Rappaport Donates Retail Space To Herndon's She Believes in Me

HERNDON, VA — Rappaport, a commercial real estate broker, expanded its relationship with She Believes in Me (SBIM) by donating retail space at Worldgate Centre to ensure that the Herndon non-profit has enough room to serve the needs of the community.

CEO Gary D. Rappaport and his wife Daphne have been strong supporters of the non-profit since its founding. They joined Renee Gorham, founder of SBIM, along with other dignitaries for a ribbon cutting this week. With Rappaport's donation, SBIM will now have the room it needs to organize its various donation efforts and volunteer activities.

“We are thrilled to be able to financially support She Believes in Me and the outstanding services they are offering young girls and their families in Herndon,” Rappaport said, in a release. “Making our community strong is important to our company. SBIM is filling a vital and growing need, and we are proud to make it easier for them to do so.”

Founded in 2018 by a group of school counselors, teachers, and social workers, SBIM provides support for young girls in the Herndon community who are facing poverty and trauma. SBIM's mission is to empower the girls through enrichment activities and mentoring, helping them to become strong and confident members of the community.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, SBIM has expanded its mission to serve the wider community. In partnership with Floris United Methodist Church, it provided emergency food and supplies to the homes of the girls and their families.

"She Believes in Me empowers young women to make a difference from providing groceries to families experiencing food insecurity, holiday gifts for children and teens in need, to working with volunteers to get desks to students for virtual learning," Mayor Lisa Merkel said, at the ribbon cutting. "She Believes in Me is making a positive impact on the Herndon community and, I’m grateful for all that they do."

With the help of donations of food and time from members of the surrounding communities and partnerships with area non-profits, SBIM fed more than 100 families throughout the spring and summer months. Thanks to a partnership with Food for Others in D.C., and the help of COVID-19 federal relief grants received by Food for Others, SBIM will be able to provide fresh groceries once a month to the families it supports well into 2021.