Community Foundation Partners with Montgomery County to Provide Food Assistance Capacity Building Grants

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is proud to partner with Montgomery County Health and Human Services, the Montgomery County Food Council, and the Healthcare Initiative Foundation to provide nonprofit food assistance providers with funding to support programmatic operations. The full release is available below.

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Montgomery County Food Assistance Provider Capacity Building Grants Awarded to 28 Community Organizations

For Immediate Release: Monday, August 17, 2020

Montgomery County has awarded $1,126,100 to 28 local food assistance providers to improve their infrastructure and expand their capacity to provide food access to hard-to-reach communities in Montgomery County during the response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. This program was funded by the Federal CARES Act as appropriated by the County Executive and Montgomery County Council, the Community Food Rescue mini-grants program, and the newly launched Food Security Fund at the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

The COVID-19 Emergency Food Assistance Provider Capacity Building Grant is a partnership between the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Montgomery County Food Council (MCFC), the Healthcare Initiative Foundation (HIF), and the Greater Washington Community Foundation (The Community Foundation). The County’s Food Security Task Force, formed by the County's Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS), reviewed and determined all grant awards. The HIF and The Community Foundation are the fiscal agents for the program and will award the money.

These grant awards will support community nonprofit purchases of refrigerators and freezers, shelving and space enhancements, vehicles, forklifts, hand trucks, computers and software, as well as repairs to existing infrastructure. Funded investments will directly expand these organizations’ ability to store and transport larger quantities of shelf-stable and cold-stored food and are estimated to increase community-wide capacity for food assistance distribution and delivery to over 31,000 households.

“I am proud to be part of a community where our nonprofit and faith-based organizations work tirelessly to ensure our residents have access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food, especially during this national pandemic,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Providing funding to help these organizations improve their infrastructure and increase their capacity to feed more residents is money well spent.”

Special consideration was given to organizations who formed partnerships to better serve the community and provide culturally diverse food access services. Despite funding limitations more than half of the applications were awarded full or partial funding. As the County’s food security response to the pandemic continues, it is anticipated that additional funds will be made available to further support initiatives that address the significant food security needs of our community.

“Food insecurity is currently being experienced by more residents in our community than ever before,” said County Council President Sidney Katz. “So many of our neighbors are feeling the instability caused by the health crisis in so many ways. It is incumbent upon us to provide culturally appropriate food to those in need and these funds will do just that. I want to thank all of the nonprofit and faith-based organizations who are forging partnerships to reach out to the communities hardest hit by the pandemic.”

Nonprofit organizations were eligible to apply for up to $85,000. The organizations receiving grants, ranging from $1,075 to $85,000, are:

• Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington, Inc.

• American Diversity Group

• Bethesda Cares

• Caribbean Help Center, Inc

• Chinese Culture and Community Service Center, Inc.

• Clifton Park Baptist Church

• Damascus HELP Inc.

• Guru Gobind Singh Foundation

• Indonesian American Association

• Islamic Center of Maryland

• Kingdom Fellowship African Methodist Episcopal Church

• Kings & Priests Court International Ministries Inc.

• Liberty Grove United Methodist Church

• Manna Food Center

• Meals on Wheels of Takoma Park and Silver Spring

• Montgomery County Muslim Foundation

• Nourish Now Inc

• Rainbow Community Development Center

• Shepherd's Table

• Small Things Matter

• So What Else, Inc.

• Southern Bethany Baptist Church

• Camillus Church Food Pantry

• The Living Legends Awards for Service to Humanity

• The Salvation Army

• Up 2 Us Foundation

• Vietnamese Americans Services, Inc.

• Women Who Care Ministries

DHHS, along with Montgomery County Public Schools, MCFC, and a network of over 110 local food assistance providers and community partners have been working during the COVID-19 pandemic to address the dramatically increased need for food assistance across the county. To address food insecurity and plan for a greater need, OEMHS created the Food Security Task Force, made up of County staff, community partners and food assistance recipients to create and implement a comprehensive and innovative Food Security Response Strategy.

Montgomery County Government recently partnered with The Community Foundation to launch the Food Security Fund to galvanize private sector and individual support of food access initiatives in the County in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Visit the Food Security Fund website to learn more and contribute. 

For the latest COVID-19 updates, visit the County’s COVID-19 website and follow Montgomery County on Facebook @MontgomeryCountyInfo and Twitter @MontgomeryCoMD.

Put the “count” in Montgomery County! Be sure to complete the Census online, by phone, or by mail. It’s safe, confidential, easy, and important. #2020Census #EveryoneCountsMCMD

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Release ID: 20-443
Media Contact: Mark Hodge 240-777-6507

Need Inspiration? These Nonprofit Stories Will Move You

These past several months, while exceptionally challenging at times, have also been inspiring. We’ve seen our community come together to care for our neighbors in need, springing into action to support those most adversely affected by the pandemic.

Through our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, were able to invest $7 million to support low-wage workers who have been laid off, expand access to medical care, provide shelter and services to people experiencing homelessness, increase food access, and so much more. This would not be possible without our compassionate donors – a diverse group of individuals and businesses who helped us mobilize $8 million for coordinated relief and recovery efforts. Thank you for standing with us to make a difference. 

You can read about our impact here – and, below, learn more about how our nonprofit partners helped create this impact. Their stories of kindness and courage are truly inspiring. 

DC Rape Crisis Center

It’s not just a crisis line – it’s a lifeline” - Indira Henard, Executive Director 

The DC Rape Crisis Center is dedicated to creating a world free of sexual violence. It is the oldest Rape Crisis Center in the country—and the only in Washington, DC—providing mental health counseling, a 24-hour crisis hotline, and community education and outreach, among other services. 

Requests for its services have doubled since the start of the pandemic. With Community Foundation support, it was able to expand a 24/7 crisis hotline to serve an additional 80 clients a month. 

“Our advocates bear witness and hold space to the unimaginable. They let survivors know that they are not alone and it is not their fault,” said Henard. She shares more of her story above in her 2-minute #COVIDImpactStories video.

DC Central Kitchen

DC Central Kitchen, whose mission is to use food as a tool to strengthen bodies, empower minds, and build communities, has doubled its weekly food production in response to our community’s needs. As a COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund partner, DCCK was able to increase the amount served from 36,000 to 92,000 meals each week.

In the process, it was also able to help hospitality workers who lost their jobs and local farmers. DCCK also:

• Employed 10 Culinary Job Training graduates, who were laid off from their hospitality industry jobs. Each were hired full-time with benefits. 

• Partnered with local farmers to produce fresh, healthy ingredients. Since March 31, DCCK has purchased an estimated 286,000 pounds of local produce. Currently, 90% of fruits and vegetables are sourced locally.

• Implemented thorough safety protocols to ensure workers stayed healthy, including securing three commercial kitchens to properly space, and additional PPE. 

