Our "Core Four" program initiatives: Mobile Meals, Hygiene Heroes, Trends to Transition and Warm Winters. Contingent upon resources, we have the right to pause/reduce program access.
Mobile Meals-
D.C. Mobile Meals provides meals-ready-to-eat to the displaced underserved population throughout the area (i.e.: safe, public places for pick-up). Volunteers will be dressed in TGNCK community outreach t-shirts and distribute packaged meals at set “hub” locations on a weekly basis. The summer meals will include two sandwiches (limited vegetarian sandwiches will be available), healthy snack, bottled water, and a utensil. Fall and winter meals will include a bowl of soup, sandwich, healthy snack bottled water and a utensil.
We have recently incorporated the Emergency Meal Units (EMUs) sub-initiative for identified Veteran families in urgent need of assistance with food insecurity.
Our Meals 2 Go Kits are kits designed to help fight childhood hunger. Recipients can only be referred by partnered Title I school social workers. While homelessness is distinctly visible in our community, many children face food insecurity and lack essential clothing and school supplies necessary to effectively perform on an academic and social basis. This program has shifted to the use of store e-gift cards or grocery pickup. We want to empower families while restoring dignity and decorum in the human services industry. We offer one-time grocery delivery (by the store) services for select urgent situations.
Hygiene Heroes-
Hygiene Heroes’ primary focus is to provide the underserved with access to essential toiletries such as bar soap, toothpaste, a toothbrush, deodorant, socks, feminine hygiene products (10ea napkins only), and chapstick. These items are available during mobile meal distribution and can be retrieved on an individual basis upon the need for women and children escaping domestic violence. When we receive tampons and razors, we donate bulk quantities of these items to local shelters. We also donate large qualities of feminine hygiene products to our partnered Title I schools. This initiative became a personal priority for our Founder/Executive Director when several middle school girls identified that they had exceeded the recommended use of their sanitary napkins because of a lack of resources. No young lady’s childhood or education experience should be adversely influenced by the lack of sanitary hygiene products.
Trends to Transition-
Trends to Transition collects professional attire for men and women transitioning back into the workforce. To qualify for assistance, each participant must have completed a job-training program, have an interview scheduled, and have been referred to TGNCK by one of its partner programs located throughout Northern Virginia. These partner organizations include homeless shelters, welfare-to-work job training centers, and job training programs for Veterans, disabled individuals, and recovering substance abusers. We currently are not accepting clothing at the moment. If we receive a request for professional attire, we do a call-to-action on our social media. Requests are handled on a case-by-case basis.
Our skill-set, experience, uniqueness, and ability to perform the essential functions of a job description is the foundation for a qualified individual to obtain employment; however, like it or not, our appearance is equally important when it comes to making an impression and being selected for employment. Employers hire individuals they believe will “fit” into their organization, department, and/or team.
Clothing influences your attitude and confidence levels. When prospective new hires feel good about the way they look, they project a positive image, naturally conveying confidence and a positive attitude. When selling your qualifications, these non-verbal skills are equally important as the verbal responses you provide during your interviews(s).
Unemployment is a measure of how many people without jobs are actively seeking employment. The inability to find work is also associated with stress, financial hardship, health problems, and strain on family relationships. Virginia’s unemployment rate is down to 4.1 percent: expanding the workforce by 4,940 and increasing household employment by 5,588 (Virginia Employment Commission, 2016). By providing professional attire to adults who are actively seeking employment, TGNCK will do all that it can to ensure the unemployment rate continues to decrease.
Founder's Scholarship-
Is designed to pour into students of unconventional households (single-parent families and emancipated students) with funding to assist with their academic journal and progression.