Invest in Women in the Washington DC Metro Area

When one woman crosses a threshold or breaks through a glass ceiling, it opens doors for women and girls who hope to do the same.  When women invest in other women, they invest in themselves. These core values were at the heart of our 2016 Leadership Luncheon, which provided a unique opportunity for over 900 attendees to honor and celebrate women and girls in our region.

Our flagship event is more than an event for “ladies who lunch.”  Through our annual luncheon, appropriately themed “Together We Thrive” this year, we not only raised critical unrestricted funds so we may deepen investments in our community, but we also raised awareness about economic security issues in our region that often go unnoticed.  

Two brave women gave first-hand accounts about living in poverty, and how nonprofits helped put them on a path to prosperity. The first speaker battled drug abuse and was later incarcerated. While living in transitional housing, she learned about Goodwill’s Hospitality Training Program.  After successfully graduating from the program, she landed a job in event services at the Marriott Marquis.  Anyone who knows her can attest to her work ethic and zest for life. One of our wonderful board members pened up about her experience with childhood poverty and having parents with mental illness.  Staff at her local Big Brothers and Sisters recognized her potential. Her resilience is admirable; she is now in the C-suite at an illustrious investment management firm.

During her speech, our President and CEO, Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat, publicly announced that our organization is becoming more intentional about addressing the intersection of poverty and race.  15.1% of black women live under the poverty line in the region, compared to 4.9% of white women.  Jennifer discussed our efforts to put our ears to the ground and hear what’s really going on in the community through the voices of young girls of color living in the DC metro area. As a foundation, we realized that data does not tell the full story of what it’s like to live in poverty.

We had the privilege of having Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama, as our keynote speaker.  Jarrett also serves as the Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls, and spoke eloquently about the council’s mission to “work with Federal executive departments and agencies to provide a coordinated Federal response to issues that have an impact on the lives of women and girls.”

Thanks to the tireless work of our staff, volunteers, and the generous donors who recognize the gendered nature of poverty, we mobilized our community and collectively raised $875,000.  These funds will allow us to make deeper investments in the community to better serve our constituents.