Alexandria’s biggest giving day has done it again. On Wednesday, ACT for Alexandria raised $2.9 million for 188 nonprofits.
The final tally will keep changing as donations will continue on the Spring2ACTion website until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, April 28.
Spring2ACTion is the main annual fundraiser for most of the participating nonprofits. It’s also the second straight year that ACT for Alexandria eclipsed their $2.5 million goal by collecting $2.9 million.
The top three recipients are Move2Learn with $152,086, Carpenter’s Shelter with $150,214 and Casa Chirilagua with $89,610. It’s the second straight year that Move2Learn won the top spot.
“We are so grateful for all of the 7,325 donors, 188 nonprofits, 67 businesses, and 33 sponsors that participated in this year’s incredible event,” said Heather Peeler, President and CEO of ACT for Alexandria. “Alexandria’s nonprofits do so much for our community and today’s outpouring of support means that they can continue to provide critical programs and services in the months to come.”
Peeler said that 67 Alexandria businesses donated a portion of their proceeds toward the effort. She also said that, after working to collect millions, her staff of seven employees will be taking the next two days off to collect themselves.
“It takes a lot of planning and preparation, even though it seems like it all happened in one day,” Peeler said. “Every year feels a little different for different reasons… What hasn’t changed is that deep commitment to serving our nonprofit community. It’s astounding.”
Spring2ACTion has raised more than $23 million over the last 14 years.
Spring2ACTion Top 10:
- Move2Learn | Powered by Runningbrooke raised $152,286 from 157 donors
- Carpenter’s Shelter raised $150,214 from 272 donors
- Casa Chirilagua raised $89,610 from 270 donors
- ALIVE! raised $80,804 from 352 donors
- Alexandria Tutoring Consortium raised $79,440 from 204 donors
- Stop Child Abuse Now of Northern Virginia raised 76,527 from 102 donors
- The Campagna Center raised $63,229 from 86 donors
- King Street Cats raised $60,101 from 460 donors
- Space of Her Own, Inc. raised $59,400 from 164 donors
- Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic Association raised $57,098 from 122 donors
We’ve officially crossed the $2 million mark in giving! Thank you to everyone who’s supported our nonprofits. #Spring2ACTion pic.twitter.com/WbN1ACKjPr
— ACT for Alexandria (@ACTforAlex) April 24, 2024
We extend a heartfelt thanks to each & every one of you who helped make #Spring2ACTion a success! From the tireless efforts of the nonprofit staff to the generous contributions of sponsors, partners, and donors, this event wouldn't have been possible without your support. pic.twitter.com/E8PPdziJTC
— ACT for Alexandria (@ACTforAlex) April 25, 2024
A local nonprofit dedicated to helping people repair their homes in Alexandria just received a $200,000 sustainability grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation.
Rebuilding Together DC – Alexandria says that the funds will allow it to improve “climate resiliency for marginalized populations by addressing home improvements and energy-efficient retrofits.”
“This $200,000 sustainability grant from Wells Fargo will enable Rebuilding Together to advance housing affordability and racial equity in our underserved communities in Washington DC and Alexandria VA by providing sustainable housing upgrades,” said Katharine Dixon, President & CEO of Rebuilding DC – Alexandria. “We are excited to get started on new programs that directly address energy efficiency in the homes of our neediest clients.”
Last year, Wells Fargo donated $1.45 million to the nonprofit.
“Climate-friendly housing helps the environment and contributes to better community wellbeing, yet far too many households in the D.C. area have the least access to renewable energy,” said Victor Burrola, Vice President of Philanthropy & Community Impact for Washington, D.C. at Wells Fargo. “Through our support of Rebuilding Together, this important climate resiliency initiative aligns with our ongoing efforts to help individuals and families increase energy-efficiency, save money, and reduce their carbon footprint in their homes.”
RTDCA was founded in 1986, and is among the 130+ Rebuilding Together affiliates. The nonprofit has dedicated $8.8 million toward local revitalization efforts to homeowners in need, and more than 30,000 volunteers have donated their time and energy on more than 3,000 projects.
The nonprofit provides year-round repair services, but much of its effort is focused on National Rebuilding Day on April 27.
RTDCA said the funds will be used to create the following:
RTDCA will utilize Wells Fargo’s grant funds to create quality, sustainable home environments and reduce potential negative health impacts. The expanded holistic work will include improved energy-efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions in their income-qualifying clients’ homes.
Such work may include whole house audits for each family/individual served and a combination of the following climate resiliency retrofits:
- Insulated doors/windows
- Efficient/electric HVAC/hot water units
- Algae-based air filters/purifiers
- Ventilation (including fireplaces)
- LEDs, light sensors
- Energy Star appliances
- Sealing/insulation of attics/ducts/holes
- Weatherization
- Smart/programmable thermostat
- Gas stove to electric and/or battery/induction conversion
- Low-flow toilet/showerheads
- Cellular shades, ceiling fans
- Smart power strips
- Planting of shade trees, drought resistant plants, indoor plants
- Funds will likely also be used for some community revitalization projects such as tree plantings, to increase and improve community health and neighborhood pride.
