This has been a challenging year, but our community stepped up in amazing, awe-inspiring ways. Our community came together to celebrate these efforts at the Power of Our Community, Montgomery County and Power of Our Community, Prince George’s County, two virtual convenings that applauded the cooperative spirit of these communities and the collective impact of our work.
If you missed these inspiring events, read on to access each event recording, our key take-aways and our Montgomery County and Prince George’s County impact reports.
Recap: Power of Our Community, Montgomery County
On December 8, a panel of philanthropic leaders—known for thinking creatively and working in close partnership with the communities they serve—discussed giving and leading boldly, creating a culture of “yes,” and how to embed a framework of social justice in philanthropy to create deeper change.
For a preview of the event, check out our short Montgomery County impact video.
“I think we have to be less afraid of failure,” said Mieka Wick, executive director of The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation. “There’s a lot of learning in failure. And if we’re not ever failing as funders, we aren’t being brave and bold enough.”
Crystal Carr Townsend, president and CEO of Healthcare Initiative Foundation, encouraged donors to be humble and flexible while working with communities to change systemic inequities. “If we’re going to change the future, we need to get to the root causes and invest in innovative approaches that align with other sectors and other funders to ensure holistic approaches that engage the community.”
Alise Marshall, director of strategy and new ventures at the Public Welfare Foundation stressed the importance of self-reflection for funders. “The call to action is work inside out. Really examine your internal practices, your hiring practices, the contractors you work with. Look within your organization and be super intentional about the work you’re doing.”
Recap: Power of Our Community, Prince George’s County
Hosted on December 10, Power of Our Community, Prince George’s County welcomed a panel of government, education and philanthropic leaders who discussed the importance of eliminating silos and embracing partnerships, going beyond what’s required to what is expected to get the job done, and the need for restoration so we can bring our best selves to our work.
For a preview of the event, check out our short Prince George’s County impact video.
Diana Léon-Brown, director of strategic partnerships for Prince George’s County, outlined the County's emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing food, medical care and supplies to frontline workers and raising $4 million from their partners. “This community has really come together. And I think crisis, as difficult as it can be, can also bring out the best in people. We had to really think about long-term impact and sustainability”
Dr. Falecia Williams, president of Prince George’s Community College, encouraged us all to NOT “stay in our lanes.” “What I’ve seen in this community is a willingness to redefine the boundaries, as we think about how to build communities through partnership.”
This event helped us focus not on the negative, but, rather, the power of our community. “It is moments like this where it’s often the case that, not only do we see the worst of what humanity can be, but we also see the best of it,” said Ronnie Galvin, The Community Foundation’s new managing director of community investment and moderator of the Prince George’s County panel.