Community Foundation Announces Grants for Prince George’s County Nonprofits Responding to COVID-19

The Greater Washington Community Foundation, working in partnership with County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks’ Administration and Prince George’s County Public Schools, has announced $650,000 in grants to support local nonprofits responding to the immediate impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on Prince George’s County residents. The grants will be administered by The Community Foundation, as part of its COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, with funding provided by a personal contribution from Sam Brin, a former Prince George’s County resident.

The first $550,000 in funds will assist 15 local nonprofit organizations providing direct services and support to address the immediate health and economic needs of individuals, youth, families, and disproportionately impacted communities in Prince George’s County. The funds will help to:

• Reduce food and housing insecurity

• Mitigate the impact of reduced wages and lost work for low-wage workers, especially for people of color who are disproportionately affected

• Expand medical care access to seniors, marginalized communities, and the uninsured

• Enhance educational access and services for out of school children and youth from low-income families

• Address the unique needs of people experiencing homelessness and people at risk of homelessness

An additional $100,000 in funds will support Prince George’s County Public Schools to help defray the cost of internet connectivity and ensure every senior in need has internet access to participate in distance learning for the remainder of the school year.

“We are grateful to our generous donors and strategic partners for stepping up to help us meet the evolving needs and challenges associated with the impacts of coronavirus on Prince George’s County residents,” said Tonia Wellons, Interim President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “The Community Foundation is committed to working with our partners to address both the immediate needs of our neighbors and to plan for the longer term needs of our communities. During this time of crisis and uncertainty, we are inspired by how members of our community, and beyond, have come together to care for one another.”

“Even in the absence of a pandemic, our nonprofits do invaluable work for Prince George’s County families facing difficult times,” said Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. “We are thankful for our partners like The Community Foundation who are truly showing the strength and power of our community while ensuring our residents can make it through these unprecedented times.”

"The ability to work with partners such as the Greater Washington Community Foundation allows us to ensure that all contributions dedicated to Prince George’s County are being monitored and administered directly to the organizations that need it most,” said Diana Léon Brown, Director of Strategic Partnerships in the Office of the Prince George’s County Executive.

"We are grateful for the generous $100,000 donation from former PGCPS student, Sam Brin," said Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Monica Goldson. "His donation, in partnership with the Greater Washington Community Foundation, will help PGCPS defray the cost of internet connectivity and ensure every senior in need has internet access for the remainder of the school year. We look forward to continuing to work with our community partners as we strive to meet the needs of our students."

"Prince George's County welcomed my Soviet refugee family with open arms, and was a nice place to call home,” said Sam Brin. “I consider it my responsibility to help residents meet their basic needs and hope other prospective donors will join me."

Sam Brin was raised in Prince George’s County, attended Prince George’s County Public Schools, and studied Computer Science and Physics at the University of Maryland. Although Mr. Brin no longer resides in the county, he made this personal contribution to give back to the community where he was raised and his family called home.

The nonprofit organizations receiving grants this round include:

Community Crisis Services, Inc.
Community Outreach & Development CDC
Employ Prince George’s
Food & Friends
Hyattsville Aging in Place
Jobs Have Priority
La Clinica del Pueblo
Latin American Youth Center
Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services
Mary’s Center
Mission of Love Charities
Prince George’s Child Resource Center
SHABACH! Ministries
The Arc
United Communities Against Poverty

“During economic hardships, the most vulnerable populations are always those who have less prior to the recession. Most of these residents, and households, are living paycheck to paycheck, always wondering how they will pay the next bill or provide the next meal,” said Walter L. Simmons, President & CEO, Employ Prince George's. “The Greater Washington Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund is allowing Prince George’s County community partners to provide immediate resources to these people. Employ Prince George’s will be able to provide payments to pay a bill and put food on the table!”

For the latest information and resources on the county’s COVID-19 response, go to https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/3397/Coronavirus.

For more information and to make a contribution for Prince George’s County through The Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund, visit www.thecommunityfoundation.org

About the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund
The Greater Washington Community Foundation, in collaboration with regional partners, established the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to rapidly deploy critical resources to nonprofits responding to the urgent health and economic needs of disproportionately impacted communities. Through this fund, we are focused on addressing lost wages for hourly and gig economy workers, supporting out of school children and youth, expanding access to medical services, and meeting the unique needs of people experiencing homelessness. To date, The Community Foundation has raised more than $4.3 million for relief and recovery efforts that will support our most vulnerable neighbors.

Community Foundation Announces Unprecedented Community Support for Emergency COVID-19 Response Fund

Editor’s note: This post was updated on April 6 to reflect additional contributions to the fund.

Region’s Largest Community Foundation has raised and committed $4.7 million to support disproportionately impacted communities

Across the region, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is rising and the situation is rapidly evolving. The health, social, and economic implications of this pandemic are already being felt and could continue to be staggering to our region.

Last week, The Community Foundation launched the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to support emergency preparedness and response efforts to help mitigate the impact on disproportionately affected communities in our region. Through this fund, we are focused on addressing lost wages, relief for small businesses and gig economy workers, expanding access to medical services, and meeting the unique needs of people experiencing homelessness, among other issues.

Since launching the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, The Community Foundation has raised and committed more than $4.7 million in contributions from both individual donors and institutional funders.

You can join this effort to ensure our region is prepared to meet the evolving needs and challenges associated with this public health emergency and economic crisis. Your contribution will help support and assist our nonprofit partners working on the frontlines to provide supplies and direct services to affected communities, especially low-income communities, hourly wage and gig economy workers, people of color, and people experiencing homelessness who may be disproportionately impacted.

“We know that missing one shift or even one paycheck can mean members of our community, especially the region’s low-wage workers, struggle to pay rent, afford groceries, and otherwise provide for their families,” said Tonia Wellons, Interim President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “The outpouring of support from our community has been nothing short of incredible! We are truly inspired by our community coming together to help each other out during a difficult time. Your support helps us deploy critical resources to our nonprofit partners responding to the urgent health and economic needs of our communities.”

In addition to The Community Foundation’s initial commitment of $150,000 to seed the fund, support for this effort has come from several individual, philanthropic, and corporate partners. Initial partners and contributions to this fund include:

• The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation has approved a $1 million grant, $750,000 outright and $250,000 as a 1:1 match

• Thanks to a generous matching challenge grant from the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation, starting today all additional contributions to this fund will be matched up to $500,000

• More than $750,000 in individual contributions from The Community Foundation’s donors and donations from community members ranging in size from $10 - $5,000

• $350,000 from Amazon as part of a $1 million total contribution to four local community foundations serving residents of the Greater Washington region

• $250,000 from Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation and Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation

• $200,000 from Public Welfare Foundation

• $150,000 from Pivotal Ventures, a Melinda Gates company, and Wells Fargo Foundation

• $100,000 from Philip L. Graham Fund, Richard E. and Nancy P. Marriott Foundation, The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, and Target

• $75,000 from Horizon Therapeutics and PNC

• $60,000 from International Monetary Fund Giving Together

• $50,000 from the Lois and Richard England Family Foundation, Prince Charitable Trusts, Washington AIDS Partnership, Weissberg Foundation, and the World Bank Group Community Connections Fund

• $25,000 from Booz Allen Hamilton and Comcast

• $10,000 from The Crimsonbridge Foundation and United Solutions

“During these challenging times, the Foundation is pleased to support the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund,” said Calvin Cafritz, President and CEO, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. “We want to ensure that nonprofits, and the communities they serve, are able to survive this crisis and thrive in the future. We are happy to work with the Greater Washington Community Foundation, and others, to help local organizations in both the short- and long-term.”

