April 17,2013

Join United Way in Supporting the Charitable Giving Incentives and Family Tax Credits

Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on tax reform and charitable contributions. I, along with thirteen state and local United Way CEOS, joined United Way Worldwide CEO Brian Gallagher in providing testimony on the charitable tax deduction and to state the essential role charitable giving has in improving and strengthening communities. During the testimonies, each CEO spoke about their local United Way and how important the charitable deduction is to their individual communities. As the CEO of United Way of the National Capital Area, we serve the District of Columbia and the surrounding suburban communities in Maryland and Virginia. I testified on the social and economic needs occurring in our local community.

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January 28,2013

United Way of the National Capital Area’s Biggest Achievements in 2012

For United Way of the National Capital Area 2012 was a whirlwind of change and progress. Six of the biggest achievements from my perspective included: - Completing a Board-led strategic plan which sets the organization’s course over the next three years. In concert with this plan, we now have a new concentration on workforce readiness with a laser focus on veterans and disconnected youth. - Awarding 256 Community Impact grants totaling more than $1.75 million to address this community’s most pressing challenges.

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December 3,2012

Holiday Giving

The holiday season is upon us. There’s no doubt about it! From the White House to the Malls….and not National Mall…our community is shining at this delightful time of the year. All those glowing decorations, beautifully wrapped presents and joyous holiday parties reminder us of the great fortune we have in our lives. But, it should also be a reminder of our fellow citizens who are less fortunate and suffer some of the hardest times during the holiday season.

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October 19,2012

HOMETOWN HEROES - Nationals, Redskins and United Way. . .Rallying Points for Community Pride

The Washington Nationals had a phenomenal season! Harper, Laroche, Zimmerman, Strasburg, Werth, Gio and others were unbelievable. But, the most amazing part of watching their success was also seeing the national capital area community come together and rally behind the team. In a region known for partisanship and lack of teamwork, Nats fans pulled together to support the team and were one of the big reasons for their huge success.

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August 8,2012

United Way Moves to the Highest Standards of Nonprofit Financial and Organizational Management

United Ways across America are making a concerted effort to change their business models to be more relevant and impactful in the communities they serve. This means shifting from the historic “community chest”, with a broad charitable mission, to a change agent focused on substantive community impact to solve the most pressing civic challenges. The solution includes focusing the community, convening partners and directing financial and personnel resources to effectuate real change.

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June 19,2012

Major Transformation

United Way NCA has completed a major transformation, both internally and in terms of how it works with and relates to the community. There is a strong leadership team firmly in-place and a robust strategic planning process has just been concluded. An organizational pivot is underway that will build added trust and relevance in our community.

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May 2,2012

Get Fit for Life

To maintain continual health, it is important to start young, embracing the habits of healthy eating and exercise. If you embrace and commit to leading a healthy lifestyle while you’re young, you can create a lifelong positive impact. United Way National Capital Area (United Way NCA) continues to work towards improving the lives of the youth in our community through a balance of fun and fitness! United Way NCA works with nonprofit member organizations across the entire spectrum of health and wellness issues. We proudly fund hundreds of nonprofits in this space. One of the programs we fund is our own signature child-wellness initiative: Fun, Fly & Fit.

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April 5,2012

Face of America Bike Ride - April 27-29

I’m training for a big personal challenge the weekend of April 27-29, 2012. World Team Sports is hosting their tenth Face of America Bike Ride, a two-day ride of 110 miles from our Nation’s Capital to Gettysburg. The ride honors the men and women wounded in the nation’s military service. Riders include many wounded warriors as well as current active military. Hundreds of able-bodied citizens also participate.

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Did You Know?

In 2011, the Lamb Center, a United Way NCA member nonprofit, provided: 44,725 meals,12,952 showers, 9,531 loads of laundry, 270 AA meetings, 575 job counseling sessions, and more.

The Capital Area Food Bank reports more than 641,000 residents of the Washington region are experiencing or at risk of hunger, including more than 100,000 in Fairfax County alone.

Residents in Ward 8 have to travel far to gain access to a public library. This distance can make it hard for residents to continue to succeed in their education.

Residents in Ward 7 have to travel far to gain access to a public library. This distance can make it hard for residents to continue to succeed in their education.

Residents in Ward 5 have to travel far to gain access to a public library. This distance can make it hard for residents to continue to succeed in their education.

In Ward 8, over 40% of single-family home and condominium sales resulted from foreclosure completions or owners selling under distress.

45.0% of residents living in Ward 8 receive food stamps.

