Thank you and happy new year!

Greetings!

Reflecting on 2018, I am so thankful for the generosity of our donors and the commitment of our nonprofit partners who make our community development work possible. Together, we are contributing to a more vibrant, equitable, and inclusive community for all who call the Greater Washington region home.

From our work on various community impact initiatives focusing on education, homelessness, and workforce development, The Community Foundation is dedicated to partnering with you to continue as caretakers of our community. And, I am so proud of what we have accomplished together over the last year alone – here are a few highlights:

• Did you know that we have granted out more than $1.2 billion in our 45-year history? In FY18, we administered 8,450 grants worth more than $96 million in total, making us the largest local funder of nonprofits in the Greater Washington region. We are proud to have partnered with and provided funding to more than 2,600 nonprofits through our community grants. The majority of these grants support nonprofits who share our mission for Building Thriving Communities in DC, Montgomery County, Northern Virginia, and Prince George’s County.

• Data from our VoicesDMV community engagement initiative, which surveyed more than 3,400 local residents on their experiences in their communities, guided a refresh of our strategic approach and the launch of our Building Thriving Communities framework. This refresh allows us to deepen and expand existing work and more fully captures the range of efforts The Community Foundation, our donors and partners collectively undertake across the region to address poverty, deepen culture and human connection, and prepare for the future of work.

• As we are preparing to launch new community impact initiatives throughout the region, we have started building a public-private partnership focused on ending homelessness in DC. On any given night, nearly 7,000 people in DC sleep outside or in shelters, including 2,000 children. We believe that homelessness is a complex issue that is solvable, but it requires businesses, individuals, local government, and nonprofits working together to find solutions. You can learn more about these efforts in an article I authored for the Washington Business Journal’s annual Giving Guide. Please contact Angela Willingham if you are interested in learning more about or supporting the Partnership to End Homelessness.

• We were pleased to renew our accreditation with the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations, a voluntary and rigorous program administered by the Council on Foundations to represent the highest standards of operational excellence and integrity in community philanthropy. We are among 500 of the nation’s largest community foundations who participate and meet the benchmarks for quality in operations, accountability and impact.

Now as we enter 2019, I am hopeful and filled with excitement for the possibilities of what we can do together. With your support, we can build thriving communities that are ripe with opportunity for everyone—good schools and enrichment programs for our kids, a sense of safety and security in our neighborhoods, well-paying jobs, affordable housing, vibrant cultural options, and a sense of fairness and justice for all.

Cheers to a happy and healthy new year!

Bruce McNamer,

President & CEO

Reflecting on the Legacy of Vicki Sant

All of us at the Greater Washington Community Foundation were deeply saddened to learn of Victoria (“Vicki”) Sant’s passing on Tuesday, December 11, 2018. Vicki was a long-standing champion of The Community Foundation’s ideals, having served as vice chair of the board, an emeritus board member, major donor, and President of the Summit Fund.

“The Community Foundation would not be the thriving organization and community leader that it is today if it wasn’t for Vicki Sant’s hands-on leadership and stewardship,” said Bruce McNamer, President and CEO of The Community Foundation. “Vicki was instrumental to our early growth and success, and The Summit Fund provided major financial support which enabled us to address community needs and to develop as a community leader.”

Vicki began an over 35-year relationship with The Community Foundation in the early 80s when she and her husband, Roger — the co-founder of a global power company — established The Summit Fund as a donor-advised fund at The Community Foundation. As a board member, she chaired The Community Foundation’s grants and programs committee and served on the Steering Committee for the Creative Communities Initiative, focused on creating a strong support system for artists in the region. Vicki was eventually named a board member emeritus, a position of honor she shared with the late R. Robert Linowes.

The Summit Fund of Washington, established by Roger and Vicki Sant, was the first supporting organization of The Community Foundation. Vicki was the co-founder and president from 1993 to 2015, focused on two specific causes of importance to her: restoring and protecting the Anacostia River and reducing teen pregnancy in the District of Columbia. Her other passions included international population issues, global environmental issues and the arts.

“Vicki embodied the true spirit of philanthropy.  She became a mentor of mine in the early 90s when I was a young program officer just starting out at The Community Foundation, and her love and guidance made such a huge difference in my life. Her impact came not just from her strategic mind but also from her enormous heart and emotional intelligence,” said Silvana Straw, Senior Community Investment Officer and Philanthropic Advisor at The Community Foundation.

Vicki’s long history as a fundraiser for nonprofit organizations also gave her a unique nonprofit -friendly perspective on philanthropy. She once shared that, “Knowing the complexity of running a nonprofit has helped me enormously as a donor and helped me experience the partnership donors and grantees share as they each work toward the same common goal.”

“Vicki was my great friend—kind, caring and funny.  Most of all we shared a total commitment to children both here and around the world.  She was always an inspiration and had the attitude that anything good was possible, and that attitude meant that good came to pass,” said Charito Kruvant, a Community Foundation donor and former board member, and Founder and Chairperson of the Board of Creative Associates International. 

Underlying her commitment was a belief that, in her eloquent words, “our community’s greatest assets are its citizens, and that their creativity, ideas and energy are essential to the resolution of the challenges facing our community.”

Year-End Giving Tips from Leslie Smith of Chevy Chase Trust

With the end of the year quickly approaching, professional advisor Leslie Smith hopes individuals, families and businesses recognize that expertly managed and cost-effective donor-advised funds offer numerous financial advantages. Leslie, Senior Managing Director with Chevy Chase Trust, notes that a fund at the Greater Washington Community Foundation offers a special opportunity to learn about the issues facing the community and can support worthy causes, such as providing scholarships for students or helping to create a brighter future for vulnerable neighbors. There’s no better time to consider the financial benefits than in the last days of December.

Leslie has a long history with The Community Foundation—including as co-chair of The Foundation’s Professional Advisors Council and serving on The Community Foundation’s Advisory Board in Montgomery County and its Sharing Montgomery Grants Committee.

“I quickly went from having an academic understanding to comprehending the tremendous benefits of community foundations and donor-advised funds,” she says. “The bottom line is private foundations are not a very efficient option for most donors.” 

Leslie estimates that she and her colleagues have helped dozens, if not 100 or more clients set up donor-advised funds over the years. One client told Leslie that she wanted to focus on her own charitable giving after her husband passed away. A volunteer with the Literacy Council, the client was personally moved by stories of her immigrant neighbors who were determined to learn English while raising their families and working full-time, usually at low paid jobs. She wanted to find a way to help their children go to college. Leslie introduced her to Anna Hargrave, executive director of The Community Foundation’s local office for Montgomery County. Anna arranged a meeting with staff from the Literacy Council and Future Links, a nonprofit that provides academic support, internships and scholarships to underserved high school students. Fast forward four years: Leslie’s client has provided scholarships to three students, so far. 

“Every time we meet, she talks about those students and her terrific experience with The Community Foundation,” Leslie says. “Of course we also talk about her portfolio, but it’s her charitable giving and those scholarships that really make her light up.”

