Liberation for All

On Tuesday, April 30, The Community Foundation is hosting the 2024 Health Equity Summit - With Equity & Economic Justice For All at Riverside Church. Click here to Register!

Editor’s Note: In this guest post, Dr. Marla Dean, Senior Director of the Health Equity Fund shares her point of view on what health equity for all means to her and why it’s important for funders and community partners to come together on this issue.

As a Detroit native, I am proud that my late Congressman John Conyers (D-Detroit) introduced a reparations bill into Congress every year since 1989. He did this for nearly 30 years until he retired from Congress. Many towns, and even a state or two, have reparation taskforces. A very few have distributed some form of reparations to the descendants of those who were enslaved, faced Jim Crow, and suffered under de facto segregation. The point is the call for reparations ain’t new.

I have always had a marginal relationship with the call for reparations. I have never spoken against them, but I have also thought they would never happen in my lifetime. Completely understanding that reparations are the only true remedy to make my people whole, I thought of reparations like my 98-year-old grandmother thought of a Black president: it could never happen in her lifetime. But it did.

So, I kept my eye on reparations, while preferring to work on issues that seemed closer in proximity and had a greater probability of being solved like poverty, racism, and sexism. And as I watched from my side eye, the movement gained momentum. I even had the audacity to attend a symposium co-hosted by Harvard Public Health Magazine and Harvard’s FXB Center for Health and Human Rights titled, Can Reparations Close the Racial Health Gap? There I learned that if African Americans had the same health outcomes as our white peers there would literally be 8 million more African Americans alive today in these United States of America. This is when and where I decided that reparations were a matter of life and death, and I would no longer have a marginal relationship with the call for them.

Then, I learned that white DC slaveowners were the only class of people to receive reparations from the federal government for slavery through The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862. President Lincoln signed the bill into law on April 16, freeing enslaved people in the District and compensating owners up to $300 for each freed person. This act maintained the wealth of the slaveholders and left all the formerly enslaved barren except for a few.

One such man was Gabriel Coakley. Coakley, a former slave, was able to purchase his family from their white slaveholders. And because he technically owned them at the time of the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862, he was one of the rare Black people who received reparations. From his “windfall of riches,” he was able to set his family on a path to intergenerational wealth that holds until today.

Imagine if all the formerly enslaved had the same opportunity that Coakley did. What would be our collective lot today?  Would there be an 81:1 racial wealth gap? Would there be 8 million more African American souls walking around this country? Would our health outcomes mirror those of our white peers? Would we all be free from the shackles of oppression? The opportunities and possibilities are endless.

That is why it’s all the more important for us to accelerate the push for reparations. Because our pursuit for liberation for all can only be realized when we all are free, and reparations have been made and paid.

For more on the story of Gabriel Coakley, listen to MSNBC’s Trymaine Lee’s Podcast:   “Uncounted Millions: The Power of Reparations.” 22 February 2024, MSNBC.com. https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc-podcast/uncounted-millions-take-s-owed-rcna139059

Health Equity For All

On Tuesday, April 30, The Community Foundation is hosting the 2024 Health Equity Summit - With Equity & Economic Justice For All at Riverside Church. Click here to Register!

Editor’s Note: In this guest post, Dr. Marla Dean, Senior Director of the Health Equity Fund shares her point of view on what health equity for all means to her and why it’s important for funders and community partners to come together on this issue.

I remember that one day in September of 1978 as clearly as I remember summers in my hometown of Detroit. Detroit summers are something to behold. It is a musical city, and more diverse than most imagine. Each weekend, a vibrant ethnic festival takes place downtown at Hart Plaza. Each festival honors an ethnic group’s culture, and they all are pregnant with the promises of equity, justice, and liberation.

My memories of the 17th of September, three short days after my ninth birthday, shine above even those captivating celebrations. On that day, tears streamed down my face as I witnessed the signing of the Camp David Peace Accords on television, and I thought Middle East Peace was imminent between the Jews and Arabs who form two major communities in my hometown.

On that day, I first understood something about my life’s purpose: I was put on this Earth to advocate for all people’s liberation, but specifically for my own people, descendants of unknown African lands. I carried this level of intensity through every stage of my life - high school, college, work, community, and marriage - until a day I can’t remember well where I nearly lost my memories and my purpose.

The details escape me, but in 2016 I suffered a stroke at work. I did not know what was wrong, but I did know something was not right. Riding in an Uber to the hospital here in DC, I could not quite figure it out. “What is happening to me?” I wondered. My husband rushed to the hospital to be by my side. Eventually, I was discharged without a diagnosis. Both of us have college educations, yet we were unable to receive the care and information everyone deserves in a city as wealthy as DC. Immediately, I found a neurologist who diagnosed and cared for me, but I was never given an exact cause for my stroke, except for stress. After this experience, I understood medical inequity is stressful, and it can even kill (Szabo).

I carry the stress of a community which knows it is not valued. I carry the stress of an African American woman who is trying to hold herself and her community together. I carry the stress of people who are yearning to be free.

I once had a supervisor say to me, “Marla, you have no time or tolerance for frivolity.”  When she said that, I thought, “how can anyone relax with so much work to be done?” That same year I had my stroke.

Now, almost 8-years into a journey of healing, I am trying to understand the concept of self-care. As one of my former employees once told me, “Dr. Dean, rest is revolutionary.”

So now as I work to advance health equity for all, I am reminded to be gentle to myself. These inequities are social and structural, and they manifest themselves in our health. Only 20% of health outcomes are due to medical care or access. 80% are due to other factors. So, our pursuit for health equity for all can only be realized when we all experience real justice and true liberation.

For more information about medical errors and minority women, please read Liz Szabo’s article, “Medical Errors Kill Scores Each Year in the U.S., Especially Women and Minorities.” NBC News, 15 Jan. 2024, www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/medical-mistakes-are-likely-women-minorities-rcna133726

For more information about health equity, please view Dr. Francis’, Dr. Iton’s, and Dr. Smedley’s report, “Envisioning a New Health System Rooted in Equity” Urban Institute, 27 Dec. 2023. https://www.urban.org/research/publication/envisioning-new-health-system-rooted-equity

To learn more, be sure to register to join the 2024 Health Equity Summit on Tuesday, April 30th! To learn about the Health Equity Fund, visit our website.

Leaders of the Future: Nonprofit Partners with the Sharing Community Funds

In 2024, The Community Foundation is highlighting 'Leaders of the Future' - individuals and organizations who inspire us to look towards a brighter future for Greater Washington.

This month, we are highlighting incredible leaders that strengthen and empower our community through our Sharing Community initiatives. The Sharing Community Initiative facilitates connections between donors and nonprofits to build more equitable, just, and thriving communities.

Part of that initiative includes awarding intentional, multi-year grants designed to empower our nonprofit partners and the communities they serve. Below are just a few responses from some of our multi-year nonprofit partners about the critical work they are doing in our communities!

• DC Kincare Alliance

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  DC KinCare Alliance serves all of the neighborhoods in DC, but primarily Wards 5, 7, and 8.

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Founded in 2017, DC KinCare Alliance is a legal services organization whose mission is to support the legal, financial, and related service needs of relative caregivers (primarily Black women) who step up to raise at-risk DC children in times of crisis when the children’s parents are unable to care for them due to mental health and substance use disorders, incarceration, death, abuse and neglect, and/or deportation.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  The Sharing DC Community Initiative helped DC KinCare Alliance (DCKC) serve 182 relative caregiver clients, raising 240 DC children in 319 legal matters in 2023—surpassing our goals by 21% for relative caregivers served and 42% for legal matters provided. The Initiative also made it possible for DCKC to hire a DC relative caregiver (who is a former client and current member of our Community Board) as our first Paralegal and Client Intake Manager. Finally, the Initiative helped DCKC to commence an adoption pilot (PROJECT ADOPT), to help grandparents and caregivers adopt the children they care for.

  For those receiving Sharing Community funding for the first-time, what excites you the most about receiving support through the Sharing Community initiative?

  As a small and relatively new organization, we were especially excited to receive support from the Sharing DC Community Initiative. It is a testament to the reach of our organization in the broader DC community for the Initiative to identify us as a potential partner and then determine us worthy of multi-year funding.

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  I dream of a future where all DC children can live in safe and stable homes free from abuse, neglect, poverty, racism, violence, and fear. I dream of a future where government systems are set up to help families achieve success and where all families, including kinship families, are recognized and treated with dignity and respect.

• The T.R.I.G.G.E.R. Project

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  We serve youth citywide, in the District of Columbia.

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  The True Reasons I Grabbed the Gun Evolved from Risks Project prevents the spread of the gun violence disease in Washington, D.C. through the intersectionality of Public Health and Positive Youth Development. We are prevention - the absence and proactive state of the gun violence.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  We look forward to joining the Sharing Community Initiative and the safe space it will provide to grow and strategically connect to like-hearted organizations for the economic mobility and health equity of our youth and families that we serve. We also look forward to educating the community on our Public Health approach as gun violence prevention can be used as a catalyst for to shape proactive policy, practice, and structures to eliminate many, if not all, of our deepest disparities.

  For those receiving Sharing Community funding for the first-time, what excites you the most about receiving support through the Sharing Community initiative?

  In terms of funding, The T.R.I.G.G.E.R. Project has operated inadequately since being founded. It is hard for people to believe our financial struggles because of our widespread impact yet, up until receiving Sharing Community funding, we have only been able to secure funding for events or programs. We are most excited to receive our FIRST multiyear investment in providing flexible general operating support for our organization!

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  We envision a world free from the disease of gun violence! This vision with the support of Sharing Community equates to the social change I know is possible. With my experiencing an epidemic of youth violence and gun violence, many programs and initiatives are reactionary and lack efforts and funding structures that address root causes and chronic disparities. I aim to trail blaze a sense of value and funding structure for primary prevention programming and policy that will prevent future gun violence.

• GateBridge Community

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  Primarily, Wards 7 & 8 in Washington DC, Prince George’s County, along the Blue Line Corridor, and East Montgomery County.

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  At GateBridge, we're on a mission to transform low-wealth communities by fostering a culture of cooperative ownership to build wealth and create sustainable neighborhoods where everyone has an opportunity to thrive. GateBridge serves as an accelerator of community wealth building ventures, raising patient capital and providing a range of technical supports for cooperative initiatives that feature ownership and control by workers, consumers, producers, and residents of local communities.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  The first community wealth building project supported by the GateBridge Community Accelerator is the launch of five worker and resident owned grocery stores, the first two of which will be in Wards 7 and 8 of the District. Sharing Community funding will 1) bolster the community education and engagement essential to recruiting the consumers needed to sustain the store 2) secure the market feasibility studies needed to determine the best trade areas to locate the stores and 3) retain the legal, accounting, and technical support needed to assure project stability and sustainability

  For those receiving Sharing Community funding for the first-time, what excites you the most about receiving support through the Sharing Community initiative?

  Greater Washington Community Foundation is an established and well respected institution known for its commitment to community wellbeing in the Washington DC area. Community Wealth Building is a long and arduous journey, and success substantially depends on anchor institution partnerships like the Community Foundation. My hope is that the Foundation will increasingly see GateBridge Community as a trusted partner in this important work over the coming years. I see this funding opportunity as the beginning of that journey toward trust and committed partnership.

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  A community where race and place no longer predict wealth and wellbeing and where every neighborhood has the physical, social, and civic infrastructure to promote human flourishing. White household median wealth in the DMV is 81 times that of Black household median wealth. GateBridge Community will work to close this racial wealth gap by scaling business enterprises that generate and maintain wealth in divested communities rather extracting it to build the wealth of other communities. Rosie’s Grocery is our first initiative. It will not be our last.

• CareerCatchers

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  In 2023, we worked with 960 clients, the highest number the organization has served in a given year. Currently, almost 70% of our clientele resides in the most underserved Montgomery County zip codes. Additionally, we also serve clients in Prince George’s County and DC Wards 7 & 8.

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Our mission is to provide personalized job-skills counseling, promote participation in work skills and training programs, foster self-esteem, and empower individuals. We aim to help clients transition out of poverty by utilizing counseling, individualized training, community and employer partnerships, helping find alternatives to minimum-wage, dead-end jobs. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core of our vision, programs, and mission.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  In 2023, the funding we received from Sharing Montgomery allowed us to expand our basic skills classes in several ways. We have been able to offer more classes to our clients on topics such as social media networking and small business promotion, greatly increasing the opportunities available to our clients. Additionally, we were able to increase the number of partners presenting at our weekly virtual workshops, allowing our clients to learn about new career paths and resources. These feats culminated in CareerCatchers first ever in-person Empowerment event in October of 2023: Family Fun Day. Our Family Fun Day allowed our clients the opportunity to engage with our staff and partners, promote their small businesses, and learn more about food security. We hope to continue expanding our training offerings with the continued support of the GWCF.

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  As the needs of our community grow, we intend to grow to meet them. In 2023, we were able to serve over 950 clients, and hope to serve over 1,000 in the years to come. Additionally, we plan to extend our job retention services. We approach our clients with a respect for not only their immediate goals, but also their long term goals of career success and financial sustainability. We have seen great success for clients who have received job retention services for one year, and would like to continue expanding those services to clients for two years post-employment. Finally, engaging our partners and volunteers to continue expanding our training offerings allows our clients to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of professional development. Continuing our outreach to new partners provides our clients with new avenues to pursue their goals.

