Eighth & Florida: Being a Good Neighbor

6th Street Flea Market Being a good neighbor has been at the heart of Gallaudet University since Amos Kendall opened up his home to local orphaned deaf children in 1856. During the Civil War the campus housed federal troops and was used as a hospital for Union troops. In 1968, following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., U.S. troops from Pennsylvania bivouacked on campus.

Gallaudet has a long postitive history of involvement with the local community residents and organizations. We view our role as a good neighborhood citizen seriously. Many Gallaudet faculty, staff and students reside in the local area. Gallaudet supports local events and we are actively involved in planning and development initiatives such as the small area planning effort for the Capital City Market area and the development at H Street.

Impact on the Local Community

Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas, Jr. presents a resolution to the University on April 14, 2007

Gallaudet is one of the area's largest businesses with direct salaries and benefits totalling moe than $103 million annually. The University has over 1,100 full-time employees, 367 of whom reside in the District. The University spent another $48 million directly on goods and services.

Since 1992, Gallaudet has constructed four buildings, including the new, technology-rich Jordan Student Academic Center, and renovated 21 others.

During the 2006 fiscal year, Gallaudet spent $5.3 million on campus improvements such as the historic Peikoff Alumni House renovation, architectural planning for the James Lee Sorenson Language and Communication Center, and various deferred maintenance projects.

In 2003, the District of Columbia's Zoning Comission approved Gallaudet's Facilities Master Plan, the University's vision for campus development for 2002 to 2012.

Community Involvement

Football players doing community service by cleaning up an alley near the campus.
  • Gallaudet Community Relations Council
    Over 25 years ago the University established the Gallaudet Community Relations Council which is made up of business and community leaders from the surrounding Northeast D.C. area. The Council is one of the oldest university community relations organizations in the country.
  • "Friends in the Marketplace" flea market
    On Saturdays and Sundays, in collaboration with local businesses and not-for-profit organizations, Gallaudet opens its Sixth Street parking lot for a community flea market.
  • Gallaudet Connection
    In 2003, Gallaudet established a program that allows residents of the Near Northeast area to register and use the University's outside sport facilities.
  • Suppport for local programs
    Gallaudet recognizes the important work that local not-for-profit organizations do in the Near Northeast/Trinidad community. Desiring to contribute to the community, Gallaudet often supports these local programs and activities through grants or by offering the use of our facilities or services. Gallaudet has supported the following not-for-profit organizations:
    • Y.O.U.T.H. Group and Associates, Inc.
    • SamariCorp Community Development Corporation
    • New Samaritan Baptist Church
    • Innerstate Connection Boxing, Inc.
    • Amy Jacques Garvey Institute, Inc.
  • Community Service Programs
    Our undergraduate students perform community service hours as part of their graduation requirement. Student organizations also perform community service at least once a semester to keep their organization status.
  • Consortium of Universities
    Gallaudet is also a member of the Washington, D.C. Consortium of Universities which-among many other benefits-allows students from the D.C. area colleges and universities to take classes at another institution and to use the library facilities.