Silver Spring, Maryland-based The U.S. Dream Academy, a nonprofit that supports the children of incarcerated parents, received a surprise donation of $2.5 million this week from Oprah Winfrey.
Winfrey announced the gift via video message at the group’s annual “Power of a Dream” event in honor of the charity’s 25th anniversary. The Gala took place Oct. 2 at the Museum of the Bible in D.C.
“Education is one of the forces that helped me be who I am in the world today. I am a believer in helping children be the best that the can be, as the Academy has done for a quarter of a century,” Winfrey said.
The academy set a fundraising goal from its supporters of $1 million this year, bringing the total to $3.5 million with the addition of Winfrey’s gift.
Winfrey has donated a total of $10 million through the years to the charity.
The U.S. Dream Academy was founded in 1998 by Grammy-nominated gospel single Wintley Phipps.
The organization operates a national after-school program for the children it serves. In addition to D.C., it currently runs seven “Dream Centers” including in Baltimore, Houston, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City and San Bernardino, California.
