Transurban, developer of the Interstate 495, 95 and 395 Express Lanes, on Dec. 8 donated to Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS) and the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial following a “Drive to Donate” event on Nov. 17.
Pledging to give $2 for the more than 30,000 trips during the event, Transurban added $37,500 for a total of $100,000. The contribution was divided equally between the organizations.
“We pride ourselves on being a good neighbor and long-term partner to communities in the Washington area,” said Pierce Coffee, president of Transurban North America. “NVFS and the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial are two organizations working to advance critical community needs while preserving and honoring the unique history of Northern Virginia.”
NVFS helps families and individuals in need create stability with a wide range of critical services. Each year, the organization empowers more than 35,000 Northern Virginians to achieve self-sufficiency, officials said.
“This donation will support programs that provide the essential building blocks for financial, emotional and physical well-being for individuals and families to improve their quality of life,” said Stephanie Berkowitz, NVFS president and CEO.
Transurban’s partnership with NVFS also goes back years and includes prior donations of $60,000 toward COVID-19 relief and other recovery programs.
The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial preserves the memories of those lost during the 2001 terrorist attack and acknowledges that day’s significance in the nation’s history.
“This donation, along with the previous donation, will go toward the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Visitor Education Center to ensure there is always a place for future generations to learn what happened and never forget the events at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001,” said Jim Laychak, executive director of the Pentagon Memorial Fund Inc.
To commemorate the opening of the 395 Express Lanes in 2019, Transurban donated $1 million to the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial.