The Woodson Center Announces $2.1 Million Grant from the John and Daria Barry Foundation to Support Grassroots Heroes

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Woodson Center today announced that the John and Daria Barry Foundation, established by John Barry, CEO and Chairman of Prospect Capital, is continuing its generous support of the center's mission by contributing a $2.1 million grant to its programming. The grant will largely support local leaders who have demonstrated success in overcoming problems such as poverty, violence, and failing schools in their neighborhoods.

"The John and Daria Barry Foundation's generosity will directly support grassroots heroes whom the Woodson Center has identified as healing agents in their communities. We are beyond grateful for the Barrys' assistance," said Bob Woodson, founder and president of The Woodson Center. 

Much of the funding is for the Woodson Center's mini-grant program which gives $5,000 grants to local nonprofits and grassroots organizations.

"Throughout the Woodson Center's 43 years in existence, we have found time and again that the neighborhoods with the most challenging problems produce the most powerful success stories. These heroes exemplify the Woodson Center's mission of promoting resilience against the odds and overcoming adversity, and the Barrys' leadership and foresight will help us replicate their success at scale – transforming communities from within," Woodson said.

The Community Affiliates Network (CAN) consists of over 500 organizations and nonprofits across the country that collaborate, share best practices, and support each other as community-minded grassroots leaders. The network includes trusted local leaders who are a central part of the community and actually live in the neighborhoods they serve.

Other Woodson Center initiatives include Voices of Black Mothers United (VBMU), a collaboration of mothers of murdered children in 23 states who unite with other community leaders to support positive policing, console families affected by violence, and help stop the cycles of community violence. The VBMU moms also organize events to strengthen community relationships with police.

About The Woodson Center
Led by former civil rights activist Bob Woodson, the Woodson Center has worked for three decades to empower indigenous leaders in troubled neighborhoods to address problems of their communities through innovative initiatives that increase public safety, spur upward mobility, and inspire racial harmony in America. Learn more at www.WoodsonCenter.org.

SOURCE Woodson Center