Spring2ACTion, the biggest single-day fundraiser for the city’s nonprofits, is just around the corner, and so is early giving.
After raising a record-setting $2.9 million for 186 local nonprofits from 8,331 donors last year, ACT For Alexandria has, for the second-straight year, set the upcoming fundraising goal at $2.5 million. ACT also wants 10,000 donors for what will be their 14th annual fundraising bonanza.
Spring2ACTion is the main annual fundraiser for most of the participating nonprofits. The top three recipients last year were Move2Learn with $170,400, Casa Chirilagua with $167,994 and Carpenter’s Shelter with $91,938.
Spring2ACTion will run from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24. Early giving starts next Wednesday, April 10.
Donations can be made on www.Spring2ACTion.org, where donors can search for and donate to their preferred nonprofits.
According to ACT for Alexandria:
All donations are tax deductible and irrevocable. (Donations will not be refunded). Donors will receive a receipt for their gift. The nonprofit will receive contact information for each donor, unless the donor elects to remain anonymous. Leaderboards will add a sense of competition and excitement during the build-up and event day. Additional cash grants will be awarded to the top winners in each leaderboard category for the day:
- Nonprofits that have the Most Donors – We will award prizes based on operational budget size broken down into three categories — small – $0-$100K, medium – $100K-$500K, and large – $500K+
- Free Agent Fundraisers that have the Most Donors – these prizes will be awarded to the organization designated by the Free Agent Fundraiser
An Alexandria nonprofit recently announced that it has been awarded a $2 million grant from billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving Fund.
The $2 million grant for Friends of Guest House is a lifesaver, executive director Sonja Allen said in a statement. Allen said that the funds won’t solve all of the nonprofit’s challenges, but that it will make a difference in helping women reenter society after incarceration.
“This transformative grant from Mackenzie Scott’s Yield Giving is a testament to the dedication and impact of our organization over the past five decades,” Allen said. “We are deeply grateful for this extraordinary gesture of support that will enable us to strengthen our programs, reach more women in need, and create lasting positive change in our community.”
Friends of Guest House is one of 361 nonprofits that were awarded funds, out of more than 6,300 applicants, after the open call for community led and focused organizations was announced.
“While we are immensely joyful for this generous grant, our work is far from over,” Allen said. “This grant will not solve the problem of the lack of resources and grace available to our women as they reenter our community. But it is a lifesaver. To be blunt, this transformative gift came at the most opportune time to help make our mission more sustainable for the future.”
Scott is the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and recently made national headlines when she announced that she was giving away $640 million from her fortune to nonprofits.
Buying a traditional decorated egg, called pysanky, in Alexandria will help support families affected by the war in Ukraine.
Creator collective Made in ALX is collaborating with local management consultant business The Critical Mass and a group of Ukranian-American artists led by Pysanky Steph to sell the decorated eggs and raise funds for Razom for Ukraine, a nonprofit that donates food and other kinds of support to Ukrainian families.
According to a release, the eggs are a sort of Ukrainian Easter egg — an art passed down through generations and made during Lent to be given as gifts.
“Legend says that there is a monster that represents all evil chained to a cliff, and how tight those chains hold it is entirely dependent on how many pysanky are made each year,” the release said. “The more made, the tighter the chains hold evil at bay.”
According to a release:
As the war in Ukraine drags on, the region’s humanitarian crisis continues to grow. More Ukrainian residents are being displaced every day due to the war. This annual fundraiser benefits Razom for Ukraine, a nonprofit organization founded in 2014 and dedicated to building up Ukraine and its people.
This year, Pysanky Steph (Ukrainian-American artist Stephanie Malm Cheeseman) and other local artists will decorate traditional pysanky (decorated eggs) to sell at Made in ALX in Alexandria.
The eggs will be available for purchase at Made in ALX (533 Montgomery Street) starting tomorrow (Feb. 15).
A celebration on Sunday, Feb. 25, from 5-7 p.m. at Made in ALX will also give buyers a chance to meet the artists. A class on teaching pysanky classes is being offered as well, with classes starting on Sunday, Feb. 25.
Two longtime affordable housing advocacy nonprofits have announced that, as of Jan. 1, the groups have officially merged.
The Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance (NVAHA) and the Alliance for Housing Solutions (AHS) announced in a release that they’d be consolidating into one organization.
“The decision to unite is rooted from a shared commitment to better serve the community by leveraging collective knowledge, resources and advocacy strengths,” Jill Norcross, who will near the consolidated group as executive director, said in the release. “This will build on our complementary assets and vision to create a more effective and sustainable affordable housing movement in each jurisdiction throughout Northern Virginia.”
Both groups worked in housing advocacy rather than directly building or managing affordable housing programs.
AHS has worked primarily in Arlington, advocating for the missing middle housing initiative. NVAHA’s website says the group has a wider Northern Virginia focus.
“We collaborate with nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and government agencies engaged in housing and community development in Northern Virginia, across the greater Washington metro area, statewide and at the national-level,” the website said.
A release from the unified organization said one of the goals of the merger is to move toward focusing on regional affordable housing strategies.
