A Year in Review: Looking Back at the Top Milestones from 2023

2023 was a year full of milestones for The Community Foundation and our community of changemakers – from celebrating our 50th Anniversary at the National Museum of African American History & Culture, to launching the first guaranteed income program in Prince George’s County, to kick-starting a capital campaign for economic justice. Here are some of our most meaningful milestones from 2023.

Celebrating History, Hope & Healing at our 50th Anniversary Celebration of Philanthropy at the National Museum of African American History and Culture

On May 3rd, The Community Foundation hosted the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Philanthropy – celebrating 50 Years of History, Hope, and Healing in the Greater Washington region. Leading up to the celebration, The Community Foundation spotlighted the work of outstanding philanthropic leaders and donors over the course of our organization’s history – past, present, and future – including leaders like Peggy Cooper Cafritz, Vicki & Roger Sant, Bob Linowes, The Honorable Wayne Curry, and others.

Chief among these was our 2023 Spirit of Philanthropy Honoree, Terri Lee Freeman – the longest-serving and first Black female President and CEO of The Community Foundation from 1996-2014. We were delighted to celebrate her legacy during an unforgettable evening at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Convening Faith & Philanthropy to foster belonging and strengthen our region

In February, The Community Foundation expanded our dialogue with faith leaders by partnering with The Jewish Community Foundation and other faith leaders to discuss ways in which our region’s Black and Jewish communities can operate with greater alignment, solidarity, and allyship to address antisemitism, anti-Black racism, Islamophobia, and bigotry more broadly.

In June, The Community Foundation hosted the second annual Faith & Philanthropy Summit, which included a dialogue between Christian & Jewish faith leaders from across the region to help set a baseline understanding of reparative justice through the lens of faith traditions.

Looking to 2024, The Community Foundation remains committed to strengthening ties across our region’s vibrant and diverse faith community to foster belonging and build a stronger and more equitable region.

Together, We Prosper: Making a Stand for Economic Justice

In May 2023, The Community Foundation launched Together, We Prosper, a three-year campaign to jump-start our vision of economic justice and build permanent resources to ensure The Community Foundation’s ability to respond to today’s needs and tomorrow’s challenges.

In conjunction with the campaign, The Community Foundation hosted a series of webinars titled "In Pursuit of Economic Justice” – designed to bring together experts to explore innovative approaches to closing the racial wealth gap. The series featured national leaders in the guaranteed income movement and advocates for wealth building programs such as Children’s Saving’s Accounts.

Celebrating Tonia Wellons’ leadership in the greater washington region

In October, we were thrilled to celebrate our President & CEO, Tonia Wellons as she was named to the Washington Business Journal’s 2023 list of “Women Who Mean Business” and Washingtonian Magazine’s 2023 “Most Powerful Women in Washington” in recognition of her outstanding leadership and commitment to racial and economic justice. In honor of her achievements, members of our Board of Directors helped create a special tribute video to celebrate.

Health Equity Fund Celebrates One Year of Transformative Grantmaking

In October, The Community Foundation’s Health Equity Fund celebrated an exciting milestone – awarding more than $21 million in grants to 46 organizations in just 12 months. The fund recently announced a new grant round which aims to award at least twice that amount over the next 3 years – making it one of the most transformative impact funds in The Community Foundation’s history.

Announced in March 2022, The $95 Million Health Equity Fund is dedicated to closing gaps in healthcare as well as addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) that impact health outcomes including education, employment, income, housing, transportation, nutrition, environmental safety, medical care, culture and recreation, and more.

Celebrating Four Years of the Partnership to End Homelessness in DC

This year also marked the fourth anniversary of the Partnership to End Homelessness in DC. Since its launch, the Partnership has leveraged and aligned over $18 million in private sector resources. At the same time, advocacy efforts have resulted in over 4,000 permanent supportive housing vouchers to end homelessness for 3,106 individuals and 1,217 families.

In October, The Partnership hosted friends and supporters at the Festival Center in Northwest DC to discuss the initiative’s progress and hear from advocates and service providers. They also participated in a walking tour of the neighborhood, including several stops at affordable housing projects under development.

championing Philanthropy and economic justice in Prince George’s County

While The Community Foundation celebrated 50 years of impact in the Greater Washington region, it also celebrated the 25th anniversary of its local office in Prince George’s County. Since 1998, The Community Foundation and our fundholders are proud to have invested more than $65 million in Prince George’s County. In October, The Community Foundation gathered with outstanding nonprofit and civic leaders from across the county to celebrate at the 2023 Civic Leadership Awards at MGM National Harbor.

Three weeks later, The Community Foundation gathered again in Largo at the Wayne K. Curry Building to announce the launch of Thrive Prince George’s – the first-ever guaranteed income pilot in Prince George’s County.

The two-year, $4 million initiative will provide monthly payments of $800 to 50 youth (age 18-24) who have aged out of foster care and 125+ seniors (age 60+) for a 24-month period with no strings attached and no requirements tied to employment. Thrive Prince George’s is a public-private partnership that will leverage both public and private philanthropic resources from the Greater Washington Community Foundation, Prince George’s County Executive and Council, and the Meyer Foundation.

