Ambassadors hit the streets to help tourists, clean sidewalks
By: Maria Schmitt
Special to the Examiner
August 11, 2009
Most D.C. residents probably don't know much, if anything, about the brightly clad crews that cruise city sidewalks, cleaning, helping tourists and keeping an eye on the neighborhood.
They are the clean teams and ambassadors of Washington's business improvement districts, and they're here to help you.
"There's a pretty demanding set of skills [we look for]," said Rit Thompson, chief executive of the company that hires workers for the Golden Triangle BID. "There's a very high bar to become a member."
There are eight business improvement districts throughout D.C.
D.C.'s eight business improvement districts:» Golden Triangle
» Downtown D.C.
» Capitol Hill
» Georgetown
» Capitol Riverfront
» Northern Massachusetts Avenue -- "NOMA"
» Mount Vernon Triangle
» Adams Morgan
Over on Capitol Hill, members of the 15-man clean team meet at 7 a.m. in a small office in the parking garage of Union Station.
A closet-full of bright blue jackets and a white board that proclaims "You are loved here!" fill the small office.
President Patty Brosmer said her BID gives jobs to homeless and formerly incarcerated people.
"It provides them with steady work opportunities and a support system," Brosmer said. "They don't feel like they're just cleaning the streets."
Damien Robinson, 19, was court-ordered to do community service after getting into trouble with the law. While in a youth program, the Capitol Hill BID offered him a job.
"I've been here for 16 months now," he said. "I have hands-on work, and I get to talk to people."
Jermaine Jackson, 33, has worked for the Capitol Hill BID for a year.
"I make sure everything is clean and safe," Jackson said. "I feel like I'm giving back to the neighborhood."
Business improvement districts run off taxes that come from commercial businesses that join the program. Each BID is independent.
The Golden Triangle BID employs ambassadors who, among other jobs, stand at Metro stations to direct people, Executive Director Leona Agouridis said.
Employees receive benefits and "competitive" salaries, Thompson said.
Certain personality traits are needed, he said.
"Communication skills are critical," he said. "We prefer if they know a second language. They also have to have a welcoming look on their face and be happy to talk to you at any time."
At midday, a Golden Triangle ambassador stationed outside the K Street exit at the Farragut North Metro station waited in a small patch of shade. If someone coming out of the Metro stood and looked back and forth for longer than 5-10 seconds, she piped up: "Can I help you find something?"
Tracey Donnelly, who works downtown, stopped to ask the ambassador where a specific street vendor was.
"She was helpful," Donnelly said. "She was a little bit distracted, though -- she was looking for a Mr. Andrews who had been reported missing."