• IMPACT Silver Spring

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  The Montgomery County residents supported by IMPACT are mostly low-income and BIPOC, with many programs and activities in Spanish- and Amharic-speaking immigrant communities. Many IMPACT offerings, including virtual events, are publicized countywide, and we have participants from all areas of the county, but most of our in-person community work is currently done in the neighborhoods of Long Branch, Wheaton, Glenmont, Fairland, and most recently, Gaithersburg.

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Our mission is to advance racial equity and justice in Montgomery County by working for change at 3 levels: changing hearts and minds at the individual level; building grassroots power and community connections at the neighborhood level; and changing the greater systems, structures, and policies that continue to generate inequitable outcomes for communities of color.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  Sharing Montgomery funding continues to support Impact’s work of promoting economic mobility and wealth building within BIPOC, immigrant, and low-income communities. Most of this work is done via our Community Trade Academy (CTA). The CTA takes a three-pronged approach to economic empowerment by: 1. offering vocational training to adult students (mostly immigrant women) in skills such as piñata or jewelry making; 2. teaching the basic skills of running a small business; and 3. providing markets where students gain real world experience as microentrepreneurs. Most recently, we worked with partners to host outdoor Holiday Markets (December 16 and 23, 2023) and Valentine’s Day Markets (February 10 and 11, 2024). Depending on the day, between 3 and 18 microentrepreneurs participated, selling between $50 and $700 worth of merchandise. We never charge vendor fees for participating in markets because those fees are often cost prohibitive. While we know classroom learning is important, we also know it is not enough. The experience of setting up, running, and breaking down these markets provides budding entrepreneurs with the crucial know-how and confidence that can only be gained experientially. Sharing Montgomery funding has been critical to paying for supplies and technical assistance needed for CTA events like these markets.

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  An important element of the Community Trade Academy is that it is neighborhood-based. We launched our pilot academy in the Silver Spring community of Wheaton. We want to launch future academies in Gaithersburg and East County, tailored to the interests and cultures in those neighborhoods. Additionally, classes in the pilot academy were all taught in Spanish. We would like to replicate the model in other communities and offer it to English-speaking immigrants. Additionally, in the near future, we hope to introduce solidarity economy (an economy that prioritizes people and the planet) concepts such as sustainability and worker cooperation as part of our CTA curriculum.

• Montgomery county food council

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  All communities in Montgomery County, MD

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  The mission of the Montgomery County Food Council (MCFC) is to bring together a diverse representation of stakeholders in a public-private partnership to improve the environmental, economic, social and nutritional health of Montgomery County, Maryland through the creation of a robust and sustainable local food system.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  The grant supported MCFC’s food security program in increasing outreach and collaboration among food assistance providers who are serving the County’s food insecure residents. MCFC co-implemented a Farm to Food Bank Program, which provided technical assistance and collaboration between 37 local farms in 2022 and 2023 to support a sustained and resilient local food supply and provide more nutritious and culturally diverse produce to residents who experience hunger. In FY 2023, over 191,212 lbs of fresh, locally grown produce was purchased or donated to over 54 food assistance providers.

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  As the only non-profit organization convening all sectors of the food system within Montgomery County, and connecting various initiatives to partners throughout the region, MCFC hopes to build the capacity of our partners implement the County’s Strategic Plan to End Childhood Hunger. In addition, we hope to be more instrumental in transforming our public schools by supporting MCPS to embed wellness plans (or policies) that nurture the development of “food curious” children through the farm to school initiative.

• Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity & Excellence

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  The BBC serves Black, Brown, and low-income communities in Montgomery County, MD.

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  The Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence unites these traditionally marginalized communities to demand an education system that serves all students equitably. The BBC takes aim at dismantling systemic barriers that have underserved and limited the success of Black, Brown, and students from low-income families and fights for equitable access to the resources needed to thrive.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  "Having a multiyear grant allows the Coalition to take on issues that require sustained advocacy” explained Byron Johns, co-founder. In 2023, the BBC galvanized the Black and Brown communities around literacy inequity. Nearly 60% of Black and over 70% of Latino fifth-grade students are not reading at grade level. And their parents are often unaware. In November, the BBC brought together over 800 Black, Brown and low-income caregivers to demand that schools "Get Reading Right, Now!". Building on our 2022 advocacy for greater investment in literacy and math, the BBC is now leading the charge for an “early alert system” -- an easy-to-understand communication to parents when their students miss milestones –and for the development of individualized success plans to ensure that these students catch up and keep up. “We need the voices of our entire community to make literacy a priority” said Diego Uriburu, co-founder.

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  The BBC envisions a future where Black, Brown, and low-income students who attend Montgomery County Public Schools have equitable access to resources and supports that will ensure the greatest opportunities for success in their educations, careers, and lives.

• CollegeTracks

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  5 MCPS High Schools in Montgomery County, based in Gaithersburg, Wheaton, Silver Spring, Burtonsville, and Bethesda.

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  The mission of CollegeTracks is to empower first-generation-to-college students and students from low-income and immigrant households in Montgomery County, Maryland by helping them bridge systemic opportunity gaps with enough support to get to and through postsecondary education and on a career pathway. We envision a future in which every student who graduates from high school in Montgomery County, Maryland has equitable access to their chosen career pathway.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  Sharing Montgomery funding has helped open doors to new partnerships and funding relationships, has helped validate our approach in our community, and has brought us new donors, volunteers, and partners. This has been critical as we have expanded to meet rising demand, and prepared to grow across Montgomery County. For example, CollegeTracks' program enrollment rose by 22% last year, exceeding our pre-pandemic high by 9%, which put a great deal of stress on our program and infrastructure. Thanks to stable, yet flexible funding like Sharing Montgomery, we were able to stregmthen our program and meet our high programmatic goals, even while serving these expanded numbers.

  For those receiving Sharing Community funding for the first-time, what excites you the most about receiving support through the Sharing Community initiative?

  The most exciting part of receiving our first multi-year Sharing Montgomery award has been the realization that the people in our community who are paying the closest attention to work like ours thought of our program as highly effective, and worthy of this investment and recognition. We have worked hard to build a program model that gets results, and the fact that the people who know our work and community best agree is a tremendous boost to our team.

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  At CollegeTracks, we dream of a future for Montgomery County where every student truly has the opportunity and support that they need to thrive. We are a highly educated and wealthy County, and we have access to proven solutions to the problems that we face. We just need to decide not to accept the status quo, and make these solutions happen.

• Beloved Community Incubator

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  Beloved Community Incubator is a regional solidarity economy movement organization and lender. We engage in worker justice campaigns, mostly in Washington, DC, and offer a unique combination of cooperative incubation, lending, technical assistance, and mutual aid to create just and equitable democratic workplaces across our entire region.

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Beloved Community Incubator is a solidarity economy movement organization, incubator, lender, and worker self-directed non-profit in Washington, DC. BCI focuses on building a regional solidarity economy that centers people, especially poor and working-class workers and people of color, over profit. We provide incubation for worker-owned cooperatives, as well as back end support for cooperatives through the BCI Network. We offer non-extractive lending to local cooperatives through the DC Solidarity Economy Loan Fund, and organize for worker power and collective control of resources in DC through community organizing, broad-based campaigns, and mutual aid.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  We secured the passage of the Street Vendor Advancement Act of 2023 which: decriminalized street vending without a license and removed criminal background checks, reduced fees for obtaining a vending license, created a micro-enterprise home kitchen license, which allows food entrepreneurs across the city to create home based catering businesses , and created a vending zone in Mount Pleasant/Columbia Heights, allowing a higher concentration of vendors per block. In February of this year, we launched the BCI Street Vendor License Fund. This $125,000 fund will cover eligible costs and fees associated with accessing licenses and inspections for almost 100 vendors. Our vision for growing the regional solidarity economy is coming to fruition! The DC Solidarity Economy Loan Fund held its official launch event and has received approval for 3 additional loans – totaling $922,500 dollars. Two of the loans were to a small tech cooperative for equipment and a line of credit. The most significant loan is to Community Purchasing Alliance (CPA). CPA organizes institutions to engage in collective purchasing of contracts. Purchasing programs include janitorial, HVAC, trash removal, security, and solar. Our partnership positions BCI to proposition current vendors to use worker-ownership as a succession plan, incubate cooperatives in the sectors of their current purchasing programs, and connect cooperatives that already exist (in cleaning, food service, and landscaping) to larger contracts.

  For those receiving Sharing Community funding for the first-time, what excites you the most about receiving support through the Sharing Community initiative?

  What is most exciting to me is knowing that the Sharing DC Committee really understands and believes in our vision. We realize that our organizing model as a solidarity economy organization is unique. Our power building strategy is through institution building (through cooperatives) and membership, but also includes a programmatic and technical assistance component. Our work with “high touch” cooperatives is essentially base building with poor and working class BIPOC workers in order to build a coop from the ground up. There is more and more research that traditional workforce development and job training programs don't guarantee jobs or increased income. By developing and supporting worker-owned cooperatives, creating market access for local BIPOC-owned cooperatives, and using DC SELF to invest an additional 1 million dollars in local cooperatives over the next 2 years, we are working to close the racial wealth gap. The funding from Sharing DC committee means they believe in our vision too.

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  Last summer, the local coop ecosystem came together to vision what's possible and shape our work for the future. Their collective vision included affordable care cooperatives (childcare, home health care, elder care), bookkeeping and legal cooperatives, coop grocery stores, and collectively owned spaces for artists and food businesses. BCI is always dreaming about more community control over resources in our community -- think grocery stores, workplaces, land, banks, housing, and more!

Celebrating the Spirit of Philanthropy and Alex Orfinger at the National Building Museum

On March 21, The Community Foundation honored Alex Orfinger with the 2024 Spirit of Philanthropy Award, as part of the Celebration of Philanthropy at the National Building Museum. The event raised more than $500,000 towards building a stronger community in the Greater Washington region.

The evening began with a special reception for members of the host committee and a group of supporters affectionately known as FOA (‘Friends of Alex’) to gather and mingle to share their congratulations with Alex.

Guests heard special remarks from Host Committee Member, Mahan Tavakoli, CEO of Strategic Leadership Ventures. Mahan served with Alex on the Board of Trustees of Leadership Greater Washington – one of many organizations that Alex has leant his time and leadership talents to. He also Chaired the Board of Directors at Jubilee Housing and served as Secretary of the Board of Directors for The Community Foundation.

“We are at a critical stage in our community where we need community leaders to stand up and guide our community into the future,” Alex shared in his remarks.

“We’re all standing together tonight,” Alex spoke to the standing-only crowd at the reception. “We all need to stand together into the future.”

After that, more than 400 guests joined the celebration in the vast hall of the National Building Museum for a special program.

Richard Bynum, Chair of The Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees kicked off the program and introduced Tonia Wellons, President & CEO of The Community Foundation, who delivered some brief remarks.

During her remarks, Tonia shared her optimism for the future and some of the exciting partnerships The Community Foundation has engaged in this past year -- including the launch of Thrive Prince George’s and upcoming release of the VoicesDMV Community Insights Report. She also celebrated the role that individuals like Alex have played in convening business, philanthropic, and nonprofit communities to examine the issues that are impacting the region and creating opportunities for shared responsibility and decisive action.

“At The Community Foundation, we have a unique role to play in bridging differences, fostering hope, and building community. This is what the spirit of philanthropy means to us.”

— Tonia Wellons

Following Tonia’s remarks, Lyles Carr, Senior Vice President of The McCormick Group and member of the Celebration of Philanthropy Host committee presented Alex with the 2024 Spirit of Philanthropy Award.

As the Publisher of the Washington Business Journal, Alex has long demonstrated his belief that what is good for business is also good for the greater community. For more than two decades, Alex has been a champion of collaboration, dedicated to developing relationships that strengthen the connection among business leaders and between the business and philanthropic communities.

Following a special tribute video, Alex sat down with Katherine Bradley, Founder and CEO of CityBridge, for a brief fireside chat, where they discussed aspects of Alex’s legacy and what he believes are the four focus areas for the future of the Greater Washington region.

Following the fireside chat, guests enjoyed an evening of food, fun, and entertainment provided by artists and nonprofit partners from across the region.

Special thank you to the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, The Northeast Performing Arts Group, the Prince George’s Arts & Humanities Council and Youth Poet Laureate Saniya Pearson, the Montgomery College Jazztet, and Batalá Washington for sharing their time and talents with us.

We’d also thank the many friends, community partners, and sponsors, who’s generosity made the event possible – with special recognition to the Smart Family Fund, Capital One, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, National Capital Bank, Brown Advisory, The Cliff & Deborah White Family Foundation, Decker Anstrom & Sherry Hiemstra, Sterling Speirn & Diana Aviv, The Norton Foundation, and the Shoenberg Family Fund.

We’d also like to thank our 2024 Celebration of Philanthropy Host Committee – especially David Bradt, Diane Tipton, and Rachel Kronowitz who served as Host Committee Co-Chairs -- who contributed time, talent, and treasure to make this event a memorable evening for Alex and for our community.

Click here for a complete recording of the 2024 Celebration of Philanthropy Program. For more photos from the 2024 Celebration of Philanthropy, check out our SmugMug Album!

Pursuing Pathways from Poverty to Prosperity in East County

Members of The Community Foundation’s Montgomery County Advisory Board, staff, and donors recently visited with local leaders in Montgomery County’s East-County region to discuss how philanthropy can help communities forge pathways to prosperity.