Celebrating a Legacy of Philanthropy in Montgomery County

On November 16th, donors and community partners across Montgomery County gathered for the annual Celebration of Giving.  The event included a moving memorial tribute to the Founding Executive Director of The Community Foundation in Montgomery County, Sally Rudney who passed away this year – as well as a report on the more than $9.5 million that The Community Foundation’s network of donors gave to nonprofits this past year.

The event also honored Mary Pat Alcus – the 2023 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year – for her outstanding contributions to philanthropy in Montgomery County.

Continuing Our Learning Journey at the DMV Community Book Group

Our quarterly DMV Community Book Group hosted several riveting discussions this past year that created invaluable space for conversations with community partners and fundholders around economic and social justice.

In March, we dove into the world of cooperative economics with Dr. Jessica Gordon-Nembhard, Professor at City University of New York and author of the book Collective Courage: The History of African American Economic Thought and Practice.

That was followed by a discussion of Rob Hopkins’ From What Is to What If: Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create the Future We Want.

We closed out the year in December with Jennifer Vanica, author of Courageous Philanthropy: Going Public in a Closely Held World, as together we explored how to promote sustainable, community-driven wealth building.

Building Community, Fostering Belonging & Sharing Prosperity at the 2023 Annual Meeting

In October, The Community Foundation hosted its 2023 Annual Meeting at the National Press Club. The event capped off another exciting year of growth and community impact for The Community Foundation and its donors and partners – which surpassed $1.7 billion in grantmaking.

The event included a panel discussion around fostering belonging and building community –an important topic that ties into The Community Foundation’s strategic vision and Together, We Prosper Campaign. The panel included Cat Goughnour Racial Equity Fellow at Prosperity Now and Bobby Milstein, Director of System Strategy for the Rippel Foundation.

Ceding Power and Seeding Community Wealth Building in DC Ward 7 & 8

This past year, The Community Foundation, JP Morgan Chase, and our nonprofit partners collaborated to invest in community wealth building in DC Ward 7 & 8.

In August, Martha’s Table announced the second round of grants through the Community Impact Fund, which provided $10,000 grants to high-impact organizations based in Ward 8. The Community Foundation and JP Morgan Chase partnered to match these initial grants through the Equitable Development Fund.

In October, The Community Foundation and JP Morgan Chase convened funders and nonprofit partners at the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization in Ward 7 to hear directly from community partners about the best ways to promote community wealth building and equitable development in DC Wards 7 & 8.

Book Group Recap: Courageous Philanthropy with Jennifer Vanica

What does Courageous Philanthropy look like?

For our December gathering of the quarterly DMV Community Book Group, that was the question of the hour, as we were joined by Jennifer Vanica, a 40-year veteran of philanthropy and community change, and author of Courageous Philanthropy: Going Public in a Closely Held World

“It is time to forge new, more courageous relationships between foundations and the communities we seek to serve,” Vanica shared. “When we no longer work to sustain our own points of view and work toward community ownership of change as accountable partners, we will discover that what endures is the fire of inspired action.”

In the late 1990s, Vanica was the CEO and President of the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation (JCNI), one of the lead organizers behind Market Creek Plaza Project in San Diego, California. The project has gained national acclaim for being one of the first neighborhood redevelopment projects in the US that was driven and owned by residents. From 1997 to 2005, more than 3,000 residents participated in teams to plan, design, build and lease the project which transformed a 20-acre industrial lot into a thriving commercial and cultural plaza. In her book, Vanica shares what she believes was key to the project’s success – mainly, a bold and intentional focus on listening and developing community ownership.

“Don’t do about me, without me,” Vanica recalled one resident sharing with her at a community meeting. “That was the mantra that drove our work.”

When asked what amenities should be included in the development project, Vanica says her organization supported residents as they went door-to-door, conducting more than 600 surveys with their fellow neighbors in four different languages. Their responses helped lay the blueprint for Market Creek Plaza – similar to the way that research initiatives like VoicesDMV have laid the foundation for The Community Foundation’s Strategic Vision and other initiatives.

Market Creek Plaza in San Diego, California includes one of the first grocery stores in the surrounding community, many minority-owned businesses, a cultural center, an open-air amphitheater, and other social amenities.

But Vanica says, for JCNI, the community involvement didn’t stop there. JCNI moved their offices to the neighborhood to be closer to residents. They met with around 200 local organizations, inviting various leaders to serve on committees for the project. They also went out of their way to include the diverse ethnic groups in the region by providing multiple translators for community meetings.

“Courage is what it takes to stand and speak,” Vanica shared. “But courage is also doing what it takes to create the space and environment to sit and listen.”

“If philanthropy has a job to act in the public interest, doesn’t it have an obligation to engage with and seek out the public interest?” Vanica asked.

“At JCNI, we consistently looked to residents to guide who was needed at the table and what kind of help would need to be provided in any given situation.”

Vanica says that the secret to success is to “protect the process” that prioritizes action and community engagement.

“If you’re going to cede decision-making control to the community, your process really matters,” Vanica shared. “Prioritizing participatory planning that is biased towards action; allowing people across different cultures to be involved and have a voice.”

Vanica explained that while the process of philanthropy ceding control of the planning process to community members seemed daunting, it ultimately led to the creation of a better project – allowing community members and developers access to untapped resources in the form of ideas and greater growth potential for the community.

For example, community members pointed out that – at the time – less than 2% of public works jobs in San Diego were awarded to minority contractors. By the end of the project, 69% of construction contracts were awarded to local minority-owned enterprises.