Leslie and her colleagues at Chevy Chase Trust not only refer clients to The Community Foundation, they also host learning events for clients on topics like hunger and poverty and roll up their sleeves and volunteer in the community. They are not alone. The Community Foundation partners with many corporations, professional advisors and financial institutions throughout the region who have demonstrated a strong commitment to addressing the community’s greatest challenges. 

Leslie recognizes that giving through The Community Foundation makes it possible to maximize the tax benefits and impact of philanthropy. As the year comes to a close, Leslie offers these five tips for end-of-the-year giving:

• As you are considering your tax situation, you may find the cap of the deduction for state and local income tax as well as property taxes (a $10,000 deduction limit for all) results in higher than expected taxes, despite the reduction in federal rates. It may make sense to give more to charity, or to accelerate charitable giving into the current year.

• Always consider gifting appreciated securities rather than cash, to avoid the capital gain on the securities. 

• If you want to take advantage of the standard deduction rather than itemize, it could make sense to bunch charitable giving into alternate years so that one year you itemize and the next you use the standard deduction. 

• If you don't want to make larger gifts to your usual charities in one year, a donor-advised fund can provide the mechanism to make a large deductible gift now, then take your time deciding how it will be used to benefit the community in the future.

• If you are at least 70 1/2 years old, consider using your IRA to make a direct contribution to charity. You may give up to $100,000, which can include your Required Minimum Distribution. A donor-advised fund does not qualify for these donations, however, The Community Foundation offers other giving vehicles that allow you to take advantage of this type of gift.

Leapfrogging Inequity in Montgomery County

Guest post by Kimberly Rusnak, Project Director for the Children's Opportunity Fund

What is leapfrogging in education? The concept was explored with a group of Community Foundation donors at our most recent President’s Forum in Montgomery County. It is the ability to jump ahead or disrupt existing paradigms to make rapid and non-linear progress. It is the possibility to transform what and how children learn so that young people can develop a broad set of skills needed to thrive. The concept is discussed by Rebecca Winthrop, a Senior Fellow and the Director of the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institute, in her new book, Leapfrogging Inequality: Remaking Education to Help Young People Thrive. 

The first major point covered during the talk sought to answer a critical question: What is the goal of education? Though it seems like such a simple question, the answers in the room were vastly different. Some of the answers were: the goal is to teach basic skills of reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. This was countered with the goal to ensure sustainable employment. Or is the goal to provide young people with the tools for a fulfilling life and to encourage active civic participation? Or all of the above?

The answer posed to the group by Ms. Winthrop was called, “Academic +,” also known as The Breadth-of-Skills-Movement. While an education system must prioritize knowledge acquisition, there must also be a strong emphasis on developing skills needed to use that knowledge in different settings overtime. This includes academic subjects, plus globally relevant topics, communication skills, problem solving skills; and trying to prepare students for the future. It’s a tough job—and no single approach is the perfect solution because learning happens everywhere—at home, at school, in the community. 

In an average year, an elementary school student only spends 14% of their time in school (based on a 7-hour school day, 180 days  per year). Roughly 33% of a student’s time is spent sleeping, and 53% of their time is spent awake and out of school. If the majority (53%) of learning happens at home, in the community and among peers, think about what that means. 

For many families that cannot afford quality early learning and pre-K access, fee-based out of school programs, private tutoring and costly summer camps, the opportunities and exposure to academic and non-academic skills and knowledge are very different compared to affluent families who can. The families who cannot afford expensive out-of-school supports are often immigrants and people of color; which is why the opportunity gap and racial inequity exists in almost every county and city in the United States.  Race and poverty are not the same thing, but there are strong correlations in the world of education.  As Kevin Beverly, a Trustee of The Community Foundation reflected:

“Encouraging educators to open the aperture and look beyond the standard approaches is a key to helping our at-risk youth excel.” 

In order to make major strides and changes in education, we must take big leaps and major calculated risks to achieve greater change for children and address this inequity. We must do our work differently so that we can achieve different results. Incremental change is not enough; we must find ways to leapfrog. As Shirley Brandman, an Education Advocate in Montgomery County reflected:

“Our commitment to equity will only become real when we can invest in tangible strategies that catch students up and keep them on track academically.  Making more than a year's worth of progress in a year of schooling is key and the insights shared about how we can harness innovation to leapfrog or accelerate learning should inspire us to rededicate our efforts.” 

There were several examples of this idea shared at the President’s Forum last week.  An initiative called, LEMA (Literacy and Math Education Labs) has created board games that teach literacy, numeracy, teamwork and collaboration at the same time. Another example was Wonderschool in California who works with families, educators and childcare providers to helps individuals start their own businesses by assisting with licensing, marketing and everything in between. 

I have spent my entire career working in education and the field of out of school time.  I am excited for the opportunity to take my experiences and knowledge and put them to work in Montgomery County through the Children’s Opportunity Fund. It is our goal to help every child succeed.  The Fund focuses on supporting and scaling evidence-based initiatives that are meeting gaps in Montgomery County. 

Thank you to Rebecca Winthrop for sharing her knowledge and expertise.  Our community will use these learnings and others to help investigate opportunities to innovate and address inequity in education in Montgomery County, and across the region. 

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Kimberly joined The Community Foundation in the summer of 2018.  Through her previous experience as a Program Officer with the Social Innovation Fund, she oversaw a portfolio of innovative interventions ranging from cradle to career.  Kimberly came to The Community Foundation well-versed in program development, nonprofit management and community development.  She is a passionate advocate for young people and believes it is critical that we provide equal opportunities to all. 

Thank You for Supporting the 2018 Celebration of Giving

Thank you for supporting the 2018 Montgomery County Celebration of Giving! 

We were proud to bring together more than 350 people to recognize the donors, nonprofits, and local leaders who make up our community of givers and doers in Montgomery County and to salute our 2018 Philanthropist of the Year, Linda Youngentob. 

As we head into the holiday season, we hope you will remember Linda’s story and the three epiphanies which guided her own philanthropic journey:

• You can have impact when you help one person at a time,

• That impact will have a ripple effect, and

• Every one of us can have this impact right here in our own community.

We wish to extend a special thank you to the Celebration Sponsors, Host Committee, and everyone who contributed to making the night a success. Proceeds raised will help The Community Foundation in Montgomery County to meet its goal of addressing critical community needs by investing in high-impact nonprofit organizations and inspiring more people to give!

We couldn’t have done it without you!

With deep gratitude,

Anna Hargrave

P.S. Watch Linda's salute video and visit our Celebration page to see additional photos from the event. 

Apply to Perform or Exhibit at the 2019 Celebration of Philanthropy

We are currently accepting proposal submissions for performance opportunities at The Community Foundation’s 2019 Celebration of Philanthropy. The event will take place Monday, March 25, from 6:00-9:00 pm at Arena Stage. The annual Celebration brings together about 800 local philanthropists, nonprofits, business and community leaders to honor their individual and collective contributions to ensuring our region is a more equitable, vibrant and inclusive place to live. This is the largest annual celebration of local philanthropy in our region, providing an opportunity to celebrate The Community Foundation’s impact and legacy of bringing people and resources together for community change.