“Effective philanthropy requires us to step outside and really connect,” Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for The Community Foundation in Montgomery County, shared. “That is why we are excited to be here in East-County to spend time with some of our incredible nonprofit and school leaders.”

The group met in the library of Jackson Road Elementary School, located in the White Oak neighborhood of Silver Spring, Maryland. Visitors first heard from the Principal, Rosario Velasquez.

“At Jackson Road, we recognize the need to address the whole child – in and out of the classroom,” Principal Velasquez shared. “The only way we can do that is by taking a community-centered approach and wrapping our arms around this community.”

Situated in a highly diverse area, Jackson Road’s student body is predominantly Black (47%) and Latino (39%)– including a sizeable immigrant population. At the same time, more than 75 percent of students qualify for Free and Reduced Priced Meals– a humbling statistic that underlines how poverty often becomes highly concentrated in neighborhoods throughout our region.

Jackson Road’s Community School Liaison, Chris Callisto, explained how federal Title I funding supports additional reading and math focus teachers, reduced class sizes (18:1 student teacher ratio), summer enrichment, and other academic resources.  Coupled with Community School dollars from the State of Maryland, the school also offers health, mental health, and social supports for children and their families, including a food pantry sustained by Capital Area Food Bank and the Manna Food Center.

To gain a deeper understanding of the work outside of the school’s walls, guests then heard from a panel of nonprofit leaders working to help people meet their basic needs, pursue opportunities for economic mobility, and build the assets needed to thrive: Identity, Inc, Career Catchers, IMPACT Silver Spring, and Achieving College Excellence & Success (ACES), a collaboration led by Montgomery College, MCPS, and the Universities at Shady Grove.

As the panelists introduced themselves and their organizations, they illuminated the myriad ways they had to reinvent their work in response to the influx of people seeking help in recent years.  Panelists also reflected—in some cases on their own lived experience—on the challenges which can hinder people from achieving stability, such as rising rent, food insecurity, barriers to mental health support, and hurdles in finding affordable childcare. 

“We must protect those who might otherwise have fallen through the cracks,” Andres Maldonado, Deputy Director at ACES shared. “This is not a one-organization job. It requires us to collaborate – to really think outside the box and our organizations to find the innovative solutions that this community deserves.”

While the four organizations’ missions are quite different, guests were impressed by how they all share a commitment to fostering collaborations anchored in the community -- creating spaces where residents are empowered to not to merely benefit from, but also to participate in and lead efforts to address their community’s needs.

“No one knows better what it is this community needs then the community members themselves,” shared Carolyn Camacho, Program Director at Identity. “The more we can work to empower community members and strengthen our framework of community relationships, the more successful our work will be in the long run.”

Anna Hargrave concluded the program with words of thanks, “to our Board and Sharing Montgomery donors whose generosity enables us to strategically invest in our community.  And to our incredible school and nonprofit partners for the work you do every day!  We are grateful for your inspiring vision, leadership, and steadfast commitment which convert our donations into relief, helping people create greater stability and shared prosperity.” 

This event was part of The Community Foundation’s Sharing Montgomery initiative – connecting philanthropically-minded individuals with visionary nonprofits working on the frontlines of our community’s most pressing needs.

For more information on how to get involved with Sharing Montgomery, contact Anna Hargrave at [email protected]

Leaders of the Future Spotlight: Melody Webb, Mothers Outreach Network - Uplifting the Power of Black Motherhood Through Guaranteed Income

Webb with one of the families participating in the Mother Up pilot program

In honor of International Women’s Day, The Community Foundation is highlighting incredible female leaders in our community that understand, advocate for, and inspire inclusion by promoting a sense of belonging, relevance and empowerment.

This month, we’re pleased to highlight Melody Webb, Executive Director of Mother’s Outreach Network and founder of the DC Guaranteed Income Coalition. The Community Foundation is a proud to partner with Mother’s Outreach Network through our Health Equity Fund and is committed to advancing the work of the DC Guaranteed Income Coalition.

For Melody Webb, Executive Director of the Mother’s Outreach Network, you can’t put a price tag on motherhood.

“In my opinion, being a mother is one of the most important roles a woman can have,” Webb shared. “You’re a role model, you’re a caregiver; but for your children, you’re the most important person in their young lives. You’re their advocate; you’re their superhero. And that makes you invaluable.”

A DC Native with family ties to the Civil Rights Movement, Webb was raised with a strong belief in the value of advocacy. After graduating from Harvard Law School, Webb began working with organizations like the Legal Aid Society, The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, and the DC Court of Appeals – to tackle systemic community issues ranging from youth violence prevention to supporting returning citizens.

“I’ve always seen myself as an aspiring changemaker,” Webb shared. “Rather than work in a big law firm, I wanted to use my legal training to address deep structural, racial, gender and economic issues.”

However, her most impactful work – that of supporting Black Mothers – didn’t begin until 2002, when Webb made the decision to adjust her legal career to become a stay-at-home mom.

Webb with her youngest son, who volunteers with the DC Guaranteed Income Coalition.

The Joys and Barriers of Black Motherhood

For the next four years, Webb embraced the joys and challenges of being a mother to her three children and nurture her growing her family – all the while seeking opportunities to get further involved in local advocacy. She founded an online policy advocacy project, which focused on local and national advocacy issues. The project gained national attention and provided a platform for her to return to the workforce in 2007 – when she joined SEIU as Associate General Counsel and volunteered with the Barack Obama’s 2008 Presidential Campaign.

“Working on the Obama Campaign and at SEIU was such a great experience,” Webb recalled. “I enjoyed learning the power of organizing and the importance of supporting those who are the bread and butter of our society, but don’t have their basic needs being met.”

People like Black single mothers. While at SEIU, Webb’s attention gravitated towards women who were service employees – especially single mothers and returning citizens – who were working multiple jobs just to stay afloat. She was deeply moved by the many barriers that they faced just to stay in the workforce and provide for their children.

Participants from Mother Up enjoy a family photo shoot activity organized by Mother's Outreach Network

A recent study by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research found that more than 70% of Black single mothers worry about paying their bills on a regular basis. These concerns are compounded by a lack of affordable childcare – forcing mothers to carefully plan their family life around work schedules and the availability of neighbors and relatives.

Inspired by the plight of these women, in 2010, Webb launched the Mother’s Outreach Union (later renamed the Women’s Outreach Network) to support Black mothers in the workforce. The organization initially focused on returning citizens – but eventually expanded to serve all Black mothers by providing know-your-rights trainings and other resources to help Black mothers obtain employment and provide for their families.

However, within a few short months, Webb began to notice another troubling trend – mothers who were losing custody of their children because of poverty.

“If you’re a mom and it takes 2-3 jobs to pay your rent, you’re going to leave your kids unsupervised – which is grounds for a neglect charge,” Webb shared. “If you’re struggling and you’re in an abusive relationship with a partner, you can have your child removed from you for failure to protect your child.”

“These poverty factors alone are not supposed to contribute to a removal, but they absolutely do.”

“Poverty is not neglect”

 Before long, Webb returned to the courtroom – this time representing mothers fighting to keep custody of their children.

Webb and volunteers from Mother's Outreach Network visit with women in the community to discuss their needs.

According to the National Women’s Law Center, 1 in 4 single mothers live in poverty in the District of Columbia – an overwhelming number of which are Black single mothers. In FY 2024, 84% of the children in DC’s foster care system were Black – despite the fact that Black Children only make up 52% of city’s child population.

The trend is one that Webb says is unfortunately not unique to the DMV. Nationwide, sociologists estimate that 53% of Black children will experience a Child Protective Service (CPS) investigation by their 18th Birthday.

“If you look at the instability that happens when you take children away from their families, it is far more violent and damaging than if you work with families to help keep them intact."

Webb pointed out that once parents lose custody of their children, they also lose access to almost all of their welfare benefits including WIC, Housing Assistance, and others – making it even harder for them to get to a position where they can get their children back.

“Eighty to Ninety percent of CPS cases involve neglect,” Webb shared. “We can eliminate the vast majority of these cases when we start addressing poverty.”

“Being in poverty does not mean you’re a bad parent.”

“We shouldn’t become a world where our first response is to pull a child out a family,” she added. “Our priority should be to provide more support and be more inclusive for families who are struggling. We need to do more to create a sense of belonging.”

Harnessing the Power of Guaranteed Income

The DC Guaranteed Income Coalition gathers at the Wilson Building to lobby DC Council Members to support guaranteed income initiatives

As Mother’s Outreach Network fought for mother’s rights in DC, Webb became aware of a national movement making waves in the economic mobility space – the push for guaranteed income.

Designed to help lift people out of poverty, guaranteed income pilots provide unconditional cash assistance to a targeted group of individuals living below the poverty line. Beginning in 2018, the movement gained considerable momentum following the COVID-19 pandemic and has inspired more than 100 programs across the country.

Among the most prominent of these programs is the Magnolia Mother’s Trust – a pilot based out of Jackson, Mississippi providing $1,000 to Black, low-income mothers for 12 months. Since 2018, the program has served more than 230 Black mothers, improving not only their economic outcomes, but also their emotional and physical wellbeing.

Inspired by their success, Webb began leading the charge to bring guaranteed income to the nation’s capital. She organized the DC Guaranteed Income Coalition – a coalition of community, philanthropic, and government partners advocating for cash transfer programs like Guaranteed Income pilots to combat poverty in DC and the Greater Washington region.

Through the Coalition, Webb’s advocacy has had a resounding impact on the Greater Washington region. Since the coalition was founded in 2020, twelve guaranteed income pilots have been organized across DC, Maryland, & Virginia – including several supported by The Community Foundation.

Click here to Read About The Community Foundation’s Guaranteed Income Pilot Initiatives!

Mother Up – A Guaranteed Income Pilot for Single Black Mothers

In 2023, Webb and Mother’s Outreach Network announced the launch of Mother Up – a Guaranteed Income pilot providing $500 a month for 3 years to Black mothers in DC living below the 250% Federal Poverty Level (ie making less than $36,000 a year).

The inaugural cohort of five mothers began receiving payments in the Spring of 2023 – with plans to enroll of a total of 50 mothers by the end of 2024 – thanks, in part to a grant from The Community Foundation’s Health Equity Fund.

While the program is still in it’s early stages, Webb shares that the reaction from participants has been extremely positive.

“Moms are reporting that they don’t have to pick between their kids in terms of buying extra clothing,” she shared. “They can pay off bills and debt and can finally afford to spend quality time with their children.”

In addition to providing monthly cash payments, Mother Up also offers additional programming through their Mothers Empowerment group, which provides participants the opportunity to learn about community resources, join fun families activities, and develop a community with other moms. However, Webb emphasized that participation in the group is entirely optional.

“We believe and respect that parents know what their needs are,” Webb explained. “We don’t force or require them to attend anything” – a stark contrast to many welfare initiatives that require participants to attend compulsory programming.

Webb explained that for Mother Up, the approach has paid off – as participants have not only attended events, but also gone out of their way to ask Mother’s Outreach Network for support with additional medical and mental health needs they have. Webb says that even though the organization can’t always meet those needs, the fact that participant’s are willing to be open and vulnerable about them is a positive sign.

“Our relationship with each of the mothers is so important to us,” Webb added. “We work hard to build their trust by valuing and understanding their needs and doing what we can to assist them however we can.”

The Power of a Woman Ready to Rise

Participants from Mothers Up join advocates from the DC Guaranteed Income Coalition in advocating before the DC Council.

Ultimately, Webb explains, the goal of Mother Up is to empower moms to become leaders for their families and communities. The program is working to empower participants to become advocates for their communities by providing them the training and resources to testify before the DC Council and share their lived in experience in other government and community convenings.

“We don’t have enough Black women leaders – especially when it comes to issues like economic justice for moms.”

“Moms are the experts,” Webb explained. “They are the ones who can talk most effectively about what is going on in their lives and dispel the negative and false tropes that often exist around Black motherhood. Their daughters should be the ones to talk about what is going on in their communities and advocate for safer communities.”

“They are the future of our community – and what a bright and beautiful future it can be – if we only take the time to invest in them.”

The Community Foundation is proud to partner with Melody Webb and Mother’s Outreach Network through our Health Equity Fund and the DC Coalition for Guaranteed Income to empower Black mothers and other low-income members of our community. For more information about Mother’s Outreach Network, visit www.mothersoutreachnetwork.org/  

Leaders of the Future: Female Leaders Inspiring Inclusion

In 2024, The Community Foundation is highlighting 'Leaders of the Future' - individuals and organizations who inspire us to look towards a brighter future for Greater Washington.

This month, in honor of International Women’s Day, we are highlighting incredible female leaders in our community that understand, advocate for, and inspire inclusion by promoting a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.

Our theme for March, ‘Inspire Inclusion’, coincides with the Annual theme of International Women’s Day 2024 and reflects The Community Foundation’s aspirations, as outlined in our most recent 2023 Annual Meeting.

• Audrey Lyon, Executive Director, Yachad DC

  1) What is your relationship to The Community Foundation?

  Yachad is a nonprofit partner with The Community Foudation’s Health Equity Fund

  2) “When we inspire others to understand and value inclusion, we forge a better world” – How does inspiring inclusion impact your community and the work that you do? Please include 1-2 brief examples of how you or your organization promote and inspire inclusion.