Mary’s Center

In Prince George’s County, the surge in demand for low-cost prenatal care has been tremendous. Many women have found themselves suddenly uninsured – one devastating bi-product of the pandemic. 

In response, Mary’s Center’s Adelphi site enhanced their telemedicine services with a COVID-19 Response grant, reaching nearly 570 expecting mothers. Their telemedicine outreach was especially impactful for one postpartum patient:

“If she hadn’t stayed on me and hadn’t kept calling and texting – I could have died with a newborn.”

Mary’s Center also expanded their general healthcare capacity, serving nearly 3,000 patients, in-person and virtually. And, they hosted public COVID-19 testing, with 45% of tests coming back positive.

Community crisis services, inc

Since its inception in 1970, Community Crisis Services, Inc (CCSI) has been a 24/7 resource for anyone facing personal turmoil in our community. CCSI’s mental health hotline provides immediate, compassionate assistance to those in need. Additionally, their emergency shelter services offer a safe place to stay.  

Through the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, CCSI expanded their crisis hotline and emergency shelter services in Prince George’s County. So far, CCSI has answered nearly 14,000 COVID-related calls—covering topics from government regulation of COVID, to personal anxiety.  

They also increased their shelter beds from 50 to 250, and moved into a new space that accommodates 2 beds per room, versus dormitory-style.  

COMMUNITY YOUTH ADVANCE

Community Youth Advance, an educational nonprofit offering services for K-12 students, transitioned to virtual tutoring and instruction for 85 middle school students in Prince George’s County. Students received JLA GoVirtual reading and math instruction, personal tutoring and enrichment courses.

“Distance learning has been a fun experience. We learned and got rewarded for being there and participating. If I had a choice, I would probably do this rather than going to school. Thank you for having me!”

On average, participants increased their Math pretest scores from 69% to 81%. In reading, students reported they read 80% more material weekly while participating in the GoVirtual program.  

You can unlock matching dollars to help our neighbors in dire need

In times of crisis, The Community Foundation is our region’s philanthropic first responder. I first witnessed this when The Community Foundation’s donors came together 12 years ago to launch the Neighbors in Need Montgomery Fund. In response to the 2008 economic crisis, that effort galvanized support for a coordinated response to reach people who would otherwise have fallen through the cracks. By working together, donors could pool their resources to invest in trusted nonprofits addressing urgent needs in a smart, strategic way that maximized their collective impact. (The effort was so innovative, it was highlighted as best practice in a Brookings study about the suburbanization of poverty.)

When our Neighbors in Need Montgomery steering committee convened this spring to discuss the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, we realized there was a need to reboot that collaborative approach. We quickly launched the Neighbors in DIRE Need campaign and are partnering with four nonprofits which have strong track records of providing relief to people in dire need: Family Services, Identity, Inc., IMPACT Silver Spring, and Interfaith Works. This effort is working in complement to Montgomery County’s relief programs by helping organizations coordinate, prevent the duplication of resources, and maximize the impact of every dollar to reach deeply into the community.

To propel this work even further, The Community Foundation’s past Montgomery County Philanthropists of the Year honorees and their families teamed up to offer a challenge match to double the impact of contributions (up to $340,000). Each contribution will be matched $1 for $1 to generate $680,000 in funds to support our neighbors impacted by the public health and economic crisis. (Click here to read a message from the philanthropists about what compelled them to put up this match!)

Thanks to many generous donations received in support of this initiative, we’ve been able to release the first round of relief grants which our nonprofit partners redeployed directly to help families in need. We’ve been so deeply touched to hear those grants have made a difference:

• Martha and her husband both contracted COVID-19 at the start of the pandemic and lost their jobs. With an emergency relief grant from Neighbors in Need Montgomery, they had the breathing room and peace of mind of one month’s rent paid for themselves and their three kids. Now Martha is paying that kindness forward as a volunteer community outreach worker by partnering with Identity and the Manna Food Center to bring food and resources to even more neighbors who are struggling in isolation.

• Daysi is a mother of two from Gaithersburg who lost all her house cleaning jobs once stay at home orders began. With a grant from Neighbors in Need Montgomery supporting her rent, Daysi has been able to focus her energy on building mutual support networks within her community. She organized mothers in her apartment complex to take turns grocery shopping for each other to decrease exposure to COVID-19 while ensuring families have the food staples they need. Daysi also uses her own vehicle to pick up 70+ hot meals from Gethsemane Church in Ashton every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for neighbors struggling with food insecurity.

Even while celebrating the impact thus far, I realize that we just passed another first of the month rent deadline, leaving thousands more families wondering how they are going to survive.

Please give now to help us unlock additional matching funds that will help families in dire need to weather this crisis.

Your Generosity Made a Difference

A lot has changed over these past five months. The one thing that has not changed is our shared commitment to support and strengthen our community.  

In times of crisis, The Community Foundation serves as our region’s philanthropic first responder. As our region faces a trifecta of crises that threatens our health, economic security, and racial justice, The Community Foundation has galvanized people and resources in response to these challenges and supported high-impact nonprofits serving our communities. With one-third of nonprofits in our region potentially closing or merging before the economy recovers – we knew this partnership was crucial.

On March 12, we launched the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to deploy critical resources to meet the urgent health and economic needs of this region. Our community responded with a strong statement about the power of generosity in the face of hardship and tragedy. 

You and a diverse group of businesses, foundations, individuals, and families stepped up to help us mobilize $8 million - with gifts ranging from $5 to $1 million - for coordinated relief and recovery efforts. Thank you for standing with us during our community’s time of need.

Caring for Our Neighbors in Need

These funds were quickly deployed to care for our neighbors directly impacted by the pandemic, and to provide aid to low-income families and communities of color who have been disproportionately affected due to pre-existing inequities exacerbated by this crisis. 

Our staff led working groups which reviewed more than 1,600 requests for funding totaling more than $60 million - a figure nearly seven times the amount raised to date. We were able to invest $7 million to support low-wage workers who have been laid off, expand access to medical care, equip frontline workers and clinics, address the digital divide, provide shelter and services to people experiencing homelessness, increase food access, and so much more.

Take Generation Hope for example, a nonprofit helping teen parents earn their college degrees while preparing their children for kindergarten. With support from our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, Generation Hope moved its services online, providing student parents with virtual education, career readiness programming, and mental health support. 

“Our families are among the hardest hit by COVID-19," said Nicole Lynn Lewis, Founder and CEO. "With this support, we've been able to really provide [our clients] with the critical services they need to weather this storm.” Hear more from Nicole in her two-minute COVID-19 Impact Story video. 

In It Together

We have witnessed some inspiring examples of our community coming together to meet this unprecedented moment with unprecedented generosity and creativity.

The Community Foundation was proud to team up with our donors and partners to advance educational equity for DC students, increase food security in Montgomery County, support small businesses in Prince George’s County, and help displaced workers earn an income by filling gaps in volunteer shifts at local nonprofits. These are just a few examples of the many ways in which our community has stepped up to meet this challenge. It is proof that we are all in this together!