"In keeping with Mr. Clark's commitment to the Washington, DC region, the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation believes that this is a time to come together as a community to provide resources to our neighbors,” said Joe Del Guercio, President and CEO of the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation. “The Greater Washington Community Foundation is uniquely positioned to respond to this evolving crisis and address the immediate and long-term needs of the region. We are proud to partner with them on this effort.”

“Right now, our nonprofit partners need flexible resources in order to fill critical gaps and meet increased demand for their services, while they also grapple with their own fundraising and volunteer shortfalls,” said Tonia Wellons, Interim President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “The Community Foundation is committed to addressing both the immediate needs of people in our region and we’re planning for the longer term needs of communities to ensure our region remains strong and resilient.”

“The Wells Fargo Foundation is appreciative of the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s leadership as our region – and the world – faces unprecedented challenge,” said Anna Bard, Senior Vice President and Community Affairs Manager for DMV at Wells Fargo. “We have chosen to provide a $150,000 investment because we trust The Community Foundation to exercise their convening power and work collaboratively to identify the best means of supporting vulnerable members of our community.”

“Thousands of World Bank Group staff and retirees call the Washington, DC region home and they are eager to help their local communities’ response to the COVID-19 virus,” said Lindsey Buss, Senior Officer, Community Outreach at The World Bank. “Through this emergency grant, from staff/retiree donations and World Bank Group matching funds, to The Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, we are happy to be a part of an ongoing and flexible support system for our community and neighbors.”

The Community Foundation will administer grants in cooperation with our local government advisors and philanthropic partners. In order to move resources quickly, funds will be released on a rolling basis throughout the outbreak and recovery phases of this crisis, making it possible to adapt to evolving needs in subsequent funding rounds.

With a mission to Build Thriving Communities, The Community Foundation brings together people and resources to tackle critical community issues and leads community impact initiatives to ensure our region is healthy and thriving. The Community Foundation is best known for establishing and managing the Survivor’s Fund, which from 2001-2008 raised and deployed $25 million in support for emergency services to families and victims of the 9/11 Pentagon attack. In 2008, The Community Foundation also created the Neighbors in Need fund and raised more than $5 million to support local residents hit hardest by the economic crisis. More recently, The Community Foundation’s Resilience Fund helped workers displaced by the partial Federal Government shutdown in January 2019 by funding nonprofits providing emergency cash and food assistance to our neighbors.

More information is available at www.thecommunityfoundation.org/covid-19.

Amazon Donates $1 Million to Washington, DC Region Community Foundations to Kick-Start Emergency COVID-19 Response Funds

Donation will support the four largest local community foundations serving residents of the Greater Washington region: ACT for Alexandria, Arlington Community Foundation, Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, and the Greater Washington Community Foundation – this five-part partnership is strategically positioned to support nonprofits at the frontlines of the region’s Coronavirus response 

Local businesses, community groups, and individuals are encouraged to get involved

Arlington, VA—March 18, 2020 — Amazon has donated $1 million total to kick-start collaborative emergency COVID-19 response funds that will immediately benefit four local community foundations across the Greater Washington region who are working to support vulnerable populations disproportionately impacted amid the coronavirus outbreak. ACT for Alexandria, Arlington Community Foundation, Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, and the Greater Washington Community Foundation will each use these funds for grants to nonprofits addressing food insecurity, housing/shelter, and providing emergency financial assistance. This gift will allow each foundation to lean into their unique strengths and community connections to rapidly disperse resources to nonprofits with deep roots in our community and strong experience serving our most vulnerable neighbors.

The donation from Amazon to the four community foundations is coming at a critical time to bolster frontline services and safety net needs across the District, Maryland, and Virginia. The community foundations recognize that the fast-moving crisis will require both immediate action and long-range planning to best serve those most impacted. Amazon’s donation will be distributed to provide imperative flexible resources to organizations working with communities who are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus and the economic consequences of the outbreak including hourly workers, people experiencing homelessness, and the elderly.

“So many families in our community were already on the financial edge. The need for food, household items and emergency financial assistance is significant,” said Heather Peeler, president and CEO of ACT for Alexandria. “This support enables us to collectively help those who are hardest hit.”

“Our four organizations are working closely together to respond in a nimble way to address the most critical needs facing our neighbors,” said Jennifer Owens, president and CEO of the Arlington Community Foundation. “We know that we are stronger together and hope this gift will inspire others to jump in and do what they can to improve outcomes for our neighbors in need.”

“Amazon’s support allows us to deploy critical resources in response to the urgent health and economic needs of our communities,” said Tonia Wellons, interim president and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “We are specifically targeting resources to low-income communities, hourly wage and gig economy workers, and people of color who will be disproportionately impacted. We also know that people experiencing homelessness and direct service providers face unique health risks that must be addressed.”

“As COVID-19 is a public health issue, our community foundations will seek input from public health officials to understand how philanthropy optimally folds into the greater community response,” said Eileen Ellsworth, president and CEO of Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. “This is also an economic issue, and to the greatest extent possible, we will use this gift to respond to the economic impacts of the virus in our service areas.”

“The Washington, D.C. area is our new home, and we must rally together to support our neighbors during this difficult time for our region and around the world,” said Jay Carney, Amazon SVP, Global Corporate Affairs. “In addition to making sure our Amazon customers can get the essentials they need, we will support our community partners who are doing life-saving work. Amazon’s $1 million donation to these four community groups will provide fast, flexible support to those who need it most and encourage a wave of additional community donations during this unprecedented time.”

“We are just coming to grips with the full scope of the impact of COVID-19 on our community,” said Justin Wilson, Mayor of Alexandria, Virginia. “The human service needs, economic impact and strains on our critical services will be with us long into the future. We have a resilient community and this contribution will help bring our City and our resident back stronger than ever.”

“Arlington welcomes Amazon’s donation to the Arlington Community Foundation,” Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey said. “We hope this is the first of many donations by Amazon and our other corporate citizens who recognize the need to partner with County government, and Arlington nonprofits during this public health crisis.”

The funds will be deployed in the District of Columbia, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland through the Greater Washington Community Foundation; Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William counties and the cities of Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park through the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia; the City of Alexandria through ACT for Alexandria; and Arlington County through the Arlington Community Foundation.

Other businesses, community groups, and individuals interested in the COVID-19 response funds can visit: www.thecommunityfoundation.org/covid-19-our-partners/#nova.

As a global company, Amazon is closely monitoring the impact of COVID-19. In addition to those who are affected by the illness, many more are indirectly dealing with changes in their work, school, and community environments. You can read more about how Amazon is supporting customers, their employees, and communities here.