  Having a place to call home is the foundation for a good life and, for that matter, a better world. Inclusive communities are places that have achieved economic and racial equity. Owning a decent and safe home helps to ensure long-term well-being and financial security. Yachad’s home remediation work guarantees that lower-income Black and Brown homeowners, many of them female-headed households, have the ability to remain in their homes and their neighborhoods for years to come. We work to see that these families are not displaced as a result of gentrification but can benefit from new investments into their communities. After all, they deserve the same opportunity to strengthen their own and their families’ financial footing that so many other Americans enjoy.

  3) What does it mean to you to be a female leader? Why do you feel it’s important to understand, advocate for, and inspire inclusion – especially for future female leaders?

  As the Executive Director of Yachad, I engage in our work through my lived experience of a working mother with three children who understands the need for a functional home. I understand that if the roof leaks, the toilets don’t flush and I can’t make dinner for my family, I also can’t do my work that helps to pay the bills. We need more female leaders who understand the many roles we must play. That means it is important to include women with varied life experiences to share their concerns and their life stories so they can advocate for truly inclusive policies and ways to be in the world.

  4) In your opinion, what are the best ways to promote a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment?

  As the “Golden Rule” states, if we truly (with my emphasis added) treat others in a manner that we want to be treated, then we are beginning to empower and create a sense of belonging for others. For example, everyone deserves a decent place to live – let’s start with that. If we equitably provide opportunities for everyone to live in good housing in welcoming communities, we provide a sense of relevance and belonging. With that sense of belonging, people feel empowered to take on greater challenges – to make the world a better place.

  5) When you imagine ‘a better world’ inspired by inclusion, what does that look like?

  A better world looks like some of Yachad’s homeowners who are proud of their homes, who are friendly with their neighbors and looking forward to inviting friends and family over for Sunday dinners. And who have a home that can nurture their own personal growth and that of their children.

• Mercedes Lamp, Executive Director, My Sister's Place

  1) What is your relationship to The Community Foundation?

  My Sister’s Place is a nonprofit partner through The Community Foundation’s Health Equity Fund.

  2) “When we inspire others to understand and value inclusion, we forge a better world” – How does inspiring inclusion impact your community and the work that you do? Please include 1-2 brief examples of how you or your organization promote and inspire inclusion.

  We deliver services in a manner that recognizes the structural barriers discourage full inclusion in our community. Our Cash Transfer program and our transitional housing programs allow the clients we serve to have a stable foundation from where they can better address other needs that can lead them to self-sufficiency and full inclusion in our community.

  3) What does it mean to you to be a female leader? Why do you feel it’s important to understand, advocate for, and inspire inclusion – especially for future female leaders?

  There are barriers and advantages to being a female leader. While female leaders need to work harder to be heard, we also are often nurturers and empathetic and have characteristics that allow us to excel in advocating and inspire inclusion. Inclusion often equates with success, financial and otherwise.

  4) In your opinion, what are the best ways to promote a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment?

  The best way to promote belonging, relevance and empowerment is to see others who look like us in the place we want to belong, in places of empowerment and relevance.

  5) When you imagine ‘a better world’ inspired by inclusion, what does that look like?

  Inclusion would mean better representation of a diverse population in all areas, particularly in places of power and wealth.

• LaTara Harris, CEO, Crittenton Services of Greater Washington

  1) What is your relationship to The Community Foundation?

  The Community Foundation has been a wonderful partner to Crittenton Services of Greater Washington, and has funded some of our programs.

  2) ”When we inspire others to understand and value inclusion, we forge a better world” – How does inspiring inclusion impact your community and the work that you do? Please include 1-2 brief examples of how you or your organization promote and inspire inclusion.

  So often, we think “inclusion” means that everyone has a voice. But that’s not enough. We need to not only have a seat at the table while decisions are made, but we also need to hear from one another.

  Years ago, we asked our Crittenton girls what they wanted from their community. The overwhelming answer was that they wanted to be heard. In response, we established our annual Talk With a Teen Girl High Tea to connect girls with community leaders so they could share their stories, concerns, and hopes with others. Over the years our girls have talked about a range of issues, including the problem with being judged by their appearance, the importance of supporting other girls, the need to address mental health challenges, and their frustration when they see the inequitable distribution of resources in our region. At the Tea, our girls literally have a seat at the table and have the opportunity to be heard.

  Another way to foster inclusion is to tear down the real and imagined barriers that separate us. My mission in life through my work with girls and women is to ensure that we leave the door open for generations to follow which we've obtained via mentoring, shadowing, and a host of other ways.

  3) What does it mean to you to be a female leader? Why do you feel it’s important to understand, advocate for, and inspire inclusion – especially for future female leaders?

  Being a female leader means that we have the ability and responsibility to set the standard for other aspiring women, while encouraging them to reach their full potential. Rising to the ranks of CEO is no small feat. I found that my journey led to many pathways that I didn’t need to take, yet made me stronger, nonetheless. As a leader, it is my responsibility to share my experiences to help others along the way, and to be an example of a woman of integrity who advocates fiercely for others.

  4) In your opinion, what are the best ways to promote a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment?

  The best way to promote a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment is to celebrate the different things that communities bring to the table. We all have different perspectives, and talents. We all have something to give, and it’s up to leaders to show that we value everyone’s contribution.

  5) When you imagine ‘a better world’ inspired by inclusion, what does that look like?

  As a mother, and an advocate for women and girls, a better world is a world with less worry. Of course, we’ll always worry! But in an ideal world, all mothers—all parents—will worry about the everyday challenges that every child faces as they grow into the young men and women they’re meant to be. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream that “…the whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” Inclusion is absolutely necessary to keep that dream alive.

• Ashley Sharp, Marlboro Pike Partnership

  1) What is your relationship to The Community Foundation?

  I serve on the Executive Board of the Prince George’s County Emerging Leaders Impact Fund (ELIF)

  2) “When we inspire others to understand and value inclusion, we forge a better world” – How does inspiring inclusion impact your community and the work that you do? Please include 1-2 brief examples of how you or your organization promote and inspire inclusion.

  The very nature of the work that we do at the Marlboro Pike Partnership requires intentional coordination and inclusivity in order to achieve what we believe to be success. Our mission and strategic plan to revitalize the Marlboro Pike corridor requires vision that rooted in data but inspired by community. We are a collective of leaders committed to service at the grassroots level by empowering the community through education, outreach and engagement while simultaneously working with government agencies and private organizations to truly bring about change to the Marlboro Pike corridor. We view success as revitalization with community flavor and buy-in.

  3) What does it mean to you to be a female leader? Why do you feel it’s important to understand, advocate for, and inspire inclusion – especially for future female leaders?

  Through my experience, I’ve learned about many women pioneers throughout our history (some of which I’ve had the pleasure to work with), who often not only break through glass ceilings, but set a standard. As a minority woman in public service, we are often the backbone to a finished product left unseen.

  However, in the current international and political climate, the human race cannot afford to let women continue to blend into the background as hidden figures. Women have been and will continue to be not only innovators, entrepreneurs, scientists, doctors, lawmakers, negotiators and executives, but we are also mothers, sisters, daughters and mentors.

  To future female leaders, I offer two of my favorite quotes. The first is from Bessie Coleman, “Tell them that as soon as I can walk, I’m going to fly.” The second is an old Latin proverb, “They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds.”

  4) In your opinion, what are the best ways to promote a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment?

  Creating a space where respectful and open interactions can occur with consideration to small yet meaningful details to reduce barriers and increase understanding without judgement or misinformation.

  5) When you imagine ‘a better world’ inspired by inclusion, what does that look like?

  Every person having consideration for their neighbor and as a result strengthening the interconnectedness and overall safety of “the village”

• Anna Maria Izquierdo-Porrera, MD, PhD, Executive Director, Care for Your Health, Inc.

  1) What is your relationship to The Community Foundation?

  Care for Your Health, Inc is a nonprofit partner with The Community Foundation through the Sharing Montgomery Initiative.

  2) “When we inspire others to understand and value inclusion, we forge a better world” – How does inspiring inclusion impact your community and the work that you do? Please include 1-2 brief examples of how you or your organization promote and inspire inclusion.

  Inspiring others to understand and value inclusion is indeed a powerful catalyst for positive change in the world. When we recognize and respect the diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences that each person brings to the table. When people feel included, they are more likely to contribute their unique talents and perspectives, leading to more effective problem-solving and decision-making processes. We have designed Care for Your Health, inc to allow its staff to thrive and bring the best they have to offer forward. Ultimately, by inspiring others to embrace inclusion, we not only create a more equitable and just society but also pave the way for a better world where diversity is celebrated and everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

  3) What does it mean to you to be a female leader? Why do you feel it’s important to understand, advocate for, and inspire inclusion – especially for future female leaders?

  Being a female leader allows me to leverage my strengths, experiences, and perspectives to inspire and drive positive change within organizations and communities, through my work at Care for Your Health. However, my role as a female leader goes beyond the impact my organization had in the community but it is also a source of inspiration to the women that see themselves reflected in my work.

  My role as a female leader provides a role model for aspiring leaders, particularly for other women and girls and brings a diverse perspective, viewpoints, experiences, and approaches to the leadership role. It also promotes a more fair and equitable world where people can lead if they have the talent to do so, regardless of gender. I hope that my striving for excellence also addresses stereotype regarding female leaders that will ultimately bring down systemic barriers and promote a more just and equitable society for all. Overall, my I envision my role as a female leader beyond the mere gender representation, but as a tool to harness the full potential of talent and diversity to create stronger, more resilient organizations and communities.

  4) In your opinion, what are the best ways to promote a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment?

  Fostering belonging, relevance and empowerment is not a one time project but a way to understand, organizations, the community and the world as a whole. This requires building an environment where people's voices are heard and people are encouraged to express themselves, where people are provided opportunities to engage and thrive, where each individual contribution is acknowledged and appreciated, where everyone can grow and develop their full potential and ultimately where people are happy.

  5) When you imagine ‘a better world’ inspired by inclusion, what does that look like?

  A better world is a world where everyone has access to their human rights. This is a world where everyone can enjoy their inherent rights, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. This is a world where everyone has the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, the right to health, food and a roof over their head and their right to self-determination. We have plenty to do to get there, but this vision of a better world inspires me to get up every morning and put my best foot forward

Budgeting to End Homelessness in DC - A Letter to DC Mayor Bowser

Dear Mayor Bowser:

We are writing on behalf of the Greater Washington Community Foundation and its Partnership to End Homelessness Leadership Council to offer our recommendations on DC’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget. We urge you to prioritize ending chronic homelessness and making substantial investments in affordable housing and housing stability programs for DC households with extremely low-incomes (0-30 MFI).

Homelessness in DC increased about 12% from 2022 to 2023, the first time this has happened since 2016, when DC launched Homeward DC. This alarming news comes at a time when the District’s rate of investment in housing programs is declining. At the same time, rent continues to rise in DC making it harder for many people to afford to live in DC and evictions are also increasing.

As you know, the Partnership to End Homelessness is a collective effort of private sector business leaders, philanthropists, and national and local nonprofits working in alignment with the city’s comprehensive plan to ensure homelessness in DC is rare, brief, and non-recurring. The private sector and philanthropy play an important role in supporting and funding efforts to end homelessness, but the city’s success greatly depends on the leadership of the DC government to adequately fund and implement evidence-based solutions.

We understand that the city has financial challenges and that the District has many funding priorities to balance this year. However, we are deeply concerned that with the end of pandemic assistance programs, many DC residents are struggling economically and having trouble maintaining their housing. We urge you to prioritize the protection and expansion of programs that help residents obtain and maintain stable and affordable housing. Stable and affordable housing creates the conditions for healthy families and thriving communities, and helps DC advance its goals of achieving racial and economic equity for all its residents. We have the solutions to prevent and end homelessness, and under your leadership, the District has shown that it can make progress by putting resources behind these solutions. We urge you to  invest the necessary resources to continue making progress. 

Our FY 2025 budget recommendations align with the recommendations of our community advocacy partners.

Expand Permanent Supportive Housing to end chronic homelessness: We ask you to invest $36.6 million in Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) to end chronic homelessness for 1,260 single adults. We urge you to provide $22.8 million for PSH for 580 families. 

Support Emergency Rental Assistance: Census Bureau Household Pulse data estimates that 31,000 renters with incomes under $50,000 are behind on their rent in January 2024, or one-third of all low-income renters. Rents continue to rise sharply, even in rent-controlled units. The significant need for emergency rental assistance has time and again been demonstrated by the high volume of requests submitted and the fact that funds are repeatedly depleted long before the end of the fiscal year. Demand for emergency rental assistance is so great that the available ERAP application slots each quarter were filled within hours of opening the portal. We urge you to fund DC’s ERAP program at a minimum of $100 million in FY 2025.

Preserve Public Housing, Expand Affordable Housing: We urge you to commit to preserving and creating deeply affordable housing for households earning 0-30 percent of the Median Family Income (MFI). We recommend:

• Maintaining the $60 million annual commitment to repairing public housing.

• $17.3 million for 800 Local Rent Supplement Tenant Vouchers, to assist those on the DC Housing Authority waitlist.

Expand non-congregate shelter for people experiencing homelessness: The District should take steps to transform its shelter system to make them smaller, safer, and trauma informed. Shifting away from large congregate shelters is essential to supporting the dignity of unhoused residents but also to help them. We support the call for two shelters, funded at $13.3 million.

Support street outreach: Given the increase in unsheltered homelessness over the past year, we call on the District to provide $6.4 million for homeless street outreach to fully restore and expand outreach capacity of the Coordinated Street Outreach Network. 

