1. Milestones in Economic Mobility
“When I was at my worst point, Arlington was there to help me.”
Clay, Arlington’s Guarantee participant
A new report on deeply affordable childcare. Proposed pathways to deep affordability at Barcroft Apartments. A fully enrolled guaranteed income pilot (Arlington’s Guarantee) providing immediate relief for 200 local low income working families. A new video highlighting the countless barriers low income Arlingtonians face as they try to earn more money (and an accompanying discussion guide with proposed solutions).
This was a year of milestones for our economic mobility work. Work that is driven by people like Clay and the 24,000+ lowest-income Arlingtonians struggling to survive here.
Use this interactive tool to meet 11 of these neighbors: Arlington’s Guarantee participants who have graciously shared parts of their lives and their experience in the pilot so far. Unless otherwise noted, pseudonyms and stock photos are used to protect their identities.
If you would like to support our economic mobility work, we invite you to make a donation to our Shared Prosperity Fund. Every dollar raised and invested in this work now will come back to this community’s most vulnerable many times over.
“This scholarship means the world to me.”
Millicent, 2023 ACF Scholarship recipient
This year, we awarded over $700,000 in scholarships to Arlington students, including one scholarship for non-traditional students pursuing trade careers.
While that’s incredible enough, it’s the moment a scholarship recipient and a scholarship donor meet – as several did in June this year – that is truly magical. To see so much shared and reflected across generations and communities is a constant wellspring of inspiration for everyone involved.
Watch the video to meet 11 scholarship recipients who shared what these scholarships mean to them and their families.
“The Fellowship has been a transformative catalyst for my growth.”
Jordan, 2023 STEAM Grant Fellow
Jordan’s Fellowship was just one piece of our $3,500,000 in grants for the year. But no matter how big or small the piece may be, these grants have the power to transform lives, transform communities, and transform those who financially support these funds through the Community Foundation.
One of our favorite times of the year is when hundreds of community members come together to support the annual Nonprofit Holiday Wish Catalog, which has provided over $100,000 in grants every year so far, helping the year-end needs of local nonprofits. Watch this video featuring nonprofits in the 2023 Wish Catalog to see the difference these grants make.
“What better place to end up than a human rights economy?”
Dr. Darrick Hamilton at a 2023 ACF event
As community spaces reopened through 2023, we filled them with forums on equitable economics, presentations on living wage disparities, convenings of local leaders, and celebrations of advocates and changemakers. At each of these, we use our seat at the table to advocate for a bigger table… until everyone has a seat at it.
In this 10-minute highlights video from our event Building a Human Rights Economy: The Case for Guaranteed Income, renowned economist Dr. Darrick Hamilton addresses the purpose of government and our economy, the differences between universal basic income (UBI) and guaranteed income, and what it takes to build a society that works for everyone.
“Knowing that I can directly impact and choose how and where the money will be used even after I’m gone is pretty significant.”
Dimple Dhabalia, ACF Legacy Society Member
This year we had the privilege of working with new fundholders like Dimple to craft deeply personal and rewarding charitable giving plans. Read Dimple’s story to see how her life and career mirror so much of her family’s history as refugees, and how her Legacy Plan will continue to honor her family and passions far into the future.
Introducing new planning services such as Giving+ and holding our first in-person fundholder annual review keeps us aligned with the evolving needs of both our donors and our community.
None of these moments would be possible without you. As we turn the page to 2024, we invite you to financially support the Foundation, and explore other ways to get involved, so that we can continue to build these moments together.