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Learn more:

• ACT for Alexandria: www.actforalexandria.org

• Arlington Community Foundation: www.arlcf.org

• Community Foundation for Northern Virginia: www.cfnova.org

• Greater Washington Community Foundation: www.thecommunityfoundation.org

About the Greater Washington Community Foundation

The Greater Washington Community Foundation exists to Build Thriving Communities by guiding strategic philanthropy, providing leadership on critical issues, promoting civic engagement, and inspiring local giving. Founded in 1973, The Community Foundation is a public charity made up of hundreds of charitable giving funds established by generous individuals, families, and businesses. We work with donors and partners to enhance the quality of life in the District of Columbia, Montgomery County, Northern Virginia, and Prince George’s County. As the region’s largest local funder, we manage $350 million in assets and have invested nearly $1.3 billion to build more equitable, just, and enriching communities where all residents can thrive.

Community Foundation Announces COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund

The Community Foundation is coordinating with our peers in philanthropy to rapidly raise and deploy critical resources to nonprofits on the frontlines of responding to the urgent health and economic needs of disproportionately impacted communities in Greater Washington.

Celebrating Philanthropy and Civic Spirit

“Every day I’m inspired by [those] who chose to give,” Tonia Wellons, Interim President and CEO of The Community Foundation.

While we regret that the Celebration of Philanthropy was cancelled out of concern for the safety and health of our guests, we still want to celebrate our 2020 Civic Spirit Award honoree, the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation, and the many contributions of our community to help make this region a more vibrant, equitable, and inclusive place to live.

We want to give a special thanks to our sponsors, especially our lead sponsors from Brown Advisory, Morgan Stanley, and the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation. We are very fortunate to have the support of so many caring individuals and organizations—too many of them for me to name, but you can see the full list on our website. We would also like to recognize the generosity and leadership of our host committee, especially our co-chairs Debbi Jarvis and Neal Simon. Thank you!

“Every day, I’m inspired by the individuals and families in this region who choose to give some of what they have to help those who have less,” said Tonia Wellons, our Interim President and CEO.

One such example of the incredible power of neighbors helping neighbors comes from our 2020 Civic Spirit Award honoree, the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation. Mr. and Mrs. Clark believed in quietly and generously giving back to local organizations serving the community where they lived, worked, and achieved their success.

Now under the leadership of their daughter, Board Chair Courtney Clark Pastrick, and President and CEO Joe Del Guercio, the Foundation continues this philanthropic legacy by investing in building connections between effort and opportunity to help people achieve their greatest ambitions.

Presenting the 2020 Civic Spirit Award to the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation

In prepared introductory remarks, Patty Stonesifer, retired CEO of Martha’s Table, said: “It is not just what the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation is investing in, but [their] values: hard work, integrity, accountability, and humility.”

Watch the video below to learn more about those values, and how they have influenced the Clark Foundation’s investments.

A Thank You from Courtney Clark Pastrick

Courtney Clark Pastrick

“It is with sincere thanks that we accept the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s 2020 Civic Spirit Award. Although we are not celebrating together in person, my gratitude is not dampened. This award is an incredible honor for me, my family, and the entire team at the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation."

“My parents, Alice and Jim always believed in investing in others and connecting effort with opportunity. For 30 years, I was fortunate to work with my father to help to direct his philanthropic investments in the Washington, DC region as well as for engineering scholarships and veterans support programs across the country. Today we continue this work in his honor. Our investments in the Washington, DC region focus on three areas: maternal and child health and early education, strong schools and community anchors, and college persistence for DC students. We are inspired by the work of our grantee partners and are grateful to the Greater Washington Community Foundation for this honor.”

Supporting Our Community

In addition to honoring the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation with the 2020 Civic Spirit Award, the Celebration raised more than $620,000 to support The Community Foundation’s work to foster more vibrant and healthy communities. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will now be dedicated to supporting local emergency response efforts.

We have already started coordinating with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, United Way, and our peers in philanthropy to prepare for our community's response to a potential public health and economic crisis. The Community Foundation has opened and provided seed funding for the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to collect donations that can help with supplies and emergency preparedness activities, and to provide emergency cash or other assistance to nonprofits and community members who may be negatively impacted by major event cancellations, lost wages, decrease in demand for small business services, lack of access to health care, and more. If you would like to make an additional contribution to this effort, please click here.

Delivering food to United Communities Against Poverty

Despite the event cancellation, we have taken proactive measures to turn a disappointing situation into something that positively benefits our community. The food and florals for the event have been donated to United Communities Against Poverty to provide 500 meals to individuals and families in Prince George's County whose quality of life has been negatively impacted by poverty, unemployment, or homelessness. We also compensated all workers, volunteers, and nonprofit performers who were relying on this event as a source of income to ensure that our cancellation did not create negative financial impacts for them. 

With a mission to Build Thriving Communities, The Community Foundation continues to bring together people and resources to tackle critical community issues and leads community impact initiatives to ensure the Greater Washington region is a place where all residents can live, work, and thrive.

As the largest funder of nonprofits in the region, The Community Foundation and our donors have invested nearly $1.3 billion to strengthen our community since 1973. Last year alone, we collectively granted more than $64 million to thousands of nonprofit partners, with 73% directly serving the Greater Washington region. This is a testament to the generosity and commitment of our community of givers who chose to focus their giving locally.

How to Get Involved

To all of our sponsors, Host Committee members, and guests, although we do not get to celebrate with you tonight, your continued support and partnership are crucial to building the kind of community that we are all proud to call our home. And that is something worth celebrating!

If you are not already part of our remarkable community of givers, partners, and doers, we invite you to join with us today. You can visit our website or contact Angela Willingham, AVP of Development.

Impact Stories: Shelley Gilbert

By Shelley Gilbert

When I was around 6 or 7 years old I began being sexually assaulted. My parents didn’t know it was happening. When they found out, they got me therapy. But it takes time to get over that kind of trauma--my self-esteem was tainted, I felt dirty--and I carried it with me for a long while.

I was a wild teenager, drinking and partying. My parents separated when I was 13, and I shuttled back and forth between my Dad on the East coast and my Mom on the West coast. After I graduated high school, I was still partying. My Mom and Dad, who was in the Army himself, thought it would be good for me to join the military so when I was 20 years old I signed up to the Coast Guard. I put in four years of service and trained as a medical technician during that time. When I left the military, I was able to get a job as a dialysis technician. I worked in dialysis for nearly 20 years in Baltimore, and had two daughters which I raised as a single parent.

But I was still carrying a lot of baggage with me. I was depressed, and I had a lot of repressed anger. I had a hard time holding onto jobs--I had a temper and I was having flashbacks of the past. I’d catch myself just staring at the walls.

In 2010, I decided to try my hand at sales. I had a steady job for several months, but it was getting harder and harder to make ends meet. I lost my car. And then on June 13, 2011, I lost my apartment. It was a Monday morning, and I wasn’t going to get paid until Friday. I couldn’t make the rent.

My mind wasn’t working – I was in a fog – and didn’t think to ask my employer for an advance. When things pile up so high, you get paralyzed.

