Spring Event 2026: Members Celebrate and Raise $$$
Updated: Aug 30
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.
