United Way NCA Leads the Regional Post-Pandemic Transformation – United Way NCA
Dec 18, 2020
In the unprecedented year of 2020, we have pressed deeper into the heart of issues surrounding our community. From systemic inequities that exist in our community to the challenges enveloping individuals and families around the pandemic, United Way of the National Capital Area (United Way NCA) is committed to the hard work and investment to transform lives in our region. It is from this commitment that we are happy to share we are not alone. Your United Way is honored to announce that novelist and venture philanthropist, MacKenzie Scott, invested $20 million to the organization as part of her $4.2 billion investment in 384 high-performing organizations throughout the country. As we look to continue our work to bridge the gaps and inequities that exist across the region, this investment comes at a critical time for us to continue to meet the immediate and long-term recovery of the National Capital Area. Every future investment into the community beyond this generous donation will allow us to keep the momentum going.
“To be chosen is affirmation and proof that what we are doing as an organization, in support of our partners, business community and neighbors, is working and is critically vital to addressing and combatting the inequities we see in our communities,” shared President and CEO of United Way of the National Capital Area, Rosie Allen-Herring. “We are especially grateful and remain excited about the opportunity to continue providing immediate and long-term creative and innovative solutions. This investment is catalytic, and we invite others to join us in these efforts as we expand the work to transform the lives of community members throughout the region.”
The work that lies ahead will be some of the most significant and transformational in our lifetime, but we are just at the beginning. Every investment into the community matters, whether it’s $20 million or $20. While COVID-19 and our ongoing social justice movements have revealed divides between wealth, race, and class, these issues have been a pandemic of their own for generations. But we have an opportunity to rebuild and we invite you to join us in supporting our vision for an equitable future. Our strength comes from a shared commitment from our partners, our community, and our programs uniting for a higher cause.
MacKenzie Scott’s generous investment will be pivotal in laying the groundwork for our next five-year strategic plan as we Stand for Equity; fighting for everyone to have health care, dismantling barriers to housing, bolstering economic advancement and opportunities, enriching education in underserved communities, bridging racial and wealth divides and making sure that every family and individual can access basic essentials to live a healthy and happy life.
We are humbled by the generosity of Ms. Scott and all of our partners, volunteers, and donors who continue to believe in the work we do. With her investment and every investment that follows, we reach deeper into our ability to fundamentally improve the lives of everyone in our community.