Community leaders share their experience working on the Market Plaza project in a video shared with the book group.

In addition, Vanica worked with a team of residents and attorneys to develop the nation’s first Community-Development Initial Public Offering – allowing residents to directly invest between $200-$10,000 in the project. As of 2009, 20% of the plaza was owned by local residents.

“As a premise of our democracy, those affected by decisions need a voice in those decisions,” Vanica explained. “And that demands that we let go of the idea that one group with power and privilege should try to stimulate social change without opening the door to the community.”

“In the foundation world, we wonder why things aren’t sustainable,” she added. “But if the assets are still sitting in our bank accounts or are only accessible through narrow parameters, it will never be sustainable. We have to be willing to let go of control.”

“We’re better together. Together, we have more endurance to face obstacles and become the most courageous versions of ourselves.”

The Community Foundation is excited to promote discussions and initiatives around innovative and courageous philanthropy that cedes power and seeds community wealth building. For more information, visit our website to learn about our Strategic Vision for Economic Justice and Together, We Prosper Campaign.

Click here to watch a full recording of the December 2023 DMV Community Book Group! For more information about the DMV Community Book Group, visit our website!

To C3 or Not to C3 – Helping Professional Advisors And Their Clients Maximize Charitable Impact

In early November, The Community Foundation gathered at the National Press Club for its Annual Professional Advisors Luncheon. Organized by The Community Foundation’s Professional Advisor Council, the event brings together professional advisors and financial planners from across the region to network and discuss important topics for them and their clients.

“As Professional Advisors, we play a critical role in helping our clients maximize their philanthropic impact,” Karen Wawrzaszek, Co-Chair of The Community Foundation’s Professional Advisor Council, shared. “The Community Foundation is an invaluable partner and resource to help us achieve the best possible outcome for our clients and community.”

The luncheon featured a panel of professional advisors and experts to discuss the various mediums donors can utilize to enhance their philanthropic impact.

“We have seen increasingly over the past few years that philanthropists want to move beyond just charity,” The Community Foundation’s President & CEO Tonia Wellons, who served as moderator for the discussion, shared. “Philanthropists are increasingly looking to get involved in advocacy and more permanent solutions that can lead to systems change.”

“Philanthropy is no longer an extra,” Scott Jackson, President & CEO of Global Impact, shared. “Philanthropy can lead and drive change – and donors want to be a part of it.”

Established in 1956, Global Impact is a nonprofit that works with international charities based in the United States. Originally organized as a 501 c(3), Jackson says the organization recently expanded, to launch a 501 c(4)  because of this shifting trend in donor engagement regarding system change work.

“If you look at the latest Giving Tuesday Data, 60% of philanthropy is no longer going to traditional nonprofits,” Jackson shared. “It’s going to coalitions, community foundations, and 501 c(4)’s.”

“Donors – especially younger donors – are increasingly looking for change. They want organizations that are movement builders and advocates – something that we didn’t feel we could do effectively under the 501 c(3) status. So we made the transition.”

Global Impact’s move reflects a conversation that many professional advisors say their clients are raising, as many look to move beyond traditional DAFs (donor-advised funds) for new avenues to make a deeper impact, including establishing their own 501 c(3) or c(4) as a channel for their philanthropic impact.

““If your clients want extra help transitioning
from being charitable and making contributions
to being philanthropic and making a difference,
a community foundation is a great place for them.””

— Jeff Hammond

“What we’re seeing from our clients is that if you want to change the world, you have to use all your tools,” Bridgette Weiss, Partner at Arnold & Porter, shared. “We’re seeing folks be much more adventurous than they were in the past.”                                                

While most 501 c(3)’s are set up for specific charitable purposes, 501 c(4)’s have a broader purpose of promoting social welfare – which allows them more freedom and flexibility to do things like lobbying, political campaigning, and education around public policy.

However, Weiss shared, there are plenty of trade-offs. Unlike 501 c(3)’s, contributions to 501 c(4) organizations are not tax deductible. In addition, operating a 501 c(4) requires more infrastructure to ensure that the organization complies with IRS regulations.

“There is no ‘one-size fits all’ solution. It all comes down to your clients’ personal goals,” Weiss added. “What is their comfort with risk tolerance, deductibility, disclosure, and compliance?”

“Don’t be afraid to be creative in finding the best structures for your client,” she added. “There’s a lot of opportunities to have real impact. It’s all about exploring the available tools within each structure to find what feels best for your client’s needs and interests.”

Jeff Hammond, Vice President at Van Scoyoc Associates (VSA) – a leading lobbyist and government affairs firm – suggested that partnering with a community foundation is a great place to start. Hammond has over a decade of experience lobbying on behalf of philanthropic organizations and individuals – including The Community Foundation.

“If your client wants to get involved in advocacy, but they can’t do all the administrative work that advocacy requires, The Community Foundation can help,” Hammond shared – pointing out that most wealthy individuals may not have the capacity to run a private foundation or 501 c(4).  “Unlike private foundations, community foundations are public foundations, so they have more flexibility to lobby around issues important to donors and their communities. They also have years of experience and relationships with the communities they serve that can provide donors with a direct conduit to making a significant impact.”

