Community Foundation Hosts First-Ever Virtual Gala

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia hosted its first virtual Raise the Region Gala on Friday, October 2, 2020. Business, philanthropic, and community leaders joined us from their own homes across the region and the nation to take part in this live-streamed event.

Hosted by NBC4’s Leon Harris, 2020 Raise the Region gala is an annual mission-critical fundraiser that enables the Community Foundation to respond to need, seed innovation, and lead and convene the community. The theme for this year’s event was Building a Community that Works for Everyone.

“In an age of division and mistrust that corrodes the ties that bind, we make a different choice. We define the ’tribe‘ to include every single living soul in Northern Virginia who needs help, justice, opportunity, respect, inspiration, and simple human kindness,” said Eileen Ellsworth, President and CEO of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. “We are deeply and truly grateful for your steadfast readiness and open willingness to always be a part of it all.”

The evening included a video presentation highlighting Community Foundation’s work in the region, including the Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund for Northern Virginia, which to date has awarded $2.1 million to 110 nonprofit organizations on the front lines supporting those disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, without taking any fees on this work and dedicating all pandemic response efforts to the needs of the greater community.

“The impact of the fund in this region was to provide immediate targeted assistance. We were able to pivot, change our procedures, change our application process, and cut checks at never before seen levels of speed and response,” said Susan Nolan, Board Member, Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. “We shortened our application process. The review process normally would take a month, perhaps two months. We were doing it in four-and-half days.”

“Pre-COVID we were serving between 250 and 300 families per week. During the height of the crisis those numbers went up to more than 800 per week,” said Jennifer Montgomery, Executive Director at Loudoun Hunger Relief. “The grant from the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia came early in this crisis and that grant really gave us the confidence to know that we could continue serving the way that we needed to, particularly seeing the drastic increase in the numbers families.”

During the gala, participants were able to take part in an online silent auction. The money raised will support the Community Foundation’s ability to respond to need and seed innovation throughout Northern Virginia, building a community that works for everyone.

If you missed our 2020 Raise the Region virtual event or any portion of it, the event is now available for viewing at www.cfnova.org/RaiseTheRegion.

2020 Raise the Region Sponsors
Support from the following made the entire event possible.

Signature Sponsor
Claude Moore Charitable Foundation

Challenge Sponsor
Nolan Family Charitable Fund

Matching Gift Sponsor
K. Paul Singh

Community Leadership Sponsor
John and Nina Toups Charitable Fund

Auction Sponsor
Dewberry

Military Personnel & Their Families Sponsor
Anonymous

Community Wealth Building Sponsor
Eileen Ellsworth and Bob Weil
Harry Klaff
Truist

Photo Engagement Sponsor
WB20

Chatbox Sponsor
CATHEXIS

Keep the Kids Busy Sponsor
Micron Technology, Inc.

Video Producer
CoCreate Studios

Print Sponsor
The Falcon Lab

Media Partner
InsideNova

Community Impact Sponsors
Cindy K. Andreotti, The Andreotti Group, LLC
Business Women's Giving Circle
CALIBRE / Richard Pineda
Capitol Financial Consultants / Josh Stillman
Cordia Partners
School of Business, George Mason University
Anita Gupta, KiwiTech
Holland & Knight
Ted and Karyn Hume
Cheryl Janey and Michael Calhoun
KippsDeSanto & Co.
Paul and Julia Leslie
Karen and O'Kelly McWilliams
Monument Wealth Management
Odin, Feldman & Pittleman, P.C. / Catherine F. Schott Murray
PNC
Rezon8 Angels Group
SBSB Financial Advisors
The Blackthorn Foundation
Helaine Weissman and Mike Benoudiz

Community Giving Sponsor
BELL Flight
Lou Brown
Brown Advisory
Dovel Technologies
Jerry and Jackie Grossman
Interstate Family of Companies
Wendy Marquez, Wize Solutions, LLC
Melinda Merk, McCandlish Lillard, PC
Mission Focused Consulting
Velsor Properties, LLC
Yates, Campbell & Hoeg

Community Wellness Sponsor
Brighton Jones
Human Capital Strategic Consultants
Navy Federal Credit Union
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Steve Gladis Leadership Partners
Ann Summerson, CFP with The Wise Investor Group
Bill and Tessie Wilson
Jill and Marc Wishkoff