I was homeless for 17 months. I was couch surfing for a while. I stayed in a hotel. One rainy night, it was 20 degrees out and I had nowhere to stay, so I slept in a bus stop. I also stayed in a shelter for a while, but it was hard to sleep there, and I had to get up at 4:30 a.m. to go to work. Eventually, I lost my job.

In April 2012, I became a manager at Denny’s. I was still homeless, living in a hotel with my daughter. I had a 45-minute walk to work, and was on my feet for 13 hours, before I had to walk back home, often at 2:30 a.m. in the morning after my shift ended. Then in October I had an injury. One day, something just snapped in my back. I bought a soft brace at Walmart on my way to work. I told my manager I was in pain and was going to the ER after my shift.

I was out of work for six weeks. I was in so much pain and taking some strong painkillers which really knocked me out. When I had left the hospital, they gave me a packet which included a booklet with a suicide hotline for Veterans. I wasn’t considering suicide, but I needed help, so I called them. Through that hotline, I got connected to a case worker at Friendship Place, a nonprofit in Washington, DC which helps people experiencing homelessness to find stable housing. He told me to look for an apartment, that as a Veteran I qualified for financial support, and he could give me a check to cover my deposit as well as my move in costs. I thought it was too good to be true.

Weeks went by. I was still taking the painkillers, and they were so strong, that I couldn’t think straight. I couldn’t even recognize my grandkids. So I stopped taking them. I called Friendship Place, and they told me that they could still help me find a home.

I went to see an apartment at 9 a.m. the next day. I waited all morning and afternoon to hear whether I got the place. At 3:16 p.m., as I was on my way back to the apartment building office to see if there was any update, they called to say they’d reviewed all my paperwork and I’d been approved for the apartment. I could just picture a key dangling from a key chain. A few days later, I moved in.

Having a home is empowering. Being able to stand on your own two feet, and not having to rely on someone else makes you feel good about yourself. It hasn’t been easy– I’ve had times that I’ve not been able to pay my rent and had two major car accidents that really set me back. I came close to being homeless two more times. But I’m back working in dialysis, spending time with my kids and grandkids, and will turn 55 soon. Having my own place, and the security and stability that comes with it, has really been life-changing for me.

Because of my military service, I qualified for the Veterans Affairs' Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program that was established during the Obama Administration. When President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama visited Friendship Place, I was able to be there to thank them personally for the SSVF, which was an incredible gift in my life.

The Starbucks Memorial Fund: Strengthening DC Communities through Nonprofit Partnerships

By Ryan Hudnall, Starbucks partner resources associate and The Starbucks Foundation grant ambassador

Editor’s note: This is part of a series of posts which provide an introspective look at the partnership between Starbucks and The Community Foundation which resulted in more than two decades of grant support to tackle the various issues that local communities face.

Recognizing the memorial fund and its grants in the Starbucks store on Wisconsin Avenue

In December 1997, the Starbucks Memorial Fund (funded by Starbucks and The Starbucks Foundation) was created at The Community Foundation in response to the tragic killings of three Starbucks partners (employees) during an attempted robbery of their Georgetown store. The fund was created to help support nonprofit organizations who were working to help better communities in order to help mitigate issues of violence. It’s been more than 20 years but the memory of Mary Caitrin Mahoney, Aaron David Goodrich, and Emory Allen Evans continues to burn brightly in our hearts and in the Washington, DC community with the help of the fund created in their honor. Their store on Wisconsin Avenue continues to be a living tribute. Over two decades, the fund supported more than sixty nonprofits based in the Greater Washington region with more than $1.3 million in grant support.

Grants have supported a variety of local organizations, from those providing emergency services to survivors of domestic violence and child abuse, to organizations leading violence prevention programs through peer education and advocacy. In 2016, the focus of the Starbucks Memorial Fund shifted to supporting local organizations that create opportunities for underserved populations and that strengthen communities in Washington, DC, including supporting job training opportunities for Opportunity Youth, veterans, and refugees.

DC partners with Dog Tag Bakery, a memorial fund grantee

“Participating in the process to select beneficiaries of the Starbucks Memorial Fund allows our local store leaders to both learn about philanthropy and the local nonprofit landscape, as well as share their valuable perspectives and experiences from engaging with community both inside and outside our stores.” – Stephanie Jasek, Starbucks district manager and Washington, DC regional community lead

The grantees support causes that many local Starbucks partners are passionate about. Local Starbucks partners participated in the review of grants every year under the guidance of the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s philanthropic advisory services team to select organizations that serve the diverse needs of the city. Starbucks partners were also encouraged to invest in building relationships and volunteering their time to support programs led by the Starbucks Memorial Fund grantees.

Starbucks partners have shared their personal and professional experiences with Opportunity Youth participating in workforce readiness training and have served as mock interviewers and mentors. They have also prepared meals, served coffee at community events led by the grantees, and helped to raise awareness and other financial support for the organizations. Many of these relationships have lasted long beyond the term of the grant and continue to be valuable in strengthening Starbucks partner and customer connections to the Greater Washington community.

DC partners with Public Allies, a memorial fund grantee

“Our partnership with the Greater Washington Community Foundation over the past 20 years has helped us identify and support local organizations that truly share our mission and values. With the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s deep insight into the nonprofit ecosystem and issues affecting the community, combined with our Starbucks partners’ commitment to creating community in our third place, we hope to both honor the memory of our partners and build a strong community in partnership with local DC nonprofits for years to come.” – Virginia Tenpenny, executive director, The Starbucks Foundation and vice president, Global Social Impact, Starbucks Corporation

DC partners with SOME, a memorial fund grantee

Introducing Three New Team Members

“To me, philanthropy is the highest form of advocacy. You’re not only supporting important community issues, but can inspire others around you, too. I hope to elevate this through the stories I share about our community.” –Jamie McCrary, our new Digital Marketing Manager, on what inspired her to join The Community Foundation.

Jamie started her new role this past month, working with Danielle Yates, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, to implement the organization’s marketing strategy across digital platforms.

Jana-Lynn Louis and Jennifer Olney, two new Program Officers who joined our Community Investment team this past November, echo a similar sentiment. They are excited to join an organization that supports issues they’re passionate about, including underserved youth and homelessness.

Below, learn more about each of our new staff members and what inspires them to come to work every day.

Jana-Lynn Louis, Community Investment Officer

Jana-Lynn is a clinical researcher and public health wonk who is passionate about community engagement, support, and capacity building. She describes community investment as something she “is completely drawn to,” which prompted her transition from HCM Strategists, a local health and education policy consulting firm.

She leads the Fund for Children, Youth, and Families portfolio, a grantmaking strategy that invests in organizations working for the betterment of underserved children, youth, and families in the region. Specific issue areas include housing-based service programs, foster care, and academic programming and career training.

While new to social services, she has experience as a grantmaker and community engagement partner at HCM Strategists, with the National Institutes of Health as her primary client. She has also worked at the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and John Hopkin’s Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.

“I enjoy supporting local nonprofits, which directly impacts the more vulnerable communities in this region,” she says. “Creating that connection between philanthropy and local giving is vital for our success.”

