This year, I am serving as a Promoter for the Little Black Dress Initiative (LBDI) to honor the life of my colleague and friend, Jim Hoover. Jim was a tremendous supporter of causes that reflected the loving nature of the human spirit.  He cheered me on when I put on the dress for five days during our last LBDI challenge during a time when our house was flooded and we experienced limited resources.  This year, I invite you to give joyfully to this cause where every dollar will go directly to charity to support the homeless and also PREVENT homelessness in those experiencing housing insecurity. Read more about the challenge below.

For five days, JLW members will wear the same black outfit to raise awareness of poverty in the greater Washington, DC area, while raising funds to support the JLWs Community Assistance Fund. February 2023s Little Black Dress Initiative (LBDI) shines a light on homelessness and housing insecurity in our community in hopes that, together, we can enable real progress in supporting our homeless and housing insecure neighbors as they seek to achieve healthy interdependence with community services, and improved health and security for themselves and their families. By contributing to the LBDI, you are directly supporting DC-area nonprofits and their constituents. 100% of the funds raised through LBDI go to JLWs Community Assistance Fund (CAF), which awards grants of up to $5,000 to organizations experiencing an emergency financial need for their community support programs.