A representative of the new organization said a new name is still being deliberated.
Image via Alliance for Housing Solutions/Facebook
Friends of Guest House residents were greeted with the gift of pajamas and cozy socks on Christmas morning. Alexandria realtor Maureen Clyne ended up exceeding her goal of 100 pairs of pajamas and socks by collecting 140 pairs.
“The generosity of the Alexandria community never ceases to amaze me,” said Clyne. “I want to give a special shout out to Margaret Ticer Janowsky of Del Ray Cafe who donated 40 pairs and my colleagues at Coldwell Banker Realty in Old Town who also donated.”
Friends of Guest House serves 60 women every year in its residential program, and has helped more than 4,000 women transition from incarceration since it was founded in 1974.
“What an incredible gift that will impact many, many women and make them not only feel warm, but very welcome,” former Friends of Guest House Executive Director Kari Galloway said.
The Little Theatre of Alexandria (600 Wolfe Street) is hosting a pair of staged reading events over the next two weeks to commemorate the murder of Matthew Shepard and raise funding for The Matthew Shepard Foundation.
Shepard, a young gay man in Laramie, Wyoming, was beaten, tortured and killed in a hate crime. Shepard’s murder sparked awareness of and advocacy for hate crime legislation, including the launch of the LGBT nonprofit Matthew Shepard Foundation by his parents.
The Little Theatre of Alexandria is producing a reading of The Laramie Project, a play first produced in 2000 to explore and understand what happened to Shepard, including text from real interviews with people connected to the murder.
The readings are scheduled for 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 6, and Thursday, Oct. 12.
Tickets are $20 and benefit The Matthew Shepard Foundation.
According to the theatre’s website:
Kaufman and the other company members visited Laramie on six occasions and interviewed residents, members of the police force, and Matthew’s friends, in an attempt to understand what happened, and why. They were also interested in the possibility that theatre, more than any other medium, would allow people to engage with and reflect on the issues brought to public attention by Matthew’s murder, such as homophobia, hatred, intolerance, and fear. The Laramie Project takes those real interviews and weaves them into the story of events surrounding the murder and the months beyond. This staged reading at LTA will be performed exactly 25 years from the date Matthew was attacked and the date he died in the hospital.
(Updated on Sept. 21) This Saturday’s first-ever Eisenhower Rock the Avenue Block Party to promote the Eisenhower Valley has been postponed due to a rainy forecast.
“As of this morning, it is still calling for 100% heavy rain and high wind,” event organizers wrote in an email. “Given these predictions, it would be very hard to hold an event with these miserable conditions.”
Eisenhower Partnership and SaltBox are hosting the inaugural event, which was to include a pop-up Cider Garden hosted by Lost Boy Cider, food and products from businesses on Eisenhower Avenue, as well as kid-friendly activities and live music.
A replacement date has not been announced.
After six years leading Heard, a nonprofit that brings the arts to incarcerated adults, Jane Collins is hanging up her hat.
Collins, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, founded the nonprofit in 2017 by hosting a writing contest between participants of ALIVE!, Friends of Guest House and Together We Bake. Collins has been executive director ever since, growing the nonprofit to teach thousands of Alexandria adults in the Alexandria Detention Center, the Arlington County jail, and in more than a dozen local nonprofits.
“I’m not ‘leaving’ leaving,” Collins told ALXnow. “I am stepping aside, and I know that probably sounds like splitting hairs, but yes, we are looking for a new executive director to take over day-to-day operations.”
Heard pays artists to teach workshops on poetry, visual arts, improvisation, etiquette, public speaking, dance and singing. Last year, the nonprofit gave 229 classes to nearly 2,000 participants, according to their annual report.
“Thank you for being part of my healing,” wrote a female inmate from the Alexandria jail in a testimonial. “Your investment is priceless. Please continue doing what you are [doing,] truly saving lives.”
The nonprofit also offers karaoke every Wednesday night to inmates in the Alexandria jail.
“I go with our professional singing teacher and opera singer, Bharati Soman, and she gives a singing lessons and we sing along to karaoke songs,” Collins said. “Some of those guys can really sing.”
Heard will pay $25,000 to the new executive director, a financial shift for the organization since Collins took in a meager annual salary of $7,500 in 2022.
The organization is funded by the City’s Office of the Arts, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, grants and private contributions. Heard also collected $23,000 in this year’s Spring2ACTion fundraiser, their biggest annual fundraising event.
“I think this job is good for someone who needs a challenge,” Collins said. “I’m thinking of maybe somebody who was a recently retired from a corporate, a nonprofit or a federal leadership position that wants to stay engaged and help but doesn’t necessarily want the 40-to-60 hour week. Or it could be a highly successful maybe parent who took some time out to raise a family, but now the kids are in school and they want to get back into something rewarding.”
Collins will be staying on in a reduced capacity and hopes that the new executive director is organized, personable and has a vision for future growth.
“There’s no reason why communities can’t be adopting this model across the country,” Collins said. “And when I say this model, I mean, using local artists to help support and address whatever the local need happens to be.”
Photos via Heard/Facebook
