$500,000 investment in core operating support will enable Mary’s Center to change the paradigm of educational and economic opportunities for the next generation. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / PRURGEN
Today, the Citi Foundation announced that Mary’s Center was selected as the recipient of a $500,000 grant as part of the 2018 Community Progress Makers Fund.
The Fund is a two-year $20 million initiative by the Citi Foundation to support high-impact community organizations that are driving economic opportunities in their communities by bringing together residents, nonprofits, businesses, and municipal agencies. Mary’s Center joins a group of 40 change agents who are playing a key role in coordinating the efforts of multiple partners toward common goals and working in new ways to address urban challenges in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, San Francisco Bay Area, and Washington D.C.
“We launched this program in 2015 as our version of ‘venture philanthropy’ – a chance to invest in the vision and mission of these organizations who are helping positively transform their communities,” said Brandee McHale, President of the Citi Foundation. “We’re pleased with the results from our inaugural Community Progress Makers and are looking forward to implementing the lessons we’ve learned with this next, impressive group of community leaders as they scale, innovate and drive impact.”
The grant will allow Mary’s Center to strengthen its workforce by recruiting and retaining high-quality staff and bringing professional trainings and career advancement opportunities to the Center’s medical assistants to help them to continue to provide the highest standards of care to the nearly 50,000 community members served by Mary’s Center. It will also empower the staff to advance in their profession and earn higher wages.
“One of the ways we anchor the community is as a model employer and we are thrilled that the Community Progress Makers Fund will enable us to launch a new medical assistant training program, which will advance employees onto meaningful career pathways to support themselves and become even greater role models for their families and colleagues,” says Maria Gomez, president and CEO of Mary’s Center.
In 2016-2017, the inaugural cohort of Community Progress Makers helped more than 14,700 low-income people secure financial assets; built over 10,500 affordable housing units; strengthened more than 1,100 small businesses; and connected 1,800 young people to jobs in their communities.
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About Mary’s Center:
Founded in 1988, Mary’s Center is a Community Health Center that provides a model of care including healthcare, education and social services to nearly 50,000 individuals from 50 countries through eight locations in Washington, DC and Maryland. Using a holistic, multipronged approach, Mary’s Center helps each participant access individualized services and find the path towards wellness, stable families, educational success and economic opportunities. For more information please visit us at www.maryscenter.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
About the Citi Foundation:
The?Citi Foundation?works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation's "More than Philanthropy" approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit?www.citifoundation.com. | 
