Local Nonprofit Leaders Explain Impact of Sharing Community Funds

The Greater Washington Community Foundation recently announced close to $1.1 million in grants awarded through it’s Sharing Community Funds this past cycle.

Sharing Community Funds are designed bring donors together to invest in the issues and organizations that make the most impact in their neighborhood. We facilitate education and civic engagement around local issues – allowing donors to learn, first-hand, about the challenges facing the most marginalized residents in their communities. Donors then have the opportunity to join other donors and Community Foundation staff for a grant review process, as together we identify and fund the organizations working to resolve those challenges.

We reached out to Sharing Community Fund Nonprofit Partners to ask them what impact this funding will have on their organization. Here are quotes from a few of those organizations. Click here for the complete list of Sharing Community Fund Nonprofit Partners.

Sharing DC

“Sharing DC will allow Dreaming Out Loud to continue building capacity towards transforming the regional food system and food economy to benefit communities that have traditionally been excluded from both access and economic opportunity. With new staff, including a Sales Manager and Wholesale Manager, we’ll be able to procure more produce and products from Black farmers and sold into our Black Farm Community Supported Agriculture Program, DC school food, and other channels that reach communities where they live, work, and play — meanwhile creating living wage jobs within the community. 

This next year we look forward to growing our capacity to better communicate our impact in bringing good food jobs to communities that regularly face double-digit unemployment. Our impact will contribute to modeling an equitable recovery that forces a conversation and deeply needed, radical policy initiatives to repair communities — like holistic and comprehensive reparations.”

— Christopher Bradshaw, Founder & Executive Director, Dreaming Out Loud, Inc.

“Support from Sharing DC allows Empower DC to build on recent successes in the areas of equitable development, environmental justice and racial equity. Policy victories are hard fought and deserve to be celebrated - but the often less visible work to fund, implement and enforce new policies is just as critical.

Over the next year Empower DC will be organizing to ensure that Ivy City's long awaited Crummell School Community Center and the community's first ever Small Area Plan reflect the needs and priorities of longtime residents to secure affordable housing and address environmental issues. We'll also be working to ensure meaningful implementation of the new policies we secured in the city's Comprehensive Plan requiring racial equity analysis in planning and zoning.

This work, and our ongoing grassroots organizing efforts to improve public housing and advance environmental justice, is not possible without the support we are receiving from Sharing DC and other likeminded funding initiatives.”

— Parisa Norouzi, Executive Director, Empower DC

Sharing Prince George’s

“Community Crisis Services Inc. (CCSI) would like to thank The Greater Washington Community Foundation and the Sharing Prince George’s County Fund for their continued support of CCSI programming.

Funding from the Sharing Prince George’s Fund has allowed CCSI the ability to support those in crisis through rental assistance; meals, clothing, transportation and personal needs for the guests at our Warm Nights Homeless and Safe Passages Domestic Violence Safe House shelter programs; the expansion of our domestic violence and suicide prevention ‘Chat’ services and our ability to launch the CrisisMInd Mobile Crisis Unit in Prince George’s County.

CCSI could not continue the life-changing programming we offer without funding from organizations such as The Greater Washington Community Foundation, and grants such as Sharing Prince George’s. We understand what a privilege and honor it is to receive funding, and work diligently to create an empathetic, compassionate experience for our shelter guests, callers and ‘Chat’ responders.”

-– Bill Leary, Development Director, Community Crisis Services, Inc.

“The objectives of the Sharing Prince George's Fund align directly with the strategic vision and work of CASA as we jointly endeavor to address the racial wealth gap and ensure an equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The essential support CASA will receive through the Fund will provide critical employment, legal and educational services to BIPOC communities within Prince George's County that have long experienced structural barriers that impeded their full potential to thrive. Working together and thanks to these resources, we expect to significantly contribute to strengthening the resiliency of this community.”

–-George Escobar, Chief of Programs and Services, CASA

Sharing Montgomery

“Sharing Montgomery and The Community Foundation in Montgomery County have been incredibly powerful and generous partners for CollegeTracks as we have grown and thrived.  Their support has given us a strong, local partner who understands the communities we are serving and shares our vision of a more just and equitable future for our County.  Not only have our Sharing Montgomery grants been a great asset in our work, but their grants process puts us in touch with stakeholders across our community who have become supporters, partners, and transformative Board members for CollegeTracks as well.  We would not be in the strong position we are in without Sharing Montgomery and The Community Foundation in Montgomery County, and we are deeply grateful to the Community Foundation's team and community!”

-- Mecha Inman | Chief Executive Officer, CollegeTracks

“The Greater Washington Community Foundation’s Sharing Montgomery and other COVID-related relief grants were the catalysts to CareerCatcher’s ability to offer expanded services to more clients at the start of the pandemic. In 2020, with their support, we added staff to help Montgomery County residents address their immediate and critical needs, assisting residents with receiving cash payments through the County’s Emergency Assistance Relief Payment program; filing for expanded Unemployment Benefits; improving their skills through training; increasing our outreach; and serving 50% more people than the year before. This initial and ongoing support from GWCF allows CareerCatchers to continue to offer expanded services to more residents as COVID-19 economic restrictions are eased and to help clients get back into the workforce.”

-- Mariana A. McNeill, Executive Director, The CareerCatchers, Inc.

Community Foundation's Sharing Community Funds Announce $1.1 Million in Funding for Regional Nonprofits

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is excited to announce close to $1.1 million in grants awarded through it’s Sharing Community Funds this past cycle.

The Sharing Community Funds bring together donors who share our passion for building more equitable, just, and thriving communities.  With expert facilitation by Community Foundation staff, donors join together to learn first-hand about the challenges facing our community. Thanks to the generosity of this growing community of givers, together we discover and invest in visionary nonprofits working on the frontlines of our region’s most pressing needs.   

See below for a complete list of our nonprofit partners for 2022.

2022 Sharing DC Nonprofit Partners

• 2022 Multi-year grant recipients (DC)

  Dreaming Out Loud to create economic opportunity for DC’s marginalized communities through creating a healthy, equitable food system by driving a new framework for sustainable economic development for Black and Brown DC residents, food entrepreneurs, and farmers in our region.

  Empower DC to enhance, improve and promote the self-advocacy of low- and moderate-income DC residents through grassroots organizing, popular education style training, leadership development, and member-led campaigns strategically designed to influence pressing social issues impacting our constituency.

• 2022 Grant recipients (DC)

  Ayuda to advocate for low-income immigrants through direct legal, social and language services, training, and outreach in the Washington DC metropolitan area.

  Bread for the City to help Washington, DC residents living with low income to develop their power to determine the future of their own communities by providing food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services, to reduce the burden of poverty, in addition to community organizing and public advocacy.

  First Shift to help working parents in low wage jobs assert their workplace rights to prevent job loss by focusing on legal issues including paid sick time; family medical leave; D.C. paid family leave benefits; workplace discrimination based on pregnancy, family responsibilities, or domestic violence.

  SMYAL to support and empower lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in the Washington, DC metropolitan region. SMYAL’s goal is to create opportunities for LGBTQ youth to build self-confidence, develop critical life skills, and engage their peers through service and advocacy.

2022 Sharing Prince George’s Nonprofit Partners

• 2022 Multi-year grant recipients (Prince George's County)

  Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Prince George’s County to partner with the juvenile court to improve the lives of children living in foster care who have suffered from abuse and neglect. With a strong commitment to diversity, CASA/ Prince George’s County trains and supervises volunteers from the community who advocate for the best interest of children, recognizing and respecting each child’s individual needs. By providing a voice to children in the foster care system, it’s goal is to help children and promote the timely placement of those they serve in safe, permanent homes.

  CASA de Maryland, Inc. to create a more just society by building power and improving the quality of life in working class and immigrant communities. Their vision is for a future in which immigrants stand in their own power, their families live free from discrimination and fear, and diverse communities thrive as they work with partners to achieve full human rights for all.

  Community Crisis Services Inc. to provide compassionate crisis support through its hotline, safe-shelter programs and information and referral services.

  Hillside Work Scholarship Connection to provide compassionate crisis support through its hotline, safe-shelter programs and information and referral services.

  Community and Family Youth Services (CAFY) to guide child crime victims in Prince George’s County through the process of testifying in court. CAFY empowers victims and their families to gain the confidence to help hold offenders accountable, restore families and educate the community. They are the designated victim services provider for the four largest law enforcement departments in Prince George’s County. Their mission is “to embrace, educate, and empower those impacted, affected or harmed by crime or trauma on their journey to justice and healing”. All victims are embraced – irrespective of age, gender, religion, ethnic background or sexual orientation.

2022 Sharing Montgomery Nonprofit Partners

• 2022 Multi-Year Grant Recipients (Montgomery County)

  Black and Brown Coalition to engage underserved families to advocate for federal, state, and local supports of intensive and research-based academic interventions targeted toward students with the greatest need.

  Montgomery County Food Council to build a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable local food system. Its leadership helps the many county food providers strategically work together to better serve the 100,000+ residents who do not know where their next meal will come from.

