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Partnering with Donors to Pool Resources for Local Impact

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Sharing Funds in the District of Columbia, Montgomery County, and Prince George's County represent strategic, donor-led funding efforts which facilitate education and civic engagement around local issues and encourage more residents and businesses to collectively give where they live. Individuals come together to learn first-hand about the challenges facing the region’s most vulnerable residents, combine their resources, and invest in organizations working to make a difference in the lives of children and families around the region.

Sharing DC

Sharing DC supports nonprofit organizations based in and directly serving low-income children, youth, adults and families in the District of Columbia. The focus area for the last Sharing DC grant cycle was on youth post-secondary success. The primary goal was to help District of Columbia youth access and be successful in post-secondary education and training, including traditional college and university credentials and industry recognized certifications. A total of $140,000 was awarded to the following organizations:

  • Latin American Youth Center for its Career Academy offers students the chance to earn a GED, take college preparatory classes, earn college credits, and gain job skills in the high-growth healthcare and information technology sectors.
  • New Futures provides ongoing case management, support services, and scholarships to propel students through two- or four-year community colleges or certification programs. New Futures DC will support 35 underserved youth to complete their post-secondary Scholars program.
  • One World Education offers school-based programs that improve students' research, writing, and presentation skills while guiding them to more deeply understand social issues and to be prepared for postsecondary education, careers, and civic responsibilities. One World seeks to launch two new programs, expand into nine new DC charter schools, onboard two AmeriCorps VISTAS, upgrade computer systems, and increase communications outreach.
  • See Forever Foundation serves a student population comprised of primarily court-involved teens and students who have dropped or failed out of traditional schools. These “alternative” schools create learning environments in low-income, urban communities where all students, particularly those who have not succeeded in traditional schools, reach their potential and prepare for college, career, and a lifetime of success.
  • The Next Step Public Charter School serves disconnected youth with programs that increase their chances of succeeding in their post-secondary studies. The Next Step offers these students a full academic program in English and Spanish with flexible placement and pacing, extensive and wraparound case management, life skills instruction and college and career readiness services.
  • The Urban Alliance’s High School Internship Program targets under-resourced high school seniors with a 2.0-3.0 grade point average and who have great potential for post-secondary success but are at risk of falling behind academically. With this grant, Urban Alliance can support 170 youth to participate in the 2017-2018 Washington, DC High School Internship Program.
  • Urban Education provides technology-driven education, information, and skill development. This grant will help Urban Ed serve 75 low-income, unemployed youth, complete plans to grow its reach to 150 youth per year, rollout expanded courses of study, and become an approved vocational education Academy at Anacostia Senior High School.

Read about how Urban Ed is helping DC youth find expanded career pathways by gaining marketable workplace skills in information technology to establish the footing for personal and family sustainability.

Sharing Montgomery

The Sharing Montgomery Fund provides grants to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations with programs or services which directly serve low-income children, youth, adults, families, and/or seniors living in Montgomery County. In FY18, the Sharing Montgomery Endowment grew to $2.1 million, and made grants of $375,000 to 60+ local nonprofits.

Sharing Prince George’s

Sharing Prince George's supports quality nonprofit organizations addressing the economic security needs of Prince George’s County residents through education, workforce development and safety-net services. It currently consists of the Prince George’s Neighbor to Neighbor Fund and the MGM National Harbor Fund. The Sharing Prince George’s Fund granted a total of $188,000 in awards to 15 nonprofits:

