Mother Dear's Community Center
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About Us |
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Organization Background and History
MissionThe mission of Mother Dear’s Community Center is to enhance the quality of life for the local community by not only meeting physical needs, but also helping to promote restoration and dignity to homeless individuals, home bound seniors, low-income families and at-risk youth through its programs and services. For over 50 years, MDCC has stood firm in its commitment to meeting pressing needs of the community, filling in gaps in services to all people no matter what their age, race, creed or religious preference. We touch the lives of over 20,000 individuals and their families annually through our referral assistance program, hot lunches, food, clothing and furniture distribution, holiday food bag distributions, social services, spiritual and job counseling; and after school and summer camp programs. Mother Dear was a compassionate woman with a big smile, a big heart, and a lot of action. Services she provided went beyond just feeding the homeless and the needy. She provided Social Services, Spiritual and Job Counseling, Teen Job Training, Courtesy Patrol, Educational programs and Recreational classes. She distributed food commodities, free clothing and served lunch daily. With a hand full of seniors, she fed over a hundred individuals daily cooking on a hot plate in a one-room facility. Mother Dear died one month after moving into her new facility in 1987, however, under a new generation of family leadership, her legacy lives on through several family members and four seniors from NCBA and SCEP Senior Aide programs. Meals are now prepared in a commercial kitchen. AwardsMDCC and its Directors have received numerous local and national community service awards since its inception. The late Rev. Annie M. Woodridge, then Director of MDCC, was honored in 1983 as Washingtonian of the Year for her contribution and dedication to the needs of the local community. She also was awarded the Community Service Award on Mental Health Service posthumously in 1987. In 1990, her daughter, Iris Woodridge, was also honored as Washingtonian of the Year for her community service work. In 1992 Iris Woodridge was awarded the Torch Lighter Award and Howard University Human Service Award and the National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise – Achievement Against the Odds Award in November 2001. MDCC received the UPO Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award in 1994, Lockheed Martin’s Community Service Award for feeding the homeless in 2002, the North Capitol Collaborative Prevention of Child Neglect & Abuse in D.C. Award in 2007 and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI, Washington, D.C.) Heroe's In the Fight Award 2008. Beacon of LightIt was Mother Dear’s steadfast faith and her trust in God to supply all needs that the Center exists today through the generous donations of private sponsors. It was the joy of giving and the love she expressed to all mankind, no matter what state they were in that Mother Dear’s Community Center is known city wide and is seen as a “Beacon of Light” in the Washington metropolitan area. Objectives and Services
Mother Dear’s Community Center network with numerous organizations in D.C. to bring wholeness to families and the community. We serve on an average 370 people per week. In 2008, despite the economic crisis, we served 9,213 people and distributed over 22,405 pounds of food and 31,637 pieces of clothing, shoes, books, toys and computer equipment. These figures are low compared to previous years. During the 2008 Holiday season, we fed 3,222 people during our Pre-Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday activities. These are just a few of the programs and social services provided by a staff of four and volunteers over 100 volunteers during the holiday season. Mother Dear’s motto says it best, “Destiny makes us brothers. If you lift somebody up as you go up, we’ll all rise together.” Diversity StatementMother Dear's Community Center is committed to the goals of equal opportunity and affirmative action to the community in which we serve. Our goal and mission is to provide quality service to all with dignity, respect, fairness, and equity no matter what race, creed, religious preference or ethnic group or disabilities. We are free from unlawful practices of discrimination and harassment of any kind. Board of DirectorsNailah Baker
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11/23/2011