Many Hands

We were thrilled to celebrate Many Hands’ 20th anniversary last night at Hogan Lovells with members, friends, and grantees. In this short video, released at the event, founding board members share what they set out to achieve and grantees talk about the difference Many Hands has made for their work. Video production by ShareLiveVideo.

In her latest piece for Vox, Rachel Cohen reflects on how the growing emphasis on structural solutions to issues like climate change, inequality, and homelessness has fueled a generational decline in formal volunteering, donating, and social and individual well-being--and shares her personal journey back to volunteering, which began as a member of Many Hands' Housing Committee. Read her thought-provoking essay at the link below. And if you'd like to learn more about membership, visit us online at manyhandsdc.org! #collectivegiving #givingcircles #volunteering

#NationalNonprofitDay is the perfect time to learn more about our 2024 grantees! 🌟 Economic Empowerment: Together We Bake provides a comprehensive workforce training and personal development program to help underserved women gain self-confidence, transferable workforce skills, and hands-on experience, which will allow them to find sustainable employment and move toward self-sufficiency. 🌟 Education: Community Bridges - Maryland empowers girls from diverse backgrounds to become exceptional students, positive leaders, and healthy young women by addressing the developmental needs of immigrant and minority girls and their families living at or below the federal poverty level in Montgomery County. 🌟 Health: SafeSpot Children's Advocacy Center of Fairfax provides a safe environment and support services for child abuse victims and their families as they navigate the investigation and aftermath of abuse. By coordinating the Fairfax County response to child abuse, SafeSpot puts the interests of the child first. 🌟 Housing: Healthy Babies Project Inc. empowers DC youth to build healthy, stable lives by providing life skills training to prevent youth pregnancy; evidence-based, one-on-one case management and peer support to homeless and transient pregnant/parenting youth; and job readiness and advocacy training. The members of Many Hands are proud to have granted a total of $307,000 in unrestricted funding to these four high-impact, community-based organizations in May. Find out how you can become a member at manyhandsdc.org/membership! #givingcircles #collectivegiving #collectivegrantmaking #womensphilanthropy #nonprofitgrants

The future is now at Many Hands! Find out how you can become a member and help support local nonprofits at manyhandsdc.org/membership. And see what Sara Lomelin, CEO of Philanthropy Together, has to say about how the transfer of $30 trillion to women over the next decade will reshape philanthropy at https://lnkd.in/eAxt7-Vk

Thanks to Spur Local for this feature with longtime member Mary Kwak. Start your own collective giving journey today with Many Hands! Visit our website at manyhandsdc.org to learn about membership, grants, and more.

LAST CHANCE to see this powerful exhibit exploring the racial history of upper Northwest DC. Undesign the Redline DC is organized by a group of local faith communities--St. Columba’s Episcopal Church, Adas Israel Congregation, Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church, Temple Micah, and Temple Sinai--with the participation of people with ties to communities barred or displaced from Ward 3 and groups and institutions wrestling with the lasting impacts of these actions. The last program offered in conjunction with the exhibit, "Reparations: Learn, Consider, and Discuss Where We Go From Here," takes place tonight at the Cleveland Park Library from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. It includes a screening of "The Cost of Inheritance," an hour-long PBS documentary that explores the complex issue of reparations in the United States, and conversation with local leaders. #undesigntheredline

Please help us welcome the following members to the Many Hands Board: Ann Kay has worked as a buyer for Bloomingdale’s, the Spiegel Catalog, and the National Geographic catalog and website. She currently serves as treasurer on the board of Horizons Greater Washington and is an active volunteer and supporter of several other DC-based organizations that provide educational and mentoring opportunities to children in underserved communities. She has also served on and chaired several committees at Norwood School and Sidwell Friends School. Susan Liss has lived in the Washington, DC area since 1975. She is a retired public interest lawyer who worked for a number of policy and advocacy nonprofits in both staff and management positions. Her focus has covered a number of legal and policy areas: constitutional rights, women’s rights, women’s health, civil rights, voting, and the independence of the judiciary. She was a political appointee at the Department of Justice and the White House and has volunteered on a number of political campaigns. She served in a volunteer capacity, as an officer, board or advisory council or committee member, or leader of projects, for the DC Bar, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, DLA Piper’s New Perimeter Project, Tzedek DC, Adas Israel Congregation, Georgetown Day School, and other area nonprofits. Rita Shapiro is a consultant with more than 30 years of management experience working for renowned arts and other nonprofit organizations. She served from 2001 to 2016 as Executive Director of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center, where she spearheaded various community initiatives including the “In Your Neighborhood” program and the Sound Health program. Previous positions include Operations Manager for The Cleveland Orchestra and development officer for the Boston Symphony. She also served as Interim Executive Director of the Catalogue for Philanthropy of Washington, DC (now Spur Local); and as Interim Executive Director of The Washington Chorus. Rita is a member and past President of the DC chapter of the International Women’s Forum, a networking organization of women executives from diverse professional backgrounds. We are grateful to Ann, Susan, and Rita for contributing their skills, experience, and perspectives to Many Hands. We’d also like to thank the members of the 2024-25 Executive Committee for their leadership: - Charis Keitelman, President - Claudette Christian, Vice President - Frazier Schulman, Treasurer - Karen Murrell, Secretary We look forward to working with all of our members as we embark on another year of grantmaking and learning together!

Many Hands members were delighted to join Together We Bake to celebrate graduation day with participants in the just-ended spring session and to present the 2024 Partner Grantee with a check for $69,000. Congratulations to all of these amazing women and to co-founder and ED Stephanie Wright and her team for empowering them with the skills and confidence they need to soar! #togetherwemakeadifference #givingcircles #collectivegiving

Many Hands Board members were honored to represent our members in presenting a check for $69,000 to two-time Partner Grantee Healthy Babies Project Inc. Many thanks to ED Regine Elie and her team for their warm welcome. We look forward to celebrating the reopening of Perennial House together! #togetherwemakeadifference #collectivegiving #givingcircles

Many Hands Board and Health Committee members were thrilled to visit 2024 Impact Grantee SafeSpot Children's Advocacy Center of Fairfax and present SafeSpot Board President Jessica L. Greis Edwardson and CEO Heather O'Malley with the $100,000 check! Many thanks to Jessica and Heather for hosting us and to all the members whose gifts of time, talent, and treasure made this special moment possible. #togetherwemakeadifference #collectivegiving #givingcircles