LEXINGTON, Ky. — MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving announced Voices of Hope – Lexington Inc. as one of the Yield Giving Open Call’s awardees working with people and in places experiencing the greatest need in the United States. Voices of Hope received $2 million.
Voices of Hope is a nonprofit recovery community organization founded by people who have been affected by substance use disorder. They have first-hand experience to help people find recovery and stay in recovery. VOH employs a team of highly trained recovery coaches who provide direct services at their Recovery Community Center in Lexington and at over 80 partner agency sites like those in the criminal legal system, hospitals, and treatment providers.
In March 2023, Yield Giving launched an Open Call for community-led, community-focused organizations whose explicit purpose is to enable individuals and families to achieve substantive improvement in their well-being through foundational resources.
“We are honored to be selected as recipients of this generous award and recognize the responsibility that comes with it.” said Shelley Elswick, president/CEO of Voices of Hope. “This award will provide opportunities, now and in the future, to support our staff who are all people in recovery, further support people in or seeking recovery as well as reduce harm for people who use drugs, and strengthen our organization.”
The Open Call received 6,353 applications and initially planned for 250 awards of $1 million each. In the Fall of 2023, organizations top-rated by their peers advanced to a second round of review by an external Evaluation Panel recruited for experience relevant to this cause, and underwent a final round of due diligence. In light of the incredible work of these organizations, as judged by their peers and external panelists, the donor team decided to expand the awardee pool and the award amount.
“We are excited that our partnership with Yield Giving has resonated with so many organizations,” said Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change. “In a world teeming with potential and talent, the Open Call has given us an opportunity to identify, uplift, and empower transformative organizations that often remain unseen.”
More information on the Yield Giving Open Call and other initiatives can be found at www.leverforchange.org.
Voices of Hope supports people impacted by drug and alcohol use. They change lives by walking alongside someone to improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential. This includes people who use drugs, people in recovery, and families and friends. All are welcome here.
Established by MacKenzie Scott to share a financial fortune created through the effort of countless people, Yield Giving is named after a belief in adding value by giving up control. To date, Yield’s network of staff and advisors has yielded over $16.5 billion to 1,900+ non-profit teams to use as they see fit for the benefit of others.
Lever for Change connects donors with bold solutions to the world’s biggest problems — including issues like racial inequity, gender inequality, lack of access to economic opportunity, and climate change. Using an inclusive, equitable model and due diligence process, Lever for Change creates customized challenges and other tailored funding opportunities. Top-ranked teams and challenge finalists become members of the Bold Solutions Network — a growing global network that helps secure additional funding, amplify members’ impact, and accelerate social change. Founded in 2019 as a nonprofit affiliate of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Lever for Change has influenced over $1.7 billion in grants to date and provided support to more than 145 organizations.
