Because education is a cornerstone of the justice ministry at St. Gabriel’s ~ San Gabriel Episcopal Church in Leesburg, its priest is giving his $10,000 community leadership award to higher education scholarships for underserved local students.
The Very Rev. Daniel Vélez-Rivera was recently named Changemaker of the Year by the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties, which comes with a $10,000 charitable endowment fund in his honor. He is directing the money to scholarships for students in need who have been accepted into community college or vocational training programs.
“As a bilingual Episcopal community without walls, St. Gabriel’s ~ San Gabriel is committed to being outward-facing—meeting people where they are and walking alongside our neighbors in both practical and spiritual ways,” Vélez-Rivera said.
“The Changemaker of the Year award affirms the congregation’s identity as a place of welcome, justice, and connection, where faith is expressed not only in words but through concrete action. The award highlights our practices of evangelism, rooted in encountering God in tangible ways, fostering meaningful relationships and opportunities, and making a lasting difference in Loudoun County and beyond.”
Educando con Amor – Educating with Love
St. Gabriel’s ~ San Gabriel was established in 2002 as a mission of St. James’ Episcopal Church in historic Leesburg. As Loudoun County grew, so did the need for a faith community that would “embrace diversity and welcome all people and share the good news of Jesus Christ.”
From the beginning, St. Gabriel’s ~ San Gabriel was a church without a building, gathering in different spaces to worship, serve, and build relationships. Over the years, the congregation has flourished because of the people who come together in faith. “We are the church wherever we go,” proclaims the parish website.
One of its justice ministries widely recognized throughout Loudoun County is Educando con Amor – Educating with Love. Founded in 2016, Educando con Amor serves primarily underserved K–12 students in Loudoun County, providing STEAM-based supplemental education in technology and arts. The programs include nine weeks of free summer camp and free afterschool offerings during the academic year, serving over 700 children so far in 2025.
Teenagers fill 7 of 10 Educando con Amor teaching and assistant positions, and they receive life skills training and mentoring from adult staff. This model of teen empowerment cultivates responsibility, confidence, and leadership, while advancing
St. Gabriel/San Gabriel’s social justice mission through service. The voices and talents of these young people are not only integral to the program’s success but also contribute to the vitality and resilience of the wider community.
The scholarships from the $10,000 endowed fund represent to Vélez-Rivera an investment in young people’s education and workforce development.
“This fund will open doors of opportunity for young people who might otherwise lack access, equipping them with the skills to succeed and to give back to their community,” he said.
Disciples Forming Disciples are True Changemakers
Educando con Amor, Vélez-Rivera said, embodies the diocesan mission by “loving God, self, and neighbor through justice ministries. Neighbors support neighbors, faith moves us into action, and transformation becomes possible when we walk together in love. We invite everyone to find community with us and to join in building a more just and hopeful future.
“And when we say everyone, we mean it—not only parishioners, but community members of every background, people of other or no faith traditions, community partners, and fellow churches. Being disciples is never a solitary task. Jesus sent his followers out together to do his work—and so must we.”
He believes that his congregation and every community volunteer can make meaningful change.
“This award is not about accolades; it is about people. St. Gabriel’s ~ San Gabriel is being recognized for living into the mission of Jesus Christ: to love and serve all people. In doing so, disciples form disciples.”
For information on giving to the St. Gabriel’s ~ San Gabriel charitable endowment scholarship fund through the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties, please contact Ms. Nicole Acosta (nicole@communityfoundationlf.org).