Speech Outline

INTRODUCTION:
This is Washington, D.C. with social services: according to the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development, since 2016, the number of homeless people in the
Washington, D.C. area rose by 14 percentone of the highest increases in the nation. Almost 20
percent of residents live below the poverty line. The unemployment rate in the area is 1.1 percent
higher than the nations. Now, can you imagine it without?
Social services aim to abate these issues by providing support for members of the
Washington, D.C. community The District needs CommunicAID now more than ever. Further
budget cuts will impact not only the homeless, but also working members of the community and
CommunicAID as a whole.

MAIN IDEA I: CommunicAID has helped thousands of homeless residents escape poverty and
homelessness through programs and services. We bring the community together to help one
another.
A. After one year, the Mercer Center has helped over 27,000 Washington, D.C. residents.
CommunicAID offers a wide variety of programs to help those who live below the
poverty line.
a. CommunicAID offers food services, overnight, day and family shelters, a literacy
program and back-to-work training.
b. The literacy program help 75 percent of students who received tutoring in math
and reading pass to the next grade. This compares to 50 percent of students who
did not receive tutoring through the program.
B. CommunicAIDs services are backed by the Washington, D.C. community, who use
CommunicAID to help the homeless on their own. CommunicAID is a liaison.
a. Key Club at Washington, D.C. high school adopted the Mercer Food Pantry as
their project for the year. They conduct food drives and fundraisers.
b. The Communication Honor Society at Central College adopted the homeless
shelter as their project for the year. They help collect toiletries and other items
needed by the shelter daily.

MAIN IDEA II: CommunicAIDs five affiliate programs offer a wide variety of programs from
shelters to food banks. These affiliates help better serve the Washington, D.C. community in
multiple aspects. CommunicAID affiliates want to continue to give the community the support it
needs.
C. CommunicAID will have to cut staff and hours of operation across its affiliates.
a. CommunicAID needs a full staff to operate its most impactful programs
especially the shelters.
i. Over 12,500 Washington, D.C. residents utilized the Mercer Centers
overnight, day and family shelter service in the last year. Shelter services
are CommunicAIDs most necessary service.
b. CommunicAIDs Mercer Center and main headquarters brought jobs to
Washington, D.C.. Right now, the unemployment rate is 5.8%. If further cuts to
 social services are made, CommunicAID will have to lay-off employees across all
five of its affiliates.
i. CommunicAID wants to help create jobs, not get rid of them.

MAIN IDEA III: CommunicAID wants to continue to be able to provide for the community.
Grants and fundraising are key aspects of CommunicAIDs revenue that CommunicAID needs to
retain to best provide in a community that needs it.
D. Last year 60 percent of CommunicAIDs revenue contributions were from subsidies from
government agencies and grants. The loss of these subsidies and grants will desecrate
CommunicAIDs ability to continue to run its programs and locations.
E. Budget cuts would handicap CommunicAIDs ability to host fundraising activities.
a. Almost 40 percent of CommunicAIDs revenue contributions comes from
fundraising. To promote donations from members of the community,
CommunicAID hosts multiple fundraising activities throughout the year.
i. These activities are the main source of fundraising.

CONCLUSION: Philanthropist Kathy Grimes once said, If we as a community dont step up to

help each other, who will? Help CommunicAID do its job, and CommunicAID will help YOU.
We all want a better Washington, D.C. and making cuts to the social services budget is not how
to do it.