• 2022 grant recipients (Montgomery County)

  Asian American LEAD for academic support and enrichment for children of low‐income Asian American families.

  BlackRock Center for the Arts to support arts access celebrating diversity, along with COVID-19 response to address community need for food and other essentials through the new Consolidation Hub.

  Care for Your Health for culturally sensitive in-home health care for seniors.

  Career Catchers to provide personalized employment and job skills counseling for low-income and chronically under-employed residents.

  Community Health and Empowerment through Education and Research (CHEER) to fund healthy food delivery and other health supports to people with diabetes and those severely hit by COVID-19.

  CollegeTracks to improve college access and retention rates for students at risk of not attending college, primarily first-generation, low-income, minority, and immigrant youth.

  Community Bridges, Inc to empower girls in elementary, middle and high schools through leadership development, college and career readiness, and family support and mentoring.

  Crittenton Services Greater Washington to help teenage girls achieve academic and personal success through virtual and school-based cohort programs.

  EveryMind to provide community-based mental health and social services, life-saving crisis prevention and intervention work, service coordination for veterans, and community education and advocacy.

  Future Link to provide career counseling, mentoring, tutoring, academic advising, scholarships and internships to help connect disadvantaged youth to post-secondary educational opportunities.

  Generation Hope to mentor and provide scholarships for teen parents pursuing college degrees. It also delivers early childhood resources, so scholars children begin kindergarten with a strong academic foundation.

  Horizons Greater Washington supports students from low-income families with academic, artistic and athletic activities for nine years, from kindergarten through eighth grade. 

  Identity, Inc to serve Latino and other historically underserved youths and their families. Identity helps youths develop social and emotional skills, excel in school, and get ready to enter the workforce.

  IMPACT Silver Spring to fund community-building work for a racially and economically equitable community in which people can take collaborative action to enact lasting change.

  Interfaith Works to provide emergency assistance and counseling, vocational services, food distributions, clothing, and shelter for those experiencing homelessness.

  Latino Student Fund to provide year-round, out-of-school programs to ensure a strong academic foundation for underserved pre-K through 12th grade students.

  Mary's Center for health care, education, social services, and ongoing COVID-19 response that builds a healthier and stronger community.

  Mobile Medical Care, Inc to support health care, medications, and ongoing COVID-19 supports for low-income, homeless, uninsured, and underinsured individuals including those with chronic health conditions.

  Montgomery Housing Partnership, Inc to develop affordable rental housing and offer Community Life programs that support young children and their families at home, ultimately strengthening neighborhoods.

  Montgomery Moving Forward to convene leaders from government, business, philanthropy, education, and nonprofits to solve complex problems facing the county.  Through capacity building programs, MMF’s leaders advocate around pressing issues of economic opportunity and early childhood education. 

  National Alliance on Mental Illness of Montgomery County (NAMI MC) to provide comprehensive support, education, advocacy and public awareness to promote recovery for those affected by mental illness.

  Nonprofit Montgomery to support local organizations with government relations, advocacy, strategic communications, financial management, metrics tracking, and cross-sector problem solving. With this support, grantees of Sharing Montgomery can access personalized support and connections to help deepen their impact.

  Nonprofit Village to provide low-cost shared office space plus capacity building resources that help organizations launch and grow. With this support, grantees of Sharing Montgomery can connect with peers and gain supports to advance their work.

  Rainbow Community Development Corporation to fund food security relief and other services including eviction and utility cutoff prevention, and temporary shelter, job search and resume assistance.

  Red Wiggler Community Farm to support on-farm training and education for adults with developmental disabilities. Half of its organic produce is donated to low-income households throughout the county.

  Shepherd's Table to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner to people experiencing food insecurity and provide free eye exams, eyeglasses, and eye treatment to those otherwise unable to access care.

  Sheppard Pratt (formerly Family Services) for clinical health services, rehabilitation services, services to children youth and families, and community and family services such as Linkages to Learning and domestic violence supports. 

On National Service Recognition Day, AmeriCorps VISTA Member Shares Her Passion for Service

We are excited to celebrate National Service Recognition Day at The Community Foundation!

This annual day recognizes thousands of AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers across the country, issuing official proclamations and taking to social media in a nationwide show of appreciation. AmeriCorps, a US civil society program, pairs individuals in volunteer service positions at organizations throughout the country. 

This year, The Community Foundation is proud to host Grace Kim, an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) member. Below, meet Grace and learn what national service means to her.

 ‘Building a Community of Learning’ 

Grace Kim started her AmeriCorps service at the Children's Opportunity Fund, an initiative of the Community Foundation, in August 2021. After she graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, she taught English to university students in Mexico as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Due to the pandemic, she returned stateside and continued her work in the nonprofit sector.

 Prior to working with the Community Foundation, Grace worked with non-governmental organizations in Guatemala, Haiti, and the United States. She believes that community development is a means to expand more opportunities and level the playing field. Her passion is to encourage others in becoming the best versions of themselves so that they can thrive - and hope they do the same for the people in their lives.

“Since I grew up in Montgomery County, it has been especially meaningful to serve as an AmeriCorps member at the Children's Opportunity Fund, an initiative of The Greater Washington Community Foundation. Working here has been a learning experience that I'll always look back on. I now have a better understanding of the power that comes from the collaboration of public and private partners in figuring out solutions that can lead to social impact. 

Though I've enjoyed my service overall, my favorite part has been talking to community members who are passionate about children and their education. Their insight on the achievement and opportunity gaps highlighted the role we all play in shaping the lives of children - our future is figuratively in their hands. Encouraging children to read early expands their understanding of the world and boosts their imagination. For that reason, I decided to focus on cultural relevance while planning Read Across America Day. By drawing from different cultural backgrounds that children may have, they become more open to reading, which in turn, facilitates their learning. I believe that it's important to be mindful when coming together as a community to support another generation of lifelong learners.”

What a Wonderful World! A Celebration of Cultural Relevancy in Education Through Reading in Montgomery County

By Grace Kim, AmeriCorps member at The Community Foundation

On March 2, 2022, the Children’s Opportunity Fund of the Greater Washington Community Foundation hosted a social media event ‘What a Wonderful World! A Celebration of Cultural Relevancy in Education through Reading in Montgomery County’.

The event was part of Read Across America Day -- the nation’s largest celebration of reading which inspires individuals, both young and old, to pick up a book and read.

This event was completely virtual, with videos being released on our social media platforms (@communityfndn) at the top of each hour from 9:00am to 5:00pm.

Some inspiring takeaways from our spotlights were:

• Helen Winder, program coordinator for Wheaton Woods Imagination Library program, explained how "culturally relevant books help children shape their identities." The Wheaton Woods Imagination Library program coordinator, provides free books for young students ages 0-5.

• Cultural relevancy is "not a zero-sum game" where "some groups will lose and others will gain. No one loses, we all gain," from Diego Uruburu, who co-founded the Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Excellence and Equity and is the Executive Director of Identity Youth.​

• Shebra Evans, member of the MCPS Board of Education, shed light on the school district's "asset-approach to expanding culturally relevant literacy into the instruction and that means that we are viewing the skills, knowledge, background that each of our students bring to their educational experience and that we value it."

• Myrna Peralta of CentroNía explained the influence of linguistic diversity on which educational resources are brought to classrooms with different language-speaking instructors. She also shared that it's a "natural developmental requirement that we acknowledge and promote the diversity with our children from a very early age." CentroNía incorporates bilingual and multicultural supports to provide quality early childhood education to students.

• For the last segment of the event, Montgomery County Council President Gabe Albornoz and MCPS Principal Shawaan Robinson read aloud Juana Martinez-Neal’s book, Alma and Her Name, in Spanish and English respectively.

Parents, students, and educators were encouraged to participate by using the hashtag ‘#ReadAcrossMoCo’ on social media. See below for the complete list of videos!

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Nonprofit Partner Spotlight - Story Tapestries

In this video, we spotlight nonprofit partner, Story Tapestries, and the creative ways that they promote cultural relevancy in learning.

Nonprofit Partner Spotlight - Imagination Library

In this video, Helen Winder, Montgomery County Public School Parent Community Coordinator shares the impact that Wheaton Woods Imagination Library is having in the lives of children at Wheaton Woods Elementary.

Nonprofit Partner Spotlight - Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity & Excellence

In this video, Diego Uruburu, co-founder of Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence shares what it means to be culturally relevant.

Community Partner Spotlight - Shebra Evans

In this video, Shebra Evans, Montgomery County (MD) Board of Education Member shares why cultural relevancy and literacy are so important to Montgomery County Public Schools.

Nonprofit Partner Spotlight - ISPOT

In this video, one family shares the impact that ISPOT, a Children's Opportunity Fund nonprofit partner, has had on their learning experience.

Nonprofit Partner Spotlight - CentroNia

In this video, Myrna Peralta, President and CEO of CentroNía shares the importance of incorporating cultural relevancy into everyday classroom learning.

Nonprofit Partner Spotlight - Arts on the Block

In this video, Chris Barclay, Interim Executive Director at Arts on the Block explains how their program is supporting culturally relevant learning through the arts.