Support medical respite:  We ask you to support 150 medical respite beds, to offer the critical service of caring for the unhoused who need intensive medical support.

Support and Expand Project Reconnect: Project Reconnect is a successful and cost-effective shelter diversion and rapid-exit program for unaccompanied adults experiencing homelessness. By maintaining existing funding for the program at $1.2 million, and adding an additional $545,000, the program can add diversion specialists to reach more people and prevent homelessness at scale.  

Maintain funding for DC Flex: DC Flex gives a yearly stipend of $7,200 to use on rent in the case of an emergency or in a case where a participant is unable to make rent. We urge you to maintain its $1 million funding as we assess this promising approach. 

Maintain 24/7 shelter access: DC expanded access to shelters during the pandemic so that individuals could stay in and/or access the buildings around the clock. We urge you to continue this practice, which will require $8.4 million. 

Create a fund to cover PSH move-in expenses:  The District should create a fund to cover one-time move-in expenses for residents receiving a voucher. Assistance with transportation to find a unit, obtaining necessary documents, and IDs, plus help to purchase household items is critical to ensuring that a voucher can be used quickly.      

Address the critical need for affordable housing: DC will not end chronic homelessness until we address the critical need for affordable housing. We ask that you: 

• Increase the supply of Tenant Based Local Rent Supplement (LRSP) vouchers, including TAH.

• Ensure that the Housing Production Trust Fund meets the target of at least 50 percent of funding dedicated to producing housing for extremely low-income households (0-30% MFI). We urge you to fund an adequate number of LRSP vouchers to meet the important targeting requirement of the Trust Fund to produce deeply affordable housing.

• Ensure all produced affordable housing is accessible.

Housing stability is the foundation of thriving individuals, families and communities. Any long-term vision for a stronger DC must start with ending homelessness and addressing the high rates of housing instability. We must not let the District’s finances this year result in long-term harm to our neighbors with the least resources. Stable and affordable housing is the key to creating healthy communities, which in turn supports school success, reduces crime, and narrows DC’s racial income and wealth gaps.

Thank you again for your leadership and commitment to ending homelessness in our city. We urge you to continue to make progress in FY 2025 towards ending homelessness and increasing the supply of deeply affordable housing for extremely low income households.

Sincerely,

The Partnership to End Homelessness Leadership Council

Tonia Wellons, President & CEO

Greater Washington Community Foundation

Apply Today for the 2024 LEARN Foundation Scholarship

The Landover Educational Athletic Recreational Nonprofit (LEARN) was established in 1996 to support education programs for Prince George's County youth residing in the vicinity of FedEx Field stadium. Since its inception, the LEARN Foundation has awarded close to $1 million in scholarships and grants to Prince George’s County students and community organizations.  Embedded in the foundation’s mission is the belief that the future is now, and that through partnerships and collaboration young people residing in the targeted areas can benefit through post-secondary education opportunities. 

In 2002, the LEARN Foundation became a component fund of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. Since that time, hundreds of students have benefited from scholarship awards toward college and other career preparation opportunities.

The fund is now accepting applications for the 2024 awards, which will be awarded in July 2024. The minimum scholarship amount is $1,000. Applicants must be high school seniors residing in the immediate vicinity of FedExField with a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA or better. The applications must include a short personal essay, an official transcript, a school letter, and two letters of recommendation.

Completed applications must be submitted by Tuesday, April 30, 2024.

For more information please contact The LEARN Foundation at [email protected].

Black-Led from the Inside, Out

Service Never Sleeps Whitney Parnell, Founder & CEO and Samson Girma, COO

This year, The Community Foundation is highlighting ‘Leaders of the Future’ – individuals and organizations who inspire us to look towards a brighter future for the Greater Washington region.

In honor and celebration of Black History Month, we are lifting up the incredible contributions of Black leaders – specifically those who are leaders in the movement for economic justice and community empowerment. We are excited to feature Whitney Parnell and Samson Girma, co-founders of Service Never Sleeps (SNS), who engaged in important research on Black leadership supported by The Community Foundation which will be released this summer.

Service Never Sleeps is a Black-Led racial justice organization working toward a world where equal rights, justice, and opportunity are available to all. We empower justice-minded individuals and institutions with the tools and posture to be effective allies, and to create equity within their spheres of influence.

We believe that we all have the responsibility to pursue justice in the areas where we hold privilege. We provide trainings that equip participants to be enduring allies in this “forever work”— understanding that there is no arrival point.

Since 2015, SNS has built a reputation as a go-to organizational teacher in allyship, providing training to over 10,000 people.

In 2020, we navigated the trials of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter uprising together as two Black leaders, during a time when the external demand for SNS’ work multiplied tenfold. It led us to a decisive point where we declared that we are proudly and unapologetically a Black-led organization. We now intentionally name and identify as “Black-Led” -- making it clear that our work is rooted in that identity.

What does it mean to be ‘Black-led’?

The “racial reckoning” that began in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd brought an onslaught of public individual and institutional declarations of commitment to racial justice work at large, and specifically to supporting Black-Led organizations. Funding for Black-Led organizations significantly increased during that period, and there seemed to be more opportunities than ever for financial support of our work.

However, when SNS began to apply for funding, we received feedback that we were ineligible for funding because our work did not directly support Black people. We were also told that our organizational leadership did not meet the identity requirements.

We felt (and still feel) that this feedback was not only inaccurate – it also seemed misguided in fully defining what it means to be “Black Led”. 

Our experience is that the value of being Black-Led is not just in the representation numbers of our staff and board, but goes far deeper into the implications about culture, priorities, and values that extend from the inside, out.

So, over the past two years, we have been leading our own internal research project: What Does it Mean to be Black-Led?

The project engaged over one hundred Black leaders, and dug past the traditional qualifiers of leadership demographics to help identify:

• How lived experience positions Black leaders for equitable leadership that benefits everyone;

• The internal/external challenges faced by Black leaders; and

• What actions and resources promote the success of Black-Led organizations.

The participants’ insights are powerful and educational. We were deeply moved by the validation of our own experiences as Black leaders -- including the systemic challenges that Whitney faces as a Black woman leader. As an organization, we processed how to apply these learnings into culture and policies as we grew our team.

The Black-Led Report

The more we learned about the values of Black-Led organizations and how to center those values, the clearer it became that this information needed to expand beyond our small team, so that as many people as possible could learn and grow from this synthesis of invaluable wisdom. We are excited to use our findings to develop new SNS trainings and resources – starting with a report to be launched this upcoming summer.

As we prepare for the new Black-Led Project content and programming launch, we continue to be grateful for the experiences that led us here. Our research has shown us that Black leadership is very-much a journey, one that is reflected in the paths that we have been on as Black people, and that SNS has been on as an organization. All of it has informed the season that we are in.

We are excited to invite others into this shared journey of growth and liberation with us when we publicly release our long-awaited report this summer. Stay tuned!

Leaders of the Future Spotlight: AfriThrive CEO, Dr. Truphena Choti-Empowering Communities of the African Diaspora

AfriThrive Founder & CEO, Dr. Truphena Choti

When Dr. Truphena Choti moved to Montgomery County with her family, she could not have imagined that 20 years later she would be leading an organization feeding 20,000 people a year.

“I had a career in international development, helping communities around the globe – but I felt strongly that my community – here in Maryland -- needed my help, just as much.”

Born in rural Southeastern Kenya to a large family, Dr. Choti was raised by a single mother who inspired her to work hard and pursue her dreams. After marrying her husband, Charles Choti – a future professor of Kenyan History and Politics – the couple moved to the United States to raise their three children and continue their educations and future careers – Prof. Choti’s in academia and Dr. Choti’s in International Education & Development.

“International Development work is very demanding, rewarding work,” Dr. Choti shared. “It can be quite heavy, but it can impact thousands of lives for the better.”

Strengthening Africa – At Home & Abroad

After getting her PhD in International Education Policy at the University of Maryland, Dr. Choti spent more than a decade with organizations like the National Education Association and Nascent Solutions, designing programs to improve the quality of life for millions living in poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa including a school meals program, a community gardening program, and various initiatives to promote women’s education.  

While Dr. Choti worked tirelessly for international communities abroad, she also carved out time for the growing international community in her backyard – particularly the African immigrant community.

The Greater Washington Region is home to more than 260,000 Black and African migrants – the third largest concentration of Black migrants in the country – a community which is growing rapidly. In Maryland, alone, the number of African immigrants has increased more than 42% over the past decade – with large populations coming from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, and Sierra Leone.

While many migrants (like Dr. Choti’s family), are able to adjust to life in a new country, the vast majority face severe economic, social, and cultural barriers.

“Many migrants come to this country with credentials – they were lawyers and teachers in their home country,” Dr. Choti shared. “But because their credentials aren’t recognized in this country, they are unable to enter a job at a level they deserve. They’re forced to work 2-3 low-entry jobs just to make rent – placing undue burden on themselves and their families.

Other migrants come from rural farming communities, similar to where Dr. Choti grew up – but lack the resources and land access to put their skills to work due to economic and educational barriers.

Dr. Choti with her husband Prof. Charles Choti (left)

Dr. Choti became an early advocate for the local African community while serving on the PTA at her children’s school, witnessing firsthand the challenges that migrant parents face. She started her work in a place near and dear to her heart – in the garden.

“I started gardening as a way to reconnect with my roots,” Dr. Choti shared. “My family didn’t like processed or canned food. We missed fresh produce from my home in Kenya -- Okra, Sweet Potatoes, Kale. It was easier to grow it myself, than to try and find it in the store.”

As the garden grew, Dr. Choti sought out opportunities to share the fruits of her labors with her community. She shared with her neighbors and made produce deliveries to newly arrived refugee families. As word spread and interest grew alongside the vegetables, Dr. Choti began researching how she could more sustainably bring culturally appropriate food to her community.

“I felt that this is where my calling is,” Dr. Choti shared. “Responding to the call of my community.”

In 2019, she founded AfriThrive and began broader efforts to support a growing refugee community in nearby Riverdale Park (Prince George’s County) – all this, while still working a fulltime job in International Development. That would soon change, though -- as within a year the region (and the globe) were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Growing Through the Pandemic

Like many communities, the pandemic had severe economic and health impacts for the Black immigrant community – most notably, food insecurity. Dr. Choti says that cultural barriers in the food system presented a particular challenge. She shared one anecdote of a migrant mother who spent a night in the Emergency Room after accidently cutting herself while trying to open a can of ravioli received from a food pantry. The underlying cause was simple but striking -- the woman had never prepared canned food before – she didn’t own a can opener.

An AfriThrive food distribution in Prince George's County

As food insecurity increased, demand for AfriThrive’s services grew exponentially. Dr. Choti and a team of volunteers quickly mobilized to increase access to culturally appropriate foods and fresh produce. They partnered with DC Central Kitchen to organize weekly food distributions at a local church in Aspen Hill. Within months, the distributions expanded to locations in Gaithersburg and Baltimore, with additional partnerships with 4P Foods and Manna Food Center. By 2022, the organization had distributed more than 1 million pounds of food.

At the same time, AfriThrive sought ways to connect more migrants with the resources to grow their own food. They worked with Montgomery Parks through the Community Gardens program to connect and rent garden plots to migrant families to grow cultural vegetables and herbs.

Dr. Choti and members of the AfriThrive team at the Cultural Farm in Poolesville, MD

In 2022, AfriThrive partnered with Montgomery Countryside Alliance’s Landlink program to help connect more migrants with farming opportunities. Through this program, they were able to secure a 2-acre Cultural Farm in Poolesville, MD to grow more culturally appropriate fresh produce – thanks to a grant through The Community Foundation’s Food for Montgomery partnership.

Continued funding through Sharing Montgomery has allowed AfriThrive to continue to expand its operations and productivity. To date, the Farm has produced more than 30,000 pounds of indigenous African vegetables that have been distributed to the community.

“We are so grateful to Sharing Montgomery,” Dr. Choti shared. “Not only for the funding that has allowed us to continue our work, but also for the partnerships that it has allowed us to build within our community.”

Participants in AfriThrive’s Balozi Advocacy Program

Becoming ‘Balozi’

While Dr. Choti loves the work being done in the garden, she also recognizes the need for outside work –particularly in the advocacy space.

“Policy matters,” Dr. Choti exclaimed. “Unless we address the root causes of food insecurity, the cycle of struggle will continue to spin.”

AfriThrive recently launched an initiative called the Balozi Advocacy Program. Taken from the Swahili word for ‘Ambassador’, the Balozi program is a nine-month course designed to train youth and adults to become policy advocates for their communities.

“We give them space to write their own stories of experiences with the system,” Dr. Choti explained. “From settling in the US to dealing with food insecurity. Then we give them a knowledge of how to navigate the system so they can advocate for their needs.”

Dr. Choti says she hopes the program will empower communities of the African Diaspora to access the information and resources they need to thrive.

“If you have a dream, act on it,” Dr. Choti encouraged future Black leaders. “Don’t wait!”

“There’s no better time to get started than right now. Your community needs you!”

The Community Foundation is proud to partner with AfriThrive through our Food for Montgomery and Sharing Montgomery initiatives to empower communities of the African diaspora in our region. For more information about these initiatives, visit our website. For more information about AfriThrive, visit www.afrithrive.org  

Board Member Spotlight: Michael A. Echols, Advisory Board Chair for The Community Foundation in Prince George's County

In December 2023, Michael A. Echols (Mike) was elected as the new Advisory Board Chair for The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County. As part of our series on Leaders of the Future, we asked Mike to share his insights on Black Leaders in the Push for Economic Justice.