The Celebration of Philanthropy is a unique experience — it is structured like a community arts festival featuring performances and exhibits showcasing some of the region's most exciting artists and nonprofit arts organizations supported by The Community Foundation and its community of givers. Performances are staggered throughout the evening and across all three levels of Arena Stage, allowing guests to experience the region’s vibrant local arts community while enjoying delicious food, an open bar, and networking opportunities with friends and colleagues.

We are specifically looking for:

• Performance art — Live music, theater, dance, poetry/spoken word, or other performances (individuals or groups of artists of all disciplines and ages) that run for about 10-15 minutes. Performances do NOT take place on stages or in theaters, so submissions must be conducive to an open but limited performance space.

• Visual art — Interactive and participatory exhibits or roving experience/activities that engage the audience as individuals or a group. Stations may run throughout the evening on various levels of the event space.

Please note: The Celebration offers guests a very festive party atmosphere. It is a standing and roving reception and, because the space is very open, the noise level can conflict with performance audio.

Eligibility Requirements

We will consider applications from artists and nonprofit organizations which are:

• located in and/or serving residents of the Greater Washington region, including DC, Montgomery County, Northern Virginia, and Prince George’s County;

• current or past grantees of The Community Foundation and/or its component funds;

• available the evening of Monday, March 25, 2019, from roughly 4:00-9:00 pm, and for a pre-scheduled walk through and rehearsal prior to the event.

You may submit as many ideas as you’d like for consideration. Applications are due, via the online form below, no later than 5:00 pm on December 21, 2018.

Individuals and organizations selected for performance opportunities will be notified in mid-January 2019. Selected individuals/organizations will receive a $500 honorarium (one per performance) and up to two tickets for staff or guests to attend the event. Please send your questions to [email protected].

Fill out my online form.

Save the Date for the 2019 Celebration of Philanthropy

It's time to celebrate! You’re invited to the 2019 Celebration of Philanthropy on March 25, 2019! This is the largest annual celebration of local philanthropy in our region. It is a true celebration of what makes our community remarkable—including the individuals and organizations who dedicate their time and resources to public service, philanthropy, and nonprofits to drive the area’s tremendous giving spirit and make our region a more vibrant, equitable and inclusive place to live. This is also an opportunity to celebrate The Community Foundation’s impact in our region and reflect on our legacy of bringing people and resources together for community change.

At the Celebration, we will present the 2019 Civic Spirit Award to former Mayor Anthony Williams. Anthony Williams is a long-time champion for a thriving DC, having served as CFO, Mayor, and now as CEO of the Federal City Council. During more than a decade of service in local government, he is widely credited with leading the City out of bankruptcy and for initiating a period of sustained economic growth leading DC to the economically vibrant place it is today. He has continued his civic contribution and leadership at the Federal City Council, engaging the business community in investments in infrastructure and more equitable development, most recently with the launch of the Washington Housing Initiative. 

Attending the Celebration of Philanthropy is an experience unlike any other! You’ll take part in a cocktail reception and community festival featuring live music, theater, poetry, and dance performances from some of the region's most exciting nonprofits and local artists who are supported by The Community Foundation and our community of givers. These showcases are staggered throughout the evening and across the venue, allowing you to choose from a line-up of incredible acts while enjoying delicious food, an open bar, and networking with friends and colleagues. 

When you purchase a ticket or sponsorship for this event, you are also giving back to your community by supporting our efforts to build thriving communities throughout the region. Proceeds benefit The Community Foundation's Fund for Greater Washington, enabling us to make grants to effective nonprofits, incubate new ideas, convene partners to address community issues, and conduct programmatic initiatives and advocacy. Through this Fund, The Community Foundation invests in effective solutions to help our marginalized neighbors find pathways out of poverty, create diverse and inclusive spaces to deepen human connection, and prepare workers to succeed in our region’s changing economy.

Sponsorship Packages

We have a variety of sponsorship opportunities for organizations of all sizes and for individuals who want to celebrate with us and share their great work with an audience of 700+ community, philanthropic, local government, and business leaders— contact Emily Davis for more details.

We hope you will join us on March 25! This is truly a special celebration that you will not want to miss!

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WHEN

Monday, March 25, 2019
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

WHERE

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater
1101 Sixth Street SW | Washington, DC 20024

TICKETS

Ticket sales will open in January 2019

Business Attire

FiscalNote Announces Wendy Martinez Legacy Project

View RollCall’s coverage of FiscalNote’s announcement of $500,000 in seed funding and stock shares to establish The Wendy Martinez Legacy Project, which will support advancing women in tech and programs that empower women and promote community through running.

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Make a Contribution

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The Resilience Fund Combats Hate and Intolerance in the Greater Washington Region

Announces New Grants to Local Nonprofits Serving Immigrant and Muslim Communities

The Resilience Fund has announced $200,000 in grants to seven nonprofits supporting our neighbors experiencing hardship as a result of shifting federal policies and growing anti-other sentiment. The grant awards will enable these organizations to provide legal or medical services, conduct advocacy, and help protect the civil rights of immigrants, refugees, Muslims and other vulnerable communities in our region. 

“In light of recent tragedies from Pittsburgh to Louisville, we are reminded of both the strength and the vulnerability of our communities, including in the Greater Washington region,” said Tonia Wellons, VP of community investment for the Greater Washington Community Foundation, and Terri D. Wright, VP for program and community for the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, who co-chair the Fund’s Steering Committee. “The Resilience Fund is one tool to help stem the rising tide of intolerance, fear, bigotry, hate and anti-other sentiments that impact us locally. These grants will support the critical work of nonprofits responding to community needs to ensure our neighborhoods remain resilient, thriving, and more equitable and inclusive places to live.”

Grant Awards

The Resilience Fund’s latest grants will support:

• DC Law Students in Court to expand immigration representation by leveraging hundreds of pro bono hours from student attorneys who will represent clients seeking release on bond before the Arlington Immigration Court. This will be the first legal clinical program of its kind in DC.

• Identity, Inc. to help mitigate the negative consequences of new MCPS policies and practices on immigrant students and their families, including the visitor ID policy, Free and Reduced-Price Meals paper application, and high school athletics registration. Identity will advocate for policies that reduce barriers to equitable participation.

• Jews United for Justice to conduct advocacy around the Montgomery County Trust Act, which would formalize rules preventing police and other local emergency services from cooperating with ICE; and the statewide Trust Act which will amend the Maryland Dream Act, so all young people have equal in-state tuition regardless of DACA status.

• Justice for Muslims Collective to organize and empower Muslim communities to challenge federal anti-Muslim policies and societal bigotry. JMC will host community-building events, complete a DMV assessment on the needs of Muslim communities, organize rapid response mobilizations, and host community defense and wellness workshops.

• League of Women Voters of Virginia to conduct voter services and voter education programs in Northern Virginia, specifically Arlington County, Fairfax area, Loudoun County, and Prince William area.

• Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care to provide medical, dental, and behavioral health services to undocumented children separated from their parents at the border and receiving shelter in the region. Mary’s Center will provide behavioral health care in its School Based Mental Health program at 18 public schools, and wraparound care at its health centers.

