Back Row (L to R): Jackie Rhone, Community Impact Chair, United Way NCA Prince George’s Regional Council; Ron Wiles, Program Manager, Employment Services, Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Institute; Zakiyah Williams, Assistant Shelter Manager, Shepherds Cove, United Communities Against Poverty; Katie Meixner, Side by Side, Inc.; Joe Murchison, Executive Director, Side by Side, Inc.; Sophie Ford, Executive Director, Family Crisis Center of Prince George’s County; A. Toni Lewis, Executive Director, FAME; Timothy Johnson, Vice President, Community Impact, United Way NCA; Claudia R. Raskin, M.Ed., Executive Director, Community Support Systems, Inc.; Robyn R. Owens, Director, Corporate Partnerships, United Way NCA; and Sharon Zimmerman, Community Engagement Manager, United Way NCA.
WASHINGTON, DC, January 28, 2015 – Today, United Way of the National Capital Area (United Way NCA) announced that it is awarding Community Impact grants totaling $100,000 to seven nonprofit member organizations serving Prince George’s County. Each of the grants directly addresses United Way NCA’s focus areas of education, financial stability and health. This year United Way NCA is awarding over $1 million in Community Impact grants to member nonprofits serving the National Capital Area thanks to the support of employees participating in 800 workplace giving campaigns at more than 3,000 locations throughout the greater Washington region.
The grantees were honored at a ceremony this morning with Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III, and members of the Prince George’s County Council. Specifically, the Prince George’s County grantees are: Capital Partners for Education, Community Support Systems, Inc., Family Crisis Center of Prince George’s County, Inc., Foundation for the Advancement of Music & Education, Inc., Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Institute, Side by Side, Inc., and United Communities Against Poverty, Inc.
Every year, United Way NCA solicits Community Impact funding proposals from its member nonprofit organizations for specific programs and work in United Way NCA’s focus areas of education, financial stability and health. The funding decision process includes recommendations from regional volunteer, citizen-led task forces working with United Way NCA’s Regional Councils, as well as area nonprofits, governments, and business leaders, to determine where there are gaps in services and where the funds will do the most good.
All donors to United Way NCA have the option of directing their workplace giving pledge to the Community Impact Fund for any of United Way NCA’s eight regions: Alexandria, Arlington, District of Columbia, Fairfax/Falls Church, Loudoun, Montgomery, Prince George’s and Prince William counties. These funds help United Way NCA solve critical challenges facing these communities that no one person, nonprofit, or company can address alone. Across the National Capital Area this year, United Way NCA is awarding a total of 77 Community Impact grants to 65 nonprofit member organizations.
Focusing on the critical areas of education, financial stability and health, United Way of the National Capital Area and its nonprofit members not only provide immediate relief of social problems affecting the community, but also work to alleviate the underlying causes of these issues. Serving the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, and Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties for nearly 40 years, United Way of the National Capital Area works to inspire acts of caring, deliver hope and improve lives. In total, United Way of the National Capital Area raises approximately $30 million each year to address the needs of the community. For more information about United Way of the National Capital Area, visit UnitedWayNCA.org.