GatherDC

"YPTC’s responsiveness, flexibility and partnership is a perfect fit…"

For a young person newly arrived in a strange and complex metropolitan area – particularly one as diverse as Washington, D.C. – making connections and finding friendly faces can be a real challenge. GatherDC meets this challenge by helping thousands of young adults across the D.C. area to find their place in the Jewish community. GatherDC is a one-stop-shop for everything people in their 20s and 30s need to live their best Jewish life in the nation’s capital. Whether it’s Jewish events, people, synagogues, housing, jobs, rabbis, kosher food, or anything in between, GatherDC offers extensive resources, curated experiences, listings of local events, and Jewish learning experiences to help create a culture of inclusivity, compassion and respect.

CEO Rachel Gildiner describes what she calls Gather DC’s “unique evolution.” The organization had begun as a start-up that was fiscally sponsored by another institution. “We were at an exciting point in our growth where we wanted to spin off and become independent, but we quickly realized that we didn’t have the in-house capacity to do that smoothly,” she recalls. Several different firms were interviewed, but Gather DC was impressed with YPTC.

“It was their people-centered, personable and responsive vibe that made us feel comfortable moving forward with them through what would be a messy process. There were years’ worth of books from the other institution that needed going through so we needed someone we could trust and prepare us for the next stage of our growth.”

What they thought would be a short-term transitional period has turned into a long-term and satisfying relationship that has endured for five years of continued expansion, as Gather DC has grown from a two-person staff with a $400,000 budget into a $1.4 million operation with eight staff. “YPTC has worked with us all along the way and adjusted to us through that growth,” she adds.

“We know they understand our organization and our work. They’re an important part of how we’re able to be successful at this moment in time. YPTC’s responsiveness, flexibility and partnership is a perfect fit for us as a small nonprofit that’s been growing through lots of exciting changes.”