The Rotary Club of Downtown Silver Spring

06/26/2026

Inspiring meeting with Pastor William Spence from Breadcoin.
Bread coin is a local nonprofit that brings community members together at local restaurants.

06/17/2026

Open your home to an international student, and build a lasting inter-cultural relationship with your family.
The Rotary Club of Silver Spring is hosting an exchange student this coming school year, and we are in need of one additional host family (3 month term). Host should live in the Blair / Einstein high school zone. Message us below if you are interested !

Students learn a new language, discover another culture, and truly become global citizens. Exchanges for students ages 15-19 are sponsored by Rotary clubs in more than 100 countries.

05/25/2026

✨ MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Adriane Griffen

Fun fact: Adriane K. Griffen got her start in public health through a Girl Scout Gold Award project — and her start in fundraising through selling cookies! Today, she’s Vice President of Programs at the American Nurses Foundation, where she leads initiatives supporting nurses across the country through the Reimagining Nursing Initiative.

Originally from outside Philadelphia, Adriane came to DC for college at George Washington University and never left. She joined DTSS Rotary in 2019 after seeing a flyer for Storytown — and it quickly became her favorite project. She also loves volunteering at the Thanksgiving Parade and wants to see the club adopt more stretches of Georgia Avenue for cleanups.

For Adriane, the Rotary value that hits home is leadership. “We can all be leaders wherever we may be,” she says. And she lives it — from her work advancing health equity nationally to teaching fourth grade religious education at St. John the Evangelist right here in Silver Spring.

When she’s not volunteering or leading, you’ll find Adriane gardening, hiking, or doing yoga.

We’re so proud to have Adriane in our club!

More Fun Facts:
• Favorite lunch spot: Mandalay
• Currently reading: Some of Us are Looking by Carlene O’Connor
• Hidden talent: Crafting Christmas ornaments from upcycled materials

05/15/2026

✨ MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Michele Joseph

Fun fact: before becoming a nonprofit CEO, Michele Joseph was a professional runway model with Wilhelmina Modeling Agency for 10 years! Today, she leads two organizations—SGAP Leaders, which empowers underrepresented teens through STEM, sustainability, and social impact, and Next Generation, Inc., which provides workforce readiness training in the energy and construction sectors.

Born in DC and raised between Trinidad and Tobago, Silver Spring, and NE Washington, Michele returned to the Silver Spring area in 2016. She joined DTSS Rotary after fellow member Cyndie Shadow invited her to a meeting—and she felt right at home. She jumped onto the Green Team and has been making an impact ever since: planting a pollinator garden at Loiderman Middle School, traveling to India on a humanitarian mission with fellow Rotarians to administer polio vaccines, and raising awareness about period poverty in rural Indian schools.

After a recent health challenge, Michele says she’s more committed to service than ever. “We have to be grateful for so much,” she shared. Outside of Rotary, you’ll find her enjoying slam poetry, dancing, acrylic painting—or doing something that makes her feel airborne (yes, she’s gone skydiving!).
We’re so proud to have Michele in our club! 🌱
Student Global Ambassador Program

04/27/2026

✨ MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Meet Theresa Testoni!

When Theresa was a student at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, a nun named Sister Claire Joseph would stand on the porch every day during class changes waving and smiling showing that someone cared. That lesson never left her.

Throughout her life, Theresa has shown a commitment to serve and spread kindness. She served on Governor O’Malley’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism and has supported organizations including Rainbow Community Development Center, Community Bridges Inc., and A Wider Circle.

Theresa is a Charter Member and current President of the Rotary Club of Downtown Silver Spring. Theresa and other Rotary members created Storytown, a literacy initiative she calls “a magical happy place” which has distributed 90,000 books from Montgomery Knolls to Pine Crest Elementary Schools and as far as Cuba and Zimbabwe.

Her awards include Montgomery Serves Volunteer of the Year (2021), the Corporate Volunteer Council Exceptional Service Award (2014), and most recently the Georgetown Visitation St. Jane de Chantal Alumni Service Award (2026).

Theresa didn’t set out to be a leader. But when you spend your life connecting people to their own capacity for compassion, leadership finds you. From the halls of Visitation to the shelves of Storytown, the through line is the same: show up, ask, identify the need and make it easy for people to donate their time, talent and treasure. That’s Theresa’s passion and purpose.

We’re so proud to call Theresa one of ours. ❤️

04/14/2026

What a wonderful evening! 🎉 Thank you to everyone who came out to All Set Restaurant & Bar last Tuesday for our fundraiser dinner. Over a dozen Rotary members gathered for great food, great conversation, and a great cause — with 20% of every check going right back to support our club's community work.
A special highlight of the night was welcoming our Rotary Exchange Student, Manisha, who will be studying in Thailand next school year! We're so glad to have you here and to support you as you travel abroad with Rotary next year. 🌍💛
Grateful for a club that shows up — at the table and for the community.

04/01/2026

Come join us next Tuesday!

03/23/2026

In 1987, the Supreme Court ruled that Rotary clubs could not exclude women based on gender. That same year, Dr. Sylvia Whitlock became the first female club president. By 1989, women were officially welcomed into Rotary International worldwide. What started as a hard-won legal victory has become something much bigger, a transformation in who gets to lead, serve, and shape our communities. Today, 61% of the Downtown Silver Spring Rotary Club's active members are women, and women hold key leadership roles, including President Theresa Testoni, Co-Secretary Lindsey Flick Sullivan, Treasurer Cyndie Renee Shadow and iPast President Sarah Burnett. Inclusion isn't just a policy, it's what makes us stronger!

03/18/2026

Each week, members of the Rotary Club of Downtown Silver Spring volunteer at the Rainbow Community Development Center food distribution program. We’re rolling up our sleeves to pack boxes and bags of groceries for families across the area. From sorting produce to organizing staple items, these hands-on efforts help ensure that nutritious food reaches those who need it most.

Each week, the Rainbow Community Development Center provides food to hundreds of households across the Silver Spring area, and Rotarians are proud to help their team pack groceries for families in need. Together, we are working to fight food insecurity in our community.

For our members, the experience goes beyond simply packing food. It’s a chance to connect with fellow volunteers, see the immediate impact of service, and live out Rotary’s commitment to “Service Above Self.”

Partnerships like this show how local organizations and volunteers can come together to make a tangible difference—one box, one bag, and one family at a time. If you’d like to be part of projects like this and meet people committed to improving our community, consider visiting the Rotary Club of Downtown Silver Spring.

03/09/2026

Meet new Rotarian Mei Powers! Mei joined Rotary to find new ways to serve her community. She's jumped in to help sort books for Storytown, pass out books at the Silver Spring Thanksgiving parade, distribute food at Rainbow Community Development Center, and wrap presents for Community Bridges Inc. Mr. Rogers said to look for the helpers, but Mei wants you to know you can BE a helper by joining and volunteering with Rotary!