• The Fuller Project for International Reporting to counter hatred and intolerance by expanding its reporting, training, and raising awareness about the issues facing immigrant women, children, and their families.

About the Resilience Fund

The Resilience Fund was created in early 2017 as a collaborative partnership of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, and other foundation and individual contributors. It supports the critical needs of nonprofits who are responding to changes in federal policy and budget priorities, as well as the climate of intolerance and hate, both of which are disproportionately impacting local people of color, and immigrant and refugee communities. 

Since the Fund’s inception, it has raised and leveraged more than $1 million and granted out $550,000 to organizations supporting our neighbors affected by changes to immigration and deportation policies, as well as efforts to build community cohesion and combat anti-other sentiment. Grants have supported immigrant-serving organizations providing advocacy, legal representation, medical services, training on legal and civil rights, and assistance with reuniting families separated at the border and detained in Maryland or Virginia. The Fund has also responded to increases in incidents of hate and intolerance in the region by supporting grassroots community engagement, voter education services, and the expansion of educational programs in local schools that teach news literacy as well as tolerance, respect and inclusion. 

Call for Proposals

The Resilience Fund is interested in identifying community-based solutions which respond to federal policy shifts impacting our region. Organizations located in or serving the Greater Washington region may submit a letter of inquiry for a rapid response grant to address current or emerging issues affecting our neighbors and communities. We will entertain inquiries linked to immigration, justice reform and civil rights roll-backs, and efforts that expand access to citizenship and democracy including voter registration and participation efforts (GOTV). New proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed by the Resilience Fund Steering Committee in 2019. 

Grants may support special projects, programs, or include general operating support. Grant awards may range from $10,000-$30,000. For more details on proposal submission guidelines, click here. Letters of inquiry may be submitted through our online application system. Contact Melen Hagos with questions at [email protected].

Join Us!

If you share our commitment to ensuring our communities are strong and resilient, we invite you to stand with us by contributing to the Resilience Fund.

The new Donor Central is now live

A new and improved version of Donor Central is now live! You can expect a cleaner interface and better presentation of your fund’s data — including your fund summary, spendable balance and grants activity — along with a streamlined process for grant recommendations.

If you are a current Donor Central user, you should have received a welcome email on Moday, October 29 with a link to access the new Donor Central site. When you visit the new site, you will need to create a new account using your email address as the username. We’ve included a quick start guide for you to read through to help make the transition to the new site as seamless as possible.

To create your new account, please click on the “Don’t have a Blackbaud ID? Create a new one” link, and enter the information requested on the next page. Make sure to use the email address included above as your user name. Once you’ve created your new account, you’ll be ready to access all that Donor Central has to offer. 

Please keep in mind: We do NOT recommend that you use the feature to sign in with your Google account (if you have a Gmail address), as that option is less secure than creating a Blackbaud account.

If you have not yet signed up for a Donor Central account, you are welcome to take advantage of this free and secure online tool which makes it easy to submit your grant recommendations and get up-to-date information on your fund balance, gifts and grants. Contact us for more information.

If you have any questions, we are here to help! Please contact us at 202-955-5890 or [email protected].

Meet the 2018 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year

On Thursday, November 1, 2018, The Community Foundation saluted Linda Youngentob as the 2018 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year at our annual Celebration of Giving.

Linda’s philanthropic journey was first shaped by her parents who emphasized tikkun olam, the belief that we all have a responsibility to heal the world.  While pursuing a busy career in the telecommunications field, Linda and her husband, Bob, always made giving and volunteerism a top priority for their girls, Lisa, Jamie, and Casey.  In addition to supporting numerous international causes, Linda spearheaded the first Mitzvah Day at Washington Hebrew Congregation in 1992, which galvanized hundreds of congregants to volunteer with local nonprofits and has since become a national model adopted by synagogues around the world. 

As a faculty member of Montgomery College’s Macklin Business Institute, Linda proudly cheers on her students at graduation.

More recently, Linda felt compelled to focus her professional, volunteer, and philanthropic resources on her main passion: empowering youth to achieve their higher education goals, attain professional success, and give back to the community.  She left a successful career in the private sector to become a Macklin Business Institute faculty member at Montgomery College, where she eventually joined the Montgomery College Foundation Board and now co-chairs its Capital Campaign.

While impressed by her students’ talent and drive, she was deeply troubled by the overwhelming barriers holding them back from completing a college degree.  To tackle these larger issues, she became a volunteer and board member for several youth-focused organizations: CollegeTracks, FutureLink, and Identity, Inc. She also tapped into her business acumen and networks for Compass, an organization that enables nonprofits to address pressing challenges in order to make a deeper impact. 

Linda worked one-on-one with CollegeTracks students and served on the Board, helping the organization expand to serve hundreds more students dreaming of earning a college degree.

In 2014, Linda and Bob took the next step in their philanthropic journey by opening a giving fund at The Community Foundation.  Linda quickly became an active member of our Sharing Montgomery Grants Committee, lending her keen analytical skills to assess high-impact nonprofits supporting our County’s low-income neighbors.  While connecting and learning from other inspiring philanthropists, Linda quickly found even more ways to activate her friends and family to experience the deep joy in giving back.

All of us at The Community Foundation express our deep appreciation to Linda for her thoughtful leadership, tireless advocacy, and strategic philanthropy which have touched the lives of so many throughout our community.  She is an inspiring example of the positive difference each of us can make when we give where we live.

SOME CET Preparing Adult Learners for Careers in Healthcare

This post is part of a series highlighting the impact of our grantmaking through the Greater Washington Workforce Development Collaborative. Launched in 2008, this coalition of funders aligns its investments in effective, data-driven workforce development efforts. Grantees are selected to receive funding and lead sector partnerships. So Others Might Eat Center for Employment Training (SOME CET) is one of three grantees from our most recent round of awards.

The SOME CET is a tuition-free adult workforce-training program that prepares adult learners for national, industry-recognized certifications for careers in healthcare and building trades like engineering, electrical, HVAC, and more. The program empowers people to move themselves out of homelessness and poverty and into living wage careers through hard and soft skills training, adult basic education, and career development.

Greater Washington Works selected SOME CET to lead a healthcare sector partnership that trains and places DC and Prince George’s County residents in Certified Medical Assistant and Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist occupations. The organization has partnered with the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation and employer partners including Abundant Health Chiropractic & Wellness Center, Providence Hospital, and Unity Health Care. “Because of this initiative, the number MD residents enrolling in SOME CET has increased by 172 percent between January and October of 2018, making them the fastest growing subpopulation of our students,” says Emily Price, SOME CET’s Chief Program Officer. “Moreover, the grant funds offered through GWW have allowed us to expand to meet this demand and initiate some best practices in the field of Adult Ed and Workforce Development.”

IMPACT STORY: CHARLES DOZIER as told by SOME CET

Charles Dozier is one of the most remarkable individuals we have worked with during this grant period. Mr. Dozier distinguished himself throughout the program with his professionalism, enthusiasm for the medical field, and drive for excellence and self-improvement.

