Community Foundation Hosts First-Ever Virtual Gala, N. Virginia

Press release from The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia:

October 7, 2020

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia hosted its first virtual Raise the Region Gala on Friday, October 2, 2020. Business, philanthropic, and community leaders joined us from their own homes across the region and the nation to take part in this live-streamed event.Hosted by NBC4’s Leon Harris, 2020 Raise the Region gala is an annual mission-critical fundraiser that enables the Community Foundation to respond to need, seed innovation, and lead and convene the community. The theme for this year’s event was Building a Community that Works for Everyone. “In an age of division and mistrust that corrodes the ties that bind, we make a different choice. We define the ’tribe‘ to include every single living soul in Northern Virginia who needs help, justice, opportunity, respect, inspiration, and simple human kindness,” said Eileen Ellsworth, President and CEO of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. “We are deeply and truly grateful for your steadfast readiness and open willingness to always be a part of it all.” The evening included a video presentation highlighting Community Foundation’s work in the region, including the Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund for Northern Virginia, which to date has awarded $2.1 million to 110 nonprofit organizations on the front lines supporting those disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, without taking any fees on this work and dedicating all pandemic response efforts to the needs of the greater community.“The impact of the fund in this region was to provide immediate targeted assistance. We were able to pivot, change our procedures, change our application process, and cut checks at never before seen levels of speed and response,” said Susan Nolan, Board Member, Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. “We shortened our application process. The review process normally would take a month, perhaps two months. We were doing it in four-and-half days.”“Pre-COVID we were serving between 250 and 300 families per week. During the height of the crisis those numbers went up to more than 800 per week,” said Jennifer Montgomery, Executive Director at Loudoun Hunger Relief. “The grant from the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia came early in this crisis and that grant really gave us the confidence to know that we could continue serving the way that we needed to, particularly seeing the drastic increase in the numbers families.”During the gala, participants were able to take part in an online silent auction. The money raised will support the Community Foundation’s ability to respond to need and seed innovation throughout Northern Virginia, building a community that works for everyone.If you missed our 2020 Raise the Region virtual event or any portion of it, the event is now available for viewing at www.cfnova.org/RaiseTheRegion. 2020 Raise the Region SponsorsSupport from the following made the entire event possible.Signature SponsorClaude Moore Charitable FoundationChallenge SponsorNolan Family Charitable FundMatching Gift SponsorK. Paul SinghCommunity Leadership SponsorJohn and Nina Toups Charitable FundAuction SponsorDewberryMilitary Personnel & Their Families SponsorAnonymousCommunity Wealth Building SponsorEileen Ellsworth and Bob WeilHarry KlaffTruistPhoto Engagement SponsorWB20Chatbox SponsorCATHEXISKeep the Kids Busy SponsorMicron Technology, Inc.Video ProducerCoCreate StudiosPrint SponsorThe Falcon LabMedia PartnerInsideNovaCommunity Impact SponsorsCindy K. Andreotti, The Andreotti Group, LLCBusiness Women's Giving CircleCALIBRE / Richard PinedaCapitol Financial Consultants / Josh StillmanCordia PartnersSchool of Business, George Mason UniversityAnita Gupta, KiwiTechHolland & KnightTed and Karyn HumeCheryl Janey and Michael CalhounKippsDeSanto & Co.Paul and Julia LeslieKaren and O'Kelly McWilliamsMonument Wealth ManagementOdin, Feldman & Pittleman, P.C. / Catherine F. Schott MurrayPNCRezon8 Angels GroupSBSB Financial AdvisorsThe Blackthorn FoundationHelaine Weissman and Mike BenoudizCommunity Giving SponsorBELL FlightLou BrownBrown AdvisoryDovel TechnologiesJerry and Jackie GrossmanInterstate Family of CompaniesWendy Marquez, Wize Solutions, LLCMelinda Merk, McCandlish Lillard, PCMission Focused ConsultingVelsor Properties, LLCYates, Campbell & HoegCommunity Wellness SponsorBrighton JonesHuman Capital Strategic ConsultantsNavy Federal Credit UnionPillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLPSteve Gladis Leadership PartnersAnn Summerson, CFP with The Wise Investor GroupBill and Tessie WilsonJill and Marc Wishkoff

This press release was produced by The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. The views expressed are the author's own.