Tzedek DC is honored to announce a significant grant from the recently established Health Equity Fund, administered by the Greater Washington Community Foundation. The two-year grant, totaling $400,000, will support Tzedek DC’s work safeguarding the legal and financial rights of DC residents with lower incomes through direct legal representation and financial counseling, advocating for systemic policy reform, and engaging in community education, including Tzedek DC’s work in all of those areas concerning medical debt.
Ariel Levinson-Waldman, Tzedek DC’s Founding President and Director-Counsel, said: “We are grateful to be in a cohort with this extraordinary group of organizations and look forward to using this funding to build upon our work supporting DC residents impacted by medical debt; continuing to approach consumer justice as a racial and disability justice issue; and further identifying and addressing obstacles for residents to health that arise from debt, credit, and financial issues.”
“Mindful that health and wealth are inextricably linked, the HEF’s first round of grants is boldly investing in economic mobility and wealth building in DC’s historically underinvested communities,” said Greater Washington Community Foundation President and CEO Tonia Wellons. “Achieving this vision puts our city on a trajectory to improve and achieve optimal health outcomes for all DC residents.”
“The Health Equity Fund represents an important opportunity to advance DC HOPE—health, opportunity, prosperity, and equity,” said District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser. “We know that by addressing the social determinants of health, we can attack disparities in health outcomes, empower families, and transform communities.”
About the Health Equity Fund
The $95 million Health Equity Fund is designated to improve the health outcomes and health equity of residents of the District of Columbia. The historic fund is one of the largest philanthropic funds of any kind focused on community-based nonprofits that serve District residents. Created against a backdrop of urgent healthcare needs in the District of Columbia, the Health Equity Fund will be used to address health disparities and social determinants of health for historically underserved District residents.
The Greater Washington Community Foundation was independently selected to manage the Health Equity Fund because of its track record of working with individual donors, businesses, and local government to manage effective community investments and create tangible, lasting change in the region. Health Equity Fund goals align with The Community Foundation’s ongoing work and 10-year strategic vision to close the racial wealth gap by eliminating the historic, racialized disparities in the Greater Washington region.
About Tzedek DC
Tzedek DC’s name is drawn from the ancient Jewish teaching “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof,” or “Justice, justice you shall pursue.” Headquartered at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, Tzedek DC’s mission is to safeguard the legal rights and financial health of DC residents with lower incomes facing the often-devastating consequences of debt collection and credit-related obstacles. This mission is carried out as anti-racism work in response to the massive wealth gaps tracking race in DC and nationwide. Tzedek DC seeks to serve and empower its client base, which is comprised of 90% Black folks, 60% women, and 25% disabled community members. Our strategic approach combines three synergistic activities: (i) free direct services—legal representation and advice, and financial counseling; (ii) working in coalition to make systemic change; and (iii) providing bilingual community legal education on debt collection, identity theft, and credit management. Since 2017, Tzedek DC has served over 2,700 client households in legal matters and catalyzed systemic reforms benefiting hundreds of thousands of DC residents.