Everyday Canvassing

Along with our project specific accomplishments, we always work to connect community members with public resources, engage in open-ended conversations around how our community could improve, and introduce community members to one-another. For example, outside of county master planning efforts like Fairland and Briggs Chaney master plan and the University Boulevard sector plan, we have canvassed people in White Oak, Downtown Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, Long Branch, Rockville, Montgomery Village, Aspen Hill, Wheaton, Germantown, Takoma Park, Fairland, Burtonsville, Clarksburg, and more. In 2024, we knocked and left flyers at about 10,000 doors to have conversations one-on-one with residents. We also navigated people through accessing resources and introduced them to resources at food distribution events in community settings like churches, parks, and private rental properties with residents of mostly low and moderate incomes. Because housing affordability and safety is such a prevalent issue at the doors we have knocked, Everyday Canvassing put significant outreach time and organization infrastructure building for the Housing Justice Montgomery coalition and a high school internship program focused on housing this year. All our staff also work on government contracted projects as well. So the expenses recorded for Emmanuel, Angela, Harold, Tino, and Mady's wages are divided amongst the projects done in collaboration with government. Also, because our volunteers are walking, talking, and connecting with community members for usually 3 - 4 hours, we host "family meals" after we knock doors. Sitting down, eating, and reflecting on the experiences we've had talking with people at doors and bonding allows our volunteer operation to remain well-attended and consistent. Sharing food is therefore also critical to our success building up the level of civic engagement in our community and is a mission-related expense. All printing has been used to share resources or inspire conversations door-to-door.

As we've taken on new government projects requiring new insurance, skills, and better internal operations, our staff training and internal operations costs have become more sophisticated. We held our first ever overnight board and staff retreat to refresh our vision, values, and methods. And we also added new general liability and volunteer insurance.