Please read below DC Appleseed’s Board Chair Patricia Brannan’s email about how DC Appleseed's work has been recognized by local organizations.
As DC Appleseed's board chair, I want to share with you the news that our Executive Director Walter Smith has recently been recognized for his leadership and advocacy by three outstanding local organizations: DC Vote, Whitman Walker Health and the Washington Council of Lawyers. These awards highlight DC Appleseed's contributions to solving some of the District's toughest public policy problems.
DC Vote
Last Wednesday, DC Vote presented Walter with its "DC Vote Champion of Democracy" award for his long-standing advocacy for DC voting rights and increased democracy for the District. Under Walter's leadership, DC Appleseed has been one of the primary architects of legal strategies to obtain voting rights for DC residents. We have been supported in this by many pro bono partners, including Latham & Watkins, Arent Fox, and Covington & Burling.
Whitman Walker Health
At this year's AIDS Walk in Washington DC held on October 29, Whitman Walker Health recognized Walter as part of its "25 for 25" program, which recognized 25 individuals who have played prominent roles in the fight against HIV/AIDS in DC over the last 25 years. DC Appleseed, in partnership with Hogan Lovells, has performed a comprehensive review of the District's HIV/AIDS response. We issued a report in 2005 and since then have released "report cards" on an annual basis to gauge the District's progress.
Washington Council of Lawyers
On November 2, Walter received the Presidents' Award from the Washington Council of Lawyers. The Washington Council of Lawyers promotes the practice of pro bono and public interest law, and the award to Walter recognizes the powerful role that he has played in promoting pro bono work in our community. Walter formerly served as the pro bono partner at Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells) and has recruited over twenty of the District's law and accounting firms to work on DC Appleseed's many projects. This pro bono support leverages the work of DC Appleseed's small staff many times over.
We're proud that so many others in the city recognize Walter's leadership, which those of us associated with DC Appleseed appreciate every day. These honors also reflect the commitment of our board, staff, and pro bono partners to solving problems affecting the daily lives of those who live and work in the National Capital area. If you would like to support this work today, please click here.
We also have another way you can support our work. DC Appleseed, along with other nonprofits in this region, is participating in "Give to the Max" Day on November 9, 2011. This is a purely online fundraising event whose goal is to focus donations on a single day, where organizations receiving the largest donations will receive matching grants from Razoo, the driving force behind this initiative. Please donate on November 9 and share this link with your friends and family on any social media you might use (email, facebook, twitter, linkedin, google + etc.).
Sincerely,
Patricia A. Brannan, Board Chair