Hammond pointed out that community foundations have become increasingly involved in advocacy nationally. This is partly due to a post-pandemic leadership shift, as Boards for many of the top 60 community foundations in the country have hired more CEOs from the nonprofit sector, as opposed to those from traditional philanthropic backgrounds. The result is that community foundations are becoming more community-focused and mission-driven, with a growing focus on direct advocacy and policy change.

“There’s a trend I’m seeing on Capitol Hill,” Hammond shared. “Staff on the Hill are starting to recognize what Community Foundations are and the power they have to promote change in their communities.”

“If your clients want extra help transitioning from being charitable and making contributions to being philanthropic and making a difference, a community foundation is a great place for them.”

The Community Foundation’s Professional Advisor Councilhelps connect estate planning attorneys, wealth advisors and financial professionals with the resources and information they need to help their clients maximize their philanthropic impact and achieve their goals. For more information, visit our website or read how partnering with The Community Foundation can enhance your client’s philanthropy.

Investing in Community-Driven Solutions in Montgomery County

Members of The Community Foundation’s Montgomery County Advisory Board, staff, and Sharing Montgomery donors recently visited with key community partners in Germantown to learn how our grantmaking is helping them to advance meaningful change.

“Over the past several years, The Community Foundation and our donors have made large and multiyear contributions to support community-driven solutions in Montgomery County,” shared Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for The Community Foundation in Montgomery County. “Today we’re excited to meet with some of our partners to hear about the impact of their work to date, what they have learned in the process, and the top priorities guiding them now. 

The first stop was at Watkins Mill High School, where the group heard from students and administrators about how nonprofit partners are stepping up to address learning delays exacerbated by pandemic and the lingering mental health challenges many continue to face today.

“We have close to 1,600 students here at Watkins Mill,” shared Principal Vilma Najera. “Almost two-thirds of them come from economically disadvantaged households.”

“There’s a lot of care that our students need – and as educators, we are sometimes stuck with trying to find challenging solutions to systemic problems – that’s where our nonprofit partners and philanthropy step in to fill the gaps.”

“We need an environment where we can feel safe to dream bigger,” shared Rosaline, a Senior at Watkins Mill. She and her classmate Sam shared their experiences, as students who entered High School when schools were operating virtually during the COVID era.

“Having a community is a huge part of our success,” Sam added. “We need that foundation of people that we can trust and rely on to inspire us.”

Sam and Rosaline were followed by a panel of nonprofit leaders from The Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence and CollegeTracks – two nonprofit organizations that have become an integral advocates for improved access to education and opportunity for students across Montgomery County. (Both organizations are recent recipients of $100,000 multiyear grants through Sharing Montgomery.)

“The situation for Black, Brown, and low-income students in Montgomery County was already extremely challenging,” Diego Uriburu, co-founder of the Black and Brown Coalition and Identity, Inc shared. “The pandemic made things a lot worse.”

Uriburu shared how Black, Brown, and low-income students and their families often lack key resources such as early childhood education and other supports equip kids with the academic foundation needed for success.  Ultimately, barriers to those resources contribute to the ‘achievement gap’ between Black, Brown, and low-income students and their more affluent peers.   One alarming example shared was data from recent state assessments shows that only a third of Black and Brown students in MCPS are proficient in reading and English language by third grade.   Most people do not realize that after third grade, strong reading skills become increasing essential for all classes, including math and science.  Therefore, without strategic interventions, students who are not reading on grade level can find themselves falling further and further behind their peers.

“Our mission is empower more students and their families to advocate for their educational needs,” shared Byron Johns, Co-Founder of the Black and Brown Coalition and Chair of the NAACP Montgomery County Education Committee. One of the Black & Brown Coalition’s top recommendations is for the creation of an early warning system to help parents understand when their students are at-risk of not hitting key educational milestones.

“The only force capable of breaking the achievement gap is for all of us to work together with Black and Brown parents to step up,” Wylea Chase, Director of Operations and Community Engagement at the Black and Brown Coalition added. “There’s a cost to doing the work that we do; but there’s an even larger cost to NOT doing it.”

The Black and Brown Coalition has also advocated to support teachers and administrators to ensure that they get the resources and support they need.

“We need to provide care and support before we can provide instructions and learning,” shared Mecha Inman, President and CEO of CollegeTracks. “If we’re not creating the environment for students to succeed, they won’t.”

“That’s why organizations like CollegeTracks and the Black and Brown Coalition are advocating and implementing much-needed changes in our education system so we can create that climate where all students – especially Black and Brown students – can succeed and thrive.”

Like the Black and Brown Coalition, CollegeTracks has worked hard to create an environment where students can succeed and pursue their dreams. The organization partners with five high schools across Montgomery County (including Watkins Mill) to provide career and higher education coaching to more than 9,000 students – of which, 99% have been admitted to at least one college or technical school.

“Last year we served 22 percent more students than the year before,” Inman shared. “The desire and interest for this program is growing rapidly – but the resources are finite.”

“If college and career readiness is the goal, the system needs to acknowledge the changes that need to happen to make that dream a reality. We need more advocacy and we need more investment.”

After the classroom, donors and partners headed to the Middlebrook Trailer Park – a trailer community of more than 200 families, where they heard from Grace Rivera-Oven, member of the Montgomery County School Board and Founder & CEO of the Upcounty Hub.

