Washington DC Dog Walking + Pet Care Service

To say that it's been quite a year would be an understatement. From Tahrir Square to Wall Street, London to Libya, people are rising up everywhere, questioning authority, and speaking truth to power.

Here at Brighter Days, we celebrated five years of worker owned awesomeness, exellent customer service, smart growth, and of course furry four legged friends! We also celebrated our committment to giving back to the greater DC community. So here's a quick recap of all the places we chose to donate to this year:

DCTC
The DC Trans Coalition (DCTC) is a volunteer, grassroots, community-based organization dedicated to fighting for human rights, dignity, and liberation for transgender, transsexual, and gender-diverse (hereafter: trans) people in the District of Columbia.

Words Beats Life

Words Beats Life seeks to transform individal lives and communities through hip-hop. Read more at the link above.

Harriet Tubman Elementary School Gardens

Located in the heart of Columbia Heights, Harriet Tubman Elementary boasts a large front of school garden that is maintained year around by students, teachers, and volunteers. Ride up 13th street towards park road and check it out!

RAMPS

RAMPS is a non-violent direct action campaign based in the southern coal fields of West Virginia. We are dedicated to ending all forms of strip mining in Appalachia and believe our greatest contribution to reaching this goal is to undertake locally supported direct action.

We Are Family DC

We Are Family serves seniors in the Shaw, North Capitol Street, Adams-Morgan, Petworth, and Columbia Heights neighborhoods. We bring advocacy, services, organizing, and companionship into the homes of the elderly, while helping to build friendships across boundaries like race, class, religion, age, culture, and sexual orientation.

HIPS

HIPS mission is to assist female, male, and transgender individuals engaging in sex work in Washington, DC in leading healthy lives. Using a harm reduction model, HIPS’ programs strive to address the impact that HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, discrimination, poverty, violence and drug use have on the lives of individuals engaging in sex work.

Gimp

Gimp is a freely distributed piece of software that can be used to enhance/retouch images and do graphic design. This is the open source graphic design software we use for our flyers and business cards.

The DC Abortion Fund

The DC Abortion Fund (DCAF) is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that makes grants to women in DC, Maryland, and Virginia who cannot afford the full cost of an abortion. DCAF affirms women as decision-makers. We hope to make “choice” a reality because we believe that a woman’s right to healthcare should not depend on her wallet.

WABA

The mission of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association is to create a healthy, more livable region by promoting bicycling for fun, fitness, and affordable transportation; advocating for better bicycling conditions and transportation choices for a healthier environment, and educating children, adults, and motorists about safe bicycling.

We encourage people to give generously and often to all these organizations and others that make our community a more just place to live. And thanks to all our clients and animal friends that made 2011 a sweet year for Brighter Days.