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By Katrina Wilson
The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Prince William County, Inc. (NCBW PWCC) is advocacy-focused. They provide health, education, economic empowerment, and public policy for Black women and girls across the county.
The History
While the national organization has been around since 1981, the Prince William County chapter has been active since 2012.
It started with Dr. Alice H. Howard and other women in the Northern Virginia chapter in Fairfax when they noticed they had enough interest to start a chapter in Prince William County. The new chapter started with 71 members and now has 134 members.
Health is Wealth
“If you have your health and you have access to education, you are empowered to be able to advocate through public policy and your vote,” said Sharon Stone, President, NCBW PWCC.
She said Prince William County is one of the most diverse counties in Virginia. Through NCBW PWCC’s work, they have had the opportunity to partner with people from all backgrounds across their communities, helping to strengthen health and education initiatives that benefit everyone.
NCBW-PWCC’s health initiatives have been funded by local organizations such as Potomac Health Foundation and Sentara Cares. Stone said that in the last 10 years they have received approximately $2 million in grants to educate Prince William County citizens about diseases such as triple-negative breast cancer, diabetes, and colorectal cancer.
One example of giving back is the Wellness Expo held last April. It focused on mental and physical health, but also spiritual and financial health, and more. There were 266 participants and 38 vendors and partners. They provided free screenings, including blood pressure, cholesterol, hemoglobin, A1C, and BMI checks.
“We collected blood,” Stone said. “We got 30 units of blood from 28 donors.”
2026 Scholarship Recipients are all smiles with the women of
NCBW PWCC at their 2026 Awards Program
Mentorship in Education
Another example of their commitment to giving back is their mentorship program at Jenkins Elementary School, where they work with third- through fifth-grade students as part of The Leader in Me program in partnership with the school and Apple Federal Credit Union.
“We teach these students things about being a leader, and that includes respecting yourself and respecting others. We have a career day with them, too,” said Stone.
Thanks to their partnership with Apple Federal Credit Union, the students are encouraged to open bank accounts. If parents create a bank account for the student, Apple Federal Credit Union will put $50 into it, and NCBW PWCC matches those funds. Parents can continuously add to the account.
NCBW PWCC mentors middle and high school students as well. Leadership, self-confidence, and career choices are the topics of discussion. Stone explained that it allows teenage girls to sift through what their mothers say, what their peers are doing, and how they feel about certain topics.
“We do prepare them for college – from writing and completing their financial documents, writing essays,” Stone said. “We do … workshops [including]a site visit to a historically black college where they’re able to talk about and understand financial aid.”
Oral Health is Total Health
For the past four years, NCBW PWCC has led an oral health advocacy initiative aimed at improving access to care for underserved community members. With more than $300,000 in support from the Potomac Health Foundation, the organization has partnered with local dentists to provide oral health education and dental services to those who might otherwise go without care.
“Oral health is total health, Stone said. If tooth infections are not taken care of, they can cause sepsis and other health concerns like diabetes or heart issues.
NCBW PWCC has found that a number of folks in Prince William County have never been to a dentist.
Stone said that to date, they’ve educated more than 250 people on good oral health. About half of them have come back for care that’s needed, such as extractions.
Fun in Fundraisers
In the last four years, the organization has donated about $25,000 each year to graduating (girls) seniors in the county.
Their major fundraiser is an annual gala in the fall. Their 2026 black-tie event is The Masquerade: Rooted in Culture – United in Excellence. It is Saturday, Nov. 14 at 6 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, 2799 Richmond Highway in Arlington.
Purchase tickets at zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-annual-black-tie-gala.
“It’s an opportunity to show our sponsors, our potential sponsors, what we have done in the program over the years, and to generate revenue, while having a little fun,” Stone said.
“I think one of the major differences between our organization and a lot of the other organizations that are doing great work is that a lot of those organizations are service-based, but advocacy is at our core,” Stone said.
She added that advocacy within NCBW PWCC allows the public to have better access to make better choices for themselves.
NCBW PWCC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Their website is ncbwpwcc.org/. Donations can be made at paypal.com/paypalme/ncbwpwcc.
Katrina Wilson is a contributing writer for Prince William Living.
