Special Feature

RESOURCES FOR NEIGHBORS FACING EMPLOYMENT UNCERTAINTY

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Your Penn Branch Community Association cares. Here is a list of Resources for Federal Employees, Contractors, and Others Facing Uncertainty

The Penn Branch Community is proud of its rich history as a home to many distinguished public servants. We stand with our neighbors and friends in these difficult times. We honor your service on behalf of our country and communities, and we are committed to supporting each other through these hardships and into a brighter future that delivers justice for all who have been harmed.

Please share additional recommended resources with [email protected] for potential inclusion in future updated resource guides. Please also share ideas for how Penn Branch can best support you or others who have been affected.

The resources below apply to anyone who faces job loss or uncertainty, regardless of whether they were employed by the Federal government.

Comprehensive Resource Sites

Unemployment Compensation

Workers should file for unemployment insurance in the jurisdiction of their last duty station (listed on final SF-50 form). For example, a DC resident who was terminated from a Federal job based at the Pentagon in Virginia should apply for unemployment benefits in Virginia. The links below provide more information.

Healthcare, Housing, Food, and Other Assistance

Federal Employee Rights, Resources, and Legal Action

Job Seeking

Sharing Your Stories

Federal News and Discussion Board

My Community | Essays and Images by Azola Burton

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By Azola Burton

The Purpose

I have lived in Penn Branch since 2017 when I was 6 years old.

For my 8th grade community project I want to create a blog to provide a youth perspective on Penn Branch Community events. As a 13-year-old, I think community events are a great way to bring people together and have fun. I like seeing how different activities can help people connect and talk, whether it’s a local community event or sports event.
I want to increase the number of children and families that attend Penn Branch Community Associations events. To do that I have taken pictures and videos to put on the Penn Branch Community Association website.
My goals with this project :

  1. To send out information about my project to the neighborhood listserv
  2. To share pictures and my reflections of events I have attended
  3. To create an article for the monthly newsletter to highlight events that I have attended
  4. To design a presentation board to show how kids and families can be more involved with a QR code
    for people to join the Penn Branch Community Association

FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT | JUNE 18, 2024

One of the new events that my family hosted was a family movie night. This event was specifically to get families out into the community. I set up tables, snacks, and helped my mom with shopping to contribute to the event. I also picked a kid friendly movie.

COMMUNITY DAY, AUGUST 24, 2024

Penn Branch Community Day Will take place on Saturday, August 24 from 1-6pm

Penn Branch Walking Tour

The Penn Branch walking tour was sponsored by Events DC and The Penn Branch Community Association. The tour was led by Jim Byers who hosts the Latin Flavor jazz show on WPFW 89.3 FM. On the tour our tour guide shared facts about certain neighborhood houses, apartments,and landmarks. One of the most interesting things he shared was how African Americans contributed to the design of the houses.

I helped by taking pictures and videos of the tour for our neighborhood website.

Block Party

Every August the neighborhood hosts community day. The planning committee gets donations, finds community organizations to have tables, gets food, reserves the location, and finds volunteers. During this time the neighborhood gets time to talk and connect with each other.

This year of 2025 I have helped with setting up tables and yard games

GROW THE BLOCK: NEIGHBORHOOD GARDENING GROUP

Our family has been gardening since I was 2 years old. Since 2017, we have been gardening here in DC. We have 6 raised garden beds and we grow things like blackberries, strawberries, spinach, lettuce, raspberries, okra, eggplants, tomatoes, bok choy, flowers, and herbs.

In 2024 my mom started a local garden group and at some of the meetings held at our home they talked about how they grow certain vegetables and fruits.

I helped others by cutting and prepping food for everybody, setting tables, and cleaning up at the end.