Jamie McCrary, Digital Marketing Manager

Jamie is a marketing manager and a writer who specializes in nonprofits, especially in education and the arts. She’s passionate about helping organizations tell their stories and raising awareness about their work.  

She leads The Community Foundation’s digital strategy and storytelling, translating news about grantees, donors, staff, and events into compelling online narratives. This includes managing social media, the monthly email newsletter, website, and digital advertising. Most of all, Jamie is excited about growing The Community Foundation’s online community by engaging people around our issue areas.

Jamie is also a freelance arts writer and musician. As a professionally trained violist, she loves covering classical concerts for the Washington Classical Review, DCist, and Strathmore News. She is a member of the Premiere String quartet, where she performs at events and weddings throughout the DMV area.

For Jamie, it’s all about communication and connection. “That’s why I work in marketing, write and play music. I love building meaningful connections through stories that matter,” she said.

Jennifer Olney, Community Investment Officer

Jennifer Olney was drawn to The Community Foundation for its work around ending homelessness, an area where she has spent most of her career. “It felt like the perfect opportunity to continue the work I’ve done with philanthropy and with communities working to end homelessness across the country,” she said.

Jennifer leads the Partnership to End Homelessness portfolio, which brings together the public and private sectors to advance solutions that ensure homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring in Washington, DC. She works with local government and with the initiative’s partners to advance their work in the community.

Prior to The Community Foundation, she worked at Funders Together to End Homelessness and the National Alliance to End Homelessness, where she led national and issue-based networks and managed development activities, respectively.

She is excited to help advance The Community Foundation’s mission of Building Thriving Communities.

“To me, this embodies the role of The Community Foundation and the reason I was attracted to the organization,” she said. “We get to work with philanthropists to help them understand big issues, like homelessness, and connect them with organizations that are doing amazing work and solutions that have proven results.”

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Finding Hope in Resilience

By Melen Hagos, Manager, Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships

re·sil·ience

noun

the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.

As a child of immigrant parents, I understand the difficult journey all too well. I have family members who have navigated the complex immigration system and subsequently went on to live the 'American Dream.'

In the mid-1980s, my parents came to the United States as refugees from Eritrea, a country in East Africa. At the time, they had three little girls; my other five siblings were born here in the US. My father, a teacher who always emphasized education, made sure all eight of us went to college.

My family, like many other immigrant families, came here to seek a better life. A life in which they can work, raise their children, and provide a path forward for future generations.

This is why I have been so disheartened to see immigration being used to divide our communities and alienate some of our most marginalized neighbors. This has made it more difficult for people, just like me and my family, to build a solid foundation in an already complex world.

You might be wondering what, if anything, can we do about it? It’s easy to feel helpless in times like these, but I choose to find hope in the resiliency of our community, especially when caring people come together to help each other out.

It was this vision for resiliency and neighbors helping neighbors that led to the launch of the Resilience Fund in 2017. The Resilience Fund was created by The Community Foundation in partnership with the Meyer Foundation and several donors who were concerned about how federal policy changes and the increasing climate of hate and intolerance would impact our local community.

Over the last three years, we’ve supported nonprofits on the front lines of responding to policy shifts that have had detrimental and, in some cases, long-lasting impact on our local community. Thanks to our dedicated Steering Committee of both individual and institutional donors, we have provided 38 organizations with nearly $1 million in emergency grants to respond to shifts in immigration policy, provided training on legal and civil rights, expanded access to citizenship and democracy, and lead efforts to build community cohesion.

To date, the Fund has raised over $1.3 million dollars and leveraged nearly $700,000 to support nonprofits in the region. And, has served as a mechanism to mobilize compassionate community members to get involved by providing support (gifts ranging in size from $10 to $50,000!) to help our neighbors facing hardship due to the 2019 partial government shutdown.

It wasn’t easy when my family arrived 33 years ago. My parents had to learn a new language and culture, and leave their old lives behind. I haven’t heard them talk about the kind of difficulties I see immigrants facing today, though. We weren’t turned away from communities in the same spirit I see happening today.

For me, this is one of the greatest goods the Resilience Fund offers. I do feel a culture of intolerance and hate directed towards immigrants and people of color, that has reached new depths. We are living in a time that has become so divisive, where dinnertime conversations or friendships can go awry due to differing political views, and where people choose not to vote because they feel like it won’t matter. The Fund can be an opportunity to educate ourselves, and others, on these challenges, and the work that needs to be done to overcome them.

To be most effective, though, we need to hear from you.

What are the most derisive issues impacting our community? Are there ways we can ease policy shifts that are adversely impacting immigrants? As a local nonprofit, you can help inform the conversation by posing ways to address these challenges.

If you have an idea or solution to help our neighbors build resilience or how we can affect change through the Resilience Fund, submit a proposal through our Call for Ideas, by 4 p.m. on March 9. Proposals will be reviewed by the Steering Committee in March and April 2020.

Going forward, we will continue to host open funding rounds, to empower our nonprofit partners to help us identify the most critical issues facing our community. We want to change the narrative by offering resources to affect real change.

Today, my family is settled in Arlington, Virginia. The journey of an immigrant isn’t an easy one—but, with dedication and community support, it doesn’t have to be so difficult. I hope you’ll join me in helping support other’s journeys.

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The Resilience Fund welcomes new donors who are interested in serving on the Steering Committee which advises on grant decisions and future fund priorities. If you are interested in joining, please reach out to Melen Hagos at [email protected].

Viewpoint: Region's income gaps can also lead to perception gap

In her Washington Business Journal op-ed, Interim President and CEO Tonia Wellons discusses the misperception that poverty is primarily a choice—and how philanthropy can help.

“My hope for 2020 is that we can not only inspire more local philanthropy here in Greater Washington – but also that we can make progress on controlling the circumstances of economic injustice which make philanthropy necessary.”

Quarterly Community Update

Dear friends,

Happy new year! I want to take a moment to share how thankful I am for the generosity and continued partnership throughout 2019 and beyond. I am so proud of what we have accomplished together — here are just a few highlights from last year:

• The Community Foundation joined with Mayor Bowser’s Interagency Council on Homelessness to launch the District’s first-of-its-kind public-private Partnership to End Homelessness.

• The Children’s Opportunity Fund doubled its impact for a total of $1.2 million invested towards closing the opportunity gap for children and families in Montgomery County.

• The Workforce Development Collaborative celebrated its 10th anniversary by updating its strategy to focus on eliminating inequities based on race, ethnicity, or gender and providing new career pathways and wealth-building opportunities for local workers.

• The Resilience Fund mobilized community support for nonprofits providing emergency cash and food assistance to our neighbors during the partial Federal Government shutdown.

Last quarter (October-December 2019), our community of givers collectively awarded nearly $20.4 million in grants to organizations serving the most critical needs of our communities. With your support, The Community Foundation continued its critical work to Build Thriving Communities in the Greater Washington region by awarding new grants from:

• The Resilience Fund to increase civic engagement, support advocacy on behalf of immigrants and asylum seekers, and expand outreach and services to marginalized communities;

• The 2020 Count DMV In Census Project to ensure an equitable future for our region through a fair and accurate Census count by supporting education, outreach, and assistance focused on hard-to-count communities; and

• The Partnership to End Homelessness in the form of “flex funding” to help nonprofits expedite housing placement and increase stabilization for single adults experiencing homelessness.