Why do you think economic justice is important?

Economic justice stands as the lynchpin of an equitable society, providing the necessary foundation upon which all other facets of social justice can thrive. It serves as the cornerstone of hope, instilling in individuals the belief that their efforts and contributions will be met with fair and just outcomes. Whether one is laboring through two jobs or pursuing an entrepreneurial endeavor, it is in the pursuit of alignment with a system that recognizes and rewards diligence and innovation. Without economic justice, the promise of opportunity and upward mobility remains elusive, perpetuating cycles of inequality and disenfranchisement. Therefore, ensuring economic justice is not merely a matter of fairness, but a fundamental prerequisite for fostering a society where every individual can fulfill their potential and contribute meaningfully to the collective well-being.

What does economic justice look like? Please describe how you or your organization promote or cultivate economic justice?

Economic justice encompasses a multifaceted approach aimed at ensuring fair and equitable distribution of resources, opportunities, and benefits within society. It involves addressing systemic inequalities and barriers to economic participation, as well as promoting policies and practices that empower marginalized communities and promote economic well-being for all. I consider myself a pioneering figure in attempting to assure equal opportunities field of cybersecurity, I seek economic justice for the community and the nation through advocacy and actions. I understand that economic disparities can significantly impact communities, particularly those historically marginalized or underrepresented in the technology sector. Access to the Internet, to training and employment opportunities are critical for fair representation. This is important as everything will be digitized in our near future. Therefore, my efforts center on actively working to dismantle barriers to entry in the cybersecurity field, advocating for increased access to education, training, and job opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds. My' efforts extend beyond individual empowerment to systemic change. I collaborate with government agencies, educational institutions, and industry partners to develop initiatives that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the cybersecurity workforce. By advocating for policies that prioritize economic justice, such as equitable hiring practices and investment in underserved communities, I aim to create a more inclusive and resilient economy that benefits everyone. Furthermore, I recognize the interconnectedness of economic justice with other forms of social justice. So, I actively support initiatives that address systemic issues such as racial inequality, gender discrimination, and socioeconomic disparities, recognizing that these factors intersect and compound to perpetuate economic injustice.

What does it mean to be a Black leader or to promote and cultivate Black leadership?

Fostering Black leadership involves actively addressing systemic barriers and structural inequalities that impede the advancement of Black individuals into leadership roles. The next "team" should not run into the same barriers and wall. This is done by This advocating for policies and practices that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, while also challenging systemic racism. By making my back available to carry others who will move far beyond where my years will take the community we are carrying on a tradition started during the days of slavery. By advocating for social justice reforms and creating more equitable opportunities for leadership and success within the Black community and society at large, we can do more than just cultivate leaders. rather, we can thrust them forward and allow the choice of paths. My conditions now will not be the ones faced by the tip of the spear five years from now. Empowering the next generation to be impactful means providing the tools and letting them use what is in the tool bag in a manner appropriate to the positive change and progress.

When you reflect on Black History in the Greater Washington region, what does the next chapter of Black History look like to you?

The forthcoming chapter of Black history in the Greater Washington region embodies a narrative of hope, progress, and collective action towards a more inclusive and equitable society. It envisions a future where the legacy of resilience and triumph among Black communities continues to inspire generations, fostering increased representation, equity, and justice across all facets of life. The question is how do we empower the next generation to roll forward with minimal speedbumps in their path? And, what tools do we need to provide them enabling an ability to smoothly overcome challenges we are sure they will face? The next chapter of Black history will involve the dismantling of systemic racism and the implementation of policies that promote social justice and equity for all. Success will be measured by the achievement of objectives. One of them is that Black individuals are not only recognized for their contributions to the region's history, but also for their ongoing leadership in shaping its future.

Leaders of the Future: Black Leaders in the Push for Economic Justice

In 2024, The Community Foundation is highlighting 'Leaders of the Future' - individuals and organizations who inspire us to look towards a brighter future for Greater Washington.

To kick off our "Leaders of the Future" campaign , we invited incredible Black leaders from across the region to share their experiences, including their insights into the movement for socio-economic justice.

• Michael Echols, Founder/CEO, MAX Cybersecurity

  What is your relationship to The Community Foundation?

  I am the incoming Chair of the Prince George's County Community Foundation.

  Why do you think economic justice is important?

  Economic justice stands as the lynchpin of an equitable society, providing the necessary foundation upon which all other facets of social justice can thrive. It serves as the cornerstone of hope, instilling in individuals the belief that their efforts and contributions will be met with fair and just outcomes. Whether one is laboring through two jobs or pursuing an entrepreneurial endeavor, it is in the pursuit of alignment with a system that recognizes and rewards diligence and innovation. Without economic justice, the promise of opportunity and upward mobility remains elusive, perpetuating cycles of inequality and disenfranchisement. Therefore, ensuring economic justice is not merely a matter of fairness, but a fundamental prerequisite for fostering a society where every individual can fulfill their potential and contribute meaningfully to the collective well-being.

  What does economic justice look like? Please describe how you or your organization promote or cultivate economic justice?

  Economic justice encompasses a multifaceted approach aimed at ensuring fair and equitable distribution of resources, opportunities, and benefits within society. It involves addressing systemic inequalities and barriers to economic participation, as well as promoting policies and practices that empower marginalized communities and promote economic well-being for all.

  I consider myself a pioneering figure in attempting to assure equal opportunities field of cybersecurity, I seek economic justice for the community and the nation through advocacy and actions. I understand that economic disparities can significantly impact communities, particularly those historically marginalized or underrepresented in the technology sector. Access to the Internet, to training and employment opportunities are critical for fair representation. This is important as everything will be digitized in our near future. Therefore, my efforts center on actively working to dismantle barriers to entry in the cybersecurity field, advocating for increased access to education, training, and job opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds.

  My efforts extend beyond individual empowerment to systemic change. I collaborate with government agencies, educational institutions, and industry partners to develop initiatives that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the cybersecurity workforce. By advocating for policies that prioritize economic justice, such as equitable hiring practices and investment in underserved communities, I aim to create a more inclusive and resilient economy that benefits everyone.

  Furthermore, I recognize the interconnectedness of economic justice with other forms of social justice. So, I actively support initiatives that address systemic issues such as racial inequality, gender discrimination, and socioeconomic disparities, recognizing that these factors intersect and compound to perpetuate economic injustice.

  What does it mean to be a Black leader or to promote and cultivate Black leadership?

  Fostering Black leadership involves actively addressing systemic barriers and structural inequalities that impede the advancement of Black individuals into leadership roles. The next "team" should not run into the same barriers and wall. This is done by This advocating for policies and practices that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, while also challenging systemic racism. By making my back available to carry others who will move far beyond where my years will take the community we are carrying on a tradition started during the days of slavery.

  By advocating for social justice reforms and creating more equitable opportunities for leadership and success within the Black community and society at large, we can do more than just cultivate leaders. rather, we can thrust them forward and allow the choice of paths. My conditions now will not be the ones faced by the tip of the spear five years from now. Empowering the next generation to be impactful means providing the tools and letting them use what is in the tool bag in a manner appropriate to the positive change and progress.

  When you reflect on Black History in the Greater Washington region, what does the next chapter of Black History look like to you?

  The forthcoming chapter of Black history in the Greater Washington region embodies a narrative of hope, progress, and collective action towards a more inclusive and equitable society. It envisions a future where the legacy of resilience and triumph among Black communities continues to inspire generations, fostering increased representation, equity, and justice across all facets of life.

  The question is how do we empower the next generation to roll forward with minimal speedbumps in their path? And, what tools do we need to provide them enabling an ability to smoothly overcome challenges we are sure they will face?

  The next chapter of Black history will involve the dismantling of systemic racism and the implementation of policies that promote social justice and equity for all. Success will be measured by the achievement of objectives. One of them is that Black individuals are not only recognized for their contributions to the region's history, but also for their ongoing leadership in shaping its future.

• Courtney Stewart, founder/CEO, The National Re-entry Network for Returning Citizens

  What is your relationship to The Community Foundation?

  The Community Foundation was one of the first organizations to fund us - we have had a successful partnership with them for over 5 years.

  Why do you think economic justice is important?

  The main reason is because when you look at the inequality around society, most of the problems are within the top 1%. The scales are so unbalanced that greed, dysfunction, and power imbalances in society become cyclical, fueling one another. We've forgotten about the "my brother's keeper" mentality.

  What does economic justice look like? Please describe how you or your organization promote or cultivate economic justice?

  Economic justice looks like a fairer justice system for returning citizens by meeting all of their needs and giving them the opportunity to succeed so that we might help them see a path for themselves outside of the criminal legal space on their own, without the shackles of supervision or monitoring. It looks like pouring resources into people and removing barriers to their success and wellbeing.

  What does it mean to be a Black leader or to promote and cultivate Black leadership?

  Black Leadership is about owning up to past wrongs, enduring a slow ground-up approach, being a sacrificial lamb, practicing the principles of integrity, truth, and love. Leading by example without the celebrity and understanding that we have to be the change we want to see, with patience and tolerance.

  When you reflect on Black History in the Greater Washington region, what does the next chapter of Black History look like to you?

  Enduring strength, youth leadership, supporting and encouraging our black men. Building community and promoting a restorative justice model.

• Patrice Sulton, Executive Director, DC Justice Lab

  What is your relationship to The Community Foundation?

  DC Justice Lab is lucky to have been included in two important grant-making programs from the foundation. When we were first getting up and running, we received funds to help with our operational costs and capacity building. Last year, we were selected as part of its groundbreaking deep investment into local policy advocacy and systems change, under the Health Equity Fund.

  Why do you think economic justice is important?

  People who live in Georgetown live an average of 27 years longer than people who live in Anacostia. Many of the social determinants of health are impacted by seismic income and wealth disparities in our city.

  What does economic justice look like? Please describe how you or your organization promote or cultivate economic justice?

  DC Justice Lab is promoting economic justice by combatting the criminalization of poverty and fighting for reparations for Black Washingtonians.

  What does it mean to be a Black leader or to promote and cultivate Black leadership?

  Finding new strategies for civic participation and political education has been the most rewarding part of our recent work. We are investing in Black-led organizations through our Policy Training Academy, preparing future movement lawyers through our DC Justice Fellow program and Policy Advocacy Competition, and teaching community members how to change systems through our DC Justice Library. We know that positioning people to step into and fully express their own power is more transformative than anything we could do alone.

  When you reflect on Black History in the Greater Washington region, what does the next chapter of Black History look like to you?

  The next chapter of Black History looks like Black Unity. After two generations of dividing our communities based on poverty and subjugating people who have been system-involved, it is time for a unified pro-Black movement for changing and dismantling institutions that harm us.

• Courtney Hall, CEO, Interfaith Works

  What is your relationship to The Community Foundation?

  Interfaith Works (IW) and the Greater Washington Community Foundation serve as strategic partners. Primarily, the Community Foundation supports our emergency financial assistance program, Connections. Additionally, IW and The Community Foundation are co-hosting a Faith and Philanthropy forum on February 27, with a specific focus on economic justice in Montgomery County.

  Why do you think economic justice is important?

  Economic equity ensures that our neighbors in Montgomery County have an opportunity to earn a livable wage sufficient to live without public assistance like rental subsidies, SNAP, or other government cash assistance.

  What does economic justice look like? Please describe how you or your organization promote or cultivate economic justice?

  Interfaith Works has been serving people who experience poverty for 52 years. Last year, we served 35,000 Montgomery County residents. Our programs are centered around removing systemic and economic barriers that prevent residents from achieving stability and thriving. Sadly, there are deeper systemic challenges that must also be addressed. In Montgomery County, one must earn $35/hr to afford an average two-bedroom apartment. This is out of reach for many in Montgomery County, where the minimum hourly wage is $16.70. This disparity explains the surge in demand that Interfaith Works has seen for our shelter, supportive housing, food and clothing distribution, emergency financial assistance, and job placement services.

  While our programs have been expanded significantly to meet the demand, the need continues to grow. At the macro level, IW hosts forums on critical issues like homelessness, affordable housing, and food insecurity. We also routinely engage with elected officials and business leaders to ensure they remain aware of the difficulties faced by our clients. Through these efforts, we help ensure that the community remains engaged with solutions to the challenges affecting our neighbors.

  Recently, Interfaith Works launched a collaboration with a data analysis firm to understand better the conditions in our community that cause the continued need for our services. While we do not yet have firm answers, we are certain that solutions will center around economic justice.

  What does it mean to be a Black leader or to promote and cultivate Black leadership?

  I have the privilege of leading Interfaith Works, a 190-person nonprofit organization that serves 35,000 people each year who experience poverty. In Montgomery County, Black people disproportionately experience poverty, relative to the population size. As CEO, I work with our dedicated team to ensure that these services reach the people with the greatest need and that clients are treated in an equitable and dignified manner. I also support Black leaders in the County as Board Treasurer for The Montgomery County Black Collective. The Collective creates space for underrepresented businesses to access resources that have long been unavailable to the Black community – a barrier that has prevented many from achieving economic security.

  When you reflect on Black History in the Greater Washington region, what does the next chapter of Black History look like to you?

