Washington Area Women's Foundation

Washington Area Women's Foundation Investing in the power of women and girls of color for over 27 years!

Time has a way of reminding us what truly matters, the importance of being present in the moments we may sometimes overl...
05/10/2026

Time has a way of reminding us what truly matters, the importance of being present in the moments we may sometimes overlook. This Mother’s Day feels especially meaningful. A few months ago, my close friend passed away from Stage 4 breast cancer, leaving behind a 12-year-old son.

As a mom to a son the same age, this has reshaped how I move through motherhood. I hug my son a little longer. I say “I love you” not just in words, but in how I show up each day. I teach him to be a compassionate friend, and I see that taking root as he checks in on my friend’s son with quiet care.

I recognize that someone like my friend’s 12-year-old son may be grieving this Mother’s Day, as many others are. Beneath the heartfelt condolences, there is a reminder that love does not disappear. It lives on in the memories, the lessons, and the ways we carry it forward.

I’m proud to serve Washington Area Women’s Foundation because this work is not just a profession, this is personal. It’s about mothers like me who are working to provide stability for their families. It’s about young women who are defining their own futures. And it’s about communities coming together to build systems that truly invest in their success. This work is an extension of the values like compassion, responsibility, building trust and strengthening relationships that I am instilling in my son. It’s about creating a world where every child and family has someone showing up for them.

This Mother’s Day, turn love into action. Make a gift to Washington Area Women's Foundation to ensure that more mothers, children, and families have the support they need to ignite possibility and progress.

In remembering my friend, I’m reminded that love endures through how we care for one another.

Give in honor. Give in memory. Give as a reflection of love that shows up for women and girls in our region every day.

Happy Mother's Day!

https://wawf.org/mothersday50

Mother's Day is always a bit poignant for me as I remember my beautiful mom, who passed several years ago. It's a time f...
05/10/2026

Mother's Day is always a bit poignant for me as I remember my beautiful mom, who passed several years ago. It's a time for me to reflect on her strength, wisdom, and kindness, raising me and my younger sister as a single mom after my father passed when I was 2.

In spite of so many challenges as a young widow, my mom gave us a joyful childhood. She taught me how to be a strong, independent, compassionate woman, and always reminded me to listen well and walk in someone else's shoes to gain a broader perspective.

My mother also taught me the value of caring for neighbors and opening doors to create pathways for others around us, especially women. After she remarried, she was actively engaged in supporting other young military wives and belonged to a non-profit that provided scholarships to young women so they could go to college.

This Mother's Day, I'm honoring my mom with a donation to the Washington Area Women's Foundation, where I'm a proud board member. For the past several days, the Women's Foundation team has been sharing heartfelt stories about what it means to be a mother. These stories remind me of how strong families and communities are so often built by strong, resilient mothers. The Women's Foundation recognizes the critical role of women in our communities and ensures that they have the resources they deserve to thrive.

I hope this might inspire you to make a gift in honor of your mom or someone in your life who is like a mom to you. Your gift will create opportunities for other mothers and families in our region.

Happy Mother's Day!

https://wawf.org/mothersday50

Mother’s Day always invites me to slow down and reflect on the quiet, powerful moments that define motherhood. As a mom ...
05/09/2026

Mother’s Day always invites me to slow down and reflect on the quiet, powerful moments that define motherhood. As a mom to a teenage daughter, I am constantly reminded that it is not about perfection, it is about presence. Our relationship is strengthened most through the everyday conversations, the laughter, the guidance, and even in the moments where I am still learning alongside her.

Being a mother means creating a space where my daughter feels seen, supported, and confident in who she is becoming. More than anything, motherhood has taught me that the environment I create matters. The way I love, the standards I set, and the example I model all shape how she sees herself and what she believes is possible.

That is why my work at Washington Area Women's Foundation is so deeply personal. We invest in women and girls to build confidence, expand opportunity, and create pathways to economic mobility. We advocate for equitable access to early child care and education, maternal health, and sustainable careers. These are not abstract outcomes. They are the conditions that allow mothers to show up for their children with strength, stability, and hope, shaping how the next generation moves through the world.

This Mother’s Day, I invite you make a gift to WAWF and invest in families, in futures, and in the kind of community where women and girls have the opportunity to thrive.

https://wawf.org/mothersday50

Being a mom these last 25 years, especially a proud working mom, has been the greatest joy of my life. And my biggest ch...
05/09/2026

Being a mom these last 25 years, especially a proud working mom, has been the greatest joy of my life. And my biggest challenge. And my steepest learning curve. And the main source of my sleepless nights. And the wellspring of my pride. And my constant source of inspiration, hope, popular culture and cool music intel.

As a member of the board of Washington Area Women's Foundation (WAWF), I know that not all moms and daughters have had the supports and the resources that I have had. All women in our region deserve and need those supports, and a gift to WAWF powers local organizations that are building those lifelines and safety nets.

Looking for a last-minute Mother’s Day gift? Have a mom in your life who definitely doesn’t need another kitchen utensil? Care about supporting mothers, daughters, sisters, women, and girls across the Washington, DC region?