I hope to see you at our 2020 Celebration of Philanthropy on March 12, where we will recognize the collective effort of our region’s nonprofits, donors, and community leaders who work to make our communities stronger. We are excited to present the 2020 Civic Spirit Award to the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation at the Celebration. Sponsorship packages are available for individuals and businesses — please contact Emily Davis at [email protected].

It is our generous donors who make this all possible! Together, we are building a more vibrant, equitable, and enriching community for all who call the Greater Washington region their home.

Sincerely,

Tonia Wellons
Interim President and CEO

Save the Date for VoicesDMV Community Conversations

Save the Date

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Our region is shifting, neighborhoods are changing, and many residents are experiencing those changes in dramatically different ways that can disrupt families and communities. As we seek to build the kind of vibrant community we can all be proud to call home, it is critical to understand the diverse experiences of the people who live and work in the Greater Washington region.

Your Voice Matters! On May 20, help us explore and shape the priorities for our community!

Please save the date and plan to join your friends, neighbors, colleagues, and fellow community members in small-group conversations to discuss critical issues impacting our region, and consider ways we can all work together to make our communities stronger. On the Table is part of a region-wide civic engagement initiative, called VoicesDMV, launched by The Community Foundation in 2017 to explore the region’s challenges and opportunities related to housing, transportation, safety, economic security, race relations, community well-being, and more.

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#VoicesDMV | VoicesDMV.org

Inspiring Emerging Leaders In Prince George's County

Davion Percy (on the far left) poses with other emerging leaders from The Community Foundation’s Advisory Board in Prince George’s County.

Meet Davion Percy, the dynamic leader of The Community Foundation’s new effort to harness the energy of emerging leaders in Prince George’s County to grow and leverage local philanthropy for positive community impact. Members of the Emerging Leaders Impact Fund (ELIF) contribute to a pooled fund, learn about local needs and solutions, and collaborate to determine where to direct funding to high-impact nonprofits.

As Chair, Davion personifies the kind of young leader for whom ELIF was created. A 34-year-old resident of Suitland, Maryland, Davion currently serves as the Vice President of Government Relations at Alexander & Cleaver, PA, one of Maryland’s most highly regarded law firms. He first learned of The Community Foundation when working as Chief of Staff to former Council Member Karen R. Toles, and became more involved in 2019 when he served on the Planning Committee for the 2019 Civic Leadership Awards in Prince George’s County.

Davion’s vision for ELIF is clear.

“Often, residents grow up in Prince George’s County, go off to school, start careers, become successful, and invest their money in communities elsewhere. My hope is that ELIF will position young philanthropists to support community impact initiatives in Prince George’s County. The primary focus for this coming year is to recruit early and substantial investors. I plan to continue to raise awareness about ELIF, encourage emerging leaders to join, and position ELIF to be significantly impactful on our community. Most important, I am looking forward to not only having the conversation about significant needs in our community, but investing in, and implementing actual solutions to the challenges that our communities face.”

“Let’s put our money—and our brains—where our mouths are!”

Most exciting is the opportunity for inaugural members to build the framework of ELIF and help set its course. For a gift of $500, you receive charter member designation, and in partnership with the Executive Committee you can help shape the philanthropic direction of the ELIF. The contributions, financial and otherwise, of this year’s class of emerging leaders will lay the foundation for ELIF’s impact for generations to come.

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Inspired to find out more?

To join ELIF, members contribute an annual membership fee — $500 for charter members, $240 for annual members, or students can join for $120 (just $10 a month!). All contributions are tax-deductible and 90% of every gift supports grants to be distributed by ELIF, while 10% of contributions go to the permanently endowed Fund for Prince George’s County to support a broad range of community needs, projects, and programs. As an ELIF member you will not only join an exclusive network of givers finding solutions to community problems, you will also be connected to organizations doing meaningful work in the County through site visits, member roundtables, nonprofit showcases, special events, and more.

Learn more and join now at https://www.thecommunityfoundation.org/elif.

New Leadership for Advisory Boards in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties

We are excited to introduce Veronica Jeon and Karen Leder as the chairs of our Advisory Boards in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties respectively. They join The Community Foundation’s new leadership team including Katharine Weymouth, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Tonia Wellons, our Interim President and CEO.

Advisory Board members demonstrate their passion for strengthening our community through the gift of their time, energy, and experience. They share knowledge of the challenges and opportunities specific to our local jurisdictions, advise on potential solutions to address community issues, and help grow the spirit of giving in our region.

Please join us in welcoming these dynamic leaders!

Veronica Jeon

Chair, Prince George’s County Advisory Board

Veronica Jeon credits her entrepreneurial parents with shaping her career path: She is president and CEO at V.SJ, Inc., a full-service consultancy specializing in strategic communications, public affairs, and crisis management. Branded as the “Executive Fixer”, Veronica intentionally helps businesses and organizations re-invent, re-emerge and re-position themselves to be more strategic and influential in the marketplace and in their respective industries.

Veronica says, “Community begins at home and what better place to start than where I live, work, and play? I am committed to advocate, lead initiatives and partner to elevate and engage in philanthropy on all levels in Prince George’s County.”

Committed to “paying it forward”, Veronica is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders. She served as co-chair of the 2018 and 2019 Civic Leadership Awards to recognize, honor, and promote outstanding community leadership in Prince George’s County. She has also been involved in helping to develop and launch the Emerging Leaders Impact Fund to encourage collective giving and civic engagement among County residents under the age of 45. She sees great potential in Prince George’s County to expand the culture of philanthropy and connect nonprofits to more growth opportunities.

In addition to her new role as chair of the Advisory Board, Veronica is a member of the Prince George's Healthcare Alliance board, a former board member of the Northern Virginia Urban League, After School All Stars, and Hope Connection, and a former mentor for Ladies America and the After School All Stars.

Karen Leder

Chair, Montgomery County Advisory Board

For two decades, Karen Leder has partnered with The Community Foundation to positively impact the community where she was raised and in turn raised her family. Karen and her husband created a family fund to address their areas of concern including workforce development, healthcare, and education through the Whatever We Imagine scholarship fund. Karen founded Power of Pink to honor her sister, a two-time breast cancer survivor, which raises funds to help women in the Greater Washington region to receive breast cancer education, screenings, and treatment regardless of their ability to pay. This fund has raised over $800,000 for the cause.

“As a philanthropist,” says Karen, “I am impressed with how The Community Foundation listens to the community, specifically through VoicesDMV, to learn about the needs and supports organizations that address those specific needs to create thriving communities. The Community Foundation has helped shine a light on what our region needs to create equity and justice for all.”

As a lifelong resident of the Greater Washington region, Karen has witnessed changes in Montgomery County including an increase in poverty. Through her leadership of the Montgomery County Advisory Board she aims to educate, motivate, and inspire others about the needs in the county and encourage giving that can help level the playing field for all.