Our newest initiative, the Arts Forward Fund, aims to help small and mid-sized arts and culture organizations make the shifts needed to successfully navigate this crisis and continue their essential role in our communities and lives. It is a collaborative partnership with The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the Harman Family Foundation, the Weissberg Foundation, and many other individual and institutional contributors. 

Partnering for the Future

As we prepare for what comes next, our goal is not to go back to the way things were before, but to work together to build a more equitable future for our region. Your continued partnership and care for our community inspires hope for what we can accomplish together.  

This is the final message in our COVID-19 response series, and we are using this opportunity to give you an inside look at what your support has made possible. Click here to view our Interim COVID-19 Impact Report with stories from our coordinated regional response efforts. A more detailed impact report is in the works and will be released later this fall. 

Thank you for supporting our efforts to ensure our region comes out of this crisis stronger and more resilient. We are so grateful for your support and partnership.

Sincerely,
Tonia Wellons
President and CEO

Greater Washington Community Foundation and Cafritz Foundation Launch $1 million Arts Forward Fund

Grants Will Address Impact of COVID-19 on the DC Region’s Arts and Culture Sector

Recognizing the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on arts and culture organizations throughout the region, the Greater Washington Community Foundation has joined with The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation and eight other grantmakers to launch the Arts Forward Fund, a million-dollar initiative to provide critical support to help arts and culture organizations in the DC region to stabilize, adapt, and thrive despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Arts Forward Fund will award grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to help arts and culture organizations make the urgent changes needed to continue their work through the pandemic and beyond. The Arts Forward Fund also recognizes the need to address systemic inequities in arts and culture organizations and in our communities that have amplified the impact of the pandemic for Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color, and will prioritize support for organizations founded and led by people of color and organizations that primarily serve communities of color.

The Arts Forward Fund was launched in July with a lead grant of $500,000 from The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, with additional support from the Harman Family Foundation, Weissberg Foundation, Linowitz Family Fund, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, S & R Foundation, Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation, Lois and Richard England Family Foundation, and Philip L. Graham Fund. The Fund will be housed at and administered by the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has altered the programs and finances of the region’s nonprofit sector in ways that even the most forward-thinking organizations could not have anticipated,” says Cafritz Foundation President and CEO Calvin Cafritz. “In helping to launch the Arts Forward Fund, we want to ensure that arts and culture nonprofits continue to carry out their missions, serve their communities, and pursue new paths during this crisis. We are happy to work with the Greater Washington Community Foundation, the Harman Family and Weissberg foundations, and many of our colleagues, to help our local arts institutions continue their work and find opportunity in this moment.”

“The Greater Washington Community Foundation and our donors have a long history of investing across the arts ecosystem – from supporting anchor institutions to small theaters, visual arts programs, arts education, and individual artists. In order for our communities to truly thrive, we must continue to cultivate a broad-based arts sector where creativity can flourish and foster diverse and inclusive spaces for human connection and understanding,” says Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “We are proud to partner on the Arts Forward Fund to bring much needed relief to organizations that enrich our communities and touch our lives.”

According to a 2017 Americans for the Arts study (using 2015 data), the Greater Washington region’s arts and culture organizations contribute at least $3.75 billion in economic activity and nearly 60,000 jobs to the region’s economy on an annual basis.

Nationally, a white paper released in May by SMU DataArts estimated that the impact of COVID-19 on arts and culture organizations across the United States will be a net loss of $6.8 billion between February 2020 and March 2021—the equivalent of a 25 percent operating deficit for the average organization, even after significant reductions in expenses.

Interviews with dozens of small and mid-sized arts organizations in the DC region by the Cafritz Foundation in May found groups struggling with the financial and programmatic impact of shuttered facilities and the cancellation of performances and in-person fundraising events. More than a third had already laid off staff, with more layoffs anticipated as federal Payroll Protection Program funds run out.

All the organizations interviewed reported challenges with making the transition to online and digital programming. These challenges included production limitations that impact the artistic quality of online offerings, contractual and intellectual property barriers, and barriers to online participation as a result of inequitable access to the internet and technology -- particularly among youth-serving organizations. Generating revenue from online content is especially challenging.

Arts Forward Fund aims to help organizations address these challenges by providing grants to support short-term capacity-building, training, and innovation. Arts and culture organizations with annual revenue of less than $10 million in their most recently completed fiscal year are eligible to apply, provided they serve the District of Columbia, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland, and Arlington and Fairfax counties and the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax in Virginia. More details and the call for applications are available here.

Funders and individual donors interested in joining Arts Forward Fund should contact Rick Moyers.

Announcing the 2020 Bradt Nonprofit Leadership Awardees

David Bradt is a quietly effective leader for, and champion of, the Greater Washington region.  In addition to serving as a Managing Director of Andersen Tax, he served as Chair and Member of the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s Board, Chairman and Board member of Greater DC Cares, member of the Board of Venture Philanthropy Partners, and as a volunteer and fundraising dinner chair for Share Our Strength.

 A few years ago, Alex Orfinger, Market President and Publisher at Washington Business Journal, wanted to find a meaningful way to salute David’s many years of service to our local community. He teamed up with David’s wife, Diane Tipton, and together they invited friends and family to join them in establishing the David Bradt Nonprofit Education Fund at the Greater Washington Community Foundation. Their vision was to provide an annual award to enable a nonprofit leader in the Greater Washington region to attend an intensive executive training program. 

On July 28, The Community Foundation and the Award Steering Committee announced the third cohort of awardees: Paula Fitzgerald, Shannon Steene, and Tyler Spencer.  Donors, friends, and colleagues tuned in to applaud them during the award reception which featured an interactive discussion.

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Meet our Awardees

Shannon Steene is the Executive Director of Carpenters Shelter which supports Virginia residents struggling with homelessness to achieve independence by providing shelter, guidance, education, and advocacy. In addition to leading the organization through a successful capital campaign, Shannon has been applauded for his creative approach in resolving needs for securing additional housing spaces due to major shelter renovations and COVID-19. 

When asked about how his leadership has changed during the pandemic, Shannon reflected, “If we were on a game show, this would be called the speed round. The leadership required [during COVID-19] has been faster and the rules have been changing much more rapidly. A few things have remained constant for us: the safety of our residents, volunteers, and staff and that shutting down, even temporarily, was not an option. But otherwise, every element of what we know has been shifting.”

Paula Fitzgerald is the Executive Director of Ayuda which provides legal, social, and language services to help vulnerable immigrants in the DMV region navigate immigration and justice systems and access support and justice. Since becoming Executive Director, Paula has provided strategic direction in growing the organization’s budget, collaborating more intentionally with other local nonprofits, and ultimately increasing Ayuda’s capacity to serve the community. 