Rivera-Oven and the Upcounty Hub’s staff and volunteers have been advocating for the needs of low-income, immigrant communities for years. At the height of the pandemic, they leveraged grants from The Community Foundation’s Food for Montgomery Fund and other partners to provide food for 2,000 families a week. They also partnered with clinics to provide much-needed vaccines and other medical services to residents. Residents credit the sustained community involvement for a wave of positive changes to the community, including a 70% drop in crime.

However, even in a ‘post-pandemic’ world, Rivera-Oven says the need for continued advocacy for this community has never been greater.

“People were suffering before the pandemic because we chose not to see them,” Rivera-Oven shared. “While we’ve made a lot of progress, there’s still many needs that need to be met.”

Many of these needs are being raised by the residents themselves, who have banded together to advocate and push for solutions. Together, they’ve advocated for issues including pedestrian safety for children and fair billing practices from utility companies.

“Sometimes you have to try new things and have faith in your community,” one resident shared. “Thank you for enabling us to come together and strengthen ours.”

Sharing Montgomery and The Community Foundation in Montgomery County are dedicated to investing in community-driven solutions for positive change. For more information on how to get involved, contact Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for Montgomery County, at [email protected]

Prince George’s County Launches its First-Ever Guaranteed Income Program

Today, The Community Foundation is excited to announce the launch of Thrive Prince George’s, a two-year, $4 million guaranteed-income pilot that seeks to provide greater economic stability and mobility for families in the region. The program, which is spearheaded by the Greater Washington Community Foundation, Prince George’s County Executive and Council, and the Meyer Foundation, will provide monthly payments of $800 to 50 youth (age 18-24) who have aged out of foster care and 125+ seniors (age 60+) for a 24-month period with no strings attached and no requirements tied to employment.

“Studies have shown that modest guaranteed basic income pilots can decrease poverty by as much as 40%,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “We strongly believe that this program will improve the lives of many in Prince George’s County and will reduce the racial wealth gap in a way that makes it viable for the county to consider providing guaranteed basic income for years to come.” 

While several pilots are currently operating around the region – including in Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, DC, and Montgomery County – this is the first guaranteed income program to exclusively serve residents of Prince George’s County. The $4 million pilot is funded using both public and private philanthropic resources, with participating partners each contributing $1 million to the program.

"This initiative is an innovative example of how we find solutions through public-private partnerships," said Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. "Thanks to this collaborative pilot program, we're weaving a stronger social fabric and empowering people to pursue their aspirations with dignity and resilience."

Guaranteed income programs have proven to be one of the most promising approaches to increasing financial stability. The positive impact of guaranteed income has been studied for decades, with evidence indicating that monthly cash payments can reduce income volatility and support recipients in attaining full-time employment, greater housing stability, improved health outcomes, and more

“I’ve championed the guaranteed basic income program for years because I know it provides an opportunity to tackle poverty and create better quality of life for our residents,” said County Council Member Krystal Oriadha. “My hope is with more jurisdictions moving to implement programs like this, we will see an investment at the state and federal level that will allow these pilots to become permanent. I am excited about partnering with organizations like the Greater Washington Community Foundation to make this dream a reality.”

The Community Foundation will administer the pilot program as part of its Together, We Prosper Campaign for Economic Justice, which is focused on investing in economic strategies that will increase economic mobility to help close the region’s racial wealth gap.

It has also partnered with Court Appointed Special Advocate Prince George’s County (CASA) and United Communities Against Poverty (UCAP), two community-based organizations in Prince George’s County that will lead the recruitment, selection, and onboarding of participants, distribute cash payments, and provide optional benefits counseling to ensure existing safety net services are not compromised by participation in this income-boosting pilot. Other partners include Prince George’s County Department of Social Services, which provides stable environments for at-risk children and adults, Prince George’s ChangeMakers, who has long advocated for the adoption of a guaranteed income program in Prince George’s County, and Capital Area Asset Builders, who works to create opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals in the region.

“The Meyer Foundation has enthusiastically supported a growing number of guaranteed basic income pilots in our region,” said George L. Askew, MD, President and CEO of the Meyer Foundation. “Pilot programs like this one are consistent with our mission to pursue and invest in solutions that build an equitable Greater Washington community. We’re proud to be supporting this work in Prince George’s County – an area that has experienced continued growth, but where support for residents facing the most significant social, economic, and health challenges remains critical. These public-private partnerships help bring economic justice closer to reality.” 

The Community Foundation will measure how the economic status of participants improves over time and plans to design and implement an evaluation program that balances quantitative and qualitative measures that have historically demonstrated client progress and program viability. For more information about Thrive Prince George’s, visit www.thecommunityfoundation.org/thrive-prince-georges

For those interested in supporting Thrive Prince George’s and other Guaranteed Income Initiatives in our region, click here!

Tackling Hunger and Homelessness in the Greater Washington Region

November 11-18 is National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week — a time to raise awareness of those in our community who lack the basic needs of food and shelter heading into the holiday months.

In recognition of those in our community who struggle with chronic homelessness and food insecurity, during the month of November, The Community Foundation is highlighting experiences from some of our partners working to increase access to affordable housing and nutritious food for our community.

• DC Central Kitchen

  1) Briefly describe the mission of your organization and the services you provide to help those struggling with chronic homelessness or food insecurity in the Greater Washington region.