Read-Aloud in Spanish & English

In this video, Gabe Albornoz, Montgomery County (MD) Council President and Shawaan Robinson, Montgomery County (MD) Public School Principal read "Alma and How She Got Her Name" by Juana Martinez-Neal.

Children's Opportunity Fund and Partners Reactivate Equity Hubs

Recent school closures across Montgomery County, due to the Omnicron variant of COVID-19, led Montgomery County Public Schools to turn to the Children’s Opportunity Fund (COF) at the Greater Washington Community Foundation and its partners to reactivate a proven program to support virtual learning for children and their families.

Initially launched in the Fall of 2020, the Educational Enrichment and Equity Hubs program provides a safe, structured learning environment for children from low-income families who lack internet access or technical support at home.

Each equity hub follows strict safety protocols and has adult staff on-site to support virtual learning and after-school programming. Last year, the program served more than 1,500 students at 70 different locations throughout Montgomery County. For more information about the Equity Hubs Program, click here!

Although the pandemic and necessity of virtual learning may be temporary, the Greater Washington Community Foundation recognizes that many of the challenges that students and families face are not. The Children’s Opportunity Fund will continue working with the community and its partners to understand the evolving needs of the most marginalized youth and families in order to close the opportunity gap in Montgomery County.  

The Children’s Opportunity Fund can only do this work with the help of cross-sector partners across Montgomery County. You can play an active role in ensuring that young people continue to have access to safe, quality learning opportunities and enrichments that support their academic and personal development, regardless of socio-economic status, race, or housing situation. Join us to ensure that all children have access to the essential services and growth opportunities they need to thrive.

2022 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year Award Nominations Now Open!

Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year, Kevin Beverly with Montgomery County Advisory Board Vice Chair, Catherine Leggett, at the 2021 Celebration of Giving.

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 Selection 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 year 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: Wednesday, March 16, 2022

The nomination form, letter, and any additional attachments must be submitted via email by close of business on Wednesday, March 16, 2022 to:

Kate Daniel
Donor Services Associate, Montgomery County
[email protected]

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

Questions: Contact Kate Daniel at [email protected] or 301-495-3036 x169.

Quarterly Community Update

Dear friends of The Community Foundation,

I hope you and your family had a safe and healthy holiday season and a happy new year!

Thanks to the continued compassion and care of our community of givers during a time of deep uncertainty, 2021 was another record year for generosity in Greater Washington. In 2021, we welcomed more than 51 new funds to our Community Foundation family and our donors collectively invested more than $86 million to support nonprofits responding to critical needs, nurturing an equitable recovery, and working to strengthen our region and beyond.

If you plan to continue or grow your giving in the year ahead, please make sure to follow our updated gift transmission guidelines for a variety of ways to contribute to your fund at The Community Foundation. It is crucial that you follow these instructions – especially including the fund name along with your contribution – to ensure timely processing of your gift. If you have any questions or need assistance with your gift, please contact us at 202-955-5890 or [email protected].

At The Community Foundation, we are grateful to be your trusted philanthropic partner and proud of what we have accomplished together for our community. In 2021, your support enabled us to:

• Develop a new strategic vision to close the racial wealth gap in our region's underinvested neighborhoods.

• Direct investments toward equitable recovery strategies – including feeding families facing personal crisis, closing the opportunity gap, supporting survivors of domestic violence, and building stability for more families.

• Make historic investments in Black-led social change work to build political and economic power to transform systems.

• Lead eviction prevention work in DC, expand educational equity in Montgomery County, and increase economic mobility in Prince George’s County.

• Enhance our investment management services and pursue mission-driven investments that are aligned with our values.

As we embark on our new 10-year strategic vision, we plan to engage our entire community in discussions about how we will work together to co-create a brighter future for our region where people of all races, places, and identities reach their full potential and prosper. From our quarterly book club convenings to our grantmaking and investment strategies, we are committed to fully embodying the values of racial equity and inclusion in all aspects of our work and operations. For example, our new Investment Policy Statement outlines our approach to exercising competent and socially responsible stewardship in managing financial resources in alignment with our vision for a just and equitable region.

Thanks to your generosity and the inspiring service of our community partners, I am hopeful about what we can accomplish together in the year ahead. There will be challenges still to come, but I am confident we can continue to get through them together.

Sincerely,
Tonia Wellons
President and CEO

P.S. In case you missed it, our OCIO recently recorded this video to share an investment outlook and performance update.

Top 10 Milestones to Remember: 2021 in Review

Now that 2021 is over, we’re reflecting on and celebrating our most impactful stories from the past year – from releasing our new strategic vision, to historic investments in Black-led change, to a $1 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott that boosted our recovery work for local arts groups. Here are some of our most meaningful milestones from 2021. 

Together, We Prosper: Launching a New Strategic Vision for Closing Our Community’s Racial Wealth Gap

In October, we shared the culmination of months of deep heart work: our 10-year strategic vision to close our region’s racial wealth gap. First unveiled at our annual meeting, the vision centers on three core leadership pillars: leading with racial equity and inclusion, aligning business with values, and closing the racial wealth gap. We envision a future where all have the opportunity to prosper – and know together, we can realize this vision as reality.

Celebrating Our Community’s Champions

View a recording of our Celebration of Community Champions program.

In May, our virtual Celebration of Community Champions lifted up our collective COVID-19 response efforts and the everyday heroes – local individuals and companies – who stepped up for our region in exceptional ways. We were proud to highlight Feed the Fight as our Community Hero; Food for Montgomery as our Collaborative Hero; CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield as our Corporate Hero; and Dr. Monica Goldson, Senator Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. (in memoriam), Steve Proctor, and Dr. Alvin Thornton as our Civic Heroes. The evening also featured special performances from Arts on the Block, DC Jazz Festival, the Prince George’s County Youth Poet Laureate, and Synetic Theater.

Historic Investments in Black Leaders and Black-Led Nonprofits

Jawanna Hardy, a US Air Force veteran, leads an outreach program providing resources to communities affected by youth homicide, suicide, and mental health illnesses.

We were proud to make several historic investments in Black-led change impacting our region. Through our Black Voices for Black Justice Fellows, an initiative launched in 2020 with Bridge Alliance Education Fund and GOODProjects, we selected 10 inspiring Black leaders and activists on the frontlines of advancing racial equity and social justice. Additionally, a generous gift from Facebook enabled investments of nearly $1 million in 17 Black-led organizations leading systems change work. These awards supported the immediate infrastructure needs of grantees, including staffing, strategic planning, marketing and communications, professional development, and more. 

Direct Cash Transfer as a Vehicle for Speed, Inclusivity, and Equity

During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Community Foundation and many of our philanthropic partners embraced giving directly—transferring cash to people—as an effective and efficient means of providing relief to those hit hard by the sudden economic and health emergency. Since the onset of the pandemic and in partnership with donors, nonprofit organizations, and local government agencies, we facilitated the administration of approximately $26 million in funds, distributed in increments of $50 to $2,500 to approximately 60,000 residents across the Greater Washington region. Urban Institute published a report chronicling the goals, strategies, and short-term achievements of our effort to develop and implement cash transfer strategies at the height of the pandemic. 

Advancing Housing Justice and Preventing Evictions

Housing Counseling Services received a grant to help tenants apply for rental assistance by meeting them where they live, learn, pray, and play.

Our Partnership to End Homelessness continued its critical eviction prevention work in response to the pandemic and economic crisis. Its work to advance housing justice included more than $300,000 in grants to address our region’s housing crisis and inequalities by funding seven nonprofits leading advocacy and organizing efforts. Hear from our Community Investment Officer Jennifer Olney on the Partnership’s eviction prevention work and her explanation of common misperceptions about homelessness – and how you can get involved in helping more people obtain and maintain stable housing during a crisis and beyond.  

Improving Equity and Economic Mobility in Prince George’s County

Jacob’s Ladder was selected by ELIF members to receive a microgrant for its Academic Enrichment Program that provides tutoring, basic literacy skills, and mentoring to students.

Our Emerging Leaders Impact Fund (ELIF), a new giving circle for young professionals in Prince George’s County, announced its inaugural grants to five Prince George’s County nonprofits working to combat chronic absenteeism in County schools. ELIF is currently recruiting new members for 2022; Interested candidates can apply here. While our Equity Fund, which works to eliminate social and economic disparities in Prince George’s County, awarded $440,000 in grants to help 19 nonprofits advance food security, affordable childcare, and workforce equity. These grants were made possible thanks to a generous gift from the Ikea U.S. Community Foundation. 

Increasing Food Security and Educational Equity in Montgomery County

Food for Montgomery received our Collaborative Hero Award for its public-private effort to coordinate and expand food distributions, support local farmers and small businesses, and improve food systems to combat food insecurity in Montgomery County.

Our Children’s Opportunity Fund was recognized by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading as a 2021 Bright Spot community for its COVID-19 response work, including the launch of Educational Enrichment and Equity Hubs. Equity Hubs offered a safe place for low-income students to participate in remote learning during school closures, welcoming more than 1,400 students across 70 sites. Our Food for Montgomery initiative has marshaled the resources of nonprofits, faith communities, local businesses, farmers, and county agencies to increase food access and help families recover from crisis. It has raised and deployed over $2.1 million to double the number of food distribution sites, help sustain local farmers and small businesses, and improve the hunger relief system to meet today’s challenges and future crises. 

