high school. At the time I lacked motive and didn't know what I was going to do with the rest of my life. Participating in the Cybersecurity and National Security programs gave me a sense of purpose that I couldn't find anywhere else. I discovered new interests in tech and information technology, and it helped me decide that I wanted to major in Cybersecurity in college. While these programs provided me with many skills like problem solving and communication, they also helped my outlook and how I viewed myself. It's because of Leadership Initiatives that I can say I'm a competent leader and teammate. Participating in Leadership Initiatives has been one of the best decisions I have ever made and if you are thinking of joining, I promise you will not regret it.

As a former host family, I had a deeply challenging experience with Youth For Understanding (YFU). While the program promotes cultural exchange, its handling of student vetting, academic preparedness, and support for host families and schools raised serious concerns. <br> <br>Issues with Admissions and Language Proficiency Testing <br>The student hosted under YFU’s program demonstrated significant academic and language deficiencies that were overlooked during the admissions process: <br> <br>The student admitted to multiple failed attempts on the required English proficiency test before receiving an inflated score with alleged assistance. <br>After repeated concerns, YFU retested the student, but the process lacked impartiality, as the test was conducted by a teacher directly involved with the student. Despite three months of English immersion, the student only barely passed. YFU refused to provide the numerical score or clarity on passing standards. <br>Impact on Schools and Host Families <br>The student’s lack of preparedness created significant burdens: <br> <br>School Resources: The student required extensive ESL support, remedial courses, and interventionist assistance. Teachers lowered standards, granting full credit for incomplete or incorrect work. <br>Host Family Challenges: YFU dismissed concerns about the strain on our family, repeatedly suggesting our expectations were too high. We were told other families might "show more compassion," despite the student’s lack of effort or academic progress. <br>Broken Agreements and Manipulation <br>To minimize disruption, we offered to continue hosting the student for the semester if YFU and the biological parents agreed not to place her with another family. While YFU initially agreed, they reneged, pressuring the school to find a new host family. This shifted the burden further onto already strained resources. <br> <br>Conclusion <br>YFU’s systemic failures in vetting, testing oversight, and family support undermine the integrity of its program. Until meaningful reforms are implemented, including transparent admissions processes and improved support for schools and host families, I cannot recommend participation in this program. <br> <br>

The Literacy Lab is a remarkable organization. It provides a very structured, data driven, proven literacy tutoring program to thousands of deserving, low income prek to grade 3 students. Their tutors (over 200 in school year 2016-2017) are well trained, driven, and dedicated. They work currently in 4 main metropolitan areas: Washington, DC/Alexandria, VA; Baltimore; Richmond, VA; and Kansas City, MO. The tutors are supported by a pretty incredible group of social entrepreneurs, led by our founders, Ashley Johnson and Tom Dillon. Ashley and Tom lead a Washington, DC based staff that works extremely closely with all our constituents -- school districts; schools; teachers; master literacy coaches; state boards of education; federal government; students; private funders, etc. The work that The Literacy Lab is doing is transformational to the lives of over 4,000 students currently.

Effective, sustainable, and appropriate. International Action is great for many reasons, but those three words summarize why International Action is so successful. I have been involved with the group for two years. The technology they use treats water very well, is so easy to use that a volunteer community water committee can maintain it, and allows families who make less than $640 a year to have clean water every day. International Action works hard, get their ideas from the communities that they are helping, and are truly trying to help Haitians create a better Haiti.