2020 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year Award Nominations Now Open!

Our 2019 Montgomery County Philanthropists of the Year, Andy Burness and Hope Gleicher at the 2019 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 a letter explaining why your nominee should be selected as the Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year. 

Please note that the cover form must be completed in its entirety in order for the nomination to be eligible. The Awards Committee will not accept nominations which rely solely on resumes, newspaper articles, annual reports, or the like, in substitution for concise responses to the criteria outlined below. 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

Note: 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: February 28, 2020

The nomination form and letter must be postmarked or emailed by close of business on Friday, February 28, 2020 to:

The Community Foundation in Montgomery County

Attn: Kate Daniel

8720 Georgia Avenue, Suite 202

Silver Spring, MD 20910

[email protected]

The Community Foundation in Montgomery County will contact the selected awardee and their nominator by the end of May. All other nominations will remain confidential.

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

Sponsor the 2020 Celebration of Philanthropy

We are pleased to share the sponsorship opportunities for the 2020 Celebration of Philanthropy on Thursday, March 12, 2020 at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium! Join us for the largest annual celebration of local philanthropy in our region as we pay tribute to the individuals and organizations that dedicate their time and resources to make our region a more vibrant, equitable, and inclusive place to live.

This year, we are proud to present the 2020 Civic Spirit Award to the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation for its commitment to expanding opportunities for our neighbors and communities to thrive. Mr. and Mrs. Clark believed in quietly and generously giving back to local organizations serving the community where they lived, worked, and achieved their success. Now under the leadership of their daughter, Courtney Clark Pastrick, the Foundation continues this philanthropic legacy by investing in building connections between effort and opportunity to help people achieve their greatest ambitions.

Your purchase of a ticket or sponsorship will support The Community Foundation’s ongoing work in the region. Your support is a critical investment in strengthening our region and creating a brighter future for our most marginalized neighbors.

With your contribution, we can Build Thriving Communities that are rife with opportunity for everyone! Please contact Angela Willingham, Associate Vice President of Development, at [email protected], if you have any questions.

What is Permanent Supportive Housing?

If you asked Pathways to Housing DC outreach specialist Waldon Adams what ends homelessness, he’d have a very simple answer. Housing. That’s because it worked for him. For many years, Waldon experienced homelessness, losing jobs and places to stay while battling an addiction to alcohol and drugs. One day, he visited a support center on 14th Street NW and the staff there connected him with his own apartment — with no preconditions. Having his own home gave Waldon stability, and this led to other positive changes in his life. Today, Waldon works to help others like himself exit homelessness by connecting them with housing.

Waldon’s experience — and that of thousands of other people like him in DC — tells us that housing ends homelessness. But what should that housing look like? For many of our neighbors experiencing chronic homelessness, the answer is permanent supportive housing.

Over the course of a year, approximately 4,000 adults experience chronic homelessness in DC.

People experiencing chronic homelessness have been homeless for at least one year, or four times within three years, and they struggle with complex health challenges such as mental illness, addiction, physical disabilities, or other chronic conditions that make them highly vulnerable to becoming homeless. These challenges also create barriers that can make it difficult for them to maintain stable housing.

Permanent supportive housing (or PSH) is a tool to end chronic homelessness. It works by pairing housing with wrap around services to help people experiencing chronic homelessness obtain affordable housing and maintain it long-term. PSH services are voluntary, flexible, and individualized to help people achieve their personal goals, such as stabilizing and improving their health, gaining employment, re-connecting with family, and participating in the community.

The Partnership to End Homelessness seeks to advance data-driven and evidence-based practices — and we know from the evidence that permanent supportive housing works:

• PSH improves long-term housing stability. Studies show that at least 75 percent of people in permanent supportive housing remain in housing for 18 months or longer. In DC, over 97 percent of people who exit the homeless services system to permanent supportive housing maintain their housing for at least six months.

• PSH improves health and well-being. People experiencing chronic homelessness who receive housing combined with supportive services make fewer hospital and emergency room visits and can better access routine mental and physical health supports.

• PSH is cost-effective. People experiencing chronic homelessness are frequent users of emergency services. Studies have shown that providing people with permanent supportive housing lowers public costs on average by nearly 50 percent by reducing use of shelters, hospitals, and jails.

DC has invested in ending chronic homelessness by funding comprehensive street outreach and case management services, creating an coordinated assessment and prioritization strategy to match individuals to permanent supportive housing, and increasing the supply of rental subsidy vouchers. The city has also worked to build strong private sector partnerships with affordable housing developers and property owners. DC incentivizes developers to provide units for permanent supportive housing by financing affordable housing projects and offering backup funding to property owners to cover any the costs of unpaid rent and unit damages.

DC’s strategy to end chronic homelessness in DC is working: since 2015, chronic homelessness has decreased by fifteen percent and 2,540 single adults experiencing chronic homelessness were moved into permanent supportive housing.

Despite this progress, we know that we need more permanent supportive housing in DC to meet the need. Join The Partnership to End Homelessness to increase the supply of Permanent Supportive Housing to #EndHomelessnessDC.

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How You Can Help Create More Permanent Supportive Housing in DC

• Partnership grantees such as Friendship Place, Miriam’s Kitchen, Pathways to Housing DC, and Open Arms Housing — are among many local organizations committed to providing high-quality permanent supportive housing in DC. By investing in The Partnership’s Grantmaking Fund you can support their crucial work while supporting our efforts to create a system that houses people more quickly and has the number of units we need to end homelessness in DC.

• Participating in the Partnership’s Impact Investment can aid in bringing financial resources to assist in the fight to end homelessness and housing insecurity by increasing the production of deeply affordable and supportive housing.

• Advocacy from the community is critical to ensuring that the city continues to invest in permanent supportive housing. Join the Partnership mailing list to be alerted to opportunities for action.

Resilience Fund Announces New Grants to Increase Advocacy, Civic Engagement, and Support for Marginalized Communities

The Resilience Fund has announced a new round of $180,000 in grants to eight local organizations conducting advocacy on behalf of immigrants and asylum seekers, providing outreach and services to marginalized communities, and expanding civic engagement among Hispanic voters. These grants represent our mission to respond to federal policy shifts that are negatively impacting our neighbors and communities in the Greater Washington region.

ADVOCACY

$25,000 grant to Casa de Maryland to respond to the impact of increased immigration enforcement on the African diaspora community in the region. This project will directly engage 250 African immigrant community members in legal rights training and 20 African immigrant community leaders in leadership and advocacy training and will benefit a broader community of immigrants residing in Fairfax County and statewide in Maryland through the achievement of universal representation in immigration proceedings.

$25,000 grant to Crossroads Community Food Network to address the need for increased communication and connection amid heightened anti-immigrant rhetoric and federal policy changes around SNAP and other safety-net programs. This project will serve 4,000+ residents of the Takoma/Langley Crossroads, a mostly immigrant, low-income community that straddles the border of Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

ASYLUM SEEKERS

$25,000 grant to Asylum Seeker Assistance Project to provide holistic social services supporting a minimum of 40 formerly detained asylum-seeking men, women, and children living in the region. Through the provision of direct services, education, and community support, ASAP empowers asylum seekers to rebuild their lives with dignity and purpose. All services are provided free to clients.