In Ward 7, over 40% of single-family home and condominium sales resulted from foreclosure completions or owners selling under distress.

35.0% of residents living in Ward 7 receive food stamps.

5.0% of residents living in Ward 2 receive food stamps.

9.8% of residents in Ward 4 are unemployed.

3.2% of residents in Ward 3 are unemployed.

6.0% of residents in Ward 2 are unemployed.

In Ward 1, over 40% of single-family home and condominium sales resulted from foreclosure completions or owners selling under distress.

12.0% of people living in Ward 1 receive food stamps.

6.0% of people live below the poverty level in Prince William County.

9.4% of students in Prince William County drop out of high school.

More than 130,000 residents in Prince William County do not have health insurance.

8.9% of students in Montgomery County do not graduate high school.

In Montgomery County, 1 in 6 children under 18 is at risk of hunger.

6.7% of people live below the poverty level in Montgomery County.

13.9% of students in Prince George's County do not graduate high school.

7.8% of people live below the poverty level in Prince George’s County.

In Prince George's County, approximately 1 in 4 children under 18 is at risk of hunger.

30,000 children in Northern Virginia live in poverty.

In Northern Virginia, 1 in 6 children under 18 is at risk of hunger.

In seven out of the eight wards in the city, residents are closer to fast food restaurants than large grocery stores, which could have a negative impact on residents’ health.

17.2% of residents in the District of Columbia live below the poverty level.

19.0% of residents in the District of Columbia receive food stamps.

11.9% of residents in the District of Columbia are unemployed.

22.0% of students in the District of Columbia do not graduate high school.

32% of children live below the poverty level in the District of Columbia.

In the District of Columbia, nearly 1 in 2 children under 18 is at the risk of hunger.

12.5% of residents living in Maryland do not graduate high school.

9.2% of people live below the poverty level in Maryland.

Last year 2-1-1 Maryland answered 240,000 calls around basic needs such as food, shelter, eviction prevention and financial assistance for prescriptions

Ward 8 public schools have the lowest average share of students testing at required standards, only 33% in reading and 32% in math.

Over 28% of residents living in Ward 8 are unemployed.

Nearly 20% of people living in Ward 7 are unemployed.

67% of children living in Ward 6 are below the poverty level.

15.8% of people living in Ward 5 are unemployed.

There are more than 40,000 uninsured residents living in Loudoun County.

6.1% of students living in Loudoun County drop out of high school.

Nearly 8,000 people in Loudoun County live on an income of $20,000 to support a family of four.

10.6% of people in Fairfax County do not have health insurance.

5.6% of people live below the poverty level in Fairfax County.

7.9% of students living in Fairfax County drop out of high school.

10.5% of children in Arlington County live below the poverty level.

9.4% of students in Arlington County drop out of high school.

More than 3,000 people in Northern Virginia are homeless, 10% of these live in Alexandria, Virginia.

In the past year, 2-1-1 has answered approximately 632,000 calls from the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia from residents seeking services.

Last year 2-1-1 Maryland answered 240,000 calls around basic needs such as food, shelter, eviction prevention and financial assistance for prescriptions.

In Northern Virginia, 1 in 6 children under 18 is at risk of hunger.

In Prince George's County, approximately 1 in 4 children under 18 is at risk of hunger.

In Montgomery County, 1 in 6 children under 18 is at risk of hunger.

In the District of Columbia, nearly 1 in 2 children under 18 is at the risk of hunger.

Kids who attend a high quality preschool are more likely to graduate from high school and have higher lifetime earnings.

Every $1 invested in high quality early childhood education saves taxpayers $7.

Upon entering first grade, the average middle-class child has spent 1,000 to 1,700 hours of reading time with picture books; a low-income child averages just 25 hours.

Food stamps last an average of 2 1/2 weeks.

By age three, middle-class children have a vocabulary of about 1,100 words compared to 525 words for low-income children.

According to the Partnership for America's Economic Success, if 50 first graders enter school with reading problems, 44 of them will still have difficulties reading in the fourth grade.

The 2009/2010 official federal poverty level for a family of four is an annual household income of $22,050. 185% of poverty is $40,792, a level at which people still struggle with hunger.

The Rand Corporation states that 90% of a person's brain growth happens before the age of 3.

More than 130,000 residents in Prince William County do not have health insurance.

Our Impact

Success Stories

Camp Fire Patuxent Area Council: Sam and Nikki’s Story

We had the privilege of having two children at Camp Fire, both adopted with special needs and identified as having serious learning and behavioral problems, participate in our program.