Gift From Mackenzie Scott Enables Additional Relief Funding For Local Arts Groups

Dance Institute of Washington received a grant to support its facility renovation and a program evaluation with a focus on racial equity.

Arts Forward Fund was established in partnership with The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation to help struggling arts and culture organizations to adapt their programming to survive and recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic. In 2021, the initiative was recognized by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott with a $1 million gift as part of a cohort of equity-focused efforts. Thanks to Scott’s generosity, we were able to award a second round of grants in September 2021, investing in nearly 90 local arts groups. In total, the fund has made nearly $2.7 million in grants to 130+ organizations – 60% of which are BIPOC-led or BIPOC-serving.

Turning Ideas Into Action for Community Change

Learn about several of our Community Action Awards supported projects in this video produced by our partners at Comcast.

As the last step in our three-part VoicesDMV community engagement initiative, we awarded our inaugural Community Action Awards microgrants to 50 local activists, artists, and advocates leading neighborhood-based projects which advance equity and inclusion. Projects included public murals in Brookland, Forest Bathing in Maryland, yoga and dance accessibility, and more. In December, our former Senior Advisor for Impact Benton Murphy reported back how grantees are doing – and the collective impact of these projects - read his post for several inspiring videos and photos. 

Aligning Our Business With Our Values: A New Partnership With SEI

Check out this video featuring our OCIO providing an update on your investment options and their performance.

We believe to truly affect change, our values must inform and drive our actions – and this was the impetus for partnering with SEI as our outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO). The leading global investment firm is known for its focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, values we wholeheartedly share. As an OCIO with 450+ clients worldwide – more than 170 of which are nonprofits – SEI serves as an extension of our staff, providing world-class investment expertise and constant focus on managing the charitable funds you have entrusted to us. Check out this new video featuring our OCIO providing an update on your investment options and the performance of our investment portfolio.

In Memoriam: Diane Bernstein, Jane Bainum, Milt Peterson, Senator Mike Miller, Waldon and Rhonda

As a member of our Partnership to End Homelessness Leadership Council, Waldon Adams was instrumental in our work to ensure everyone has housing they can afford.

Last year, we lost several special members of The Community Foundation family. We pay tribute to former Trustee, donor, and friend Diane Bernstein; Jane Bainum, co-founder of the Bainum Family Foundation and longtime philanthropic partner; Milt Peterson, trusted donor and founder of Peterson Companies; and the beloved Senator Mike Miller, one of our 2021 Civic Hero honorees. We also remember and honor our friends Rhonda Whitaker and Waldon Adams, two tireless advocates for ending homelessness who passed away unexpectedly in April. 

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From Crisis to Recovery: A Pivotal Year

You can also view our FY 2021 annual report for more highlights from our crisis to recovery work in 2020-2021.

The Community Foundation Invests $6.2+ Million in 70 Nonprofits Nurturing Equitable Recovery

Grants aim to increase food security, close the opportunity gap, support survivors of domestic violence, and build stability for more families.

The region’s largest local funder has announced more than $6.2 million in grants to 70 nonprofits addressing issues facing families and communities in the Greater Washington region as they adapt to a post-pandemic life. 

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is investing in equitable recovery targeting a wide range of challenges, from helping families facing food insecurity, to advancing educational equity, supporting survivors of domestic violence, and building stability for more families. 

These grants represent initial investments that lay the groundwork for The Community Foundation’s new 10-year strategic vision to close the region’s racial wealth gap. The Community Foundation’s new strategy focuses on increasing economic mobility by prioritizing historically underinvested BIPOC neighborhoods that have been systematically denied access to wealth building opportunities. The Community Foundation is specifically interested in neighborhoods and census tracts that are experiencing the highest incidences of system-induced inequities in the areas of health, homeownership, education, employment, income, and life expectancy. 

“The pandemic not only increased demand for housing, food, and educational supports, it also exacerbated and brought longstanding inequities into focus,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “These grants will help our nonprofit partners sustain and continue to adapt their services to support equitable recovery by providing individuals and families with what they need to survive and thrive today and for the long-term.”

Food Security

With 1 in 10 Montgomery County residents facing food insecurity due to COVID-19, The Community Foundation’s Food for Montgomery initiative is marshaling the resources of nonprofits, faith communities, local businesses, farmers, and county agencies to increase food access and help families recover from crisis. Grants totaling $959,590 will build the resiliency of 14 nonprofit and faith-based partners to more effectively and efficiently meet the needs throughout Montgomery County.

Afrithrive to support its two-acre farm and community gardening program to engage African immigrants in growing culturally specific produce which is hard to obtain through most food distribution providers. 

American Muslim Senior Society to support staffing, equipment, and cold storage necessary to strengthen its food security work and maximize the power of its volunteer network.

BlackRock Center for the Arts / Up-County Consolidation Hub to hire a bilingual social worker to connect vulnerable families to sustainable food resources and supports that are vital to their recovery.

Celestial Manna for staffing needed to advance food recovery efforts that prevent food waste and save thousands of dollars.

Charles Koiner Center for Urban Farming to support the development of an urban farm and community gardening program in Wheaton, MD that will enable residents to grow their own culturally appropriate food.

Community Health and Empowerment through Education and Research (CHEER) to support community-garden work that will engage Long Branch area residents to grow their own food for their community.

Guru Gobind Singh Foundation to support expanded storage that will enable this volunteer-driven effort to sustain its food security work.

Kingdom Fellowship CDC / East County Consolidation Hub to support the development of an innovative cold storage resource to help hub partners prevent waste and distribute food more efficiently. Hub partners include Kingdom Fellowship, Rainbow Community Development Center, Kings & Priests Court Int'l Ministries, and People's Community Baptist Church. 

Manna Food Center, A Place of Hope, Co-Health, Ethiopian Community Center Maryland, Identity, Kings and Priests’ Court International Ministries, and Southern African Community USA to enable outreach partners to connect residents with Manna Food Center’s resources and provide vouchers to purchase culturally specific foods to meet their needs.

The Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland and its partners, the Crossroads Community Food Network and FRESHFARM, to build the capacity of local farmers markets so they can more effectively reach and serve customers that rely on federal nutrition benefits, thereby increasing access to healthy food from local farmers.

Rainbow Community Development Center for staffing necessary to foster resiliency in the East County region through collaborative work with key partners and to sustain the organization’s expansion spurred by the pandemic.

Red Wiggler Community Farm to employ adults with developmental disabilities to grow healthy food for group homes and food distribution partners throughout the county.

Shepherd’s Table to support the necessary equipment and kitchen improvements to sustain and deepen collaborations bringing prepared meals to individuals and families facing food insecurity.

WUMCO for expanded cold storage that will enable the collection of more donations from local farmers and hunters to distribute in the rural, Up-County area. 

Education and Literacy

The Community Foundation’s Children’s Opportunity Fund (COF) is a public-private partnership that invests in innovative, evidence-informed efforts targeted at reducing educational disparities to close the opportunity gap in Montgomery County. Reading mastery is a key predictor of a student’s career attainment, and the most critical time to gain these skills is between birth and third grade. Recent grants of $200,000 will further COF’s strategy to improve third grade literacy rates by supporting early literacy programs, tutoring programs, and out of school time activities. 

Kid Museum to create an intentional curriculum for students in Grades K-3 that integrates STEM, literacy, and social emotional learning at Rolling Terrace and Strathmore, two Title 1 Elementary Schools -- in the spring the program will be piloted at additional elementary schools. 

Imagination Library to expand its program developed for children from birth to age 5 in seven zip codes to receive free, high-quality, age-appropriate books delivered to their home every month. 

Survivors of Domestic Violence

In partnership with the Prince George’s County Department of Family Services, The Community Foundation administers the Domestic Violence Community Grants Fund to support nonprofits assisting families and survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking to achieve a greater level of independence and self-sufficiency, cope with healing, and rebuild the family unit. Grants of $120,00 to four organizations will support counseling services, housing and transportation, and legal services.

Community Advocates for Family and Youth to support the recently launched Begin Again and Thrive program to address housing needs by providing emergency accommodation, permanent relocation, and financial assistance. 

Community Crisis Services to provide shelter transportation, limited rental support, and to meet individual needs such as school lunches or school supplies for a family or student. 

Community Legal Services of Prince George’s County to continue funding a staff attorney position and program offering legal assistance.

House of Ruth Maryland to support the provision of counseling/therapy services including IPV education, safety planning, and trauma reduction. 

Children, Youth, and Families

The Community Foundation administers the Fund for Children, Youth, and Families, a five-year initiative, to invest in effective organizations working to make the community more vibrant, healthy, and stable. The 2021 cycle includes nearly $4.8 million in multiyear grants to 50 nonprofits offering housing services, permanency support, academic support, and early career development programs.

