Potomac Honors Beacon House Founder with Award for Exemplary Service

On January 16, The Potomac School announced the recipient of its annual Award for Exemplary Service, which recognizes individuals in the wider community who are making an important difference through service to others. Reverend Donald E. Robinson, Founder of Beacon House and a lifelong advocate for children, families, and community, received the award during a school-wide assembly honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A military veteran and West Virginia native, Rev. Robinson founded Beacon House in 1991 in the Edgewood neighborhood of Northeast DC. His vision emerged from his time as a caseworker for DC Human Services, where he witnessed firsthand the need for consistent academic support and a stable adult presence for local youth.

What began as a volunteer-driven effort providing homework help to 12 children has evolved into a premier youth development organization. Supported by the Edgewood community and regional Unitarian Universalist churches, Beacon House now serves nearly 400 children annually, ages 5 to 18.

The organization’s mission is specifically designed to:

• Close the educational achievement gap for students in Ward 5.
• Break cycles of generational poverty by improving long-term economic trajectories.
• Provide a "place-based" support system that remains deeply rooted in the Northeast DC neighborhood.

Potomac’s director of community engagement, James Hightower III, notes, “Though Reverend Robinson retired from Beacon House in the summer of 2017, the place-based  model he pioneered continues to provide a safe, welcoming space for children to grow. His transition from a caseworker to a community founder highlights a lifelong trajectory of advocacy for families in the District.”

Learn more about past recipients Ransom Miller III, Omari Pearson, Amanda Marshall, and Ericc Powell.