Washington, D.C. – Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation (MSEF) announced that it has donated $50,000 to support over 150 local children and their families this holiday season in a return of the annual Family-to-Family program.
MSE Foundation has given through Martha’s Table, a D.C. nonprofit providing wraparound services and assistance to community members, with a long-standing partnership with MSEF, the Washington Capitals, Wizards and Mystics. Fans of the teams are also welcomed to donate to the effort and any additional funds will be used to support even more families through this program. Fans may contribute through the MSE Foundation website at: https://shopmonumentalfoundation.com/products/family-to-family
“The holiday season is always a special time for our family to create even deeper, personal connections to families from across the District who are among the biggest fans of our teams, athletes and organization,” said Monica Dixon, Chairperson, Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation. “Through our extraordinary partnership with Martha’s Table, we are able to provide the greatest cheer and social impact and it’s our privilege to work alongside them in giving back.”
MSEF’s Family-to-Family program this year is supporting 17 local families identified by Martha’s Table with gifts for the holidays. Monumental Sports staff, coaches, players and spouses have been on gift buying excursions for the adopted families to be delivered during the Season of Giving, extending throughout the month of December. Participating families have also been invited to premium suites at Capital One Arena on December 30th to watch the Wizards take on the Cleveland Cavaliers and on January 2nd to watch the Capitals vs. the New Jersey Devils.
“It is a joy to partner with Monumental Sports & Entertainment once again this December,” said Tiffany Williams, Chief Program Officer, Martha’s Table. “Many parents and caregivers are still navigating challenges brought on by the pandemic. We are incredibly grateful to Monumental for helping Martha’s Table provide a stress-free and safe holiday experience filled with dignity and respect for families in the District. Thank you to the Monumental Sports and Entertainment Foundation for making this year’s Winter Wonderland a magical experience for children in our communities.”
In addition to individual family adoptions, a portion of the MSEF donated funds has supported even more families through the Martha’s Table annual “Winter Wonderland” held Dec. 15 – Dec. 18 at the Martha’s Outfitters location in D.C.’s Ward 8. Monumental Sports volunteers included Alysha Clark from the Washington Mystics, Capitals wives and partners Lene Anderson (Connor McMichael), Brooke Kurdika (Dennis Cholowski) and Annie Malenstyn, along with Monumental Basketball wives Rosie Sheppard and Monica Thompson and children Abby Sheppard, Tommy Sheppard, Jr., and Morgan Thompson. MSE volunteers helped parents and caregivers select gifts, organize their presents, and load up their cars while serving hot chocolate and apple cider for guests and ensuring the shoppers enjoyed their experience. The lively, festive event also featured holiday supplies for families including wrapping paper and gingerbread houses, along with groceries, fresh produce and sweet treats.
Martha’s Table is a D.C.-based nonprofit committed to supporting strong children, strong families, and strong communities by increasing access to quality education programs, healthy foods and family supports. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has seen a 400% increase in the number of neighbors seeking access to food and other resources. Their deep relationships and work in the community ensures all donations to the Family-to-Family program, from MSEF and from fans, will directly benefit the members of the D.C. community.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation altered its philanthropic programming to adapt to the evolving needs within the community. In 2020, an initial grant of $40,000 was made in addition to a series of social media posts highlighting the work of Martha’s Table with the families it served and asking for fans and the broader community to also donate to the effort. These popular social media graphics and earned media promotions highlighted the tremendous work of Martha’s Table with compelling storytelling of the real neighbors who were supported by giving to this program.
Annually, Monumental Sports offers a variety of opportunities designed to bring holiday cheer to the local community. 2021 highlights include multiple toy drives throughout the D.C. region benefiting organizations such as The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command (Capitals) and the Children’s National Medical Center (Mystics and Go-Go) and a Wizards Halftime Toy Scramble experience which allowed randomly selected children at the Wizards Dec. 11th home game to collect holiday toys.
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About Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation
MSE Foundation is committed to making the region a better place for all by supporting game-changing solutions for our community. We fundraise, provide grants to nonprofits and rally Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s teams and fans to support and amplify the impact of community change agents. Together, we’re raising the game in the DMV. Learn more at: www.monumentalfoundation.org.
About Martha’s Table
Martha’s Table is a local nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., with a mission to support strong children, strong families, and strong communities. Martha’s Table exists because every child, regardless of zip code, should have the opportunity to thrive. For 41 years, the organization has been working to increase access to quality education, health and wellness resources, and family supports. For more information and to get involved, please visit: https://marthastable.org/.