826DC to help students improve writing skill development and increase fluency with writing based on the National Writing Project standards.

Adoptions Together to provide training for families interested in fostering and to place foster children in permanent homes.

The Arc of Prince George’s County to support participants of the Ready@21 Program, which helps young adults through career coaching and resume development to increase job readiness, improve college awareness, and develop self-advocacy skills.

Aspire! Afterschool Learning to improve reading instructional level by one grade or more for students in its afterschool care program.

The Barker Adoption Foundation to provide older foster child adoption training and facilitate the placement of older foster children and/or sibling groups.

Bread for the City to support advocacy efforts for families at risk of housing displacement and to provide direct services to families through the Food Program, Clothing Program, Medical Clinic, Social Services Program, and Legal Clinic.

Bright Beginnings to support early childhood development for children ages 0-5.

Carpenter's Shelter to help families who enter shelter to gain stability and transition to permanent housing and sustain independent living.

CASA for Children of DC to provide advocacy support for reunification, adoption, or guardianship for foster youth and workforce development activities for older foster youth.

Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) to provide trainings and support for pre-adoption and post-adoption guardians.

Central American Resource Center to provide financial training and planning to support stable housing for Latino immigrants.

Children's Law Center to provide legal representation for child welfare cases to ensure children are growing up in permanent, stable families.

Community Crisis Services, Inc. to assist households experiencing homelessness and/or domestic violence to access safe, permanent housing.

Community Family Life Services to provide intensive financial coaching, financial case management, and wrap around supports for women seeking housing stability.

Cornerstones, Inc. to provide rental assistance services for at-risk tenants.

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/ Prince George's County, Inc. Support the Job Readiness and Transitioning Youth program, which ensures that at youth participants who emancipate will do so with stable housing

Voices for Children Montgomery to provide placement in safe homes for clients at case closure.

DC SAFE to help clients move to safe transitional or permanent housing after their stay in SAFE Space.

DC Volunteer Lawyers Project to offer advocacy and referrals, including enforcing victim rights in housing, employment, and public benefits, as well as provide legal assistance and advocacy with victim legal rights.

DC127 to help teen parents who are aging out of foster care be prepared for a life of independence with stable housing, jobs, and increased access to supportive services.

District Alliance for Safe Housing to help families transition from emergency shelter to more permanent housing with increased economic and housing stability.

District Of Columbia Grassroots Empowerment to help secure long-term housing for residents displaced and impacted by public housing redevelopment.

Doorways for Women and Families to provide re-housing supportive services to help participants achieve stability and transition to permanent housing.

The Dwelling Place, Inc. to help program residents remain stably housed and maintain compliance with program requirements through case management, increasing financial stability, and home visits.

Family & Youth Initiative to assist participant teens in foster care with finding an adoptive family and provide continuing support to participant youth who age out of foster care.

Fihankra Akoma Ntoaso to provide afterschool and summer programs for children in the child welfare system to allow them to develop positive relationships with adults and peers.

Crittenton Services of Greater Washington to increase school attendance, academic engagement, and grade point average for Goal Setting Girls participants.

Foster and Adoptive Parent Advocacy Center (FAPAC) to provide training, peer support, financial stability, and individual advocacy to foster families in DC.

Homeless Children's Playtime Project to provide ongoing play programs and supportive services for homeless children in DC.

Hope And A Home, Inc. to help resident families increase financial stability and make progress towards transitioning into and/or maintain permanent, stable housing.

Horizons Greater Washington to provide literacy and math academic enrichment support for students.

Housing Up to provide employment support, rental assistance, and financial support services for affordable rental housing buildings.

Interfaith Works Inc. to help families experiencing homelessness achieve stability and transition to permanent housing with the assistance of case management and supportive services.

Martha’s Table to support academic enrichment for the six developmental domains — early literacy, early math, language, cognition, physical development, and socioemotional development.

Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care, Inc. to support the Home Visiting Program, which encourages early childhood development through reading, storytelling, and singing with young children daily.

Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, Inc. to help residents maintain on time rent payments and permanent, stable housing.

My Sister's Place to help residents increase income, provide case management, and transition to transitional or permanent housing.

National Housing Trust Enterprise to help NHT households participate in financial programs and maintain stable housing.

Neighborhood Legal Services Program to host “Know Your Rights” presentations and represent clients in cases involving housing discrimination, illegal eviction, rent increases, housing conditions, voucher termination, and loss of subsidies.

Neighbors Consejo to assist low-income families in transitioning from shelter to rental housing, while helping them improve their personal and financial stability.

Northern Virginia Family Service to provide foster care pre-service training and Resource Parent certification.

One Common Unity to improve course grades, increase class attendance, and reduce punitive disciplinary actions for students in the Fly by Light program.

One World Education to increase research and writing skills as well as social and emotional learning for students.

The Platform of Hope to provide housing, education, employment, family stability, finances, and health support services for low-income families at risk for homelessness.

Prince George's Child Resource Center, Inc. to improve language and cognitive abilities through participation in child development and parent/child learning activities.

Reading Partners to help students meet or exceed their primary, individualized end-of-year literacy growth goal.

Right Beginnings Inc. to provide career development, mentoring, and career counseling to homeless women seeking to increase financial stability to find housing.

Rising for Justice to provide tenant rights educational trainings and legal services for tenants in need of improved housing conditions or facing eviction.

Sasha Bruce Youthwork to help at-risk youth achieve safe and stable living environments.

Stepping Stones Shelter to help resident families increase their income during stay and move on to stable housing utilizing a subsidy program.

Following up with our Community Action Award Winners

By Benton Murphy, outgoing Senior Advisor for Impact

Earlier this year, the Community Foundation issued $100,000 in small grant awards to community partners across the region through our Community Action Awards. The Awards were provided to a cohort of 50 activists, artists, and advocates leading neighborhood-based projects that would spark change in their communities. 

The Community Action Awards are part of our three-part VoicesDMV series, a powerful community engagement initiative launched in 2017 to explore our region’s most pressing challenges and opportunities. In 2020, VoicesDMV tapped into Community Insights through a regional survey and convened hundreds of residents from across the region to discuss ways to make our communities stronger through On The Table conversations.

While many of our Awardees are still working to finalize their programs, we are thrilled to share some highlights of some excellent programs that have taken place over the past year.

American University and EL Haynes Public Charter School received an award to support their Action Research for Community Change project. The project, sparked by a conversation that took place as a part of our On the Table day of dialogue in 2020, was an innovative and impactful partnership that paired AU college students and high schoolers at EL Haynes Public Charter School in conversations on race and equity. Students at both institutions participated in virtual classrooms together, co-learning and co-designing a community action research project. AU students developed a curriculum and guide for community action research. EL Haynes students conducted a bilingual survey of the student body with more than half of student responding. Based on student responses, the action researchers made a series of recommendations that yielded commitments from school leadership to hire a new social worker, offer two new elective courses focused on centering Black lives, and a commitment to using student surveys to inform future teacher professional development. What’s more—AU students developed a workbook on action research that the students can use in future years to continue to lift up student voices for change!

The Brem Foundation received an award to provide funding for its Wheels for Women program which helps connect women to breast care appointments. The District of Columbia has the highest death rate for breast cancer in the United States, and despite being diagnosed at the same rate, Black women have a 40% higher death rate from breast cancer than white women. Brem used funds to support 76 one-way rides for women to get to their breast care appointments, the majority of recipients were Black women. Brem also was able to use funds to expand from 8 to 9 community partners for rides, which will be useful for the many recipients who live very far from their health care provider.

IMPACT Silver Spring used its award to support its Sewing Academy for Latina Women. The Academy was the brainchild of IMPACT’s Women’s Empowerment Collective, composed mostly of parents of IMPACT’s youth programming or who became interested through direct outreach at local schools. The award funded the purchase of sewing machines and supplies, as well as compensation for experienced seamstresses who served as instructors in the program. Twenty women registered for the Academy over a six-month period. The women of the Academy both built their sewing skills as well as strong bonds and a new support network. Participants were also supported to participate in civic actions, including providing testimony at Montgomery County Council hearings on the importance of affordable vocational education. When the Academy students gathered with their family, friends, and IMPACT staff for their graduation in July they held a fashion show to showcase the students’ work, with one participant noting: “I made three dresses. I never thought I could do this. I’m making my dreams come true.”

This has been an especially meaningful program for me to take on as I wrap up a 17-year stint here at The Community Foundation to move on to other opportunities. Having led our inaugural Community Action Awards program, it is so wonderful to see how impactful these small-dollar grant awards can be. It is instructive for us as funders and individual donors that even a small gift can be meaningful for those who are striving to make the world a better place for everyone. I am hopeful that you will find our next crop of Awardees as inspiring as I have found this one!