  In the wake of recent stories about workplace racism, I am concerned that some Black professionals may avoid leadership opportunities for fear of being mistreated. This trepidation is legitimate. Unfortunately, when Black leaders are missing from the table, they cannot influence decisions and their unique viewpoints are not represented. This has a direct effect on the broader Black community and can affect how information and resources are distributed.

  For the next chapter of Black History to be bright, businesses in the Greater Washington community must double down on efforts to create nurturing work environments. It is also crucial that we lead the way in addressing workplace maltreatment, which is experienced by too many Black employees. Taking these steps will help ensure that our community is enhanced for everyone.

• Byron Johns, Co-Founder, Black & Brown Coalition for Educational Equity & Excellence

  What is your relationship to The Community Foundation?

  The BBC is a recipient of funding from the Community Foundation to support our mission of addressing systemic barriers in public education.

  Why do you think economic justice is important?

  Economic Justice empowers marginalized people and communities to be self reliant and productive participants that creates social mobility, independence and prosperity across generations.

  What does economic justice look like? Please describe how you or your organization promote or cultivate economic justice?

  Education is proven enabler of social mobility and economic prosperity, so our focus has been on dismantling systemic barriers in public education that limit access to resources and opportunities for Black, Brown, and students from low income families.

  What does it mean to be a Black leader or to promote and cultivate Black leadership?

  Effective Black leadership is fully cognizant of the diverse historical, cultural, and social fabric that makes up Black communities, and the many racially motivated challenges we’re still facing. However, building relationships to forge new pathways and create mutually beneficial solutions with other communities is critical to making progress.

  When you reflect on Black History in the Greater Washington region, what does the next chapter of Black History look like to you?

  I believe we are at a critical inflection point. Our traditional Black institutions have been weakened, and the community values that protected and helped us make progress together for generations are waning. The trajectory of next chapters of Black History will depend on how effectively we collaborate with like-minded people, especially in ensuring our children have access to a high-quality education that prepares them to compete globally and build economic justice and prosperity for our communities.

Exciting Lineup Revealed: Performers for March 21st Celebration of Philanthropy!

We're thrilled to announce the exceptional lineup of performers for the Celebration of Philanthropy at the National Building Museum on March 21, 2024. To secure your tickets for this extraordinary event, please visit www.thecommunityfoundation.org/celebration

American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras

Founded in 1964, AYPO is one of the nation’s leading youth orchestra organizations. AYPO’s mission is to provide a prestigious and transformational set of growth opportunities in classical music performance for young musicians from all backgrounds in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Each year, AYPO provides conservatory-quality orchestral training and performance experience for more than 625 talented musicians ages 7 to 19 from the Greater Washington region. Nearly 70% of AYPO students identify as people of color. Over the past decade AYPO has grown to its current size, with eight orchestras, six instrumental ensembles, the Summer String Academy, and the Music Buddies outreach program for underserved children. This evening we present a group from our senior Chamber Ensemble, and a group from the Junior Chamber Ensemble.

Since 2007, Spur Local (formerly the Catalogue for Philanthropy) has recognized AYPO as one of the best small charities in Greater Washington.

The Northeast Performing Arts Group

The Northeast Performing Arts Group (NEPAG) is an award-winning, culturally based arts and education program with a mission: “To develop and foster the creative talents of youth in the Northeast/Southeast corridors of Washington, D.C. through performing and visual arts, as an alternative to street life and to teach the invaluable lessons of discipline, commitment and team motivation.” NEPAG has trained over 9,000 youth and helped more than 400 enroll in college. Forty-four years later, the center and arts studio has evolved into a haven where young people, ages 3 - 18, can prepare for life while exploring the arts after school, on weekends, and during the 9-week Summer Performing Arts Camp. The NEPAG is currently under the executive direction of Carrington Lassiter.

The NEPAG will provide dance performance excerpts from its most notable productions, "The Lion King: RELOADED",” The Wiz,” and "On Broadway". The dance styles will include ballet technique, African, Broadway jazz, liturgical, modern, and hip-hop.

Prince George’s Arts & Humanities Council

The Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council is guided by a goal to promote artistic achievement and creative expression in all of its forms. PGAHC support life-long learning through the arts and humanities, particularly in arts education initiatives geared toward young people. It is their belief that the arts and humanities are the catalyst to bridge racial, cultural, social and generational gaps. It is with this in mind that the PGAHC builds stronger communities through education, government, business and private funding partnerships.

PGAHC is proud to present Saniya Pearson, the 2024 Prince George's Youth Poet Laureate. Saniya is a 16-year-old International Baccalaureate student at Central High School, where she is the president of her 10th-grade class, a Mock Trial defense attorney, a Green Team contributor, and a varsity tennis player. As Prince George's County's Poet Ambassador, Saniya has performed her socially conscious and uplifting pieces nationwide.

Montgomery College

The MC Jazztet offers an impressive mix of Latin Jazz, Fusion, and Modern Jazz in their performances. This talented group seamlessly blends Modern and Traditional Jazz, covering a wide range of styles including Early Jazz, Swing, Bebop, Latin Jazz, and Jazz Fusion.

Made up of students, community members, and home-schooled students, the ensemble has entertained audiences at various community events and private functions across the Washington DC metro area. Many members of the MC Jazztet have been accepted into top music schools and conservatories nationwide.

They've had Notable performances at venues like the Glen Echo Ballroom, Blues Alley Jazz Jam, Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, and The Smithsonian Museum of American History.

Under the direction of Alvin F. Trask, the Montgomery College Jazz program nurtures musical talent and fosters artistic development.

Batalá Washington

Batalá Washington is an all-women percussion band with a mission to empower women through drumming and expose communities to Brazil’s dynamic Afro-Bahian culture and Samba-Reggae music. Joining this nonprofit band is free of charge, regardless of musical experience or background.

Playing rhythms typical of northeastern Brazil, Batalá’s heavily syncopated music is rooted in traditional African drumming and accented with Brazilian samba and Caribbean reggae. The women of Batalá play this music on five different drums, creating a powerful, dynamic sound that has captivated audiences in the DC area for over 15 years. The music, combined with colorful costumes and energetic dancing, creates a memorable visual and auditory experience.

All proceeds go towards providing instruments and costumes to members, who are all volunteers. Batalá’s instruments and clothing are manufactured in Salvador, where the band operates a social program providing jobs for low-income families.

Gifting Real Estate for a Meaningful Impact

By Angela Baker, JD Realtor
Seniors Real Estate Specialist

As you contemplate the gifts you will make this year, consider the benefits of gifting appreciated real estate.

Whether or not your beneficiary is a charity, gifting real estate outright or in trust can transform lives and communities and create a legacy that extends beyond your lifetime.

The Gift of Real Estate - Things to Consider

While a gift to a non-charitable beneficiary, such as a family member or friend, can provide them with financial security or help support their goals, it’s important to consider the financial and practical implications for you and your beneficiary. You’ll want to ensure that your loved ones are willing and able to take on any responsibilities, such as maintenance, insurance, and taxes, associated with the gifted property and establish a contingency plan in case your beneficiary predeceases you or is unable to assume ownership of the property.

On the other hand, a gift to charity allows you to support causes you are passionate about and see your gift put to impactful use. Be sure to confirm that your charity is willing and able to accept a gift of real estate.

How to Give Real Estate - Outright vs Trust

When you make an outright gift, the ownership and control transfer immediately, allowing your beneficiary to use or sell the property as they wish. The responsibility for the management, maintenance, and associated costs is no longer yours. An outright gift is generally simpler, involves fewer administrative complexities, and can provide immediate tax benefits based on the property’s fair market value at the time of the gift.

Another option is to make a gift in trust. This can be accomplished in multiple ways and provides you with flexibility and control over the property while still benefiting your charitable or non-charitable beneficiaries. A trust can also provide several tax benefits. Trusts are typically more complex to establish and have costs associated with ongoing administration and reporting. Your Trustee’s role is significant. So, ensure they understand their obligations and are willing and able to serve.

For non-charitable purposes, a trust can help ensure that the property is managed and distributed according to your wishes. Whether you establish a revocable or irrevocable trust will depend, in large part, on your circumstances and desired level of control. If privacy and the avoidance of probate are important to you, a trust, unlike a will, will offer both.

A charitable gift in trust, unlike an outright gift, allows you to retain some control during your lifetime or for a specified period. You can specify how the property should be managed and used and when it should be distributed to the charity. A charitable trust can also provide income, gift, capital gain, and estate tax benefits. A charitable remainder trust, for example, can provide an immediate income tax deduction for a percentage of the property’s fair market value at the time of the gift. If and when the trust sells the appreciated property, capital gains taxes are generally avoided since the trust is tax-exempt.

Creating a Legacy Through Real Estate

Gifting real estate outright or in trust to charitable or non-charitable beneficiaries presents a powerful opportunity to maximize the many benefits and create a meaningful legacy for you and your beneficiaries. The decision between an outright donation or establishing a trust will depend on your specific circumstances, goals, and desired level of control over the property. Be sure to consult with an estate planning attorney and other professionals to understand the options, complexities, tax implications, and legal requirements and to ensure your wishes are properly documented and executed.

This post should not be misconstrued as legal, financial, or tax advice but is intended for Educational Purposes Only. Contact your advisor(s) for advice on your specific circumstances.

birdSEED Foundation: Planting Seeds of Hope for Black First-Time Homeowners

birdSEED recipient Tiffany (Coco) Brown, at her new home in Prince George’s County.

For years, Tiffany (Coco) Brown had dreamed of accomplishing something that no one else in her family had ever done before – purchasing a house that she could call home.

“I wanted someplace where my family could gather and be together,” Coco shared. “Someplace safe that we could call ‘ours’.”

Like many Black families in the Greater Washington region, as a child Coco’s parents could only afford to rent their home in Washington, DC. As economic conditions in the housing market turned, Coco remembers moving several times over the course of her childhood, leaving behind friends and childhood memories as the family sought out a new place to live.

“Growing up, I knew I wanted to live in my own house,” Coco shared. “I just wasn’t sure where to start.”

In 2021, Coco decided to pursue her dream of becoming a homeowner. But while navigating the world of real estate can be complicated for just about anybody, studies show that it has been historically – even deliberately – complex for people of color.

According to a recent study by the National Association of Realtors, only 44% of Black Americans are homeowners – compared to 73% of White Americans. The disparity, which is built on a foundation of decades of redlining and discriminatory lending practices, represents the largest racial homeownership gap in the past decade.

“There’s not very many things out there for people who look like me,” she added. “When it comes to buying a house, we don’t have the resources or the information to get the help we need.”

Over the course of her housing search, Coco went through four different realtors, mountains of paperwork, and dozens of house tours. She also enrolled in several programs designed to help first-time homebuyers – which she soon discovered involved even more paperwork and strict eligibility requirements.

“Pack your patience,” she recalled of her experience. “It’s a lot.”

That was when she heard about the Housing Justice & Down Payment Assistance Program at the birdSEED Foundation – a non-profit organization born from a collaboration between Nest DC (formerly known as Flock DC) – which provided the initial funding to seed the program - and the Greater Washington Community Foundation. The program provides grants of $5,000 - $15,000 to Black & Brown first-time homebuyers with no strings attached.

“This is our work to do – helping those who have been historically disadvantaged to purchase homes,” shared lisa wise, CEO of Nest DC and founder of birdSEED.

birdSEED is boldly branded as a ‘housing justice’ initiative – a starting point for reparations from an industry that has played a major role in the creation of the racial wealth gap.

“Homeownership is one of the most effective ways that Americans build intergenerational wealth,” Darius Graham, Managing Director of Community Investment at The Community Foundation stated. “And even though equal access to housing is a civil right enshrined in our nation’s laws, systemic racism within housing institutions have kept communities of color from accessing it for far too long.”­

“[birdSEED] isn’t about philanthropy,” wise added. “It’s about wealth creation; it’s about transferring and building wealth – and creating a model for the rest of the business community that we hope others will follow.”

birdSEED was designed to take away as many barriers for Black and Brown homebuyers to receive support, as possible. The application process is kept intentionally simple and is open year-round, with grants awarded twice a year by a panel of volunteer advisory board members. Once awarded, grant recipients have 120 days to close on a home and release the funds, which are managed by The Community Foundation.

“We are laser focused on making no strings attached down payment grants,” Leslie Case, Executive Director of birdSEED added. “If we can focus more on the giving and less on the accountability, we believe we can give more and have a bigger impact.”

Since its launch in September 2020, birdSEED has awarded 41 provisional grants to help Black and Brown first-time homebuyers – including Coco -- get one step closer to their dream of home ownership.

“birdSEED was a lifesaver,” Coco said. “Without them, I don’t think I would have gone to closing.”

Coco submitted her birdSEED application in September 2022—and within a month was awarded a $10,000 provisional grant. Five months later, Coco closed on her dream home in Hillcrest Heights in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

“The fact that [the homebuying search] is over, is such a stress reliever,” Coco shared, as she approaches her one-year anniversary of homeownership. “To be able to spend holidays, birthdays, and game nights in my own space with the ones I love is a wonderful experience.”

While wise, Case, and The Community Foundation celebrate the success of birdSEED, we also acknowledge how much work remains to be done to close the racial homeownership gap. Of the 41 provisional grants awarded to Black and Brown first-time homebuyers through birdSEED, some of them have still been unable to close on a house – a humbling testament to the many challenges that first-time homebuyers of color must overcome on the road to homeownership.