$25,000 grant to Ayuda to support critical client and case needs across three field offices in DC, Maryland, and Virginia to include (but not limited to) asylum seekers, victims of trafficking and other crimes such as domestic violence, and separated families. Ayuda will help clients with the costs of filing fees, expert reports, and psychological evaluations, in addition to other critical support such as transportation expenses, which are necessary for our clients to pursue their legal cases.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

$15,000 to League of Women Voters, Montgomery County to increase voter participation in 2020 among Hispanic voters. League of Women Voters will work with an established local newspaper, El Tiempo Latino, to translate the Voter's Guide into Spanish for each election in 2020. This newspaper is distributed free on a weekly basis at about 300 points in Montgomery County, including bus stops, retail outlets, and metro stations. Its circulation covers about 26% of Hispanic households in the County. This grant will cover election-related activities for both the Primary Election and General Election in 2020.

SUPPORT FOR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES

$25,000 grant to Identity, Inc. to support emergency family custodial planning for immigrant families impacted by real and threatened immigration policy changes. Identity will facilitate 10 Know-Your-Rights information sessions for at least 300 residents and schedule five day-long follow-up Standby Guardianship Clinics to assist immigrant parents in Montgomery County in preparing Standby Guardianship Forms, thereby legally designating an adult to care for their children in case they are unable to do so due to adverse immigration action.

$25,000 grant to Primary Care Coalition of Montgomery County to hire and manage a Community Health Worker (CHW), who will work from the Montgomery County Public Schools International Admissions and Enrollment (IAE) office in Rockville to serve children and families at a point of entry into the school system that is nearly universal for international students. This CHW is a critical piece of the program design to serve the increasing numbers of children and families settling in the County after emigrating from Central America. Many of these children faced incredibly difficult journeys to get here, and they will need a broad scope of supportive services to achieve healthy development and reach their full potential.

$15,000 grant to Shout Mouse Press, Inc. to support author empowerment, outreach, and advocacy work around two books: a memoir collection by Latinx youth immigrants and an anthology by Muslim American youth. The goal is to change the narrative about marginalized communities by empowering young people to write and publish original stories not being represented in traditional publishing marketplaces. This grant will support outreach to 300+ DMV-area educators and 1400+ local students via author talks and will directly empower 26 Latinx immigrant or Muslim American youth authors via professional development training, speaking opportunities, and scholarship money to support their next steps as leaders changing the narrative about their communities in this country.

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ABOUT THE RESILIENCE FUND

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

The Truth About Chronic Homelessness and The Solution

As a part of The Partnership to End Homelessness’ work to educate and engage donors and private sector investors, we host a regular learning series focused on issues related to housing and homelessness. The series features experts on topics such as family homelessness, chronic homelessness, racial equity, and more. To learn about future events, please contact Angela Willingham at [email protected].

Our panel featured Neil Albert (DowntownDC BID), Rhonda Whitaker (an advocate with lived experience), Schroeder Stribling (ICH and N Street Village), and Scott Schenkelberg (Miriam's Kitchen). Tonia Wellons, our Interim President and CEO, moderated the discussion.

On December 4, The Partnership to End Homelessness hosted our third learning series event, focused on The Truth About Chronic Homelessness. Chronic homelessness is defined as a person living with a disabling condition — such as mental illness, substance abuse disorders, or physical disabilities — a person who has experienced homelessness continuously for a year or more, or someone who has had four separate episodes of homelessness in three years.

Many people have a specific picture in mind when they think about someone who is experiencing chronic homelessness. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions and a general lack of awareness around solutions. To help event participants to better understand who are people experiencing chronic homelessness, our Interim President and CEO, Tonia Wellons, opened the conversation with some helpful data points.

First, Tonia pointed out that it is not just single men that experience chronic homelessness. In the District:

• 13% of people experiencing chronic homelessness are with families,

• 72% of women experiencing homelessness are chronically homelessness, and

• Many people experiencing chronic homelessness are elderly (over the age of 62).

Tonia also highlighted data from a recent survey of people experiencing homelessness which found that nearly 40% of interviewees had worked and wanted to work, and that the loss of a job was the reason they had become homeless.

To help continue the conversation, we had an outstanding panel of experts join us to help participants learn about the solutions to chronic homelessness, including Permanent Supportive Housing. Permanent Supportive Housing, often referred to as PSH, is affordable housing combined with supportive services like case management and health care. Research has shown that PSH is not only effective at ending a person’s homelessness but can also improve health outcomes and save the system money. In the District, PSH has a 93% success rate and costs about half of what it would for someone to remain homeless for a year.

Speaking directly to the audience of business leaders and philanthropists, the panel highlighted an important opportunity and role for the private sector — funding advocacy. To take solutions to scale, we need public and private funding that is proportionate to the number of people who need housing and supports. To get to that point, we need to support nonprofit advocacy organizations that can raise the issue and continue working to make sure we understand the need and have proof of what works. One of our panelists, Scott Schenkelberg said it best when he said:

“Fund advocacy. It creates real change and creates a better for system for ending homelessness.”

Below are a few highlights from the event and information about how to get involved in our efforts to #EndHomelessnessDC.

“ “We have goals. We have families. We are people. I lost my job and became homeless. I got another job, but couldn’t afford a home. I was homeless for 25 years, but no one knew. I took later shifts to have a place to be warm.” - Rhonda Whitaker, Advocate with lived experience

“It costs $40,000 per year to keep someone homeless in DC. And Permanent Supportive Housing is cost effective - it costs $23,000 per year. A savings of almost 50%. And we know it works - PSH has a 93% success rate. ” - Scott Schenkelberg, CEO, Miriam’s Kitchen

“We are working with business owners in the DowntownDC BID to make them aware of resources available to people experiencing homelessness. We want the business community to engage and treat them as our brothers and sisters.” - Neil Albert, President & Chief Executive Officer, DowntownDC Business Improvement District

“The rate we transition people out of shelter is not keeping up with the rate of people coming into the shelter. We will not charity our way out of this problem...it is going to take all of us working together.” - Schroeder Stribling, Chief Executive Officer, N Street Village and Co-Chair, Executive Council, DC ICH

”We’re looking for champions. We’re extending the invite to you today to join us in the Partnership to End Homelessness.” -Tonia Wellons, Interim President and CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation
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JOIN US

If you are inspired and want to get involved, we invite you to join the Partnership to End Homelessness. Contact us or visit EndHomelessnessDC.org for more ways to contribute to the solution.

Charitable giving in D.C. is well below the national average

By Tonia Wellons for the Washington Post Local Opinions

Tonia Wellons is interim president and chief executive of the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

The District is a magnet for some of the nation’s wealthiest and most powerful people. It’s also home to world-class museums, top-flight thinkers and the national headquarters for many of our nation’s most prominent nonprofits.

But even with these tremendous resources, we are conspicuously behind the curve when it comes to one important measure: generosity.