Paula reflected that adapting Ayuda’s services during the pandemic “has required a lot of flexibility and I’ve been surprised by all we’ve been able to accomplish remotely. I feel really proud of our teams for making that shift and really maintaining the quality of services we provide.”

Tyler Spencer is the Executive Director of The Grassroot Project. Since founding the organization 11 years ago, Tyler has grown The Grassroot Project from a small school-based HIV prevention program into a city-wide comprehensive adolescent health program. He has led his team of staff and volunteers through tremendous growth in recent years, now serving many schools throughout DC.  

In our discussion, he shared his organization’s challenges at the onset of COVID-19: “It is such an uncertain environment and it is so important as a leader to bring some sense of certainty to the situation. I think the thing that has been very certain is our kids need us now more than ever, even though we have not been in this digital space before. We’ve been thinking about the role we can play: Do we just try to shrink and survive this storm or is this our time to really push a culture of health and prevention in a time when it is most needed?”

Tonia Wellons, President & CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, notes, “We are delighted to house and support the Fund’s mission of making an impact in our region by investing in outstanding nonprofit leaders.  Thank you to David for inspiring the award, and to Diane and Alex for dreaming up a such a wonderful way to honor him.  Finally, congratulations to the 2020 awardees!  We are grateful for all you have done and will continue to do to strengthen our region.” 

Quarterly Community Update

Dear Community Foundation Fundholders,

I hope you and your family are safe and well. The past several months have been exceptionally challenging for our region—but the outpouring of support from our community continues to inspire me. Since the start of this crisis, our community has come together to commit nearly $8 million in support to help our neighbors in need—an incredible effort that would not be possible without the generosity and compassion of so many. Thank you for standing with us to support and strengthen our community.

At The Community Foundation, we remain focused on supporting our community’s evolving health and economic needs through the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. Last quarter, our work coordinating the region’s philanthropic response to this crisis included:

• Reviewing over 1,300 proposals from nonprofits and small businesses requesting over $60 million in funding, and making investments totaling $6.7 million in local nonprofits working on the frontlines of our region’s COVID-19 response efforts.

• Launching Get Shift Done DMV with Washington Nationals Philanthropies to help displaced hospitality workers earn an income while assisting local nonprofits with preparing meals/packaged food for families in need. So far, over 300 workers have clocked 8,452 cumulative hours to address food insecurity in our region.

• Partnering with Events DC and the Executive Office of the Mayor to administer the $5 million DC Cares Program, providing emergency cash assistance to help DC workers excluded from federal stimulus efforts.

• Partnering with the Montgomery County Council to launch the Montgomery County Food Security Fund to engage the public and private sectors around increasing food access and security for county residents struggling to feed their families.

• Preparing to launch a $1 million small business grants program in Prince George’s County.

The global pandemic has exacerbated many pre-existing inequities and had a disproportionate impact on low-income workers, immigrants, and communities of color. As we prepare for what’s next, we are committed to advancing racial justice and building a more equitable future for our region by using our voice, influence, programs, and initiatives to help end racial disparities. Our goal is not to go back to the way things were before, but to work together to build a new normal and a more equitable future for our region. You can read about our vision in an opinion piece that I co-authored for the Washington Post.

One of the ways we are examining the possibilities is through our VoicesDMV community engagement initiative. In June, we released the findings from our Community Insights survey and launched a series of Social Justice Town Hall conversations that will run throughout the summer. In the fall, we plan to bring neighbors together for virtual community conversations and then fund microgrants to help transform ideas sparked during these conversations into action. You can learn more about VoicesDMV and read the report at VoicesDMV.org.

Finally, the changes and uncertainty brought on by COVID-19 have encouraged us to find more efficient ways to serve our donors and nonprofit partners. We have set up a bank lockbox collection system to ensure faster and more secure processing of your gifts made by check. You can now mail checks directly to PO Box 49010, Baltimore, MD 21297-4910. Our office address has not changed - this PO Box is only for mailing gifts made via check.

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

Community Foundation Invests $6.7 Million in Local Relief and Recovery Efforts

The COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, a coordinated fund established by the Greater Washington Community Foundation, has issued new investments of $2.8 million as part of phase two of rapid response grantmaking. To date, the Fund has made total investments of $6.7 million in 192 nonprofits helping local residents adversely affected by the coronavirus public health and economic crisis.

These general operating grants — ranging in size from $10,000 to $50,000 — are intended to help vital nonprofits across the region to fulfill their missions and expand critical services during a time of unprecedented need. Flexible support is crucial for stability as our nonprofit partners work to shift operations online, purchase essential supplies and equipment, cover staff salaries and hazard pay, and pursue ways to offset lost revenue and volunteer resources.

Since launching the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund on March 13, The Community Foundation has mobilized more than $8 million from 700+ contributors, including corporate partners, foundations, and individual donors (with individual contributions ranging in size from $10 - $100,000).

In times of crisis, The Community Foundation is the region’s philanthropic first responder, bringing people and resources together to address community needs. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, The Community Foundation is convening weekly meetings with local philanthropic leaders, donors, and government advisors to raise funds, discuss needs and priorities, and guide strategic investments.

The Fund has received more than 1,340 requests from nonprofits seeking approximately $60 million in funding, which is more than seven times the amount of dollars raised. For phase 2 of grantmaking, priority was given to nonprofits with deep roots in the community and a demonstrated ability to address urgent needs and reach historically underserved populations. Phase 2 also included funding for advocacy and community organizing projects focused on improving systems for food security, violence prevention, medical care access, affordable housing, childcare, and more.

Phase 2 investments include:

Workforce and Small Business

To support individuals through direct cash assistance, including hourly and gig economy workers, contractors, and immigrant workers excluded from federal stimulus; and to support advocacy and community organizing efforts focused on policies affecting workers impacted by COVID-19, such as entry level workers and excluded workers in retail, food service, and hospitality.

• Academy of Hope

• Center for Nonprofit Advancement

• Congregation Action Network

• DC Bar Pro Bono Center

• DC Jobs with Justice

• District Bridges

• Future Harvest

• Nonprofit Village Center

• People for Change Coalition

• Per Scholas

• Samaritan Ministry

• Sunflower Bakery

• The Training Source

• Unite Here

• Upwardly Global

• Urban Ed

Education and Youth

To bridge the digital divide and expand resources for youth disconnected from school or work and students transitioning from middle to high school.

• Advocates for Children and Youth

• The Alliance of Concerned Men

• Best Kids

• City Gate

• Covenant House

• Community Bridges, Inc.

• Community Support Services, Inc.

• Crittenton Services of Greater Washington

• The District of Columbia Association for the Education of Young Children

• DC Fiscal Policy Institute & DC Action for Children

• Family Services, Inc.Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop

• Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection

• KID Museum

• Latino Student Fund

• Nonprofit Montgomery (MMF)

• Reach Education Inc

• Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (MD Women's Business Center)

• Total Family Care Coalition

• The Young Women's Project

Medical Care and Access

To support the purchase of PPE and other equipment for frontline workers, expand medical care for marginalized communities, increase access to mental health support services, and pursue advocacy addressing local health issues.