Despite the challenges, wise and Coco say that birdSEED provides a beacon of hope that they hope will continue to spread to more members of the Greater Washington community.  

“A lot of people ask what they can do – especially when confronted with big issues like the racial wealth gap,” wise said. “You can start with this –a down payment towards building a more equitable community. It may seem like a small step – but it’s a huge step in the right direction.”

One evidence of that hope came from Coco, who when asked what advice she had for fellow aspiring homeowners, simply stated the following:

“If I can do it, you can do it”

The Community Foundation is proud to award the birdSEED Foundation with a $100,000 grant to support homeownership for residents of Prince George’s County and Montgomery County. The investment is part of our Together, We Prosper campaign investment strategy to close the racial wealth gap in the Greater Washington region. For more information, visit our website or contact [email protected]

Health in All Policies – A New Way of Thinking About Advocacy

What do a bus route, a new grocery store, a public housing complex, and a new public school all have in common?

The answer may not seem obvious, but groups across the country argue that this common denominator – considering health in public policy - is critical to the longevity and wellbeing of communities.

Last month, the Health Equity Fund convened its third grant partner learning series event to explore how leading with this concept could help magnify their advocacy efforts.

“It is critical that we consider health first in public policy,” Dr. Keshia Pollack Porter, Bloomberg Centennial Chair at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health explained. “Integrating and articulating health considerations into policymaking across sectors has the potential to improve the health and wellbeing for thousands – particularly for communities of color.”

The idea of leading with Health in All Policies (HiAP) is not a new concept. Over the past decade, the approach has been championed by major health agencies like the CDC, the World Health Organization, and others as a way to build a stronger, more resilient health system.

The idea is that by promoting health, equity, and sustainability considerations while engaging a broader array of stakeholders, policymakers can ultimately build a system that works better for everyone.

As the DC government prepares to release its budget, many nonprofit partners with the Health Equity Fund hope that promoting a Health in All Policies mindset will have an impact that carries over into FY25 and beyond.

Dr. Keshia Pollack Porter, Bloomberg Centennial Chair at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health outlines Health in All Policies for Health Equity Partners.

“Health in All Policies is critical to helping us achieve health equity,” Dr. Pollack Porter shared. “Policymakers and agencies must understand that healthcare (and the gaps that exist in healthcare) aren’t confined within the walls of a hospital. Community Health is so much more than that.”

However, Dr. Pollack Porter explained that for many government agencies – especially those that operate in silos - adopting a mindset of Health in All Policies can take some time to implement.

“Collaboration has to be a physical activity,” Christina Henderson, DC Council Member (At-Large) and Chair of DC’s Council on Health shared. “By naming it [Health in All Policies], we force people to be more intentional and explicit in considering how their actions have broader impact – not only across their agencies or departments, but across our community.”

Council Member Henderson joined Dr. Pollack Porter and Dr. Arnetto Arno, Director of the DC Office of Health Equity, to share how Health in All Policies has been implemented at the DC Government level. She explained that while the DC government has made a lot of progress, there is still a lot of work to do to catch the vision of Health in All Policies.

“There’s so much more that goes into the health of a person than just access to health insurance,” Council Member Henderson explained, pointing out that DC ranks among the top cities in the nation for enrollment in Medicaid – but lags far behind in other critical areas like access to healthcare.

“We have to look outside of the data; outside of our departments, and see what’s really happening,” Dr. Arno shared. “Too often the data and averages that we use to formulate public policy mask the inequities that keep us from moving forward.”

“Health in All Policies is about taking a broader approach to find a better way to advance the policies that can make a difference.”

Dr. Arno added that the most rewarding and fulfilling work of Health in All Policies actually comes – not from the data – but from engaging with the community.

“If we’re hearing from community members, our policies simply aren’t going to get where they need to be.”

Dr. Arno’s assessment was echoed by several national advocates of the Health in All Policies framework – including Rachel Rosekind of Write You Are and Roxanne Carrillo Garza of Health Contra Costa (formerly Healthy Richmond CA) – who joined the event via zoom.

“It can’t be understated how important it is to seek out community engagement and input from those with lived experience,” Garza shared. “Lived experience is just as valuable – if not more so – when it comes to impacting the life of a community, than policy experience.”

“We need to help agencies change how they think about their processes,” Mark Humowiecki of the Camden Coalition added. “We don’t want them medicalizing their services – we just want them to be more mindful of how their processes can positively or negatively impact the health of our community.”

“As we leave this event, may we all be more intentional about incorporating Health in All Policies into our regular vocabulary,” Dr. Marla Dean, Senior Director of the Health Equity Fund shared at the conclusion. “As we seek to lead with Health in All Policies in our advocacy work, we move closer to achieving health equity.” 

For more information about the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s Health Equity Fund, visit our website!

2024 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year Award Nominations Now Open!

Left to Right: Mary Pat Alcus (2023 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year) and Tonia Wellons (President/CEO) at the Celebration of Giving.

The Community Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2024 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year Award!

The Philanthropist of the Year will be recognized at the 2024 Celebration of Giving later this fall. Read on for more information!

Nomination guidelines

Purpose: To honor an individual who has made a positive impact in our community through giving, and whose philanthropic leadership sets an inspiring example for us all. 

Nomination Process

Complete the official nomination form and submit a letter (2 pages max) explaining why your nominee should be selected as the Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year. 

Please note: the cover form must be completed in its entirety.  The 2-page letter must convey that the nominee meets all the eligibility criteria. Nominators are welcome to submit attachments that will help convey the impact of the nominee’s giving and philanthropic leadership.  However, the Awards Committee will not accept nominations which rely solely on resumes, newspaper articles, annual reports, or the like in substitution for concise responses to the criteria outlined above. 

When feasible, nominators are welcome to team up with other organizations to submit a joint nomination that will more fully articulate the nominee’s philanthropic leadership and impact.

Pending review by the Philanthropist of the Year Selection Committee, The Community Foundation staff may contact you for additional information. 

For inspiration, look no further than our past Philanthropist of the Year honorees.

Eligibility Criteria: 

All nominees must:

• Be a resident of Montgomery County

• Have a demonstrated track record of charitable giving to one or more nonprofit organizations based in and working in Montgomery County*

• Have made a positive impact in the lives of county residents through their giving*

• Encourage/motivate others to become philanthropic

Please Note: We encourage nominators to give special emphasis to any extraordinary giving and/or leadership over the past few years which helped your organization adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic and/or advance work related to racial equity and inclusion.  Please know, the level of charitable dollars given is secondary to its impact and potential to inspire others to follow suit. Creative approaches to philanthropy are welcome!  Nominees may be of any age.

In exceptional circumstances, the Selection Committee may consider a former resident, a family unit, or a philanthropist who is deceased. 

DEADLINE: THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2024

The nomination form, letter, and any additional attachments must be submitted via email with subject line “Philanthropist of the Year 2024 – Name of Nominee” by close of business on Thursday, March 7, 2024 to:

Olivia Hsu

Development Associate, Montgomery County

[email protected]

All nominators will receive confirmation that the nomination has been submitted within 24 hours of receipt. The Community Foundation in Montgomery County will contact the selected awardee(s) and their nominator by June. All other nominations will remain confidential.

Questions: Contact Olivia Hsu at [email protected].

Planned Giving Pointers for 2024

A new year is such a great time to plan and reboot. Cliche as it may be to talk about resolutions this time of year, it’s tough to deny that January represents a clean slate for “to-do” lists, goals, and your overall mindset.

As you think about your 2024 charitable giving goals and priorities – including planned giving, here are a few tips to help break down the concept of planned giving and how The Community Foundation can help you achieve your charitable goals.

It may help to think of “planned giving” in contrast to what’s sometimes called “current” or “annual” giving. For example, when you write a check to a charitable organization such as your fund at The Community Foundation, you’re transferring those funds immediately in a relatively straightforward manner.

By contrast, a “planned gift” can be simple or complex and more forward-looking than current or annual support for your favorite charitable causes. Planned gifts can include bequests, beneficiary designations, gifts of business interests, real estate, tangible personal property, and more. Making strategic current or future transfers through one’s assets, to charity is often referred to as “planned giving” or “gift planning”  because these gifts can allow donors to give more significant gifts in support of their causes than they thought possible, but it requires some planning. Here are examples of common “planned gifts:” 

• A bequest in your will or trust allows you to name a charity, such as your fund at the community foundation, to receive a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or a particular item, such as a residence, after your lifetime, for example. The team at The Community Foundation can work with you and your advisors to include a bequest in your estate plan using the proper bequest language. 

• Beneficiary designations on life insurance policies, retirement plans, or any accounts that pass through a beneficiary form can be practical tools for making gifts. The team at The Community Foundation can work with you and your advisors to complete the paperwork required to properly designate your fund or create a fund at The Community Foundation using a beneficiary designation form.

• Setting up a life-income gift, such as a charitable remainder trust or a charitable gift annuity, is often an effective way for you to ensure that money will flow from your estate to a charity, such as your fund at The Community Foundation, in a way that meets both your philanthropic intentions and your financial goals (including retaining an income stream and triggering an up-front charitable income tax deduction).

Planned giving does not involve just giving after your lifetime but can also be done now, such as if you are planning the sale of a business or if you have a property you may be interested in donating or a life insurance policy that you no longer need, for example, you can use those assets to give during your lifetime.

There are many assets that The Community Foundation may be able to accept when considering a planned gift. If you would like to discuss your charitable goals and how we may be able to assist you, please contact the team at The Community Foundation. We look forward to working with you to help you meet your current and planned charitable goals during 2024 and beyond! 

Out of School Activity Scholarships for DC Students Now Available!

Update: Due to unprecedented response, The Community Foundation has paused accepting new applications for the Learn 24 OST Scholarship program.

If you would like to be notified if the application is reopened, please send an email to [email protected] to be placed on the waitlist.

Looking for fun and meaningful activities for your child this year? Additional funds for youth Scholarships for DC Students are now available through Learn24’s OST Youth Scholarship Program.

Learn24 is a network that supports equitable access to high-quality, Out-of-School-Time (“OST”) programs for the District’s students. Managed by the Greater Washington Community Foundation, Learn24’s  OST Youth Scholarship Program provides funding to help students and their families – especially those with specific needs – access the programs they need to strengthen their education, health, and well-being outside of school.

Examples of programs that the scholarship may support include, but are not limited to, programs designed specifically for students with disabilities, advanced learners, and English Language Learners.

Scholarships of up to $10,000 are available for individual students for use in approved OST activities, including both current fall activities and those expected to begin with the start of the new calendar year and summer 2024. The minimum scholarship award is $1,000. Scholarships are awarded based on individual need and availability of funding. Scholarship funds can be used for any OST activities that have a cost association up to the total scholarship amount.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and must be submitted online, using the link provided. No hard copy, email or faxed proposals will be accepted. Applications are reviewed periodically by The Community Foundation and approved by Learn24. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions within 4 weeks of application submission.

For those seeking additional information, click here to read the full RFP or watch this orientation video if you are interested in applying. The RFP and video are both available in Spanish (see below).

If you have questions, please contact Benton Murphy at [email protected]

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Becas Extraescolar disponibles
para Jovenes de DC

Actualización: Debido al alto cantidad de respuestas, The Community Foundation no esta aceptando nuevas aplicaciones para el Learn 24 OST Scholarship program en este momento. Si te gustaria ser notificada cuando la aplicación reabre, por favor manda un email a [email protected] para ser colocada en una lista de espera.

¿Estás en busca de actividades divertidas y significativas para su hijo este año? Ahora están disponibles fundos adicionales para becas para estudiantes de DC por medio del OST Youth Scholarship Program de Learn24

Learn24 es un rede que ayuda los estudiantes de DC a conseguir acceso equitativo a programación de alta-calidad extraescolares (Out-of-School)(OST). Administrado por the Greater Washington Community Foundation (Fundación Comunitaria de Greater Washington), el OST Youth Scholarship de Learn24 proporciona fundos para ayudar estudiantes y sus familias – especialmente los con necesidades específicas – a conseguir acceso a los programas que necesitan para fortalecer su educación, salud, y bienestar fuera de la escuela.

Ejemplos de los programas que califiquen para la aplicación de esta beca incluyen pero no se limitan a programas designada específicamente para estudiantes con discapacidades, estudiantes avanzadas, y estudiantes aprendiendo inglés.

Becas para estudiantes individuales de hasta $10,000 están disponibles para uso en actividades aprobados de OST – incluyendo actividades de otoño que ya están en curso y los que están programado para empezar en el año nuevo o el verano de 2024. La cantidad mínima de las becas es $1,000. Becas son adjudicados dependiente de la necesidad individual y la disponibilidad de los fundos. Becas pueden ser utilizadas para cualesquiera actividades de OST que tienen una cuesta asociada hasta la cantidad total de la beca.

Las aplicaciones serán aceptas de manera continua y deben ser presentadas online, usando el link providenciado. Propuestas de papel, email, o fax no serán aceptas. Aplicaciones están revisados periódicamente por The Community Foundation y aprobado por Learn24. Aplicantes serán notificado de las decisiones de los fundos entre 4 semanas de presentar la aplicación.

Para los que buscan informaciones adicionales, clique aquí para ler el Request for Proposals (solicitud para propuestas)(RFP) completo o asistir este vídeo de orientación para los que están interesados en aplicar. Ambos el vídeo y RFP están disponibles en español.

Para preguntas adicionales, contacta Yorman Delarosa a [email protected]