Donor Spotlight: Dov & Elma Levy, Five Years of Impact

Dov and Elma Levy celebrated a significant milestone this winter: five years of supporting Reach! To commemorate this achievement, we are sharing their unique story.

Both first-generation immigrants, Dov and Elma arrived in the US in 1982 as students. They married in Rockville and began building a life in the DC area. The road was not always easy - living in the basement of a friend’s house, getting by as students, and facing financial difficulties - but they eventually founded a successful start-up that they expanded and sold in 2019. Over the last two decades, Dov and Elma, both avid hikers, have spent time exploring the world, traveling to places like Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and the Camino in Spain. They have two children, both adults now, and 3 beautiful grandchildren.

Dov and Elma first learned of Reach following the sale of their company. They began looking for a local organization to support, continuing a tradition of both personal and corporate charitable giving shaped by personal experience and empathy. “We know how frightening it is to live close to the edge of poverty, and how any unexpected event can change a person's, or a family's, life for the worse,” Elma explains. “We have not forgotten where we came from.”

Reach’s mission aligned with their priorities, and a first-hand experience solidified their support. Elma recalls an impactful day volunteering during COVID as part of Reach’s Holiday Giving Project meal and toy distributions. The day stood out as an opportunity to meet some of the people with whom Reach works, many of whom are immigrants or families with young children and no safety net. “It was very, very cold, and we were standing outside because of COVID. We recognized that, as cold as we were, we did not have to stand in line for a $50 card to buy groceries, but so many people did. We have not forgotten that experience.”

Dov and Elma’s background helps them feel a personal connection to many of Reach’s clients. “Immigrants are people who have left everything behind to provide a better life for their families, and they live in uncertain times right now,” Elma says. “The people served by Reach need support now more than ever, and it doesn't look that this will change in the near future.”

Their message to anyone looking to support Reach? “For those of us who are fortunate enough to not be part of a population in need, […] imagine yourself in their shoes. It is not possible for one person to change the world, but one person can have a major impact on the life of another person!”

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