View the Impact of Several Projects

Got You Covered Diaper Bag Project

Live It Learn It for Drew Elementary School

DC KinCare Alliance Relative Caregiver Community Board Outreach and Education Project

Zoom Pals, an intergenerational pilot project in a partnership between American University and Hyattsville Aging and Place

Mamas Together Mutual Aid Community Survey Project

Mamas Together Mutual Aid Community Survey Project

Baños de Bosque and Defensores de la Cuenca "forest bathing"

AALEAD Overcoming Gentrification in Chinatown

Book Club for Kids podcast

Young, Black and Giving Back Institute'sYoung, Black & Working from Home Community

Meet our 2021 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year, Kevin Beverly

Kevin Beverly grew up in a segregated community on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Finding inspiration in his mother’s support and older brother’s example, and he left to pursue his higher education goals at the University of Maryland where he met his wife, Diane. After graduation, they moved to Bethesda, Maryland where they raised their two boys. Kevin’s career took him to the World Health Organization, National Library of Medicine, PSI International, Computer Sciences Corporation, BAE Systems, and Abt Associates. He ultimately then came to Social & Scientific Systems, Inc. where he served as Vice President and Executive Vice President from 2003 to 2014 and President & CEO from 2014 to 2020.

Kevin’s thoughtful approach to philanthropy is grounded in a practice of listening and learning from the community. As a corporate leader, Kevin empowered the Social & Scientific Systems employees to shape the company’s giving priorities. Leading by example, he encouraged them to develop relationships with high-impact nonprofits addressing the most pressing needs throughout the community where they lived and worked. From literacy to hunger and much more, Kevin rolled up his sleeves alongside his employees, demonstrating the profound satisfaction and deep impact one can make from investing time, talent, and treasure.

Knowing education was key to his success, Kevin has devoted much of his personal time and resources to advance organizations helping children and youth achieve their full potential. He has chaired the boards of CollegeTracks and Bethesda-Chevy Chase YMCA and the steering committee for the Children’s Opportunity Fund at The Community Foundation. He also served on many other key youth-focused boards: Boys and Girls Club of Montgomery County, Montgomery Moving Forward, Passion for Learning, and Universities at Shady Grove.  He also chairs the Mission and Oversight Committee on the Board of CareFirst of Maryland.

The Community Foundation also had the great fortune of having Kevin serve two terms and chair our Montgomery County Advisory Board plus serve on our regional Board of Trustees. His leadership has been pivotal in helping more people and businesses learn about the needs in our community and how to make a powerful impact by teaming up with others who care.

We have seen firsthand how his knowledge, keen insights, and strategic thinking enable organizations to tackle problems, reimagine what’s possible, and pursue bold goals for our community. We are especially grateful for how Kevin’s passionate leadership inspires others to join in supporting worthy causes throughout our community.

On behalf of the thousands of lives touched by his leadership and generosity, we congratulate Kevin on being named the 2021 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year. We know his story will continue to inspire many more by showing the powerful difference we all can make when we give where we live.

Three Ways to Address Hunger Across Our Community

By Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for Montgomery County

Since the pandemic struck, I have watched with deep admiration as our region’s food security leaders stepped up to the challenge of a lifetime. On top of skyrocketing need, our nonprofits and faith-based partners faced plummeting food donations, massive disruptions to the supply chain, and a significant drop in their volunteer workforce. It was clear that our community had to act fast to prevent our neighbors from going hungry, and we did! 

In addition to the investments from our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, The Community Foundation launched Food for Montgomery, a public-private initiative leading a coordinated response to the hunger crisis. This effort is marshalling over 100 nonprofit & faith-based food distributors, farmers, restaurants, county agencies, and generous donations from hundreds of donors. As a result, we’ve expanded access to healthy foods throughout the county to reach the 1 in 10 residents who otherwise didn’t know where their next meal would come from.

While talking with food security leaders about what they’ve accomplished and their projections for the coming year, I’ve noticed a shared concern. Many vividly recall the lopsided recovery from the 2008 economic downturn, when our lowest-income neighbors were hit the hardest and took the longest to recover. They worry that between the rise in vaccinations and improvements in the economy, donors and volunteers might think the pandemic is effectively over. In truth, our nonprofits and faith-based food distributors are serving thousands of children, seniors, adults, and people with disabilities who are still struggling. This includes many low-income essential workers (who were heralded as heroes just last year) plus families rebounding from the loss of breadwinners and caregivers due to COVID-19. 

After reflecting on the herculean efforts of our food security partners over the last year and the work ahead, I have three pieces of advice for anyone who is passionate about fighting hunger:

Support Creative & Nimble Partnerships

Manna Food Center worked with grassroots leaders, schools, county agencies, faith-communities, farmers, and other nonprofits to get food to those in need.

The most effective organizations foster strategic partnerships with other nonprofits, local businesses, farmers, etc. If you’re thinking about starting a brand new effort, I encourage you to first look into volunteering for an existing organization or explore how you might foster connections between new partners.  For donors, I strongly recommend providing flexible general operating support which was pivotal over the last year, enabling nonprofits to problem-solve quickly and work strategically to increase the number of people they could serve. If you’re looking inspiration, you give to one of The Community Foundation’s strategic response initiatives or browse our grantee lists for vetted organizations you can support directly. 

Invest in Building A More Equitable Food Security System

The deepest impact came from organizations that set racial equity as a top priority guiding all they do. For many, that means taking the time to develop relationships with the people relying on their food distributions. By listening and learning, they’ve continuously improved their services and how they reach people. I’ve also been inspired by nonprofits that partner with grassroots community leaders, empowering them to serve as connectors, identify solutions, and drive change in the neighborhoods where they live. If you are a prospective volunteer or donor, be sure to browse our grantee list to learn about the impact of these organizations. For nonprofit leaders wanting to deepen their impact, be sure to connect with your peers and The Community Foundation so we all can continue to learn together. 

Scale Innovation & Efficiency

Our partners from The Healthcare Initiative Foundation, GRO Consulting, and BlackRock Center for the Arts teamed up to create the very first consolidation hub to connect people to food and other vital supports.

In the early days of the pandemic, many partners across the region could not obtain the food, equipment, and supplies needed to keep their doors open. Fortunately, the advocacy of key local conveners — such as the Montgomery County Food Council and Prince George’s Food Equity Council — enabled nonprofits and faith communities to partner with each other and local government. By working together, we’ve been able to maximize both public and private dollars to meet the need. However, without leadership and investment, there’s a risk that we’ll fall back to the pre-pandemic levels of support to food partners. That was not enough to meet the need back then, let alone now. In addition to supporting vital advocacy and convening partners, all of us — nonprofits, volunteers, and donors — must tell our local government leaders that food security is a top priority that requires system-wide solutions. To learn about some ideas in the works, check out this recent Washington Post article featuring quotes from local government and nonprofit food champions.

One silver lining coming of this crisis is that it forced us to reimagine what’s possible and stretch the limits of what we can achieve.  For those of us who are passionate about food, that means we must continue to work together toward the goal of a community free from food insecurity. 

I hope you will join us in this work!

Quarterly Update to the Community

Dear Community Foundation Fundholders,

I hope you and your family are enjoying the beautiful fall weather!

 Thanks to the continued generosity and care of our community of givers, we collectively awarded more than $21 million in grants last quarter to nonprofits working to strengthen our region and beyond.

In August, we were proud to release our 2020-2021 Annual Report and share how we mobilized $40 million in community support to help our neighbors facing hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis. Thanks to the incredible donors, nonprofit partners, and community leaders who stepped up to help us meet this challenge. In case you missed our 2021 Annual Meeting or the release of our Annual Report, you can find the recording and resources here.

Last quarter, our community impact work included:

• A new partnership between our Food for Montgomery initiative and Feed the Fridge to provide meals for families in need at Mary’s Center.

• Our Partnership to End Homelessness participated in the White House Eviction Prevention Summit and invested in Housing Counseling Services to help more tenants apply for and access rental assistance.

• Historic investments to address the infrastructure needs of 17 Black-led organizations, enabled through a generous $1 million gift from Facebook. 

• Additional investments from Arts Forward Fund totaling nearly $1.7 million to help 89 arts and culture organizations recover from the impact of the pandemic.

• Welcoming new funds like America Remembers Fund, which supports the “In America: Remember” art exhibition that blanketed the National Mall with 660,000+ white flags, each honoring a person lost to COVID-19.

We were proud to welcome new and diverse leaders to our Board of Trustees, Advisory Boards, and staff.

• Sarah Moore Johnson, founding partner at Birchstone Moore, was elected to serve as a Trustee.

• Anna Behnam, Christopher J. Martin, and Ana Morales joined our Montgomery County Advisory Board, and Glenda Wilson joined the Prince George’s County Advisory Board. 

• Darcelle Wilson joined our staff as the new Senior Director for Prince George’s County.

This month, we are excited to release our new 10-year strategic vision with a sharpened focus on closing the racial wealth gap in our region's underinvested neighborhoods where racialized disparities are the greatest. As we begin this journey, our intent is to engage you and our entire community in conversation to inform our learning journey and align our understanding about the root causes and the most effective solutions for closing the racial wealth gap.

With the end of year approaching, our staff can assist with carrying out your philanthropic goals for 2021. Please be mindful of our December 17 deadline for your year-end grantmaking activities to ensure your nonprofit partners receive their funds by December 31.

Thank you for your continued partnership in serving our community’s needs today, and in building a better tomorrow for the Greater Washington region. 

