Silver Spring’s U.S. Dream Academy got a million and another million. Make that $2.5 million from media mogul Oprah Winfrey during the nonprofit organization’s 25th anniversary gala on Monday.
The U.S. Dream Academy, whose national headquarters is at 8807 Colesville Road in Silver Spring, was founded in 1998 and “is a national after-school program that aims to break the cycle of intergenerational incarceration and help our nation’s children reach for their dreams” according to a Wednesday press release announcing the donation.
At its annual Power of a Dream Gala, the organization set a fundraising goal of $1 million, and after a surprise video message from Oprah at the event, they learned they would be far exceeding this goal.
“Education is one of the forces that helped me be who I am in the world today. I’m a believer in helping children be the best that they can be, as this Academy has done for a quarter of a century,” Winfrey said in the video message. “As you celebrate this blessed 25th anniversary, I want to honor the vital work that you do to lift children up and show them what is possible.”
In total, this year’s Gala raised $3.5 million dollars “to continue its programs and outreach to empower children (DreamKids) impacted by parental incarceration or those needing additional support in school.”
Since 2001, the annual galas have raised more than $20 million, the release said.
In the past two decades, Winfrey has made multiple donations to the organization, totaling more than $10 million dollars, according to the release.
“The U.S. Dream Academy is so blessed to consider Oprah Winfrey as our biggest champion and supporter over the course of these 25 years,” U.S. Dream Academy Founder and CEO Dr. Wintley Phipps said in the release. “This donation will be life-changing to so many more kids who will benefit from our afterschool and mentoring programs.”
The U.S. Dream Academy has “Dream Centers” nationwide including Baltimore, Houston, Orlando, Florida; Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, California; and Washington, D.C. They also have a “Virtual Village” online platform, where people can connect with their mentors from anywhere, the release said.
These learning centers “are located in under-invested neighborhoods–where young people are growing up amidst high rates of poverty and often higher than average rates of crime in their communities,” its website said.
These are safe spaces for students to go every day after school, and they provide academic support, mentors, dream-building activities, leadership opportunities and help with exploring options for students’ futures, according to their website.
Monday’s gala featured other substantial donations as well.
Diane Wallace Booker, founding executive director of U.S. Dream Academy, announced in the release that Washington Adventist University for DreamKids would award three $10,000 student scholarships with a $32,500 commitment per year.
The gala also included performances, including one from GRAMMY-nominated gospel singer and organization founder Phipps and a video message from longtime Dream Academy supporter Gov. Wes Moore (D).