  As the nation's first and leading community kitchen, DC Central Kitchen uses food as a tool to strengthen bodies, empower minds, and build communities. We prepare 11,000 nutritious meals a day for our community while creating living-wage jobs and enduring careers for our neighbors who have experienced food insecurity, homelessness, and incarceration via our acclaimed Culinary Job Training program.

  2) What do you find most meaningful about the work that you do for those struggling with chronic homelessness or food insecurity in the Greater Washington region? What are you most proud of?

  We bring healthy, dignified food where it is most needed while employing 130 graduates of our Culinary Job Training program to lead and guide this work -- with industry leading benefits and living wages. Our graduates have overcome systemic barriers to employment and now are responsible for serving award-winning healthy school meals, empowering corner stores to become reliable sources of fresh, affordable produce, supporting local farmers, and training the next generation of culinary talent. We are most proud of this "leadership cycle" that takes on the root cause of hunger: poverty.

  3) As a nonprofit partner, tell us about how funding that you’ve received that has helped you achieve this?

  As a social enterprise, we earn half of our budget by serving scratch-cooked school meals, wholesaling affordable produce to small corner stores, and operating three cafes city-wide, but philanthropy makes our innovative solutions to hunger and poverty possible. Grants through the GWCF have allowed us to increase our trauma-informed, comprehensive social services for culinary students, invest more resources in local farmers, open the nation's most ambitious community kitchen and urban food hub in Southwest DC, and provide millions of emergency meals in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  4) What do you wish that more people understood about those struggling with chronic homelessness or food insecurity in the Greater Washington region?

  Food alone will never end hunger. Hunger-fighting organizations cannot measure our progress in fighting food insecurity through the pounds of charitable food we distribute. Answers to hunger must also reflect our success in unleashing the power of food to improve health, create jobs, and build a more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive food system.

• Sasha Bruce Youthwork

  1) Briefly describe the mission of your organization and the services you provide to help those struggling with chronic homelessness or food insecurity in the Greater Washington region.

  For nearly 50 years, Sasha Bruce Youthwork has been providing services to an often-overlooked population experiencing homelessness in the Greater Washington region - young people who are on their own. Our goal is to prevent chronic homelessness by addressing the factors that lead to homelessness before they become entrenched. Our 25 programs provide direct and preventive services for more than 5,000 young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Washington, DC, and Prince George's County.

  2) What do you find most meaningful about the work that you do for those struggling with chronic homelessness or food insecurity in the Greater Washington region? What are you most proud of?

  The most meaningful aspect of our work in the Greater Washington region is the historic and ongoing impact Sasha Bruce Youthwork has on calling attention to the plight of young people experiencing homelessness. We are incredibly proud of our services tailored to the needs of young people ages 18 to 24. While legally adults, these young people are still very much in transition.

  3) As a nonprofit partner, tell us about how funding that you’ve received that has helped you achieve this?

  The Community Foundation of Greater Washington has been an invaluable partner throughout history, helping achieve our mission. The Foundation administers giving for some of our top individual donors and foundation funds. Ongoing grants through The Community Foundation’s fundholders provide critical support for our Barracks Row Drop-In Center. Regular visits to a Drop-In Center are frequently the first step for a homeless or unstably housed young person to move toward family reunification or stable and supportive housing. This support ensures that we can fully staff our Center and provide all the resources needed to help vulnerable youth. The Community Foundation’s Fund for Children, Youth, and Families has also been instrumental over the last few years at Promise Place, our emergency youth shelter in Prince George’s County allowing us to hire a case manager, an essential position for helping homeless youth achieve self-sufficiency.

  4) What do you wish that more people understood about those struggling with chronic homelessness or food insecurity in the Greater Washington region?

  We wish for greater awareness of youth experiencing homelessness in our region. Homeless young people often manage to stay below the radar for a long time. They move between friends’ and relatives’ homes and sometimes stay in abandoned buildings. It can be difficult for them to admit they need help and to seek assistance. They are often homeless because the adults in their lives have mistreated them. Greater awareness of these youth and an understanding that they may need a lot of support to even admit they are homeless is critical. The more visibility organizations like Sasha Bruce Youthwork have, the more people will know about the needs of youth experiencing homelessness and the services available to them.

• Miriam's Kitchen

  1) Briefly describe the mission of your organization and the services you provide to help those struggling with chronic homelessness or food insecurity in the Greater Washington region.

  Miriam's Kitchen is dedicated to helping DC reach its goal of ending all chronic homelessness. We are thrilled with the impact of collective advocacy we help lead through The Way Home Campaign. Together 110+ agencies and 7,000 individual supporters have helped bring about important systems changes and increased city investment in proven best practices like Housing First/Permanent Supportive Housing.

  Aside from system level work, Miriam's Kitchen operates four programs that together provide a variety of direct services. Every weekday morning and evening our chefs serve a made-from-scratch meal--about 83,000 meals over the last year. Our Street Outreach program covers half of DC's geographic area to connect people living on the street or in shelters to essential services they. Our Permanent Supportive Housing program supports 320 people who used to live without the security of a home, but now have apartments. Our Social Services team staffs a drop-in center open every weekday morning and afternoon to connect clients (we call them guests) to medical care, mental health support, housing assistance and the income help they need to reach their goals.

  At the core of our work is our guests who have a seat at the decision-making table. They are equal partners in our strategic planning, serve in important advisory roles, fill paid positions as an Advocacy Fellow, speak alongside staff members at local, regional and national conferences, and help guide The Way Home Campaign from seats on the Steering Committee.