Sincerely,
Tonia Wellons
President and CEO

A Thankful Tribute: Uplifting Community Foundation Trustees

This fall, we welcomed Sarah Moore Johnson to our Board of Trustees and bid farewell to two long-standing members: Kenny Emson and Mary Pat Alcus. As a warm welcome and thankful tribute, we share their stories below – and celebrate what makes each one of them an invaluable part of The Community Foundation family.

Fueling the Power of Disruption

Sarah Moore Johnson, our newest Trustee, is a passionate champion for racial justice. As a tax and estate planning attorney, she leverages her positions of influence to advocate for racial equity and inclusion.

“I’ve been troubled by how under-represented Black and Latinx communities are in the wealth planning industry,” Sarah says, “and I see a connection between this and the racial wealth gap. Tax policy can be a means of restorative justice.”

As co-chair of The Community Foundation’s Professional Advisor Council, Sarah was inspired by the organization’s focus on racial equity - and knew she must get involved. She joined the Board of Trustees this fall, and hasn’t looked back since.

“I believe in the power of disruption,” Sarah says. “The Community Foundation is positioning itself as an innovation lab for ideas which disrupt the racial wealth gap. It’s exciting to collaborate with talented people who share the same goals.”

Sarah is a founding partner of the law firm Birchstone Moore LLC, and immediate past president of the Washington, DC Estate Planning Council, where she established its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force. She’s also spoken out publicly in support of H.R. 40, the House Bill to study reparations for African Americans - and is working with Howard University’s law school to develop an externship program for underserved Black and Latinx communities.

We’re thrilled to welcome Sarah to the board, and look forward to partnering with her to advance racial justice in our community, and beyond.

A Legacy of Impact

“Proud, honored, and excited.” These are the words Kenny Emson, former Community Foundation Trustee and staff member, uses to describe his service.

Emson, who just concluded six years of service on the board, also worked on staff from 1990-2011. During his 20-year tenure as staff, he was Director of Finance, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Development Officer, helping grow The Community Foundation’s assets from $15 million to $350 million.

Current staff member Silvana Straw, who joined the organization around the same time as Kenny, salutes his deep expertise and passion for the work:

“Kenny’s strong financial and development expertise, work ethic and people skills, along with his genuine care for the community, is a very important part of The Community Foundation’s success story. He gave so much through the decades, and worked hard and had fun doing it. He was truly mission-driven.”

Kenny will continue to support The Community Foundation through donor stewardship and cultivation. He hopes cultivating additional investments will help propel the organization’s new strategic focus on closing the racial wealth gap.

“My hope (and expectation) is we have just started to scratch the surface,” he says. “I believe The Community Foundation is well-positioned to achieve the growth required to help our community bridge the racial wealth gap.”

Thank you, Kenny, for your words of support and tireless years of service. We will miss you at The Community Foundation - but look forward to nurturing our continued friendship.

Kenny Emson (far left, back row) and Silvana Straw (far right, front row) joined The Community Foundation staff together in 1990.

Kenny Emson (right) pictured with our former CEO Bruce McNamer (center) at the 2019 Celebration of Philanthropy.

Head (and Heart) First

Mary Pat Alcus was first introduced to The Community Foundation in 2008 through the mother-daughter giving circle in Montgomery County. A friend invited her and her daughter Claire to join - an experience she says “opened a whole new world.”

Soon after, Mary Pat joined our Sharing Montgomery Grants Committee and the Montgomery County Advisory Board. In 2013, she became a Trustee, eventually chairing the Investment Committee and serving on the Professional Advisors Council, along with other special committees.

“We discovered when Mary Pat makes a commitment, she dives in head (and heart) first,” says Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for Montgomery County at the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

This fall, Mary Pat concluded eight years of board service, with 13 years of volunteering with the organization overall. For her, contributing a professional skill set as an investment advisor was especially meaningful - and helping directly impact the region by providing donors with strong investment results and more philanthropic funds.

“I hope I have demonstrated to my peers that the time, talent and treasure you put into The Community Foundation is deeply rewarding,” says Mary Pat. “I’ve learned so much about the community and its most pressing needs.”

We will be forever grateful to Mary Pat for all the ways she has advanced our mission and impact throughout the community. She truly is a champion of The Community Foundation.

Mother-Daughter Giving Circle donors Mary Pat Alcus (left) and Susan Freed worked with The Community Foundation to establish a legacy of giving–especially giving locally–in a new generation of young women.

Recap from our 2021 Annual Meeting!

Sponsored By

Thank you for joining us at the intersection as part of our 2021 Annual Meeting! It was an incredibly powerful and inspiring conversation -- from Michelle Singletary sharing her reflections and personal experiences with misperceptions about race and inequality, to the stories of impact from our community, to the exciting preview of our new strategic vision. Together, we will chart a path toward a just, equitable, and thriving region where everyone prospers and thrives. 

In lieu of providing lunch for the meeting, we invited participants to help us select a hunger relief nonprofit to receive a special grant. Thanks to a generous challenge match by several Community Foundation Trustees -- Dr. Charlene Dukes (who instigated the challenge), David and Peggy Shiffrin, and Sarah Moore Johnson -- we are able to award grants of $2,500 each to Bread for the City, Capital Area Food Bank, Manna Food Center, and United Communities Against Poverty. What an incredibly inspiring act of generosity!

In case you missed the discussion, or would like to revisit the conversation, you can now watch a recording of the event. You can also learn more about your investment options as a fundholder on our website.

And finally, we hope you will join us on Friday, October 29 at 9:00 a.m. for our next quarterly book group discussion of Michelle Singletary's 10-part series for the Washington Post. Click here to register to join us for this continuing conversation.

We appreciate that you have entrusted us as your charitable giving partner. Thank you for sharing your passion for philanthropy and service with us.

If you have any questions, you can reach us at 202-955-5890 or email [email protected].

We remain committed to working with you to strengthen and support our region now and for the future.

Sincerely,
Tonia Wellons
President and CEO
Greater Washington Community Foundation

Arts Forward Fund Announces $1.7 Million in Grants to 89 Local Arts Groups Impacted by COVID-19

Arts Forward Fund, a partnership between the Greater Washington Community Foundation, The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, and 10 other foundations and individual donors, is proud to announce new grants totaling nearly $1.7 million to 89 arts and culture organizations in the DC region.

These grants will help organizations address the challenges of reopening and recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 60 percent of grants and grant funding will go to organizations that are led by Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) and predominantly BIPOC-serving. Based on feedback from a community advisory committee and last year’s applicants, these grants will support general operations rather than specific projects. Grant recipients include six theaters, nine dance schools and dance companies, five film and music festivals and more than 20 youth-serving organizations across DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

In response to a call for applications released in early July 2021, Arts Forward Fund received 131 applications totaling nearly $2.7 million. Thanks to a generous gift of $1 million from billionaire Mackenzie Scott and her husband Dan Jewett, Arts Forward Fund was able to support more than two-thirds of 2021 applicants and award more than 60% of total funds requested.

“Our region’s arts and culture organizations will take years to recover from the impact of this pandemic,” says Calvin Cafritz, President and CEO of The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, which made a lead grant of $500,000 to establish Arts Forward Fund in 2020 and contributed an additional $400,000 in 2021. “As the region’s leading funder of arts and culture organizations, The Cafritz Foundation is honored to join so many of our funding colleagues in this remarkable collective effort to help our local cultural organizations reopen and thrive.”

“Through some of the darkest days of this crisis, many of our region’s arts and cultural organizations found innovative ways to inspire, uplift, and support our community. As we continue to recover from this crisis and adjust to a new normal, it is important to acknowledge that arts groups were disproportionately impacted and that recovery will take time and require sustained investment,” says Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “We are proud to be part of this equity-focused funder collaborative investing in the stability of our region’s arts sector to contribute to the vitality of our region.”

Following is a list of Arts Forward Fund grant recipients. All grants support general operations.

1st Stage Theater

826DC

Actor's Center

Adventure Theatre

American Poetry Museum

American Youth Philharmonic

Anacostia Playhouse

Arlington Arts Center

Art Enables

Art of Noize

Art Works Now

Artivate

Arts Fairfax

Arts on the Block

ArtStream

Asian Pacific American Film

Atlas Performing Arts Center

Black Artists Of DC

BlackRock Center for the Arts

Capital Fringe

CapitalBop

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop

Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation

GB Youth Media

Church of the Epiphany

Ciesla Foundation

CityDance Viva School of Dance

Coalition For African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA)

Critical Exposure

D.C. Creative Writing Workshop

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company

Dance Institute of Washington

Dancemakers

Dance Place

DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative

DC Independent Film Festival

DC Jazz Festival

DC Palestinian Film & Arts Festival

DC Youth Orchestra Program

Docs in Progress

East of the River Boys & Girls Steel Band

Educarte

Encore Stage & Studio

Foundation for the Advancement of Music and Education

Friends Of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

Gala Hispanic Theatre

Girls Rock DC

Greater Reston Arts Center

Heritage Signature Chorale

IN Series

Inlight Magazine

Joe's Movement Emporium

Kalanidhi Dance

Life Pieces to Masterpieces

Live It Learn It

McLean Project for the Arts

Music for Life

New Orchestra of Washington

Northeast Performing Arts Group

One Common Unity

Oyé Palaver Hut

Pan American Symphony Orchestra

PEN Faulkner

Prince George's Arts and Humanities Council

Princess Mhoon Dance Institute

Project Create

Pyramid Atlantic

Ragbaby Exchange

Sandy Spring Museum

Shout Mouse Press

Sitar Arts Center

Smith Center for Healing and the Arts

Sole Defined

Split This Rock

Step Afrika!