• Abraham and Laura Lisner Home for Aged Women

• Access to Wholistic and Productive Living Inc.

• Breast Care for Washington

• Care for Your Health, Inc.

• Community of Hope

• Cornerstone Montgomery, Inc.

• HIPS

• Joseph's House

• La Clinica del Pueblo

• SOME, Inc.

• Volunteers of America Chesapeake Inc

• Wendt Center for Loss and Healing

Housing and Homelessness

To support advocacy and community organizing around universal testing in shelters, rent relief and assistance, housing for returning citizens, and increased funding for homeless services; as well as direct services to protect individuals, families, and youth experiencing homelessness and to prevent community spread.

• Bethesda Cares

• Central American Resource Center

• Central Union Mission

• The Church of the Epiphany

• Community Development Network of Maryland

• Empower DC

• FAIR Girls, Inc.

• Hearts and Homes for Youth

• Mary House

• Mi Casa Inc

• Miriam's Kitchen

• National Coalition for the Homeless

• The National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens

• ONE DC - Organizing Neighborhood Equity

• The Platform of Hope

• Rainbow Place Shelter for Homeless Women

• St. Ann's Center for Children, Youth and Families

• University Legal Services

• Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless

Food Security, Legal Services, and Domestic and Community Violence

To provide critical infrastructure and coordination support and emergency food assistance; to address the uptick in domestic and other forms of violence; and support the civil legal aid needs of individuals and families.

• Bread for the City

• Capital Area Food Bank

• Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition

• Community Family Life Services

• Community Support Systems, Inc.

• Community United Methodist Church

• DC Affordable Law Firm

• DC Volunteer Lawyers Project

• District of Columbia Center for Law and Justice

• District of Columbia Forensic Nurse Examiners

• Dreaming Out Loud

• Fair Budget Coalition

• FRESHFARM Markets, Inc.

• Germantown Cultural Arts Center/ BlackRock Center for the Arts

• Greater Mount Nebo A.M.E Church

• Greater Riverdale Cares/Central Kenilworth Avenue Revitalization Community Development Corporation

• Homeless Persons Representation Project

• JCADA

• Jews United for Justice

• Kings & Priests Court International Ministries

• Life After Release

• Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations

• Maryland Center on Economic Policy

• Montgomery County Food Council

• Mutual Aid Movement

• Rising for Justice, Inc.

• Shepherd's Table

• St Camillus Church Food Pantry

• The Safe Sisters Circle

• Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs

A generous contribution from PepsiCo, Inc. and its philanthropic arm, The PepsiCo Foundation, allowed for additional investments to aid Black and Latino communities by providing food, cash assistance, medical care and support for small female-led businesses. Recipients include:

• African Communities Together to provide emergency cash support for the African immigrant diaspora in the Greater Washington region.

• Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative to provide emergency support for children and families in Wards 7 and 8.

• Identity, Inc. to provide emergency cash assistance to low-income families in Montgomery County.

• Impact Silver Spring to provide emergency cash assistance for undocumented workers.

• Jubilee Jobs to provide an emergency cash assistance program for returning citizens.

• La Cocina Virginia to provide support for low-income, immigrant, mostly food-focused female-led small businesses.

• THRIVE East of the River Partnership to support 500 families in Wards 7 and 8 with emergency assistance.

• Voices for a Second Chance to provide support for incarcerated individuals and their families.

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A full list of the organizations receiving assistance through the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund is here

Anyone interested in contributing to this collective effort can make a tax-deductible gift here.

Our Commitment to Racial Justice

By Tonia Wellons, President & CEO

On Mother’s Day weekend, I received a call from the parents of 2nd Lt. Richard Collins III, the Bowie State University student who was killed at the hands of University of Maryland senior, Sean Urbanski. This devastating hate-linked, race-based crime happened in 2017 around Mother’s Day weekend. I have been humbled by the opportunity to get to know the Collins family and work with them to honor their son’s legacy by confronting the challenges represented by hate and bias violence. Yet the recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and now George Floyd immediately triggered the Collins family and reignited their quest to address domestic terror, police brutality, and other forms of anti-black racism.

These senseless and intolerable tragedies remind us that structural racism continues to deny our Black brothers and sisters the opportunity to live their lives completely free and without fear of the institutions intended to serve and protect them. It reminds us that racism is built into many US systems and carried by individual actors in overt and covert methods.

Even in our Nation’s Capital in 2020, pre-existing inequities in education, housing, healthcare, and employment opportunities continue to create deep disparities and divides that threaten the vibrancy and health of our communities. Take for example the drastic way in which COVID-19 has hit African American communities the hardest – while roughly half of Washingtonians are African American, they make up more than three-quarters of the deaths from COVID-19.

At the Greater Washington Community Foundation, we see it as our responsibility to uplift and amplify the voices of communities that have been systematically unheard and silenced. Through VoicesDMV, we have engaged our entire community to understand racial tensions in our region along with other needs, attitudes, and perceptions of our neighbors often left out of conversations about community development. What we have learned from these conversations has shaped our approach to Building Thriving Communities that are more equitable, healthy, and vibrant. We continue to focus on racial equity in our grantmaking and have committed at least half of our funding for COVID-19 response efforts to organizations led by people of color that are supporting historically underserved communities.

We believe now is the time for more than just words, our communities deserve action that will lead to real tangible change in inequitable systems. The Community Foundation will continue to support ending racial disparities through our voice, influence, programs and grantmaking initiatives.

We stand in solidarity with peaceful protestors who have the courage to speak up and share their anguish, frustration, fear, heartbreak, and anger to push for action. We hear you, we see you, and we stand with you in raising our fists and shouting Black Lives Matter. History has to be our teacher. These issues will not casually go away – not without effort or a deliberate attempt to be anti-racists.

"These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative. A riot is the language of the unheard." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

We encourage our community to stand with us, our partners, and advocates in calling for an end to police brutality and anti-black racism.

If you’d like to learn more, and hear from the parents of Lt. Richard Collins III, we invite you to watch our Social Justice Town Hall: From Grief To Action. This special discussion, held on June 19, 2020, examined racial justice and the concrete ways we can take action to support the Black community.

Neighbors in DIRE Need – Your gift matched!

We are all deeply alarmed to learn how the pandemic and shutdown are affecting our most vulnerable and lowest-income neighbors.  

Families housed in cramped living conditions are threatened with the very real possibility of losing their apartments. Despite a short-term freeze on evictions, landlords are harassing tenants for rent and rent bills are piling up month after month. Many of these families already live doubled up in apartments to make ends meet and many don’t have the documentation to qualify for emergency government assistance. 

