As we head into the winter months (fall where did you go?!), we're here to talk more about our End of Year Giving Season, how we're moving forward into 2026, and some great events we have lined up for your last two months of 2025.
End of Year Giving Season
For nonprofits nationwide, the final two months of the calendar year signifies the highest volume of donations. This year, we're entering the season highlighting how you have created community, provided direct aid to others, and so much more.
You can expect to see more communications from us via email and through social media about our work, impact, and goals for 2026.
We understand that for many, the government shutdown and other financial factors impact a person's ability to support us; for those reasons, we're even more grateful for everyone that is able to donate or visit us this year. We love you all no matter what.
We'll also share our progress throughout the season on our fundraising goals to create momentum through transparency!
If you're feeling ambitious, check out our End of Year Giving Season campaign page. We'll be using this site for all of our donation shenanigans.
Moving Forward: Updates for Winter
Pay it Forward Suspension and Pay What You Can:
Starting November 1, we made the difficult decision to suspend our Pay it Forward program for the winter. We understand that winter is one of the hardest times for our neighbors, and want to explain our decision below:
In the process of waiting for our 501(c)(3) nonprofit status to be confirmed, we experienced a waiting time exponentially longer than typical timelines. This shift created a gap in our funding abilities, resulting in our current financial priority to stabilize ourselves. We're dedicated to providing quality aid to our community, and at this juncture we are unable to serve others to the standard we'd like.
Over the past year, we have encountered situations that made this decision our best option for staff and visitor safety. As we reimagine Pay it Forward, we want to prioritize safety and communication between us and our community members. Everyone deserves to have a positive and safe experience here, and we are working to making this our ultimate goal.
In the wake of Pay it Forward taking a break, we're shifting our focus to our Pay What You Can model for the café: anyone can request to pay for the cost of their food alone for $4 and receive a full meal. We believe in creating affordable options for our neighbors without sacrificing quality of our food, and doing so without judgement.
What will my donation support with Pay it Forward being suspended? All donations will still contribute to our operations. Your support will fund our Pay What You Can meals, our book donation processing, and partnered programs that serve our community, in addition to our daily operating costs.
Reminder: Call for Anonymity or Updated Name Information
The Potter's House DC is currently writing its first Annual Report, detailing our impact in the community in 2025.
A complete list of donors will be included in the Report. If you wish to be listed as "Anonymous", or wish to update the name we use, please use the form below. The only information to be published will be your name.
Events Roundup:
Community Care (Book) Club, Sunday, November 30, 7PM:
For November we’ll be reading A People’s Guide to Abolition and Disability Justice by Katie Tastrom. Book club members will receive 15% off the monthly pick in-store. RSVP here.
Author Event with Brian Barth, Monday, December 1, 7PM:
Join us for an author event with award-winning journalist Brian Barth to discuss his first book Front Street: Resistance and Rebirth in the Tent Cities of Techlandia. RSVP here.
Holiday Bazaar, Friday, December 5 AND Saturday, December 6, All Day:
Join us for our annual Holiday Bazaar featuring local artists, speciality winter food and drinks, and loads of fun activities to keep the winter blues away! No RSVP needed, just bring yourself and seasonal joy!
Cozy Book Swap, Saturday, December 13, 5PM-6PM:
Join us at our monthly book swap! It’s a cozy book swap, so bring a book to share with your neighbor or one to donate to our community book nook. No RSVP needed!
Notice: Cancellation of Game-a-Thon, November 28:
Ugh, we know! We're hoping to circle back to this event with a little more planning and structure; cross your fingers and toes for a debut!
