The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, Philanthropic and Nonprofit Leaders Come Together with the White House’s Joining Forces Initiative to launch the Philanthropy-Joining Forces Impact Pledge
Community Foundation for Northern Virginia pledges $100,000 over the next five yearsToday, the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia is proud to join over 30 philanthropic organizations and corporations to announce pledges totaling more than $170 million over the next five years to support veterans and military families. The Community Foundation’s Military Personnel and Their Families Fund has granted $270,300 since it was established in 2010, and through the Joining Forces Impact Pledge, has committed another $100,000 of support through 2019.
The Philanthropy-Joining Forces Impact Pledge was announced today by Joining Forces and a coalition of leading foundations at an event hosted by the American Red Cross, Council on Foundations, and the White Oak Summit Steering Committee. The Philanthropy-Joining Forces Impact Pledge - initiated by Blue Shield of California Foundation, the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, the Lincoln Community Foundation, and the McCormick Foundation - creates a community of funders and builds momentum for programs that will support service members, veterans and their families in local communities as the country draws down from twelve years of war.
Today’s event featured remarks from First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden, General George Casey (ret.), former Chief of Staff of the Army, US Teen Poet Laureate and military child Michaela Coplen, and representatives from the American Red Cross, Council on Foundations, Blue Shield of California Foundation, San Diego Grantmakers, Robert R. McCormick Foundation, Points of Light, Bank of America, and Blue Star Families.
The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia — in partnership with the United Way of the National Capital Area and with the support of Deloitte Consulting LLP — has developed a report to gain a more sophisticated, data-driven understanding of Northern Virginia’s veteran support landscape. This report, to be released next month, is intended to provide the Community Foundation and other local community-based organizations and philanthropies with the insights needed to strategically target and coordinate grant dollars toward the greatest needs. The Community Foundation is immediately addressing the findings by issuing a grant this year through its Military Fund to support coordination of services for military veterans in the region. Grant applications are due May 28, 2014. Organizations interested in applying can visit http://www.cfnova.org/for-grant-seekers.
“The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia is deeply committed to supporting military veterans in the Northern Virginia region,” said Eileen Ellsworth, President of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. “Northern Virginia is home to one of the highest military veteran populations in America. By ‘joining forces’ with these funders across the nation today, we are demonstrating our long-term commitment to supporting the most critical needs of our veterans and their families.”
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