Add to that the rapid spread of COVID-19 in these densely populated neighborhoods, unemployment (possibly long-term), school-aged kids at home, hunger, general anxiety and who knows what — and it’s a powder keg of stress and danger for many of our most vulnerable neighbors.

The Neighbors in Need Montgomery Fund originated during the 2008 economic downturn, which was also very harrowing for many of these families. Residents like you from across our community responded generously to a challenge grant from a group of donors, including myself.  We funded an accelerated and coordinated effort to reach neighbors who would have otherwise fallen through the cracks.  

Well, we are doing it again. Our Neighbors in DIRE Need Montgomery campaign is supporting a coalition of leading nonprofits who are working in coordination and avoiding duplication of effort, as they rush to help our most vulnerable neighbors stay in their apartments and deal with basic emergency needs. 

The Greater Washington Community Foundation’s past Montgomery County Philanthropists of the Year honorees and their families have teamed up to offer a challenge match of $340,000, so your contribution will be matched $1 for $1 making each of the dollars you give turn into two! 

So Please, Make Us Match!

Sincerely,

Cliff & Debbie White

In partnership with past Montgomery County Philanthropists of the Year and their families

Patrice King Brickman and Scott Brickman

Bainum Family Foundation

Michelle Freeman and the Carl M. Freeman Foundation

Hope Gleicher and Andy Burness

Solomon and Dorothy Graham

Clark and Diane Kendall

Sally Rudney and Scott Hoekman

Craig & Pat Ruppert and Ruppert Companies

Carol Trawick

Anna and Robert Trone

Linda and Bob Youngentob

Join US!

Please use the form below to make a secure online gift.

Community Foundation donors can make a grant from your fund using the Donor Central portal.  After clicking on the “Recommend a grant” link, please search for “Neighbors in Need Montgomery Fund.” 

Please see our gift transmission instructions for other types of gifts, such as by check, wire transfer, and more.

Fill out my online form.

Thank you!

Leading Our Community's Response

Our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund has now been in operation for one month. Over that time, we have provided more than $3.8 million in grant funds to local nonprofits providing critical relief supports across our region and across five issue areas—education and youth, employment and small business, medical care and access, housing and homelessness, and general operating support.

Our RFP is currently on pause as we absorb the information from 750 applications on the evolving needs of our community and learn more about communities and populations that are being impacted disproportionately. We plan to reopen our RFP later this month reflecting an updated set of giving priorities.

Over the last few weeks, we have formed working groups for each of our five issue areas to review proposals and make grant recommendations. Below, read about what we are doing and learning in each area - and how our community is organizing to fight the COVID pandemic.

Employment and Small Business

We have made a set of investments in local service providers working to provide emergency cash assistance to our region’s low-income workers that do not have the resources to wait for Federal or State unemployment benefits to kick in, or communities (like undocumented workers) that do not qualify for this type of support.

Education and Youth

We have been singularly focused on supporting the most vulnerable children and families who are struggling as a result of this crisis. Many organizations are stretching themselves to support the youth and families they already have built strong connections with to address basic needs.  Parents are a child’s first teacher and now that schools are closed education is not solely in the classroom.  Despite what schools, local government and philanthropy are doing there are still many families that are not able to connect to services and education opportunities for the children in their homes. 

Medical Care and Access

We are providing support services for health care and frontline workers while also addressing the health access needs of the more vulnerable populations in Greater Washington area. Their focus has been to support efforts to source PPE for frontline workers, increase COVID-19 testing for vulnerable and marginalized communities, and support clinics and health centers providing support and care in response to COVID-19.

As the pandemic response continues to grow on a statewide and national level, we know that our response will have to adapt as well. This working group is continuously monitoring changes, sharing resources, and adjusting its priorities directly in response to needs.

Homelessness and Housing

We have been working to support local providers whose doors are open and who are actively providing direct services to the most vulnerable and disproportionately impacted populations during the COVID crisis - specifically people living in shelters or on the street. Priority populations include: women and children facing increased instances of domestic violence and abuse, families, youth including foster care and LGBTQ youth, older/chronically ill individuals, and undocumented people and immigrants.

As we continue to see increasing numbers of people experiencing homelessness testing positive for COVID and deaths amongst this vulnerable population, our investments will help organizations provide essential services and resources to protect these individuals, families, and youth and to prevent community spread.

General Operating Support

Investments also included grants to nonprofits addressing the dramatic uptick in intimate partner violence and other types of abuse, grants to organizations supporting at-risk communities including those living with disabilities, and grants to support the ability of legal services providers to continue to provide critically needed services to local residents as courts continue to convene.

What’s Next?

We anticipate re-opening the RFP by the end of April. In the meantime, for more information on our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, please visit www.thecommunityfoundation.org/covid-19 for a list of our grantee partners and funding priorities.

The Power of Unrestricted Impact

“I believe that the measure of our lives is how we impacted others”

For John Terry Beaty, philanthropy is in his blood. A native New Yorker, he grew up watching his mother work at the city’s Community Trust, later volunteering for United Way for nearly 15 years.  

“We were all encouraged to, when we had the time or money, help other people,” he said.

Beaty, an investment advisor with Brown Advisory, first learned of The Community Foundation from one of his clients who held a fund with us. He was intrigued by the organization’s ‘multiplier effect:’ our ability to amplify positive impact in the community.

Fast forward several years, and Beaty has his own family fund at The Community Foundation, since 1995; eventually, he even served as Chair of our Board of Trustees’ Investment Committee.

Recently, Beaty and his wife Anne Mehringer, made an even longer-term commitment to The Community Foundation. They established a bequest, entrusting one-third of the Beaty Family Fund to us.

“We wanted to help strengthen the organization,” Beaty says. “It is like leaving our legacy to the community as a whole.”

Their bequest is completely unrestricted, meaning funds can be used for core operating expenses—a resource that’s essential as we work to address the greatest needs facing our community. Beaty wanted to provide this flexibility because “I think [many donors] don’t think about this [being so important].”

He hopes this money will help us remain financially strong, and help donors give to those in the community who need it the most. Beaty says that, while funding core operations can be somewhat unglamorous, he knows it is necessary. And, it will allow other donors to fund more immediate programming.

The Beatys are also regular donors to The Community Foundation’s annual Celebration of Philanthropy, and to the Celebration of Giving in Montgomery County, where they live.

When Beaty isn’t working at Brown Advisory or with The Community Foundation, he is feeding his passion for history. He serves as a board member for the American Battlefield Trust and Fort Ticonderoga; and is a former board member at the National Trust for Historic Preservation and History Montgomery. He is also a former advisory board member for Princeton’s history department.  

Beaty plans to continue giving to The Community Foundation, and staying engaged as an active part of the community.

“I believe that the measure of our lives is how we have impacted others,” says Beaty. “I want to have a positive influence on our community, our families.”

