Spring Event 2026: Members Celebrate and Raise $$$
- May 24
- 2 min read
Giving Together's annual Spring Event was held on May 13 at Chevy Chase Village
Hall. The fundraiser was a lively celebration of GT's community grantmaking and the
generosity of GT's members and friends. Proceeds from the event go to GT's
Emergency Fund for Individuals and Families in Crisis.
While guests dined on delicious food and drink, GT Co-presidents Susan Alberts and
Marea Hatziolos Grant explained that the Emergency Fund is separate from GT's
regular grantmaking program. It's a quick response fund that allows GT to support local
individuals and families who face personal crises, such as threat of eviction or inability
to cover a medical emergency. It also enables GT to help our DMV community when it
faces a widespread crisis situation.
With food insecurity a growing concern in our area, GT is continuing our 2025 efforts to
make fighting hunger a grantmaking and fundraising priority. This year's Spring Event
welcomed Alexa Weinstein of the Capital Area Food Bank, who accepted a $10,000
award from the GT Emergency Fund plus an additional $10,000 gift from member
Sheryl Donaldson and husband Rick. The total of $20,000 will be used as a matching
fund to encourage other givers to donate to the Food Bank, magnifying GT's impact.
Anna Hargrave, Montgomery County Director of the Greater Washington Community
Foundation (GWCF) also accepted an Emergency Fund award from GT. This year, the
GWCF is serving as a conduit for GT's $10,000 donation to the new East County Cold
Storage Facility, which will combat food waste and expand hunger relief. GT also
presented Anna with a separate $10,000 check for GWCF's Neighbors in Need
Montgomery. The N in N program funds frontline non-profits who aid clients in crisis. All
GT contributions will be matched 100 percent by other generous GWCF donors.
Susan and Marea also introduced this year's recipients of the Spivak Leadership
Development Award: Charlyn Anderson of Starting with Today and Devanshi Patel of
the Center for Youth and Family Advocacy. The award, which was first presented last
year, enables executives in GT-grantee organizations to attend Georgetown University's
Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate Program. It's named for the late Jeanne
Spivak, a longtime Giving Together board member and Community Service chair. A gift
in her honor from husband Marvin Spivak and family is underwriting the GT award.
Other speakers at the Event included representatives of GT’s 2025/26 grantee
organizations: Carolyn Camacho, Program Director for Identity (Multi-Year Grant award)
and Mario Cristaldo, Director of Trabajadores Unidos de Washington (Accelerator Grant
award). Both provided updates of their organizations’ activities.