Mr. Dozier maintained a 3.6 grade point average while excelling in his basic skills courses. As evidence of this, he attained an educational functioning level gain in reading (equivalent to 2 or more grade levels of primary school) and a point gain (equal to more than one grade level) in math. Mr. Dozier also successfully passed his National Healthcareer Association Certified Medical Administrative Assistant exam. During this time, he was also in the process of applying to Georgetown University and was accepted after completing their interview process.

Mr. Dozier served as an extern at Providence Hospital, one of our industry sector partners, and was hired on 4/9/2018. One of the benefits about this job that he found most appealing was that Providence offers tuition assistance, allowing him to continue his education. While he has delayed his enrollment to Georgetown due to both time and financial considerations, Mr. Dozier has registered at UDC and intends to begin prerequisites for a nursing degree this coming fall.

The Workforce Collaborative is a coalition of local workforce investors who share a common commitment to addressing poverty and income inequality by helping workers advance their skills and credentials so they can earn family-sustaining wages. Current Collaborative partners include The Community Foundation, the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Capital One, JPMorgan Chase & Co., the Consumer Health Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, the Moriah Fund, Northern Virginia Health Foundation, the Weiss Fagen Fund, the Marian Osterweis Fund, United Way of the National Capital Area, and the Washington Area Women’s Foundation.

Greater Washington Works is a $1 million grantmaking initiative of the Collaborative designed to address local employer hiring challenges by meeting the talent needs of local IT and Healthcare employers. Greater Washington Works will support at least 250 local workers to launch living-wage careers in the IT and Healthcare sectors.

Preparing Our Region for the Future of Work

By Benton Murphy, Senior Director of Community Investment at The Community Foundation

As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Greater Washington Workforce Development Collaborative, I am reminded of how The Collaborative was established at a time when our region was gripped by the Great Recession, with unemployment spiking to more than 7 percent and many of our neighbors unable to meet basic needs for food, shelter and healthcare. The Greater Washington Community Foundation helped mobilize and direct the local philanthropic response with major investments in homelessness, hunger, and education. The Collaborative was an opportunity to bring local philanthropists and businesses together to support both immediate and long-term solutions by investing in job training in fields from green construction to healthcare to help more of our neighbors get good, living wage jobs.

Ten years later, unemployment in our region is down (currently at 3.5 percent) and conditions have improved for many of our neighbors. Yet economic insecurity still remains a major challenge for many residents, especially people of color, and the Workforce Collaborative’s work is even more relevant today than when it was founded. Our recent VoicesDMV community engagement initiative surveyed more than 3,000 local residents on their experience in their communities and their overall quality of life. When asked what would happen if they lost their current sources of income, one in three people said they would not have enough money to continue to live as they do today for more than two months. This share rose to nearly half of people without a bachelor’s degree and more than half of people with household incomes below $50,000.

Our low unemployment rate masks deep issues of income inequality in our region. Black workers make just 47 percent of what whites make in Washington, DC alone, according to Census data. Since the Great Recession our local job market has become even more competitive, with a greater and greater share of job openings requiring some form of post-secondary education. Many jobs that once were the mainstay of the middle class—from bank tellers to librarians to cashiers at your local grocery store—are disappearing due to automation.

The impact on our workforce is clear—today average firms employ fewer workers and offer fewer opportunities for workers with no postsecondary education or training. The result is a widening gap between rich and poor that is keeping many un- or under-employed stagnating in low-wage work or struggling to meet the demands of multiple part-time positions. Yet access to job training programs is a challenge for many in our region, with nearly a third of Prince George’s County and Montgomery County  residents rating access to education and training as a “major” barrier to finding a job, according to VoicesDMV.

It is with this reality in mind that The Community Foundation has refreshed our workforce development strategy to orient toward the Future of Work. We will continue our work to eliminate income gaps, especially those based on race or ethnicity, but with a specific focus on connecting workers to quality job opportunities in the occupations of tomorrow to help them enter and advance in their careers, build skills, and increase wages. We will also make investments in small businesses and local entrepreneurs that make up an increasing share of our local economy.

Enter into this new economic reality the potential for Amazon HQ2, with an estimated 50,000 new high-paying jobs. HQ2 presents a tremendous opportunity to spur our region’s growth, but what will it do to our relative prosperity? A recent op-ed by our CEO Bruce McNamer and Sarah Rosen Wartell from Urban Institute pointed out how racial and economic inequities that have long plagued our region could prevent many residents from having equal access to these new jobs, modern housing and other amenities that growth brings. 

I interviewed some of our region’s workforce development system and policy leaders to hear their thoughts. Will these new jobs be offered to local residents rather than importing workers from across the country to fill these high-skill, high-wage jobs? Local leaders are hopeful that at least 50 percent of Amazon’s new workforce will be local, and yet they are also concerned that many in our region do not have the skills or experience to compete effectively against imported workers from other regions. Amazon’s recent partnership with Northern Virginia Community College— to provide a specialized Cloud Computing credential for its Amazon Web Services operation in Northern Virginia— has made local leaders hopeful that Amazon will think locally to meet its talent pipeline needs and provide opportunities for local residents to land fulfilling careers at Amazon.

As we consider the Future of Work in our region, we will look to continue to find ways to help employers—like Amazon—get connected to the right workers with the right skills. We will also work to examine closely how our region can offset the negative consequences that economic development on the scale that HQ2 can bring. From massive pressures to our transportation infrastructure, local schools, and, perhaps most worryingly, an increase in the upward pressure on housing prices and exacerbate our region’s existing housing affordability crisis, Amazon’s presence is a double-edged sword. The Community Foundation, through the Collaborative and our other Future of Work investments—can be a place where philanthropy can support efforts to ensure that all our region’s residents can benefit from the prosperity that Amazon may bring to the region.

If you’re interested in learning more about our focus on the future of work, I encourage you to take advantage of the following resources:

• Workforce Development Collaborative website

• The Catalyst Fund impact story

• Our Building Thriving Communities framework

Plan Ahead to Maximize Your Year-End Giving

The Greater Washington Community Foundation would like to acknowledge the generosity exhibited by our donors in 2018.  Throughout the year you’ve continued to demonstrate a strong philanthropic spirit by maintaining and establishing new funds, and recommending thousands of grants to local and national nonprofit organizations.

In an effort to assist you with carrying out your end-of-year philanthropic goals, please see below for The Community Foundation’s deadlines regarding year-end giving and grantmaking activities:

RECOMMENDING GRANTS FROM YOUR FUND

Grant recommendations submitted by December 14 will be processed by December 31, provided the grantee organization meets The Community Foundation’s due diligence requirements. Due to increased volume, we cannot guarantee that grant recommendations submitted after December 14 will be processed and mailed in 2018.

PLEASE NOTE: Grants submitted prior to December 14, 2018 must also be approved (meeting The Community Foundation’s due diligence requirements) to be processed and mailed by December 31, 2018.

Grant recommendations should be submitted through your Donor Central account. Questions regarding Donor Central can be forwarded to Emily Davis (202-973-2501, [email protected]).