$5.2 Million Raised for COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund and $1 Million Granted to Local Nonprofit Partners

The Greater Washington Community Foundation has mobilized more than $5.2 million in community support for its COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund and made new grants totaling $1 million to 14 nonprofits serving residents of Washington, DC, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland. Through this Fund, which launched on March 13 in collaboration with regional partners, The Community Foundation is working to rapidly raise and deploy critical resources to nonprofits responding to the urgent health and economic needs of disproportionately impacted communities in the region.

“During this time of crisis and uncertainty, we are inspired by how our generous donors and community partners are stepping up to help us meet the evolving needs and challenges associated with the impacts of coronavirus on this region,” said Tonia Wellons, 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.”

New Grants Announced

Since opening an online request for proposals last week, The Community Foundation has received more than 500 requests for funding across five issue areas: Education and Youth, Employment and Small Business, Medical Care and Access, Housing and Homelessness, and General Operating Support.

The following nonprofit organizations were selected this week to receive a total of $1 million in funding based on their alignment with the Fund’s strategic priorities and their ability to both address urgent needs and reach historically underserved populations.

General Operating Support:

• Network for Victim Recovery to provide staff with living wages, support clients through the Survivor Support Fund, and provide frontline staff at hospitals with hazard pay.  

• Greater Baden Medical Services, Inc. to help stabilize and recover from a sharp drop in revenue due to the COVID crisis, ensuring it continues to provide health care services in Prince George’s County.

• Greater DC Diaper Bank to provide low-income families with a reliable source of diapers, formula, feminine products, and baby gear.

Education and Youth:

• CollegeTracks to provide virtual supports and additional assistance for first-generation-to-college students from low-income, minority, and immigrant families.

• Generation Hope to serve teen parents and their children who may experience or have experienced homelessness, foster care, abuse, and food insecurity.   

• New Futures to serve under-resourced young people pursuing postsecondary degrees while struggling with loss of income, lack of childcare, or adjusting to distance learning and remote work.

Employment and Small Business:

• Community Services Agency of the Metro Washington AFL-CIO to provide financial assistance directly to workers demonstrating need. 

• Martha’s Table to provide a weekly cash stipend to Ward 8 families facing lack of childcare and temporary loss of income for parents and caregivers.

Housing and Homelessness:

• House of Ruth to serve women and survivors of domestic violence and help mitigate the risk of increased homelessness for these populations.

• Miriam's Kitchen to continue providing services and essential frontline support to people experiencing homelessness.

• Calvary Women’s Services to serve women experiencing homelessness in Ward 8.

• Pathways to Housing DC to continue providing outreach and to maintain access to medical and psychiatric care for people living on the streets.

Medical Care and Access:

• CCI Health & Wellness Services to purchase PPE kits, COVID-19 Test Kits, and software to provide critical services to minority, immigrant, low-income, and uninsured or underinsured populations.

• Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC to implement care through a telehealth system, replenish PPE to protect providers and patients, and to create virtual workshops.

To date, the Fund has made nearly $1.8 million in grants. A full list of all nonprofits supported by this Fund is available at www.thecommunityfoundation.org/covid-19-grant-recipients.

“Our funding is targeted toward our nonprofit partners serving the most vulnerable communities in our region, including low wage workers, hourly and gig economy workers, health care providers, people of color, and people experiencing homelessness,” said Tonia Wellons. “These flexible grants will help stabilize our nonprofit partners and allow them to begin addressing the economic shocks brought on by this crisis so they can meet the increase in demand for their services. More importantly, this funding will enable them to expand critical medical care, shelter/housing, financial or other supports and services to provide relief for individuals and families facing hardship across this region.”

Mobilizing Community Support

In addition to The Community Foundation’s initial commitment of $150,000 to launch the Fund, support for this effort has come from The Community Foundation’s donors, local foundations, corporate partners, and online contributions. A full list of donors and partners is available at www.thecommunityfoundation.org/covid-19-our-partners.

Donors include:

Amazon

Aviv Foundation

Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation

Booz Allen Hamilton

The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation

A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation

Comcast

The Crimsonbridge Foundation

The Lois and Richard England Family Foundation

Philip L. Graham Fund

Harman Family Foundation

Horizon Therapeutics

International Monetary Fund Giving Together

The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation

Richard E. and Nancy P. Marriott Foundation

Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation

Pivotal Ventures, a Melinda Gates company

PNC

Prince Charitable Trusts

Target

United Solutions

Washington AIDS Partnership

Washington Gas

Weissberg Foundation

Wells Fargo Foundation

The World Bank Group Community Connections Fund

200+ individual online donations from community members with gifts ranging in size from $10 - $5,000

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As the global pandemic continues, we will continue to make grants from our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. We anticipate doing so on a weekly basis.

If you’d like to contribute to the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, you can read more and donate below.

New COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund Grants Announced

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

Read more about our priorities, which include education and youth, workforce and small business, medical care and access, homelessness and housing, and general operating support for nonprofits to help fill critical gaps.

This week, we are pleased to announce new grants to nonprofit organizations focused on the critical health care needs of people experiencing homeless. These grants will support nonprofits that provide essential health care services for the homeless population in Washington, DC, and Montgomery County, Maryland, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of $175,000 in grants was awarded to:

• Unity Health Care, Inc is the largest network of community health centers in Washington, DC. Unity provides comprehensive primary and specialty health care and wrap-around services, regardless of ability to pay, at numerous traditional and non-traditional sites.

  Unity received a $100,000 grant to increase capacity to serve people in shelters and congregate settings, as well as in quarantine locations. The funds will help provide health care to those who are ill, and help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

• Mobile Medical Care (MobileMed) serves low-income, uninsured, and Medicaid-enrolled residents of Montgomery County, Maryland. MobileMed offers a network of primary care clinics, and specialty care clinics located throughout the county to reach areas of greatest unmet medical need. They also provide primary care and nurse case management services at two County homelessness shelters.

  MobileMed received a $75,000 grant to increase capacity to serve people experiencing homelessness at shelters and via telehealth.

These providers are already going above and beyond to serve people who do not have a home where they can isolate or quarantine. Even with the severe shortages of personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies, they continue to provide essential services to some of our most vulnerable neighbors.

As the global pandemic continues, we will continue to make grants from our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. We anticipate doing so on a weekly basis.

If you’d like to apply, please review our Request for Proposals and submit your application.

If you’d like to contribute to the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, you can read more and donate below.

Tonia Wellons Named CEO of Greater Washington Community Foundation

The Board of Trustees of the Greater Washington Community Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of Tonia Wellons as President and CEO. This selection is the result of a rigorous search process conducted by executive search firm Russell Reynolds Associates, in partnership with a committee of six Community Foundation Trustees.

While serving as Interim CEO since early October, Tonia has guided The Community Foundation through this leadership transition by ensuring the organization maintained its donor services, continued its programs, and advanced fundraising efforts in order to deepen community impact work. Over the past month, Tonia has led The Community Foundation as it quickly shifted to respond to the evolving COVID-19 outbreak in Greater Washington, helping raise nearly $4.5 million for local relief and recovery efforts.