The Essential Theatre

The MusicianShip

Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts

Transformer

UrbanArias

Washington Area Lawyers For the Arts

Washington Bach Consort

Washington Chorus

Washington DC International Film Festival

Washington Project For the Arts

Words Beats And Life

Young Artists of America

Young Playwrights Theater

Zora Neale Hurston Richard Wright Foundation

About Arts Forward Fund

Launched in July 2020 with lead grants from The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the Harman Family Foundation, the Weissberg Foundation, and and more than a dozen other funders, Arts Forward Fund is an equity-focused funder collaborative housed at and administered by the Greater Washington Community Foundation. Additional supporters in 2021 include Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation, Lois and Richard England Family Foundation, Linowitz Family Fund, Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation, Robin B. Martin Family Foundation, Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation, and other individual contributors.

Our 2020 - 2021 Year in Review

Over the past 18 months, we have all been impacted in some way by COVID-19. Although our experiences may be different, our community came together -– as neighbors helping neighbors -– to support each other through this crisis.

Since March 2020, we have mobilized over $40 million in community support to help our neighbors facing hardship. Thanks to the incredible donors, nonprofit partners, and community leaders who stepped up to meet this challenge, our collective response demonstrated the power of what our community can accomplish by coming together. 

Our Annual Report features the impact that The Community Foundation, our donors, and partners have had on this region from April 2020 – March 2021, and beyond.

Read our Annual Report

Learn more

Deepening Our Impact: 8 Highlights from the Past Year

Along with the release of our annual report, we’re celebrating our most impactful stories from the past year--from helping launch the Black Voices for Black Justice DMV Fellowship, continuing our work to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, to advancing housing justice in partnership with Flock DC’s birdSEED Fund. Read on for stories of meaningful collaboration and coordination that helped make a difference in our community. 

Uniting for Change

We believe true change rises from strong alliances. We’re proud to share stories about how our community partnerships have helped make a difference.

Introducing the Black Voices for Black Justice DMV Fellows

Launched last fall (2020) in partnership with the DC-based nonprofit GOODProjects, and with seed funding from Bridge Alliance Education Fund, the Black Voices for Black Justice DMV Fellowship supports activists, organizers, and leaders who are on the front lines of advancing social justice and racial equity. Each Fellow received a $30,000 grant to support their racial justice work in our region, and beyond. Meet these inspiring change-makers, and learn what fuels their fight for justice.

DC Cares Program: $5M Undocumented Workers Relief Package

Thousands of immigrants in Greater Washington were excluded from federal stimulus efforts due to their documentation status. Together with our partners at Events DC and the Executive Office of the Mayor, we launched the DC Cares Program in summer 2020, disbursing a total of $5 million in direct cash assistance to excluded workers experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19. In January 2021, we launched Phase II of the program, providing over $8 million in relief funding.

$1 Million Arts Forward Fund

In partnership with the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation and eight other funders, we launched Arts Forward Fund to provide critical support to local arts and culture organizations impacted by COVID-19. In October 2020, we awarded over $1 million in grants to 43 arts organizations. Currently, we’re reviewing a second round of proposals, supported by a generous $1 million gift from MacKenzie Scott.

Investing for Impact 

Learn about some of our most impactful investments this year.

Legacy Fund for Small Business Development

Seeded with a $1 million gift from a generous donor, the Legacy Fund for Small Business Development provides critically needed access to capital for small businesses in Prince George’s County. It’s part of our work in Prince George’s County’s to advance equity and economic mobility by eliminating social and economic disparities in the County. In November, we awarded relief funding to 173 small businesses in Prince George’s County to help minimize business closures and retain 650 jobs.

“Ninety-five percent of all businesses in [Prince George’s County] are small businesses and they contribute nearly half of all jobs in the county. Through the Legacy Fund, we hope to preserve the small business infrastructure, ensure job retention, drive economic development, and enable the transfer of wealth from one generation to the next, leaving a lasting legacy for families and Prince George’s County.” --Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

Fund for Children, Youth, and Families Awards $1.99 Million

At the end of last year, the Fund for Children, Youth, and Families (FFCYF)awarded nearly $2 million in grants to 49 nonprofits serving disadvantaged children, youth, and families. Local WDVM covered the announcement, highlighting the investment’s focus on closing the achievement gap, supporting children in foster care, and helping families experiencing homelessness.

Jana-Lynn Louis, Community Foundation program officer for FFCYF, said:  “It’s all about supporting where our region needs help the most and trying to fill in those gaps that often fall by the wayside.”

Community Connections

Oftentimes, it's our staff and partners who say it best. These guest posts highlight different voices and perspectives in our community on the issues that matter most.

How to reconstruct an equitable future for our region

How can we reconstruct an equitable future for our region coming out of the COVID-19 crisis? In an opinion piece for the Washington Post, our CEO Tonia Wellons and Ursula Wright explore a new framework to respond to emerging needs, re-engage our community, and reconstruct and shape a new normal for this region.

Flock DC: Down payment Grants for a more just future

BirdSEED Fund, launched in partnership with local real estate firm Flock DC, helps advance housing justice by providing down payment grants for first-time Black and Brown home buyers. In her guest-authored blog, Flock DC founder and CEO Lisa Wise shares her passion for justice and why she believes it’s crucial we work together to reimagine a more equitable future.

Food for Montgomery: A Community-Wide Response to the Rise in Hunger

As our community’s need for food skyrocketed during 2020, our Montgomery County leaders, community stakeholders, and The Community Foundation teamed up to create Food for Montgomery. Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for Montgomery County, shares how this remarkable public-private partnership is helping prevent food insecurity in the County, and ensure no residents go hungry.

Hungry for other Community Foundation impact stories? Check out ‘A Year of Impact: Our Top 10 Stories of 2020,’ published as an annual wrap-up last December. 

Quarterly Community Update

Dear Community Foundation Fundholders,

I hope you and your family are enjoying a safe and happy summer break!

Last quarter, thanks to the continued generosity and care of our community of givers, we collectively awarded nearly $24 million in grants to nonprofits working to strengthen our region and beyond.

At The Community Foundation, we remain focused on supporting our community through the COVID-19 crisis and ensuring an equitable recovery now and for the future. Last quarter, our work leading the region’s coordinated philanthropic response effort included:

• Investing $330,000 through the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund in nonprofits addressing vaccine hesitancy, mental health, food access, and return to school. 

• Announcing a $1 million gift from MacKenzie Scott that will go towards helping arts and culture organizations stabilize, adapt, and thrive through the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Through the Partnership to End Homelessness, recommitting to a $5 million impact investment, alongside donors and other partners, to increase affordable housing in DC.

• Selecting 10 Black Voices for Black Justice Fellows to receive direct financial support for their work to advance social justice and racial equity in our region and beyond.  

• The Children’s Opportunity Fund being recognized by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading as a Bright Spot Community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Making $50,000 in initial investments from the LGBTQ+ Fund using a participatory grantmaking process to address the needs of our LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities.

• Celebrating our community’s champions — including the donors, nonprofit partners, local individuals, and companies — who helped navigate the COVID-19 crisis.

• Adding new leaders to our Board of Trustees bringing expertise in law, cultural policy, LGBTQ+ issues, and digital technology and communications.

As we are wrapping up our strategic planning process and preparing to release our new strategic vision to the community, we are also updating some of our policies and procedures to ensure greater alignment and clear purpose. As a social justice organization with a mission to build equitable and thriving communities for all, we have adopted an anti-hate group policy that is consistent with how our peers are prohibiting funding to organizations designated as hate groups. We have also updated and clarified our policies and procedures for funds that participate in fundraising to better support your efforts to mobilize resources for the causes that matter most to you. 

In the fall, we look forward to sharing with you our new 10-year strategic plan with the goal of increasing our impact on this community now and long into the future. This moment in time demands that we leverage our leadership capacity and ability to mobilize resources to ensure an equitable recovery and a brighter future for our region.

Thank you for your continued partnership in serving our community’s needs today, and in building a better tomorrow for the Greater Washington region. 

Sincerely,
Tonia Wellons
President and CEO

Food for Montgomery Partners with Feed the Fridge and Mary's Center to Fight Hunger

Food for Montgomery, a COVID-19 response initiative co-led by the Greater Washington Community Foundation, has partnered with Feed the Fridge to innovate another solution to solving hunger in the region with a new fridge at Mary’s Center. The new location partners with Jalapeño Mexican Grill from the community kitchen of Crossroads Community Food Network to provide meals for those in need.