With Gratitude, We Announce a Transformational Gift
Dear Friends,
I am excited to share the news that Grameen America has received a transformational $25 million grant from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
All of us at Grameen America are deeply honored by this incredible recognition of our program and inspired by MacKenzie's conviction to empower organizations driving social change to accelerate our collective progress at this critical epoch.
2020 has been a pivotal year for us all. Over the past four months, I have been heartbroken by the disproportionate health and economic impact on our members as a result of the pandemic nationwide, yet I have never been as inspired as I am now by their resilience, optimism and commitment to the program and their communities. The unprecedented impact of COVID-19 and commitment to eradicate racial injustice has only deepened Grameen America's resolve to ensure a more just and inclusive recovery, now more urgently than ever.
MacKenzie's catalytic investment will cement our strategy for the next decade and will accelerate our national expansion and support the rollout of innovative programs to enhance technology and training for our members, contributing to the critical need for financial inclusion for low-income minority women in the United States.
Her generous gift is a testament to your belief in our social capital model and builds on the strong ground you have helped us build to date. Since 2008, your unwavering commitment to elevating and investing in Grameen America has empowered financial inclusion for over 132,000 women entrepreneurs living below the poverty line. Thanks to your sustained support, the program has expanded to 23 branches across 15 U.S. cities with unparalleled success, and garnered the national credibility to attract this level of recognition and support.
Together we move forward to enact an even bolder vision and deepen our impact in more underserved communities across the country. More than ever, I am grateful for your continued commitment and partnership as we ready the organization to boldly accelerate our growth and impact. MacKenzie Scott's goal was to build upon and amplify your collective support, and help us change the game for financial inclusion for the underserved as we enable the empowerment of hundreds of thousands more women to lift themselves out of poverty over the next decade.
At the heart of Grameen America's recognition this week is the impressive impact our work is having on poverty alleviation in this country — at a scale and impact none of us could have imagined just a few years ago. Her transformational gift would have never happened without your steadfast support over these past years, and I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude.
We take a brief moment to appreciate the opportunity afforded by this transformational gift, but more importantly ready ourselves for the hard work ahead as we double down on our commitment to rebuilding communities across America. We are humbled by the challenge and determined to deliver a bold new chapter of social progress, ensuring a more just and inclusive economic recovery powered by MacKenzie's investment and your continued partnership.
Onward!
With infinite gratitude,
