We are excited to introduce Ellie Hartmann, Thrive DC’s fall Development intern! Ellie is a senior from Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota. She majors in English with Political Science, and Gender/Women/and Sexuality Studies minors. 

In Minnesota, Ellie created educational programming for youth about homelessness. She also currently researches how to respond to humanitarian crises (like homelessness) in a way informed by feminist theory. She looks forward to having this research published in a new book in the coming years. Ellie came to DC for an internship that creates housing justice. Specifically, Thrive DC’s mission as a “one-stop shop” that provides a range of services in a kind and compassionate manner drew Ellie to Thrive.

When asked what stands out to Ellie as she gets to know Thrive, she said: “Everyone here takes a minute out of their day to stop you and ask how you’re doing–and they genuinely want to know. From the clients to the staff, everyone has a genuine concern and interest for one another’s well-being–mental, physical, emotional. There’s a sense that we might not be able to address every issue completely, but at the very least we will listen and support and do the best we can for one another.”

Ellie hopes to support others in the same way as part of the Thrive DC team. She's also excited to enact the Thrive DC mission by introducing new topics to Thrive’s social media, learning about grant writing, and connecting with clients and volunteers.

One of Thrive’s largest and most traditional programs is the morning breakfast program, so we asked Ellie what her favorite breakfast food is. While a time crunch in the morning usually means Ellie sticks to granola bars for breakfast, she says her favorite weekend breakfast would be either Toaster Strudels or homemade waffles.

We’re thrilled to have Ellie on our team and look forward to seeing her engage with our mission!