In 2024, Bates White and its employees collectively donated nearly $375,000 through the Bates White Community Connection (BWCC) program, exceeding the previous year’s total by more than $147,000. Throughout the year, employees organized 42 fundraising and volunteer initiatives, benefiting 32 nonprofit organizations.
In celebration of the firm’s 25th anniversary, Bates White introduced a special initiative in 2024 to promote in-person volunteering. For every group of employees who volunteered together in the community, the firm contributed $5,000 to the respective nonprofit organization. This initiative led to 16 volunteer activities, including meal preparation at Ronald McDonald House Charities in DC and Virginia, gift wrapping for La Clínica del Pueblo’s holiday toy drive, and park clean-ups with organizations like Rock Creek Conservancy. These efforts culminated in $80,000 of special anniversary donations.
Highlights of the year’s fundraising efforts included supporting DC Scores through office-based Codenames and crossword puzzle competitions, as well as an employee team participating in a local soccer tournament. A Black History Month trivia event raised more than $9,000 for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, while a March Madness–themed event garnered nearly $12,000 for Higher Achievement. Additional initiatives included a clothing drive for Bread for the City and participating in the Walk to End HIV to support Whitman Walker.
Scott Weishaar, Managing Partner at Bates White, expressed pride in the firm’s philanthropic efforts, stating, “Since our founding, employee-driven community engagement has been integral to our culture. Employees take the lead both in forming relationships with the nonprofits we support and in organizing and creatively designing fundraising activities. The firm proudly supports these efforts by backing employees' time spent on initiatives and providing direct financial contributions to the causes they are passionate about. This milestone in charitable giving could not have been achieved without the commitment and generosity of our employees, who devoted their time, skills, and energy to support these essential nonprofits and community-serving organizations.”
Learn more about the BWCC program here.