Help Little Lights Support Neighbors During COVID-19 Crisis

Urban Ministry Provides Support to Families in Need

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Little Lights is an award-winning nonprofit right here in Capitol Hill serving some of our most vulnerable residents living in public housing. All funds help to empower children, youth, and families right in our own community. Photo: Courtesy Little Lights Urban Ministries

Little Lights Urban Ministry (760 Seventh St. SE) is working to support our neighbors at Potomac Gardens and Hopkins Apartments through the challenges raised by the COVID-19 outbreak, and they’re looking for help.

Little Lights continues to provide meals for students and others every day at Potomac Gardens and Hopkins public housing in partnership with the Capital Area Food Bank. They also distribute necessities like diapers in partnership with the Greater DC Diaperbank weekly.

Everyday, the Little Lights team makes calls, using Zoom to connect and to make sure families are doing okay during the crisis. They will be supporting students academically remotely by using Zoom and smartphones. “We are hustling to provide and find resources for our under-resourced neighbors at Potomac Gardens and Hopkins,” read an email sent out to supporters by Little Lights Executive Director and Founder Steve Park.

If you would like to help, Little Lights is currently providing emergency distribution of non-perishable food, household goods, and educational items to youth, families, and adults at Potomac Gardens (Ward 6), Hopkins (Ward 6), and Benning Terrace (Ward 7) public housing.  Little Lights is implementing safety protocols to minimize potential hazards regarding storage and distribution of goods to residents.

There are three ways to support the work:

  1. Visit the Amazon Wishlist and send items to: Mary Park at 1984 Retta Gilliam Court, SE, Washington, DC 20020.
  2. Pick up one or more of the following items at a local store and contact Mary Park at mary@littlelights.org to schedule a time to drop items off at our main office (760 Seventh St. SE, Washington, DC 20003).  You will be dropping off at the front porch of the office to eliminate social contact, but a scheduled time should be arranged between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays to ensure collection. Needed items include:
      • Soap (bar or liquid)
      • Hand sanitizer
      • Lysol and other disinfecting products/wipes
      • Lotion
      • Gloves
      • Toilet paper
      • Non-perishable food
      • Paper towels
  1. Make a financial contribution to support staff and the work: https://www.littlelights.org/give/

You can learn more about Little Lights by visiting LittleLights.org or by following them on FacebookTwitterInstagram or YouTube