“As our community continues to face the crisis and uncertainty brought on by the global coronavirus pandemic, Tonia’s steadfast vision and leadership of The Community Foundation offers us hope and much needed continuity for the critical work of addressing this community’s immediate and long-term needs,” said Katharine Weymouth, chair of the Board of Trustees, Greater Washington Community Foundation. “This is a crucial time of both need and opportunity for The Community Foundation as an anchor institution that is uniquely positioned to help our community weather this crisis and come out stronger and more resilient on the other side. Tonia’s expertise in community development, both globally and locally, and her leadership skills combined with her personal connection to this region, make her ideally suited to accelerate our impact in the community.”

Previously, as our VP of Community Investment, Tonia spearheaded multiple initiatives that have had tremendous impact in the region. She led the launch of VoicesDMV, a community engagement initiative designed to understand the quality of life in the region by surveying residents and hosting community conversations. Based on what we learned from VoicesDMV, Tonia led a refresh of our Community Investment framework to focus on Building Thriving Communities by disrupting poverty, deepening culture and human connection, and preparing for the future of work.

Under this new framework, Tonia has been instrumental to the launch of several community impact initiatives, including the Partnership to End Homelessness, a public-private initiative focused on DC, and re-centering the Children’s Opportunity Fund to address the achievement gap for low-income students in Montgomery County. She also co-led the strategic refresh of our Prince George’s County agenda to include more philanthropic and strategic partners and focus investments on education and workforce development.

Prior to joining The Community Foundation in 2016, Tonia was a political appointee for the Obama Administration as head of global partnerships at the Peace Corps. She previously served as fund manager of a multi-donor initiative focused on financial access and inclusion at the World Bank Group. She also spent a significant part of her career working on USAID-funded capacity development initiatives during the immediate post-apartheid era in South Africa and the broader sub-Sahara region. In 2010, Tonia founded the Prince George’s County Social Innovation Fund (PGCSIF) and its flagship initiative Forty Under 40 Prince George’s, designed to increase social capital in the county where Tonia has lived for nearly 24 years.

“It is an honor to become President and CEO of the region’s largest public foundation, and to lead our team of talented and passionate employees, dedicated to serving this community,” said Tonia Wellons. “I’ve been proud to support The Community Foundation’s mission to Build Thriving Communities and now look forward to working even more closely with Katharine and our board to build on a strong foundation and nearly 50-year history of positively impacting our community.”

Please join us in congratulating Tonia by sharing this announcement on social media or by commenting, liking, or sharing The Community Foundation’s announcement on our Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn channels.

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.

Performances Announced for the 2020 Celebration of Philanthropy

By Brittany Owens, Community Investment and Donor Services Associate

Our annual Celebration of Philanthropy pays 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. Even our pop-performances – live music, theater, poetry, and dance – come from nonprofits and local artists who are supported by The Community Foundation and our community of givers. We are so excited to announce the individuals and organizations who will entertain you at our Celebration on Thursday, March 12, 2020. To get your tickets to the Celebration, please visit www.thecommunityfoundation.org/celebration.

The Asylum Seeker Assistance Project (ASAP) was founded in 2016 to strengthen and support asylum seekers to rebuild their lives with dignity and purpose.  ASAP utilizes a holistic approach that combines social, employment, and community engagement services to support their clients achieve safety, stability, and economic security. A component of ASAP’s community engagement services program focuses on storytelling to communicate the value and importance of welcoming refugees. ASAP’s performance will feature a selection of storytellers that will share personal excerpts from their lives to offer listeners a greater insight into the asylum seeker experience. 

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Alliance for New Music-Theatre develops and produces works across the spectrum of music-theatre on subjects and issues that matter in our community, changing the conversation through the arts. The Musicianship Washington Youth Chorus joins the Alliance for New Music-Theatre to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Dunbar High School, the first African American high school in our nation. To mark the occasion, this performance will feature Greg Watkins — a distinguished performer, composer and music director — and the Washington Youth Chorus singing several pieces from Steven M. Allen’s opera based on the life of poet Paul Laurence Dunbar.

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CREATE Arts Center’s mission is to spark creativity, foster learning, empower individuals, and facilitate community connections through the visual arts. CREATE builds community partnerships that bridge cultural, economic, and social barriers. The programs at CREATE consist of arts education and art therapy. At the celebration, CREATE will host an interactive mural design to engage guests and illustrate a collective story of those who participate. Participants will choose from dozens of mixed media elements to express their own narrative that will be presented in an eclectic form of artistic expression and artwork.

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DC Jazz Festival (DCJF) provides enriching and entertaining performances that introduce students from various walks of life to jazz. DCJF nourishes the community with free educational programs that extend their reach into underserved neighborhoods and enhance the quality of life for DC public and charter school students. Its signature programs include the DC JazzFest program showcasing emerging and established artists, while the DCJazzPrix is a national jazz band competition. DC Jazz Festival’s performance will feature several music selections from Teaching Artist Herman Burney, a mix of professional musicians, and students from the Jazzin’ Afterschool Youth Ensemble program at Sitar Arts Center.

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Girls Rock! DC is an arts and justice organization that is a supportive, inclusive, and creative space for girls, non-binary, and other trans and gender expansive youth. The program focuses on building self-confidence and community to rise up and rock out. The youth in this program vary in race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic backgrounds, abilities, and identities. Girls Rock! DC will be hosting an “instrument petting zoo” for guests to learn about, try out, and appreciate music in an interactive, judgement-free, fun space. We'll have a variety of instruments on display and teaching artists will lead one-on-one demonstrations and lessons.

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Guided by the founding principle that “Dance is for Everyone”, Joy of Motion’s mission is to cultivate a diverse community of dance students, educators, artists, and audiences in the DC metropolitan area. Joy of Motion accomplishes this by providing exceptional dance education and performances that open doors for learners of all ages and abilities. This mission supports our vision of making dance a celebrated component of life-long learning, well-being, and a thriving society. Joy of Motion’s performance will showcase “Rage Mode”, a high-energy Hip-Hop piece performed by the Rhymthmx Youth Performance company comprised of 8 company members ages 8-11 years old.

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The Washington Ballet (TWB) is internationally recognized for its excellence in classical and contemporary ballet repertory. TWB has a three-part mission: to bring the joy and artistry of dance to the nation's capital and the world's stage through the professional presentation of the best in classic and contemporary ballet; provide the highest caliber of dance training through The Washington School of Ballet (TWSB); and serve and involve the entire community through extensive dance education and community engagement programs. The Washington Ballet’s performance of Ballet Hispano was choreographed by Helga Paris Morales, a native of Puerto Rico, and will consist of a three-part ballet that showcases different styles of Latin American dance with classical ballet technique.  

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.”