MAKING GIFTS TO THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Stock and cash gifts (check, wire, online) submitted to The Community Foundation by December 31 will be earmarked as a 2018 contribution. Please note: The gift must be in The Community Foundation’s account by this day to be eligible for a 2018 tax deduction.

Gifts made online:

Gifts can be made online at www.thecommunityfoundation.org. 

Gifts made via check can be sent to:          

Attn: Finance Department
Greater Washington Community Foundation
1325 G Street NW
Suite 480
Washington, DC 20005

*Please include the name of the fund in the memo line of the check. 

**Checks sent by US Postal Service mail can be earmarked as a 2018 contribution if postmarked by the US Postal Service on or before December 31.

Gifts of cash or securities made via wire transfer:

Please see the instructions for making gifts of cash or securities by wire transfer.  Please contact the Finance Department at 202-955-5890 if there are any questions. Monies must be in The Community Foundation’s account by December 31, to be earmarked as a 2018 contribution.

Gifts made via transfer from mutual funds:

In order for gifts made from mutual funds submitted to The Community Foundation to be received by December 31 and earmarked as a 2018 contribution, the transfer must be initiated by December 7, 2018.

Investing in Root Cause Solutions to Addressing Poverty

The Green Clean Coop, photo courtesy of Impact Silver Spring

Starting a business can be challenging under any circumstances, but especially when you are committed to doing it cooperatively. That was the challenge—and opportunity—when five Montgomery County residents came together under the auspices of the nonprofit IMPACT Silver Spring to start a worker-owned environmentally-friendly cleaning service. Cooperative members pooled their savings for start-up equipment and supplies while graphic design and marketing help were provided by connections made through the IMPACT network. The result: The Green Clean Cooperative.   

IMPACT also helped birth a financial lending cooperative, among other ventures. It’s an entrepreneurial model that attracted the attention of the Greater Washington Community Foundation and led to a grant from the Catalyst Fund. The new fund is focused on community-based efforts to support small business, mirco-enterprise development and entrepreneurship. In addition to IMPACT Silver Spring, grants ranging from $50,000 to $75,000 were awarded to CASA, Crossroads Community Food Network and Life Asset. Read more about these grants from the Catalyst Fund.

“The Catalyst Fund grants underscore the importance of investing in wealth-building and entrepreneurship and signal a need for more philanthropists and funders to invest in preparing workers for The Future of Work,” said Tonia Wellons, The Community Foundation’s Vice President of Community Investment. “The Community Foundation is making this one of the hallmarks of its strategy to disrupt poverty and build thriving communities across the Greater Washington region.”

According to the Association for Enterprise Opportunity, the median net worth of business owners is almost 2.5 times higher than non-business owners. For people of color, the distinction is even greater. Just ask Amilcar Pena. As a worker-owner of the Green Clean Cooperative, he is taking home around $20 an hour, compared to the $10 to $12 he would earn working for a private company, he says.

“It’s heartening to see The Community Foundation investing in innovative strategies that go beyond managing symptoms to root cause solutions,” said IMPACT Silver Spring Executive Director Jayne Park. “While jobs can help people get out of poverty, they need assets to stay out of poverty.” 

The Catalyst Fund grew out of The Community Foundation’s long history of supporting job training and workforce development solutions, including through leading the Greater Washington Workforce Development Collaborative for the last decade. It was created after an anonymous donor passed away in 2016, leaving a $6 million bequest for an endowed fund. His wish was to see the gift benefit the Greater Washington region—a place he called home for 50 years.

In his later years, the donor discussed with his financial advisor, Nicholas Durso of Sun Trust Bank, how best to create a lasting legacy. “He was a good man who wanted to help people who wanted to help themselves,” says Durso. The Community Foundation offered the perfect vehicle: a field of interest fund that allows donors to support organizations working within a specific geographic region toward a specific purpose.

“The Community Foundation offered the infrastructure and expertise and has been the perfect partner,” said Durso, who works closely with the staff. “In recommending grantees, they’ll say, ‘you knew the donor best, what are your thoughts?’ It’s a collaborative relationship.” The Catalyst Fund “is a reminder of what a great man he was,” says Durso of his client. 

The anonymous donor would undoubtedly be pleased to know that 10 months after the Green Clean Cooperative was launched, it already has 19 clients and is providing steady income for the worker-owners who share in profits and continue to put money back into the business every month.

Establishing a legacy fund with the Greater Washington Community Foundation is an excellent way to create a lasting impact. To learn more, please contact Vice President, Development and Senior Philanthropic Advisor, Rebecca Rothey at 202-263-4766 or [email protected].

Mentoring Matters

Guest post by Rev. Judie S. Martin, Executive Director, InnerCity Collaborative Community Development Corporation

This is the second post in a new blog series on “Building A Safer, Stronger DC,” featuring stories from grantees of the City Fund Safer, Stronger DC portfolio. View the full series here.

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On a 95-degree day, high risk intervention strategist (mentor) Ronnie Myers ventured to Lincoln Heights to pick up five youth, ages 13-19. He gazed across the street to see what they see on a daily basis – crime, drug deals, fancy cars pulling into and out of the public housing complex, elderly women at the bus stop and young mothers with children just hanging out on the block. The youth thank Mr. Myers for coming to take them out for a meal at Chipotle and to talk about the upcoming school year. The conversation is mixed with highs and lows. The highlights are around going to school and having somewhere else to go every day. The lows are wondering whether they will make it through the year, as they begin to recount the friends that have been shot, bullied and even killed, just going to or from school. But despite all of that, they are eager and glad to hear about programs offered by the InnerCity Collaborative Community Development Corporation, including mentoring, housing assistance, counseling, and other social service referrals. 

Through the Credible Messenger Initiative of the District’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services and with funding support from Safer, Stronger DC, InnerCity Collaborative CDC has been able to work with some of the toughest youth, engaging in some of the riskiest behavior. These children and adolescents are at important periods of development and are vulnerable to taking the wrong step, which is why mentors are important for them. Mentors may not be able to change how fast a child’s brain develops or force a child to make certain decisions, but mentors can share their worldviews, experiences, knowledge, support and advice, as well as provide a positive influence. By introducing youth to new experiences and sharing positive values, mentors can help young people avoid negative behaviors and achieve success.

For example, another youth in our program has turned her artistic talent into a t-shirt that is being promoted as the DYRS call to action for anti-gun violence campaign, GUNZ DOWN DC. She and several other youths from our program are helping to promote this CTA on several media outlets throughout the city. Many of these youth, who have been victims of violent crimes themselves, have also made a song to accompany their message. 

Research studies have found that there is a benefit of program participation for youth, with at-risk youth being most likely to benefit. A study of 46 programs for delinquency (e.g., aggression, drug use and academic achievement) found mentoring for high-risk youth to have a positive effect on delinquency, academic functioning, aggression and drug use.

