Meet Our Friend, Emily Littleton:

The LVC board of directors and the staff recently convened a joint meeting facilitated by LVC friend and volunteer Emily Littleton, formerly the Vice President of Corporate Communications for NPR. The purpose of the strategy session was to ensure consistency in the framework of our mission.

During our meeting, we discussed our interpretations of the LVC brand, the value and impact of our efforts, and further aligned our images of LVC’s future. Through an authentic conversation about what the LVC means to its members, we can more clearly express our powerful message to our supporters, alumni, Fellows, and placement partners. Uniting our goals for this organization has renewed confidence in our ability to make a difference and transform lives—the lives of our placement participants, those we serve, and those who support our essential mission.

We sincerely thank everyone who enables us to continue our work. We reiterate that while the world may be fractal, our commitment to addressing inequality and injustice is not.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Interim Executive Director, we are pleased to announce that we have been awarded a Management Assistance Grant and accepted into The Forbes Funds' Executive in Residence (EIR) Program. With this admission, The Forbes Funds, a division of the Pittsburgh Foundation, will provide executive-level advisory services to assist LVC in increasing organizational agility, impact, and sustainability.

As a team, the Board of Directors and the staff will collaborate closely with Forbes Funds Executives to develop a more robust and determined marketing and financial plan. This collective effort will significantly strengthen LVC's ability to create meaningful change in our Placement cities. Since the inception of the EIR program, over 40 nonprofit executives have received invaluable support, leading to new funding, more effective asset management, and the development of long-term organizational strengths in operations and governance.

The Forbes Funds and the Pittsburgh Foundation, much like LCV, are committed to inclusion, community and service, diversity, equity, and social justice.

The LVC Board of Directors and staff are honored by the Forbes Funds' commitment to our mission and are confident that our collaboration will usher in a new wave of clarity and enthusiasm.

The LVC is also thrilled to announce that we have accepted a partnership with Celestial Manna, an organization that fights food insecurity by delivering healthy and diverse food options to those in need. Fellows who reside in DC, Maryland, and Virginia will have the opportunity to “shop” at three different distribution centers in the metro DC area and make food selections that meet their taste and diet—at no cost!

Fellows who reside in the Twin Cities will be posted on additional alliances that we can forge in the area so they will
have the same opportunities!

Read on to learn about the good work Celestial Manna is doing within affected communities:

“Celestial Manna is a faith-based 501(c)(3) food recovery nonprofit founded in 1986 by Charlie Mann. What began as a means to feed his family has grown into an organization supporting over 20,000 people monthly in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia.

Our primary mission is to help our neighbors who are food insecure. What is food insecurity? Food insecurity is about making tough choices – Do we eat dinner this week or pay the gas bill? Do I buy food for the weekend, or do I buy diapers? Do I put money on my Metro pass to get to work, or do I eat lunch today? This means children are waiting for school to start on Monday for the complimentary breakfast and lunch because that’s the only time they have consistent access to food.

How does Celestial Manna fight food insecurity? We recover food from grocery stores, restaurants, and local farms that would otherwise be discarded and share it in the harvest! With the help of a vast and dedicated group of volunteers, we are able to pick up and distribute these donations to communities where people are affected by poverty. We do this up to twice a day, 7 days a week, throughout the DMV. We support people from all walks of life and diverse ethnicities: blue-collar workers, low-income families, single-parent households, etc.… We gauge success by the countless personal testimonies from individuals and families we help in our communities. Ours is a labor of love, and we work for smiles!”