We are fortunate at the DC Bar Foundation to have loyal donors and volunteers who make our mission possible through their generosity. This month we spoke with Danielle Reyes, Foundation leader, and generous donor.
Ms. Reyes is an active member of several of the Foundation’s leadership and volunteer groups. She currently serves on our Board of Directors, and she is a member of the Foundation’s Development and Grants & Evaluation Committees. She is a member of the 77 Society Class of 2019. Ms. Reyes shares what supporting the Foundation means to her, below:
Why do you give to the DC Bar Foundation?
I have worked in the nonprofit sector for more than 20 years and spent much of that time working with the nonprofit legal services community of DC. I’ve seen the DC Bar Foundation grow – expanding its programs, adapting its approach, and significantly increasing its grantmaking capacity. The combination of the pandemic, political unrest, and racial tensions make the work of the DC Bar Foundation essential to the health and prosperity of our region. I give to the DC Bar Foundation because it is strategic, informed, effective, and poised to have a significant impact in addressing access to justice in DC.
How has being involved with the Foundation impacted you? In my role as a foundation executive with the Crimsonbridge Foundation, I listen to nonprofit leaders and interact with their organizations day in and day out. I’m distinctly aware of the challenges, unmet needs, and inequities that exist in our region. Injustice is a threat to us all and this weighs on me. We should all have access to justice regardless of income, but that is not the reality. Despite our means and resources as a society, we allow inequity to exist. I want to take action. Being involved with the Foundation to support and help advance the work of legal services organizations is a means for me to participate in this work and the fight for justice, in a direct and meaningful way.
How does the Foundation’s work align with your own beliefs and values? My beliefs and values have led me to build a career in the nonprofit sector in the DC region. Whether working or volunteering, I’m personally and professionally committed to service to the community and I believe the Foundation shares this commitment.
You recently made a gift to the Foundation to support our Giving Tuesday campaign. Why do you feel giving to the Foundation is important, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic? I did! I’m proud to serve on the Foundation’s Board and want to help it succeed in achieving its mission. Participating in the Giving Tuesday campaign was a way to do it, at a time when the work of the Foundation and its grantee partners is as relevant and important as ever. From housing, to credit, to domestic violence issues and more, access to a lawyer can be a life-saving intervention. With the COVID-19 pandemic having a devastating and disproportionate impact on communities of color and under-resourced households in DC, demand for legal services is on the rise – increasing support is critical. A gift to the Foundation is an action towards providing support and helping those in dire need at this unprecedented time.
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