Dear Friends of the Community Foundation,
I believe the holidays are a time to give thanks and give back—and they’re also a time to celebrate. As we look towards the new year, I want to acknowledge and celebrate our collective impact. It has been a challenging year—and, with your partnership, we were able to respond to the needs of our community with urgency and with care.
Top 10 Impact Stories of 2020
To help us celebrate, we have put together a collection of our Top 10 Impact Stories of 2020. From our COVID-19 response work, to our community engagement through the VoicesDMV initiative, these stories offer a chance to reflect on our collective impact, and the difference we've made together.
Celebrating the Power of Our Community
Earlier this month, our community came together to reflect on and share powerful stories that encapsulate the spirit and heart of our community. The Power of Our Community virtual convenings featured local leaders from across sectors to explore the impact of our community’s COVID-19 response and examine what’s next as we rebuild from this crisis.
If you missed either event in this series, you can watch the recordings and read our recap of key take-aways from these discussions. And below, get a preview with our short impact video updates.
This Local WDVM segment discusses the FFCYF awards and our partners.
New Investments in Children, Youth, and Families
We are proud to celebrate two new investments to support our community’s disadvantaged children, youth, and families. The Children’s Opportunity Fund (COF), through a participatory grantmaking process, invested up to $100,000 in 4 literacy-focused nonprofits in Montgomery County; and the Fund for Children, Youth, and Families (FFCYF) invested $1.99 million in 49 nonprofits helping people experiencing homelessness, youth in foster care, and to close the achievement gap. You can meet the COF awardees here and FFCYF awardees here.
Meet Our New Team Members
We have also invested in strengthening our organization to better serve this region. We are thrilled to welcome Ronnie Galvin as our new Managing Director for Community Investment, a leading voice in our region and country on issues of racial equity and reparative justice. You can “meet” Ronnie here, as well as get to know several other staff members who recently joined our team or were promoted into new roles.
An Incredible Recognition by the Washington Business Journal
I was proud to represent all of you, when accepting the Washington Business Journal’s 2020 Nonprofit Leader of the Year award. What an honor for our effort to be recognized alongside champions of the local business community and community heroes like Howard University President Dr. Wayne Frederick, and José Andrés!
This recognition would not have been possible without my hardworking staff, our nonprofit partners and donors, and my family for their unwavering support. Thank you for your commitment to deep community impact and partnership with us throughout 2020 and beyond.
Thank you. I wish you a safe and happy holiday season, and I look forward to seeing you in the new year.
With gratitude,
Tonia Wellons
President & CEO