Giving Circle of HOPE Invests One Million Dollars

This Fall, members of the Giving Circle of HOPE (GCH) will have much to celebrate as they reach a milestone in their 12-year history--one million dollars in grant monies invested in local nonprofits--along with thousands of hours of donated volunteer hours. Since its inception, the GCH has provided 125 grants benefiting 52 charitable organizations serving the needs of the community. From youth development and education to mental health and aging issues and including poverty relief and employment assistance, GCH has made contributions with far reaching results and impact.

“When we started the Giving Circle we had no expectations, just the intention to improve our neighbors' lives. A million dollars is confirmation of our mission that collective giving really does make an impact” said Diana Katz, a founding member.

In celebration of this significant achievement, GCH is hosting several events throughout the Fall. A picnic will be held at The Walker Nature Center in Reston on September 22, as well as, a wine tasting on September 29 at Vienna Vintner with a portion of proceeds benefiting the organization’s efforts. And as part of an educational outreach series, GCH has partnered with Fairfax County to bring awareness to local needs. Meetings will be held on September 20 in Vienna; September 26 in Herndon; and October 5 in Reston. All of these events will then lead into the annual grant review process throughout the month of October and culminating at a November 17 voting and celebration event. Further details may be found at GivingCircleofHOPE.

The Giving Circle of HOPE, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, was founded in January 2004 by four civic-minded women and has grown to over 100 members with nearly a million dollars invested in the Northern Virginia community. Through the power of collective giving and the tenets of Give, Serve, Learn and Lead, members have joined together to improve their communities, engage with their neighbors and deliver a positive impact on long-term social problems. The organization awards project and capacity building grants to local nonprofits with budgets under $2 million.