Give a gift in honor of someone special to Washington Area Women’s Foundation as we celebrate mothers this year. It’s what I asked my girls for. :)

https://wawf.org/mothersday50

Mother’s Day makes me reflect on the kind of home I’m building for my two sons. Growing up in a house full of boys, I un...
05/08/2026

Mother’s Day makes me reflect on the kind of home I’m building for my two sons. Growing up in a house full of boys, I understood the importance of being socialized with feminist values at a young age. Now, raising a three- and five-year-old with my husband, I’m reminded daily that the small moments matter most, the way we talk about fairness, the way we model empathy, and the way we demonstrate division of labor.

Because the truth is, raising boys with feminist values isn’t optional. It’s how we begin to break cycles of inequality and build a world where everyone is treated with dignity. And that doesn’t happen in one big conversation, but in a thousand small ones, woven into everyday life.

Being a mother, to me, means intentionally shaping the future through the values I pass on to my children. It’s both a privilege and a responsibility I carry with pride. Honoring mothers is also about expanding how we define motherhood. In our family, it’s not just those who give birth, but the aunties, grandparents, friends, and neighbors who show up with love and care and form our “mothering village.”

I’m proud to support Washington Area Women’s Foundation because its mission aligns so closely with what I hope to teach my children: that strong communities are built when we invest in women and families. Our work connects directly to mothers by recognizing their central role in shaping the next generation and ensuring they have the resources and support they deserve to thrive.

This Mother’s Day, I invite you to make a donation to WAWF to help move us toward a world that truly supports mothers every day by investing in organizations and supporting policies that protect, fairly compensate, and uplift caregivers.

https://wawf.org/mothersday50

Mother's Day often coincides with college graduations and two of my dear friends will be celebrating their daughters thi...
05/08/2026

Mother's Day often coincides with college graduations and two of my dear friends will be celebrating their daughters this weekend. I am so excited about the ultimate gift they will receive of watching their first born children accomplish something incredible. It feels like just yesterday both of the amazing humans they raised were starting Kindergarten! It's also a sobering reminder of how quickly time passes and that our daughter, who is heading to high school soon, will be graduating from college in eight short years.

I am painfully aware that the certainty our family has about her education is rooted in privilege that so many in our nation and region do not have. Yet, college education remains one of the surest ways to put women and their families on a path to economic security.

I am so proud of how The Women’s Foundation is helping make that possible through our HERizon Fund, which invests in women pursuing degrees in Early Childhood Education or Maternal Health. It is an investment not only in individual achievement, but in families and generations to come.

This Mother’s Day, in honor of the moms who help shape our communities, we invite you to help create brighter futures for women, families, and communities across our region with a donation to Washington Area Women's Foundation.

https://wawf.org/mothersday50

This Mother’s Day, honor a mom or mother figure who has shaped your life with a gift that creates lasting impact. With a...
05/06/2026

This Mother’s Day, honor a mom or mother figure who has shaped your life with a gift that creates lasting impact.

With a donation of $50 or more, we’ll send a personalized eCard in her honor while investing in women, girls, and families across our community.

Donate: https://wawf.org/mothersday50

Your support helps:

✨ Children access quality education and care
✨ Educators and providers receive fair pay
✨ Mothers gain equitable access to maternal health care
✨ Women pursue professional and educational opportunities
✨ Youth-led projects making a difference receive meaningful support and investment
✨ Families build pathways to stability and long-term success

When women and girls thrive, entire communities are transformed.

Make your gift today and celebrate someone special while helping others dream bigger, grow stronger, and thrive.

Join us on April 30 from 2:00–3:00 PM for our April webinar, Family Business: Women in Entrepreneurship, Power & Legac...
04/21/2026

Join us on April 30 from 2:00–3:00 PM for our April webinar, Family Business: Women in Entrepreneurship, Power & Legacy. Hear from Stacie Lee Banks, President and Co-Owner of Lee’s Flower Shop, as she shares how a family-rooted business has grown into a lasting community staple in Washington, D.C.

We’ll explore what it takes to build, sustain, and pass down a multigenerational business—and how women entrepreneurs are shaping financial stability, wealth, and opportunity for families and communities alike.

Register today and be part of the conversation. https://wawf.org/askher-april30

04/20/2026

This weekend is a powerful reflection of what community truly looks like.

Our Director of Communications had the honor of attending ’s Black Maternal Health Week Soirée on behalf of the Washington Area Women’s Foundation and was genuinely blown away by the experience.

The evening was thoughtfully curated, filled with meaningful connection, powerful storytelling, and an inspiring message from on maternal health and motherhood.

Moments like this underscore the importance of organizations like Mamatoto Village and reinforce why Washington Area Women’s Foundation is deeply committed to investing in and advancing this critical work.

04/20/2026

What better way to celebrate Black Maternal Health Week and Week of the Young Child than being out in the community, witnessing impact in real time.

On Friday, we visited and experienced their Baby & Me Program in action, and it was nothing short of powerful.

From the warm, intentional welcomes to the thoughtfully facilitated conversations and hands-on activities, every detail reflected care. This is what it looks like to create a space where moms feel seen, supported, and empowered.

What stood out most is that the moms didn’t just learn, they practiced in real time. Building confidence, connection, and community with their little ones right there in the room.

And yes… the rasta pasta, cabbage, and fresh fruit? 10/10

Grateful to witness this kind of work up close and excited to see how this program continues to grow and deepen its impact.

WomenAndGirls

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