DAI Raises Nearly $7,000 for the Linda Norgrove Foundation

October 06, 2017

DAI hosted a number of events throughout the month of September to raise funds for the Linda Norgrove Foundation, a charity that gives grants to assist programs in Afghanistan that help women and children affected by the war.

The events—a Cocktail Hour, Very Casual Friday, a Penny Wars Competition, a meeting with the Norgrove family, and our annual 5k Run/Walk—raised a total of $6,800.

We are grateful to a host of local race sponsors, including Bethesda Bagels, Mamma Lucia’s, La Madeleine, Peet’s Coffee, Safeway, and Gusto Farm to Street.

The foundation was set up after the death of Linda Norgrove, a DAI employee who was kidnapped September 26, 2010, in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, and died October 8 during a rescue attempt by U.S. forces. Linda was working for DAI as a regional director in eastern Afghanistan on a U.S. Agency for International Development-funded program to create jobs and strengthen local Afghan leadership and economies in vulnerable areas.

The foundation has distributed more than £1 million to help women and children affected by the war in Afghanistan. It has funded almost 50 projects including orphanages that care for some of the country’s most disadvantaged disabled children, homes for widows, education for girls, and emergency medical help for abused women.

DAI’s fundraising efforts last year benefitted Ascend, a program that develops the leaderships abilities of young Afghan women by teaching mountaineering skills and supporting their community service.

Every year in late September and early October, commemorative run/walks and other events are held in honor of Linda and to raise money for the foundation.