SPECIAL CIAL FEATU FEATURE | THE PHILANTHROPIC
plans to donate donat 50 percent of his net worth (then at more than $ billion) during hen estimated estima his lifetime. Apart from multiple grants made through the family’s Bedford Falls Foundation, the Conways have also donated $6 million to the Capital Area Food Bank and $5 million to So Others May Eat. JACK DAVIES AND KAY KENDALL This generous, newlywed couple is regularly spotted at many charitable events and work tirelessly for their favorite organizations. Davies and Kendall are major supporters of Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Center (THEARC), —a community center that seeks to improve the quality of life for families living in Anacostia — and several arts and education organizations such as Maya Angelou Schools, Teach for America, CityDance and the Washington Ballet. Davies has led fundraising for Venture Philanthropy Partners which has raised over $70 million in support of low-income children and families. JOHN K DELANEY AND APRIL MCCLAINE-DELANEY Family-oriented philanthropists John and April Delaney focus their efforts on youth and education. April Delaney maintains posts on the boards of the Childrens’ Hospital Foundation, Boys and Girls Club of Washington and Disovery Creek’s Children’s Museum in addition to serving as the Washington outreach director of Common Sense Media. Her husband, who recently won the Democratic primary in Maryland, is chairman of the National Symphony Orchestra nominating committee and head of the CapitalSource Foundation. The two Georgetown Law graduates also give back to their alma mater, with John serving on the Georgetown University board and April
Lynn and Ted Leonsis
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Ted and Annette Lerner
serving on the law school’s board of visitors. DALIA AND HOSSEIN FATEH Relative newcomers to the Washington philanthropic scene, this young and attractive couple are shaping up to become very generous benefactors indeed. They donate to the NCRC Preschool, City of Joy Aid and the Hotchkiss School, where they support scholarships for Iranian students. The Fatehs have also supported THEARC since the arts institution’s inception five years ago and they continue to be among its biggest donors. Dalia Fateh is a member of THEARC’s board of directors and also serves on the board of Time in Children’s Initiative RAUL AND JEAN-MARIE FERNANDEZ The son of immigrants, Raul Fernandez is living the “American Dream.” After his global web company, Proxicom, sold for $450 million, he and his fashionable wife, Jean-Marie, began to engage in many philanthropic endeavors. Their Fernandez Foundation funds scholarships and donates laptops and other school supplies to local children in need. Raul Fernandez is also a co-founder of the philanthropic investment group Venture Philanthropy Partners and sits on the board of many local nonprofits, including DCCAP and the D.C. Public Education Fund. Jean-Marie Fernandez is actively involved with THEARC and sits on the board of directors of the Washington Ballet. MICHELLE FREEMAN Michelle Freeman comes from a long family tradition of philanthropy and is described as extremely generous both with her time and donations. As head of the Carl M. Freeman foundation, she serves on the boards of the Washington National Opera and CharityWorks.
Jacqueline Mars
MAJOR DONORS TO THE SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY - $1 million and above • Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation • Steven and Debrah Epstein • James A. Feldman and Natalie Wexler • Kirsten and Kingdon Gould • Philip L. Graham Fund • HRH Foundation (Helen Lee Henderson) • Michael R. Klein and Joan I. Fabry • Robert and Arlene Kogod Family Foundation • Abby and Howard Millstein Foundation • James and Wanda Pedas • Theodore and Leah Pedas • Roger and Victoria Sant
She has worked especially closely with THEARC for the last three years and will serve as chairman of its gala for the second consecutive year this fall. She also heads the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, which honors her late husband’s passion for education and the performing arts. LEAH AND JACQUES GANSLER “She is a venture-capital investor in young charities,” businessman Ted Leonsis once said of Leah Gansler, a woman dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty, enhancing local education, and enabling families to overcome critical health issues through education. She founded the volunteer-led CharityWorks, which holds two signature events each year – a 100 Point Vintage Wine Dinner in the spring and The CharityWorks Dream Ball each fall – that have made more than $13 million in grants over the past 12 years for such charities as Habitat for Humanity,The Orphan Foundation of America, and Everybody Wins literacy programs for thousands of inner-city children. Jacques Gansler, who directs the University of Martland’s Center for Public Policy and Private Enterprise, is affilated with Venture Philanthropy Partners. CARL GEWIRZ BERNARD GEWIRZ AND NORMA GEWIRZ-TIEFEL The Gewirz clan continues a tradition of giving started by their late father, developer Morris Gewirz. Norma Gewirz focuses her attention on the arts as a consistent patron of the Philips Collection, a member of the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts and the Circle of the National Gallery of Art, while brother Carl is oriented toward the health sector
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