Programs & Services

A day in the Peace Room with the children, MJ Park, and volunteers from the University of Maryland,
A day in the LFFP Peace Room

After School

Operating out of our Mt. Rainier, Perry School, Beacon House, and Fishing School sites, LFFP after-school programs engage area children in hands-on peace lessons, drama, crafts, environmental sustainability activities, and recreation. Through these experiential activities combined with conversation and reflection, students spend their out-of-school time with LFFP learning nurturing processes from heroes, staff and volunteers - including love, caring, sharing, cooperation, and respect, and identifying peacebreaking processes, including hatred, put-downs, stealing, and lying.

  • After-school programming is adapted to engage youth of all ages, ranging from elementary through high school students.
  •  If you live in Mt. Rainier, Cheverly, and surrounding areas; the Perry School neighborhood and surrounding North Capitol communities; or the Beacon House neighborhood and surrounding Edgewood Terrace communities, email mjpeace@gmail.com to enroll or to   your child in an after-school program.

Young adults, college students, and adults are welcomed as service learning participants at these sites. To become a peace educator volunteer, contact mjpeace@gmail.com for more information.

LFFP is also open to partnering with new communities and program partners to provide after-school programs or infuse peace education into your existing program. Email mjpeace@gmail.com to explore the possibilities.

 

Summer Peace Camp

Currently serving 400 elementary and junior high aged children and 150 service learning adults, our summer day programs include structured and creativity-stimulating activities spanning various art and recreation facilities for youth of all ages. Each day is a new adventure as kids participate in games, songs, crafts, and presentations that affirm their spirits.

 

Service Learning

Older peace-seekers join us at all of our programming sites to learn how to teach peace as they shadow MJ & Jerry, contributing their unique skills to enrich the participants’ peace experience. Service learning volunteers not only gain hands-on experience teaching peace skills to children, skills they are encouraged to transfer to their everyday lives, but they also enable LFFP’s wide reach through their on-site assistance.

  • To engage in service learning individually or with a group at one of our sites, please email mjpeace@gmail.com for more information.

 

Workshops

LFFP trains our everyday heroes to build up a loving community. We currently serve approximately 250 participants annually on an as-requested basis. Parents and professionals learn to infuse peace education into their particular missions and examine, practice, and share approaches to discipline that work and that prevent or resolve conflict.

  1. Though workshops can be adapted to address teachable moments in any life station, typical participants include teachers, parents, social workers, leaders of congregations, and social justice groups with their board members.
  2. To request a workshop at our site or your own, please email mjpeace@gmail.com.

 

Community Events

Little Friends for Peace regularly “rides the peace train” to various peace action events in our nation’s capitol and the surrounding area. Typically, these events are initiated by peace activists in response to national events. LFFP literally embodies our signature “peace train” problem- solving method to contribute our viable peace education conflict resolution solution as an answer to the violence. Community events involving LFFP’s Peace Train have included a Dance for Peace, the Peace Train meeting the Obama Train on his inaugural whistle stop tour, and an anti-war gathering on the 8th anniversary of the war in Afghanistan, among many others.

  • Check out the Recent Events Blog on our homepage for regular updates on these activities.

 

Administration

Spreading the word about peace and LFFP’s part in fostering peace, our administrative office aims to keep participants, supporters, and donors informed of our latest happenings and upcoming events. This new component of LFFP is led by MJ & Jerry’s son Tommy to ensure the ongoing sustainability of LFFP.

  • See our Staff page (Link to Staff Page)  to learn how you can get involved.
  • Each spring we communicate with our supporters about our summer peace camps and ways to help with this important facet of our programming. This year we will set up scholarship program for folks to sponsor at-risk children to attend our summer camps.  Please email mjpeace@gmail.com for more information.
  • Is your corporation interested in leveraging your community standing for peace?  We always welcome corporate sponsors, whom we warmly introduce to our wide peace network in gratitude for your support. Please email tf.park@gmail.com for more information.
  • LFFP set sail on our inaugural Potomac Cruise in the summer of 2009. With perfect weather and a sold out crowd, the fundraiser was a huge success. Check back in the spring for details about this annual event.
  • MJ’s family holds a golf tournament each September in honor of MJ’s mother, MV, who was an active humanitarian for peace. This DC or Minnesota fundraiser keeps MV’s benevolent spirit alive and donates the proceeds to LFFP. To learn more, see the event site at www.mvmemorial.com.