  2) What do you find most meaningful about the work that you do for those struggling with chronic homelessness or food insecurity in the Greater Washington region? What are you most proud of?

  We are proud of the high-quality services we provide AND that we were open every weekday during the pandemic except one (Inauguration Day) during which we had to close to protect our guests from threats posted on the Internet.

  3) As a nonprofit partner, tell us about how funding that you’ve received that has helped you achieve this?

  Funding from the Partnership to End Homelessness has helped us make great strides in advocacy and systems change. Together we have 1) pushed forward unprecedented investments in Permanent Supportive Housing, 2) taken initial steps on changing the narrative around homelessness 3) increased local investment and help expand Medicaid funding which will reduce the cost of Permanent Supportive Housing by about 20%, 4) achieved system improvements to address some of the hurdles in implementing the voucher investments and 5) helped win approval for a much-needed non-congregate shelter in Ward 2 against strong opposition.

  With support from the Community Foundation (and from other important private investors) we have been able to field a four-person Advocacy team (building to five this year) to lead collective advocacy through The Way Home Campaign. We will broaden our work in 2023 to address some of the root causes of homelessness and continue the important narrative change.

  4) What do you wish that more people understood about those struggling with chronic homelessness or food insecurity in the Greater Washington region?

  Homelessness is not caused by addiction, mental illness, or lack of family support. Those are risk factors that make it harder for some people to work their way out of homelessness, but they are not causes. Housing is too expensive and even people working full time jobs often can't afford to live here because of rapidly rising rents and increased cost of living. Structural reasons like systemic inequality and discrimination are some of the root causes of homelessness.

• Hope and a Home

  1) Briefly describe the mission of your organization and the services you provide to help those struggling with chronic homelessness or food insecurity in the Greater Washington region.

  Hope and a Home’s mission is to empower low-income families with children in D.C. to create stable homes of their own and to make lasting changes in their lives. Our mandate is to break the cycle of poverty for qualified families through the programs and services we offer.

  Recognizing the extremely negative impact on the wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities that result from homelessness, Hope and a Home’s programs implement the best practices of a housing-first model coupled with proven, multi-generational programs to confront the root causes of homelessness. Hope and a Home’s 19 transitional housing units in Washington, DC are rented to homeless and extremely low-income families with children at subsidized rates while families participate in Hope and a Home’s robust, multi-phased program, consisting of Phase I: Transitional Housing, Phase II: Independent Housing, the Grace Dickerson Higher Education Program (GDHE), and the Mary Jo Schumacher Nutrition Security Program.

  2) What do you find most meaningful about the work that you do for those struggling with chronic homelessness or food insecurity in the Greater Washington region? What are you most proud of?

  The most meaningful part of the work Hope and Home provides is seeing the growth of the parents and families Hope and Home works with. Our two-generation approach focuses on meeting the needs of both children and parents, providing parents access to quality education and financial literacy opportunities while also supporting children's development and educational needs. Families that come to Hope and a Home with little hope, leave the housing program after three years of intensive support thriving mentally, physically, and economically – not only because of the support Hope and Home provides but also through the hard and diligent work that parents and children engage in to build strong foundations for success. They also have the confidence that, when hard times inevitably come, they remain connected to the education, nutrition, and other supportive programming that Hope and a Home provides for as long as necessary. Hope and a Home is proud of its dedicated staff, who remain a constant source of support for each adult and child throughout their academic journey and is proud of the work that these families do to build new pathways to a permanent exit from homelessness.

  3) As a nonprofit partner, tell us about how funding that you’ve received that has helped you achieve this?

  Hope and a Home is grateful for the funding partners who make possible our work supporting low-income families with children in Washington, DC to create stable homes of their own and to make lasting changes in their lives. Support from Hope and Home’s partners ensures that Hope and Home can remain committed to operating the two-generation model that works to address the systemic causes of poverty and homelessness for families living in Washington DC. Becuase Hope and a Home provides services to families even after they have transitioned out of Hope and Home’s transitional housing, funds from our partners have been critical in ensuring that Hope and a Home can support families if they return for additional supportive services.

  Importantly, support from Hope and a Home’s partners has afforded Hope and a Home the ability to remain responsive to the needs of families experiencing homelessness which continues to be a critical element in Hope and a Home’s ability to support families as they build the foundation to transition from transitional to market-rate housing. In FY2023, Hope and a Home focused efforts on supporting families as they continued to be disproportionately impacted by post-pandemic pressures and increasing inflation. Even as emergency pandemic support has abated, Hope and a Home has been able to increase support for the Mary Jo Schumacher Nutrition Security Program to ensure families continue to receive nutritional, fresh foods.

  Hope and a Home has also been able to continue working to support our students who are recovering academically from the pandemic-mandated school closures and subsequent changes in school routines.

  4) What do you wish that more people understood about those struggling with chronic homelessness or food insecurity in the Greater Washington region?

  We wish more people, organizations, and stakeholders understood the multi-dimensional, multi-layered, and multi-generational challenges that families experiencing homelessness in the greater Washington area are met with. We also wish more people understood the opportunity that we have to strengthen our community, as we invest in the long-term well-being and success of these families.

  Research shows that getting people housed saves tax-payer dollars; improves education outcomes for young people, increases the likelihood that they will not experience homelessness in adulthood to mitigate further costs of homelessness; and reduces the cost and pressures on healthcare systems, among others.

