WASHINGTON, DC – Community of Hope is honored to announce the investments of three partner organizations in its Maternal and Child Health programs. A pivotal $4 million investment from the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation is accompanied by a $1 million grant from The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, and a $1 million commitment from the Bedford Falls Foundation, $500,000 of which is a challenge for other funders and donors to have their gift matched. The gifts are part of a $7.5 million initiative to sustain the impactful Maternal and Child Health and midwifery programs over the next five years.
Together these funders are fueling a new chapter for pregnant and postpartum moms and their babies in Washington, DC. These significant investments will help ensure the continuity of our innovative and impactful comprehensive care model. The funds will guide us towards a more sustainable future while we partner with the DC government to establish stable billing revenue over the next decade. These gifts help to ensure that the deep impact of these programs will continue – including seeing our Medicaid and Black patients have higher birth weights and lower rates of pre-term labor, as recently published in this Optum Insights report. Overall, Black/African American patients in DC experience preterm birth rates at 16% compared to similar COH patients at 13%, and 16% of Black/African American patients have low birthweight compared to 10% of our patients.
“We’re incredibly excited about this investment—it comes at a critical time and with it, we’ll continue providing high-quality care to families across Washington, DC,” said Kelly Sweeney McShane, President and CEO of Community of Hope. “We’re deeply thankful for all three funders for their continued support and belief in our mission. Their partnership allows us to keep showing up for parents and babies who deserve the very best start in life.”
“The Clark Foundation is pleased to partner with Community of Hope, The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, and Bedford Falls Foundation to ensure that mothers and their babies have the opportunity for a healthy, thriving future,” said Joe Guercio, A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation.
Over the past five years, Community of Hope, with support from the Clark Foundation, has expanded its maternal health model across DC—ensuring ultrasound access at all health centers, introducing high-risk obstetric services in Ward 8, and maintaining perinatal care coordination across the board. These advancements were achieved through the Safe Babies Safe Moms initiative, a collaborative effort with MedStar Health that addresses disparities in maternal and infant care in DC., supported by the Clark Foundation.
Additionally, the Clark Foundation and The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation were both instrumental in supporting the expansion of the Family Health and Birth center which moved to Washington DC’s Langdon neighborhood in 2022. The Center offers primary care for the whole family, emotional wellness services, and perinatal care, including labor and delivery services for low-risk patients. From April 2022 to early 2025, the Center served over 9,000 people in more than 40,000 visits, achieving full capacity within 18 months.
The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation gives ongoing general operating grants to support all of Community of Hope’s health, housing and community resource programs.
Finally, Community of Hope’s gratitude extends to the Bedford Falls Foundation who has ensured critical support for many healthcare programs over the past 13 years and for their current and previous opportunities to encourage hundreds of other donors to join them in giving.
Now, with these investments, Community of Hope will bridge its innovative maternal and child health model into a more sustainable future, working in tandem with the DC government to explore innovative billing strategies and ensure mothers and babies have healthy beginnings.
About Community of Hope
Founded in 1980, Community of Hope is a rapidly growing, innovative, and mission-driven nonprofit. Our team of over 450 caring, dedicated staff members provides housing, healthcare, and community support programs to make Washington, DC more equitable. We operate three community health centers that provide medical, dental, and emotional wellness, as well as extensive patient support services which reached 15,716 people in 2024. We also work to end homelessness in Washington, DC having impacted 1,386 families and 220 individuals in 2024.
About the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation
The A. James & Alice. B Clark Foundation partners with organizations to strengthen their ability to meet the needs of the individuals, families, and communities they serve. In keeping with Mr. Clark’s desire to spend down within a decade and maximize the impact of this funding, the Clark Foundation established its current philanthropic model in 2016. The Foundation focuses its philanthropy in three strategic areas: educating future engineering leaders, improving the lives of veterans and their families, and providing members of the DC community the best opportunity to thrive.
Through its Parent-Child Health Initiative, the Foundation supports organizations aimed at accelerating movement towards a comprehensive, integrated, culturally responsive system of support for families and communities in DC.
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