We work as a group to learn as much as we can about the most pressing areas of need in Loudoun County and then reach out to community leaders, businesses and nonprofit organizations to create long-term initiatives designed to accomplish the following:
- Identify and promote synergistic and collaborative opportunities between non-profits
- Engage County government, private corporations and public/private organizations to focus on the solutions to community challenges
- Incubate and encourage the formation of new non-profits and philanthropic groups
- Promote public awareness of the needs of the community
- Assist non-profits in being more effective (training, operational reviews, etc.)
Two of note are our Community School Initiative and the LCPS Backpack Coalition, both of which have proven successful since inception.
Community School Initiative
100WomenStrong began working closely with Loudoun County Public Schools, Loudoun Education Fund, SunTrust Foundation, Pactolus, Telos and others to change the face of education through its Community School Initiative (CSI) at Sterling Elementary School. Read more about it and how it has expanded since 2015 here.
LCPS Backpack Coalition
In 2013, 100WomenStrong and Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) began a program called the Backpack Coalition in support of an existing BackPack Buddies Program. At the time, only 40 percent of the students who were experiencing food insecurity were receiving support through BackPack Buddies. By partnering with the existing programs, as well as with the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce, Loudoun Education Foundation, Loudoun Insurance Group, Madison Wealth Management, Blue Ridge Area Food Bank and Loudoun Hunger Relief, the Backpack Coalition was able to serve thousands of additional students.
Over a two-year period, 100WomenStrong matched 100 percent of each dollar donated up to $100,000 to Loudoun Education Foundation in support of the Backpack Coalition, exceeding that goal to raise more than $200,000 to help children in Loudoun County schools.