  Investment is more than getting people housed. Investment means supporting individuals and families to develop the skills and foundation necessary to maintain economic stability and improved well-being. By investing in families and individuals experiencing homelessness, we can ensure that all people can experience the stability necessary for overall well-being and contribute to developing stronger communities.

• People for Fairness Coalition

  1) Briefly describe the mission of your organization and the services you provide to help those struggling with chronic homelessness or food insecurity in the Greater Washington region.

  Our Mission is to end housing instability with outreach Peer Mentoring and Advocacy by advocating on behalf of those who haven't found their voice yet. Speaking before Dc Council. Leading a women's initiative of women with lived experience although challenging it has been rewarding

  2) What do you find most meaningful about the work that you do for those struggling with chronic homelessness or food insecurity in the Greater Washington region? What are you most proud of?

  Being their voice and doing what we can to change the stigma around mental health and homelessness so society at large will see the unhoused population as human beings with a back story and helping those who engage with documents and resources to get housing.

  3) As a nonprofit partner, tell us about how funding that you’ve received that has helped you achieve this?

  The Rhonda Whitaker Streets to life DC Women's Initiative was birthed through the Waldons Adams Justice Grant bringing about racial equity and allowing unhoused women to have a seat at the table with real time info to become their own best advocates

  4) What do you wish that more people understood about those struggling with chronic homelessness or food insecurity in the Greater Washington region?

  That people who struggle with chronic homelessness are human and have a back story and just need someone to believe in them and treat them with dignity and respect so.they can see themselves in a different light thanks to the support of consistent people in their lives.

2023 Celebration of Giving - Celebrating Mary Pat Alcus, 2023 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year

On November 16th, donors and community partners across Montgomery County gathered for the annual Celebration of Giving.  This year’s event kicked off with a moving memorial tribute to the Founding Executive Director of The Community Foundation in Montgomery County, Sally Rudney, and reflections on how her incredible legacy continues to inspire our work.  Anna Hargrave, Executive Director, then reported that The Community Foundation’s network of donors gave over $9.5 million to organizations in Montgomery County last year.  She also shared the early progress of The Community Foundation’s Together, We Prosper campaign which seeks to grow opportunity and build a community where everyone has what they need to thrive.

“For inspiration on how to set and achieve big goals, we can look to our 2023 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year, Mary Pat Alcus,” Hargrave said. “Time and time again, her generosity and leadership have been game-changing for vital organizations across the county.”

Friends, family, and community partners joined in saluting Mary Pat as a catalytic leader who combines her financial acumen, strategic thinking, and generous support to help vital organizations achieve major breakthroughs for our community.

Through a fireside chat with President & CEO, Tonia Wellons, Mary Pat shared how her parents instilled the importance of education early on.  She then reflect on how her local philanthropic journey began shortly after she and her husband, Darren, moved to Potomac, MD with their two children, Claire and Colin.  Wanting to get more involved in their new home, the entire family became active leaders in kid-led giving circles through The Community Foundation. Mary Pat joined The Community Foundation’s Montgomery County Advisory Board and its Grants Committee for Sharing Montgomery, the flagship grantmaking initiative which supports high-impact nonprofits working on the frontlines of the county’s most pressing challenges.  Between the giving circles and her leadership with The Community Foundation, Mary Pat quickly learned about the needs across our community and supported visionary organizations helping low-income residents pursue pathways out of poverty.

After reflecting on where the community’s needs matched their deepest passions, Mary Pat and Darren decided to focus on helping children and youth to pursue their dreams.  She was drawn to join the Board of Horizons Greater Washington which provides academic enrichment to empower low-income children to succeed in school and beyond.  She also joined the Montgomery College Foundation Board shortly after she and Darren created scholarships to help promising students pursue higher education.  All the while, she continued to take on more leadership roles with The Community Foundation including joining the Board of Trustees and chairing its Investment Committee. 

Professionally, Mary Pat is an institutional investment advisor and a Chartered Financial Analyst with over 30 years of experience advising foundations, endowments, corporate, and public pensions in the areas of investment strategy, investment policy development, manager selection, and performance monitoring.  She explained how, as a philanthropist, she loves leveraging her professional expertise to help her favorite nonprofits grow so they can make a deeper impact.

“Time, talent treasure—that combination for me, that nexus of all three is what has helped fuel what I do,” Mary Pat explained. 

Inspired by Mary Pat’s philanthropic leadership, Craig & Pat Ruppert and Cliff & Debbie White teamed up to offer a $50,000 challenge match for the Sharing Montgomery Endowment —an initiative that Mary Pat has long championed. Contributions to the Endowment enable The Community to “keep giving” to the community in perpetuity by offering a stream of more stable, game-changing investments to nonprofit organizations. Thanks to the Ruppert and White families, the impact of endowment gifts will be doubled (up to $50,000). (To help us make the match, you can make a gift online today or contact us for other giving options!)

On behalf of the thousands of lives touched by her leadership and generosity, we congratulate Mary Pat on being named the 2023 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year. We know her example will continue to inspire others to discover the powerful difference we each can make when we commit to making our community stronger for all.

Additional information about our 2023 Philanthropist of the Year is available the Bethesda Magazine Article and in our Celebration program booklet linked below.