2020 Annual Letter
Persevering & Evolving During a Pandemic
I'm not sure how you can best summarize a year that has witnessed the incomprehensible toll of a global pandemic. We will see the ripple effects of this phenomenon for years to come. Still, my spirit has been renewed by the ingenuity and perseverance of those who helped communities impacted the hardest. I will forever cherish the teams we helped this year and the stories they shared. College students located and delivered over 16 million pounds of food to communities across the country. Local doctors and medical staff volunteered thousands of hours to provide free universal healthcare. And teachers delivered school supplies to their students at home to provide better remote learning environments—the stories go on and continue to inspire more into action.
Meanwhile, we did our best to help teams continue their excellent work despite setbacks created by the pandemic. We helped clean our oceans from plastic waste by supporting the world's first product made from the great pacific garbage patch. We supported teachers working to revolutionize a dated universal grading system that falls short of preparing students for the world they face today. Countless other non-profits needed help more than ever due to the pandemic's economic fallout, and we did our best to answer their calls.
Grants Awarded in 2020
2020 Grant Category Totals
$1,000,000 Cap
$500,000 Cap
$250,000 Cap
$1,000,000
$750,000
$500,000
$250,000
Preservation
Education
Wellness
Key Partners
Preservation
Education
Wellness
Grant Regions
Texas (35%)
Florida (13%)
California (27%)
Washington D.C. (6%)
Virginia (10%)
New York (3%)
New Mexico (1%)
Washington (5%)
Launching JWC Studios could not have been more timely given the uncertainty facing so many non-profit teams. Our new charitable program moves beyond grants to help organizations better tell their stories and convey their impact on communities. We're using creativity and collaboration to help non-profit organizations increase awareness, bolster fundraising, and more. We can significantly help non-profit teams rebound from the pandemic fallout and find new ways to engage key audiences. Our first project with Scenic America and Scenic Walton is just a teaser of the possibilities.
2021 Grant Roadmap & Commitments To-Date
$900,000
$675,000
$450,000
$225,000
Preservation
$700,000 Planned
$0 Remaining
Education
$700,000 Planned
$0 Remaining
Wellness
$700,000 Planned
$0 Remaining
As we moved into the new year, we launched The Giving Stories. This new podcast series covers the most critical issues, trends, and opportunities facing non-profit leaders and those engaged in social impact. We will feature founders and CEOs, along with other industry leaders who share priceless insight. You will hear real stories from experienced veterans about what strategies have made them successful and how we all can do our part to help communities around the world.
Check out the first episode featuring Tristan Harris, co-founder & president of the Center for Humane Technology, whose mission is to reverse ‘human downgrading’ and re-align technology with humanity. Harris stars in the recent Netflix Documentary, The Social Dilemma, which has catapulted the fight for our attention and issues with technology into the global spotlight. If you like what you hear, please give us a follow, and we will have more remarkable podcasts to come that will undoubtedly inspire.
This past year taught me that we must persevere despite insurmountable odds. Next year we will be focused on continuing to rebound from the pandemic fallout, but we must do it together. Our 2021 grant roadmap evens the playing field for all our charitable programs. We will be prepared to help more communities across the country.
Sean Couch
President & Co-Trustee
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