July 18, 2024, Williamsburg, VA: This month, in celebration of its 25th Anniversary, the Williamsburg Community Foundation once again awarded a $2,500 surprise grant to a deserving nonprofit. The spotlight for July shines on The Arc of Greater Williamsburg, as they received a grant to support their impactful work improving the quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Coincidentally, this grant comes during Disability Pride Month, adding an extra layer of significance to the award.

During the Foundation’s 25th Anniversary Celebration & Campaign Kickoff, supporters participated in a drawing to select grant recipients. The honor of choosing this month’s recipient fell to Shelby Hawthorne, who proudly presented the grant to Pam McGregor, Executive Director of The Arc, and Chris Einarsen, a longtime participant in The Arc’s programs.

“Having volunteered and served as a board member at several nonprofits, I know the impact they all have in our community,” said Hawthorne. “The Arc stood out to me for a very personal reason. My earliest memory of Chris is from my time teaching at Norge Elementary: I remember him riding his tricycle from the NEED Center, down the hall past my classroom, delivering the attendance report to the office. Two years ago, while reviewing scholarships for the Community Foundation, I came across an essay from a young lady who volunteered with The Arc. She described a day when she was feeling down, and a man—she didn’t share the name, but her description was unmistakably Chris—comforted her by saying, 'That's ok, life is good, it'll get better.' That stayed with her and has stayed with me, too.

“It is these meaningful connections that inspired me to choose The Arc as the recipient of this grant."

The Arc of Greater Williamsburg's mission is to improve the quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through community activities and advocacy. The Arc of Greater Williamsburg has proudly served adults with developmental disabilities in our community since 1976. Their programs provide educational, health and wellness, life skills, cultural, social, and recreational enrichment. In addition, they provide much-needed respite time for families and caregivers.

"When we moved here from the mountains, we thought it would be temporary," shared Karen, Chris’s mother. "But The Arc has provided such incredible support and community for our family that we decided to make Williamsburg our home."

McGregor thanked Hawthorne and the Foundation for the unexpected grant, commemorating the Foundation’s milestone anniversary, saying:

"What an honor and such a wonderful surprise! Thank you, Shelby, for choosing The Arc. I'm privileged to work for people like Chris, and it's truly magical to witness the progress of individuals with all levels of ability. Without state or federal funding, we rely on raising nearly half a million dollars annually, so donations like this are immensely appreciated and help raise awareness for our mission."

For more information about The Arc of Greater Williamsburg, please visit thearcgw.org

In celebration of its 25th Anniversary, the Foundation has launched a 25th Anniversary Campaign aimed at expanding the Community Endowment. This initiative will significantly enhance the Foundation's grant-making capacity for years to come, with a goal of $750,000. To maximize the impact of every donation, several generous donors have introduced a 1:2 matching challenge, effectively tripling the power of individual donations.

The campaign's impact will be felt perpetually, as it will increase annual grants by $25,000.

“The Campaign invites everyone to join us in creating positive change,” remarked Nancy Sullivan, President and CEO of the Foundation. “With these surprise grants, we aim to raise awareness about the organizations that the Foundation regularly supports. This is about our community."

About Williamsburg Community Foundation

The Williamsburg Community Foundation is a public charity founded in 1999 as the Greater Williamsburg Community Trust to connect people who care with causes that matter. With assets of $29.6 million, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $1.2 million last year in the areas of education, arts and culture, children and young adults, environment and conservation, health & community wellness and economic mobility, and senior services. Since its founding, the Community Foundation has been able to grant more than $12 million to nonprofit organizations in our community thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit www.williamsburgcommunityfoundation.org or call (757) 259-1660.