Above all, mentors are motivators and role models, who believe in their mentees, see their potential and help them get to where they want to go. Children and adolescents, in contrast, have more limited worldviews and experiences, are individuating themselves, and are beginning to rely less on parents and more on peers. This is even more complex for adjudicated youth with whom the work of the InnerCity Collaborative CDC has as its primary focus. We provide high risk mentoring and wrap around support for the family as well as the youth. This type of engagement highlights the greatest need of the communities we support, family nurturance and guidance. If you think back to when you were a teenager, you may remember trying to figure out who you were and how to navigate through social norms. And most of us had a responsible adult that helped us to make those life choices. Such is not the case for many of the District’s inner-city youth and their families.

Despite the importance of mentorship for youth, one in three young people report never having an adult mentor while growing up. This statistic translates to approximately 16 million youth, including 9 million at-risk youth, reaching age 19 without ever having a mentor. For children and adolescents, finding a mentor can be more difficult. But thanks to the Safer, Stronger DC opportunity and the DYRS Credible messenger initiative we are changing lives and communities.

A Monarch Butterfly Spreads His Wings

Guest post by Karen Gardner, Executive Director, Reading Partners

This is the first post in a new blog series on “Building A Safer, Stronger DC,” featuring stories from grantees of the City Fund Safer, Stronger DC portfolio. View the full series here.

Right around this time last year, we first got to know Anthony* as a charismatic second grader who really liked to tell tales. Tall ones. One of the stories he liked to tell was about a shark in his bathtub, which included what the shark ate, how the shark got into his bathtub and even where it went when the water was drained. Anthony was an imaginative thinker who had thoughts and opinions on just about any topic. But when you asked him to read, the normally outgoing student would transform into a shy one, barely uttering a word.

Anthony found decoding and reading fluently a challenge. It caused him to daydream in class and rarely engage in reading, so his teacher recommended him for Reading Partners, a one-on-one literacy tutoring program for kids struggling with reading. Thankfully, Anthony’s school, Malcolm X Elementary in Ward 8, was one of two schools where Reading Partners’ program expanded significantly with the support of the City Fund just two years prior.

Anthony was about a year below grade level. When the site coordinator assessed him, she noticed that because he struggled to decode words, he would just skip over a word if he didn’t know it. He was quickly paired with two seasoned community tutors, Ms. Layla and Ms. Beth, who both had experience with shier students.

To help Anthony move past his shyness and gain more confidence, his tutors worked with their site coordinator to find ways to incorporate his own stories into the lessons. They figured if they could get him to talk about something he was really interested in, he might become more comfortable with them and therefore more comfortable reading aloud.

One day, Anthony was completing a normal lesson with Ms. Layla. The site coordinator was listening in on their session because they were always full of energy. After reading a book about butterflies, Anthony began asking Ms. Layla questions about the text just as she would have done. The site coordinator listened more closely and realized he was quizzing Ms. Layla specifically about the Monarch butterfly and was utilizing information from a previous session. She was so astounded at his confidence that she sat back in awe. Anthony went on to show Ms. Layla where in the text certain answers were and shared the information he previously learned.

This interaction showed that all his hard work had paid off. He was able to decode larger words, understand the text, and relate it to his own prior knowledge. This once shy student had developed into a now confident super reader that read literally everything on the walls as he walked the hallway with his site coordinator!

Reading Partners gave Anthony a place where he could move away from feeling like he might make a mistake, to where he had the courage and knowledge to correct a mistake. In the reading center, he could be himself. Now, in class, he is more inclined to raise his hand and readily speaks up. Anthony learned how to use the context clues in the text to better understand vocabulary words and no longer shies away from multisyllabic words. He is a much more fluent reader and now reads with expression.

Without Reading Partners, Anthony’s full potential might not have been realized. He would have continued to be afraid to read for fear of making a mistake and he most likely would have fallen even further behind.

If not for the literacy skills he acquired, Anthony also might not have discovered that he loves facts and that non-fiction books are his thing! And he might not have made new friends in Ms. Layla and Ms. Beth, who truly loved listening to his stories, no matter how tall. Their commitment to Anthony’s success contributed to the fact that he’s now on a path to a brighter future. I’m thrilled to share that Anthony finished the school year on grade level. He now understands that reading matters.

Reading matters because it is the foundation for all future learning. Yet nationwide, 80% of students from low-income households are not reading proficiently by fourth grade. In addition, not reading proficiently by the end of fourth grade makes students four times more likely to drop out of high school. Illiteracy in our country is an epidemic with serious consequences for our communities — but it’s a solvable problem. In fact, research shows that no one factor can so dramatically shape a person’s chance of success and well-being as learning to read.

Reading Partners is fully committed to strengthening our communities by working with students like Anthony. At Reading Partners, community tutors from all walks of life come together to share their love of reading and learning, empowering the next generation to succeed in school and in life. Anthony’s accomplishments are a great example of what can be achieved when a community comes together and encourages a child to excel.

In the words of his site coordinator, “Without Reading Partners, Anthony may not have blossomed into such a wonderful, brilliant student. He always has a tall tale and he can go on and on about these stories. I can see him writing a script for a children’s movie someday. When I think of Anthony, I think of the Monarch butterfly.”

*Names have been changed.

“Inner City Blues”: The Dual Reality of Building a Safer, Stronger DC

By Manon P. Matchett, Community Investment Officer, Greater Washington Community Foundation

As a proud and happy resident of the Hillsdale community for the past 15+ years, I have dutifully crossed the Anacostia River every day to travel to work. Most of that time has been spent working in philanthropy. The landscape has changed significantly these last few years.    

The optics of my commute change as I travel downtown. As I exit the Frederick Douglass bridge and drive past the new DC United Audi and the Washington Nationals stadiums on each side of me, I am reminded of how change has come, slowly and sometimes painfully. Neighborhoods that were crime-ridden and desolate are now thriving communities with quaint restaurants, trendy boutiques and high-rise luxury apartments. Streets have awoken from their coma with a promise never to sleep again. This is a new city hustle and bustle, that is energizing, even calming. Yet, not all communities are experiencing the region’s progress and prosperity in the same way.

The reality of the work that I do at The Community Foundation and how our focus on improving our communities personally affects me and my family has hit home in recent weeks. Within the last month, yellow crime tape has decorated my street. Shots were fired. On the street where my family lives. The most frightening experience was watching Metropolitan Police officers canvassing my block for bullet casings. I walked away after the twelfth marker was placed on the street. Last Sunday, a young man, with a bright future was gunned down on his way home from the corner store. I purposely drive in the opposite direction, so I do not have to see his deathbed – a small plot of bloodstained grass.

As a community leader, funder, convener and advocate, The Community Foundation has a long history of responding to urgent and emerging community challenges by addressing both short-term needs and creating long-term solutions. Most recently as the number of violent crimes committed in the District has surged, particularly in communities like mine which are located East of the River, I have participated in conversations with the philanthropic community, community-based organizations, and the District Government to identify ways we can contribute to and accelerate various violence prevention strategies. As a result of these conversations, The Community Foundation has mobilized the generosity of local funders to support the implementation of a pilot program that targets a small set of District neighborhoods using the Cure Violence methodology. While this program is just beginning to launch, I am heartened by the ongoing work of local community groups who are already offering a range of solutions to address violence prevention in our homes, in our schools, and in our communities.

