Nonprofit Serving Alexandria Families Receives $4M Gift From MacKenzie Scott

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A nonprofit providing programs to Alexandria youth and adults will be able to complete renovations and expand programs with a $4 million gift.

The Campagna Center announced Thursday that its $6.7 million capital campaign has exceeded its goal. A big reason for the campaign reaching its goal was the $4 million gift from MacKenzie Scott, a philanthropist and ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. This was the single largest donation in the nonprofit's history.

"Ms. Scott’s extraordinary and unexpected gift will be put to work as we aim to reach more children and families in need of Campagna Center’s support," said Tammy Mann, the Campagna Center’s president and CEO. "Campagna Center is honored to have been identified as an organization doing exceptional work worthy of an investment of this magnitude that will help ensure our continued impact today, tomorrow and well into the future."

The nonprofit's campaign started in January 2022 and has been supported by more than 250 donors. The Campagna Center will use the funds to modernize space for its programs and address an increasing demand for programs for young children, school-age children and families.

"We are humbled by our generous community of supporters, especially our early investors who championed our vision from the beginning," said the campaign co-chairs Walter Lukens and Alden Philbrick. "This campaign has been a success thanks to our donors’ steadfast encouragement, commitment to our mission, and financial support."

The modernized facility is expected to open near the end of 2023. The Campagna Center's S. Washington Street headquarters is being renovated to provide private meeting rooms, a children’s library, and various classroom spaces for the nonprofit's programs on the first floor. The second floor will provide flexible workspaces for staff and volunteers. This will be the first time in the nonprofit's history it will have program space inside its headquarters.

"This campaign was all about bringing forward exceptional education and social development programs to children, teens and adults across the community," said Mann.

The Campagna Center, founded in 1945, serves around 2,000 Alexandria children and families daily. The nonprofit's programs include early childhood programs, a reading support program for Alexandria City Public Schools students, an after-school program to help students prepare for beyond high school, an English language learner program, a before-school and after-school program for children, camps, and middle school programs.