Impact Stories

Advancing Equity in Northern Virginia

Learn about our impact on the local community and beyond. Since its inception in 1978, the Community Foundation has awarded more than $100 million in cumulative grants and scholarships. Here’s how we are putting philanthropy to work.

If you would like to contribute to an impact story please contact Amanda Bomfim, Manager of Marketing, Communications and Events.
November 13, 2024
professional advisors Year-End 2024

by Emily M. Harper, CFP®, Vice President & Partner, Monument Wealth Management

Don’t overlook the power of Qualified Charitable Distributions, or “QCDs” for charitably-inclined clients over 70 ½. A QCD allows IRA money to be donated directly from the IRA to charitable organizations. In 2024, each client can donate up to $105,000 through a QCD (or $210,000 for married couples filing jointly), and that limit will be indexed for inflation going forward.

November 6, 2024
Food for Neighbors
Pictured from left to right: Vero Autphenne - Food For Neighbors Fort Hunt Pantry Coordinator, Lisa Dean - Food For Neighbors Director of School Partnerships, Jennifer Cochran - CFNOVA Manager of Grants and Scholarships, Karen Hertel - Principal at Bryant High School, Karen Joseph - Food For Neighbors Executive Director, Gaby Webster - CFNOVA Director of Donor Relations, Pipi Harrison - Director of Student Services at Bryant High School, and Amanda Bomfim - CFNOVA Manager of Marketing, Communications and Events.

Community Foundation staff recently visited Bryant High School and met administrators and representatives from Food for Neighbors, a nonprofit dedicated to ending child hunger across Northern Virginia through community support. This year, Food for Neighbors is a proud recipient of the Lamond Fund grant.

October 30, 2024
Fisher family

Benton Fisher, a Northern Virginia local and an economic consultant at FTI Consulting, has long championed community-driven causes. Long before he founded his donor-advised fund, the Avalon Charitable Fund, with the Community Foundation, Benton was the child of a Naval officer and a Unitarian minister. This upbringing ingrained an interest in service and has shaped his philanthropic endeavors ever since. Benton’s journey toward philanthropy was further influenced by his time coaching his children in team sports, which fostered his passion for leadership and collaboration. These experiences taught him that the most meaningful rewards come from uplifting others.

October 21, 2024
Kristina Bouweiri, 2024 Community Leadership Award Honoree
Dear Community Foundation friends, supporters, and partners,

Last Friday night, I had the privilege of attending my first Raise the Region Gala as President and CEO of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. I woke up this morning feeling both overjoyed by the celebration of philanthropy and deeply inspired by your contributions supporting the Northern Virginia community we all cherish.

The event was a resounding success, with hundreds of guests joining us both in-person and online. Wherever you were, your support was felt, helping us raise more than $730,000 to address the changing needs of our region. We couldn’t have done it without your incredible generosity and commitment.

October 15, 2024
AART

Michelle Sullivan, Executive Director of All Ages Read Together (AART), truly embodies the organization’s mission. Inspired by her early childhood experiences, Michelle is passionate in providing accessible preschool education across Northern Virginia. Passion is essential to every mission; however, Michelle appreciates that operating a successful organization requires thoughtful long-term planning. That’s why she, alongside the AART Board, established the All Ages Read Together Fund at the Community Foundation.

October 8, 2024
professional advisors October 2024

by Mary Beth Cosentino, FPQP®, Director, Wealth Advisor at Dakota Wealth Management

As a widow without children, I often reflect on my legacy. Have I made a meaningful difference in the world? Will my encouragement or guidance leave a lasting impact on others after I’m gone? For the past twenty years, I’ve been dedicated to helping clients thoughtfully plan how to pass on their assets to the next generation. But what about those without children or family? Have we considered how to create a legacy for them?

October 1, 2024
Sumeet Shrivastava

The Community Foundation’s Manager of Marketing, Communications, and Events, Amanda Bomfim, recently spoke with Sumeet Shrivastava, President and CEO of Unissant, about his recognition as the 2023 Community Leadership Award honoree. Sumeet possesses great humility and grace; indeed, when he learned he would be the 2023 Raise the Region Gala’s honoree, he was blown away. “It’s not something you expect,” he told Amanda.

September 17, 2024
Yolonda Pojot Cancer Fund

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and it is a great time to spotlight the Yolonda Pajot Memorial Fund for Ovarian Cancer, a Donor Advised Fund.

September 10, 2024
professional advisors September 2024

by Jason Howell, CFP®, CPWA®, CSRIC® , President and Family Wealth Adviser at Jason Howell Company

As hard as it is to believe, the end of 2024 is fast approaching! After Labor Day, time moves quickly. It can be hard to juggle calendars to accommodate busy clients who need assistance with year-end tax and estate planning matters. 

The Community Foundation helps you and your clients stay on track by sharing important reminders for year-end charitable planning, including these need-to-know items:

September 3, 2024
boxes of basics

Recently, the Community Foundation’s Renée Byng Yancey, Sari Raskin, Jennifer Cochran, Gaby Webster, and Amanda Bomfim visited Boxes of Basics, a local nonprofit that provides schoolchildren in need with clothing. Our team met program manager Sally Crockett and Founder/Executive Director Sarah Tyndall to learn more about their critical work and the inspiration behind it.