In 2016, the Greater Washington Community Foundation assumed grantmaking for Mayor Bowser’s Safer, Stronger DC initiative. This was a targeted, place-based approach to meet the unique and varying needs of high crime neighborhoods. Since then, we have successfully conducted three grant rounds totaling $4 million to 95 organizations serving 13 Police Service Areas in Wards 1, 5, 7, and 8. I am immensely proud of what this portfolio of organizations is achieving.

Over the next few weeks, grantees from the City Fund Safer, Stronger DC portfolio will share their stories of how their respective organizations provide necessary safety-net, violence prevention and violence intervention services to some of the most vulnerable populations and under-resourced communities in the District. None of them will tell how grueling and sometimes discouraging their work can be. Many mask the pain of being unable to help everyone. Quite a few are still grieving the loss of life and potential of those they have served. Yet, all of them wake anew each day ready to start all over again filled with hope and courage.

My own commuting mentality is evolving. On good days, I am not just crossing the river, I am crossing a bridge. I am coming home to new residences, redeveloping commercial corridors and more options for shopping and dining. Despite all this, I make the journey home filled with anxiety and trepidation because I do not know what to expect. To ease my spirit, I hum the lyrics to “Inner City Blues” from the iconic and native Washingtonian Marvin Gaye. Some days “it makes me wanna holler and throw up both my hands.” My heart calms as I turn onto my street and see an MPD cruiser parked nearby. It is temporary solace knowing that my community has one more night of peace.

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Building A Safer, Stronger DC Blog Series

Building A Safer, Stronger DC is a new blog series featuring stories from grantees of the City Fund Safer, Stronger DC portfolio.

• A Monarch Butterfly Spreads His Wings, by Karen Gardner, Executive Director of Reading Partners

• Mentoring Matters, by Rev. Judie S. Martin, Executive Director, InnerCity Collaborative Community Development Corporation

• Defending Procedural Justice in DC, by Abigail Scott, Esq., Co-Director, Civil Protection Order Project of DC Law Students in Court

• We Are All About Community, by Lizzie Majewski, Director of Operations at Teens Run DC

• Art with Purpose, by Jessica Truitt, Deputy Director, Kid Power, Inc.

• Hope for the Girl in the Twirling Skirt, by Andrea Powell, Founder and Executive Director, FAIR Girls

Fund Combats Domestic Violence in Prince George's County

Photo provided by Community Advocates for Family & Youth

“We have seen a dramatic reduction in crime in Prince George’s County over the last decade, but some of the most horrific violent crimes that have occurred in recent years stem from domestic violence,” said Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III.

That is why in March 2017 the County Executive established the Domestic Violence Community Assistance Grant Fund to assist nonprofit organizations who are working on the front line to protect women and men from domestic violence.

“The effects of domestic violence are deep and long lasting,” said Jackie Rhone, Division Manager of the Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking Division of the County’s Department of Family Services. “When we know better we do better; through education, prevention and partnership we can end the cycle of abuse.”

Since its creation, the division has been working to address domestic violence in multiple ways – from education and prevention to direct services for survivors. For instance, says Rhone, her office implemented an evidence-based curriculum called “Safe Dates” that has been used in County middle schools, sponsored a series of men’s conferences on domestic violence and developed a partnership with House of Ruth Maryland and other nonprofits in the County.

The County’s Domestic Violence Community Assistance Fund was established at the Greater Washington Community Foundation with an initial contribution of $250,000 to provide annual grants and capacity building support to nonprofits to support enhanced services for individuals and families directly affected by domestic violence. The goal is to help families achieve a greater level of independence, strengthen families’ ability to cope with healing, and rebuild the family unit by helping to remove challenges to gaining self-sufficiency – such as providing legal services, counseling services, support groups, employment, training and housing.

“We are passionate about our work, but we quickly realized government can’t do this work alone,” said Elana Belon-Butler, Director of the Department of Family Services. “That’s why we collaborate with others such as the Greater Washington Community Foundation. The Community Foundation is a great partner because of their knowledge of both domestic violence and of our community needs. They also share our sense of urgency, accountability, follow through and reporting. These are things that can’t be minimalized.”

In 2017, some of the critical services that the Domestic Violence Community Assistance Fund supported included: public awareness campaigns that targeted certain areas heavily impacted by domestic violence; services to individuals and families directly affected by domestic violence; legal issues (protective orders), counseling and family services; emergency and basic needs to survivors as well as other kinds of wraparound supports. In 2018, the Domestic Violence Community Assistance Fund will include support for survivors of human trafficking. 

“Domestic violence can affect anyone – regardless of income, background or location,” says CAFY CEO Arleen Joell, who received a grant in the amount of $75,000 from the fund.

Community Advocates for Family & Youth (CAFY) supports victims of crimes in Prince George’s County – from those affected by breaking and entering crimes to family members who have lost a loved one to homicide. But the largest percentage of their clients – 52 percent – are victims of domestic violence. Those clients face multiple challenges. Thanks to the Domestic Violence Community Assistance Fund, nonprofits like CAFY are increasingly able to address those challenges with wraparound services such as legal and mental health services, security deposits, first month’s rent and transportation assistance.

For instance, CAFY recently helped a client who had a protective order and was in the process of moving to another city by putting her up in a hotel for several nights, paying to store her worldly possessions until she found a new job and place to live, and covering the cost of a U-Haul when she was ready to relocate. When another woman with a protective order needed her locks changed, CAFY took care of that critical need for her. They also provided legal counsel, so she could file for child custody and begin divorce proceedings. The client would not have been able to afford these costs on her own.

Desiree Griffin-Moore, Executive Director of The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County, points out that this is not the first time the Community Foundation has partnered with the County. The Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative Fund was established at The Community Foundation in 2014 by The Office of the Prince George's County Executive and Prince George’s County Public Schools to support community-based organizations providing quality free and/or affordable out-of-school time programming for youth and families. “We have a longstanding relationship with the County which has always valued our transparent, equitable process and our knowledge of the community,” she said.

Adds Jackie Rhone: “The work is easier when we don’t have to educate someone about the County and its demographics.”

“This is hands down one of the best partnerships Prince George’s County government has entered into,” adds Belon-Butler. 

Join us for a screening and discussion of America to Me on September 27 at 6 pm

The Greater Washington Community Foundation has partnered with Education Forward DC and the DC Public Education Fund to host a citywide screening and panel discussion of America to Me, a ten-part docu-series about race and equity in America’s public schools commissioned by Participant Media. Directed by Academy-Award nominee Steve James (Hoop Dreams, Life Itself, The Interrupters), the series follows a year in the life of students, teachers, and administrators at Oak Park and River Forest High School, a racially integrated high school near Chicago. 

Please join us on September 27 for the screening followed by a discussion with former U.S. Secretary of Education and CEO of Ed Trust, John King; Interim Chancellor of District of Columbia Public Schools, Amanda Alexander; former Washington, DC Deputy Mayor for Education, Abigail Smith; and series-featured student, Jada Buford.
 
You can find more information in the invitation below. Please RSVP by clicking here.