Karen Schaufeld, Angela Mitchell, and Loudoun Hunger Relief have been selected as Roots & Legacies award winners.
The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties has announced the winners of their 2023 Roots & Legacies gala awards on November 17 at the Middleburg Barn.
Three awards will be presented during the inaugural event: Philanthropist of the Year, Changemaker of the Year, and a Nonprofit Achievement Award. The Community Foundation will establish a $10,000 charitable endowment fund in honor of each winner, in their name and for a charitable purpose of their choice.
Karen Schaufeld, philanthropist, author, entrepreneur, and lawyer, has been named Philanthropist of the Year. Schaufeld is the founder and president of 100WomenStrong, a component fund of the Community Foundation that strategically invests in nonprofits and programs that enrich the lives of Loudoun County residents. Since founded in 2008, 100WomenStrong has grown to include more than 60 donor members and has granted more than $4 million to organizations serving Loudoun under Schaufeld’s leadership. She also co-founded All Ages Read Together, a nonprofit school readiness program for low-income preschool-aged children. Schaufeld serves as a Trustee for the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation and on numerous boards of organizations throughout the region. Schaufeld has founded and led several companies and entrepreneurial initiatives including SWaN at Hill Top and Altor Locks, and has published four children’s books.
“I’m honored to be named the first Philanthropist of the Year by the Community Foundation,” said Schaufeld. “The Community Foundation has been a great partner and collaborator with my work through 100WomenStrong. It’s been an amazing journey to see the impact of our grantmaking grow over the years, alongside the Community Foundation as they’ve grown with us.”
Angela Mitchell, President and CEO of ARM Consulting LLC, will be recognized as Changemaker of the Year. Mitchell currently serves as chair of the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce’s Diversity Equity Inclusion and Accessibility Committee. In that role, she helped lead an organizational plan of action to build and strengthen relationships with diverse Loudoun-based businesses and organizations, as well as helped to launch initiatives to promote heritage and diversity months highlighting diverse businesses and organizations in Loudoun. Mitchell currently serves as first vice chair for the Loudoun Chamber’s Board of Directors, and in January 2024 she will become the first Black woman to chair the Chamber’s board. Mitchell is the past chair of the Loudoun Coalition on Women and Girls and co-founder of Women and Girls Inspiring STEM Excellence (WISE), a Loudoun-based nonprofit focused on supporting girls of color advance education and careers in IT and STEM-related fields.
“I am honored to be recognized as the Changemaker of the Year. When I learned about receiving this award, I was speechless,” said Mitchell. “I am always seeking solutions to make a positive impact, not for recognition, but because it’s the right thing to do. I thank the Community Foundation for this award and salute them for leading from the front and for all the great work they do for our community.”
Loudoun Hunger Relief (LHR), a Loudoun-based nonprofit food pantry founded 1991, will receive this year’s Nonprofit Achievement Award. In 2022, LHR provided 2.4 million pounds of food to 14,000 Loudoun residents. Currently assisting approximately 650 families a week, a significant increase from pre-pandemic years, LHR will complete a major expansion project this fall to meet the growing demand for services. The project will expand their physical space from 4,300 square feet to 13,500 square feet through a partnership with Loudoun County government, and in turn increase their food storage, establish a best-practice service delivery model that includes a full-choice food market for those they serve, and anchor a human services center for streamlined access to literacy, job, health, and benefits services through co-location of services with several nonprofit partners.
“Loudoun Hunger Relief is thrilled and honored to be selected as the inaugural recipient of the Nonprofit Achievement Award,” said Jennifer Montgomery, CEO of LHR. “We are grateful to the Community Foundation for this award, for their leadership, and for strengthening local partnerships.”
The Root & Legacies gala will feature each of the award winners and highlight their work in the Loudoun and Northern Fauquier community. The event will include music, a plated dinner, local wine, celebratory awards, and an auction to raise funds for the Community Foundation’s work.
For information about the Roots and Legacies event, ticket sales, or sponsorships, visit https://cbo.io/tickets/rootsandlegaciesgala/tix.