  • Amara Legal Center to expand the Legal Representation Program which provides full legal representation to clients in cases such as child custody, civil protection orders, criminal record expungement, criminal defense cases, victim-witness advocacy, and various other types of civil cases in Maryland.
  • Centro de Apoyo Familiar to support an asset building program which is designed to reach low-to moderate-income Latino families.
  • Court Appointed Special Advocate - Prince George's County, MD to support work to match transition-aged foster youth throughout the County with CASA volunteers who provide one-on-one support to ensure successful transitions to adulthood by increasing high school graduation, access to post-secondary opportunities and access to safety net services.
  • Doctors Community Hospital Foundation to support the Wellness on Wheels Mobile Clinic which targets Prince George’s County communities that face significantly higher health challenge and disparities.
  • Family Restoration and Healing Center, Inc. to support the i-Succeed Workforce Development Program that will prepare, secure and maintain employment and career paths for 80 at-risk youth ages 15-24 from low income communities by focusing on job readiness, life skills, career training and employment.
  • First Generation College Bound, Inc. to support the organization to empower youth from low to moderate families to achieve social and economic success by providing guidance, encouragement and support in obtaining a college degree.
  • Housing Initiative Partnership, Inc. to support education, counseling, and support to help first time low-and moderate-income homebuyers make sustainable housing choices, help current homeowners avoid foreclosure, and help households build stable financial futures through financial planning, credit management, debt payment, and increasing savings.
  • La Clinica del Pueblo to support 1,000 Latino uninsured adults, adolescents and children in the Primary Health Access program that will deliver high quality healthcare, support services, and health educational services at a new health center in Hyattsville. 
  • Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services, Inc. to support efforts to provide food, prevent evictions and utility cutoffs for families and individuals residing in Laurel.
  • Mission of Love Charities, Inc. to support a new food pantry that will serve at least 1,200 individuals and families in need. 
  • Mistaken Identity Foundation to support a workforce development program for low-income residents and returning citizens that offers 10 industry training programs, emotional intelligence workshops and job placement services as well as small business and entrepreneurship training.
  • Per Scholas, Inc. to sustain and enhance an IT training and job placement program, and specifically support students in their IT support and IT Security training tracks. 
  • Sasha Bruce Youthwork, Inc to support the day to day operations of the first emergency homeless youth shelter in Prince George’s County, Promise Place, which provides homeless, abandoned, abused, neglected and runaway youth from all over the county with a compassionate alternative to the dangers of the streets and/or unstable housing.
  • Side by Side, Inc. to support the Great Strat program which provides more than 100 workshops for parents at six Prince George’s County schools on how they can help their children build strong foundations in reading, math and behavior. 
  • Southern Prince Georges County Community Charities Inc to support ASCEND, a national program of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Upsilon Tau Omega Chapter of Fort Washington for girls and boys designed to motivate, engage, and assist high school students in reaching their maximum potential. 

Read how FGCB provides pathways through high school into college for low- to moderate-income, at-risk, and/or underrepresented youth attending Prince George’s County Public Schools.

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Coaching Prince George’s County’s Youth to College Success

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This post is part of a series highlighting the amazing impact that results when our generous donors take a hands-on approach to the grantmaking process through our various Sharing funds.

Sharing Funds in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and DC represent The Community Foundation’s community-led grantmaking approach through a collection of philanthropic funds that provide financial support to local nonprofit organizations. The initiative helps donors strategically leverage their resources to create even greater impact in their own communities by pooling resources in support of effective nonprofits. It also brings donors, and other stakeholders, together to learn first-hand about the challenges facing the area’s most vulnerable residents. They engage in a peer-led grant review process to identify and support organizations that are effectively responding to the most critical needs. 

Sharing Prince George’s, operating out of the local office in Prince George’s County, helps donors to strategically leverage their resources to support the nonprofit organizations that are addressing the county’s most critical needs. It currently consists of the Prince George’s Neighbor to Neighbor Fund and the MGM National Harbor Fund.

The Sharing Prince George’s initiative is a clear demonstration of the Community Foundation’s role as a convener in the philanthropic community. By providing a mechanism for corporate members of our community to pool resources so that grants can then be distributed directly to nonprofits doing important work in our community, The Community Foundation is leveraging its expertise to create a better Prince George’s.

—     William M. Shipp, Trustee of The Community Foundation

In 2017, the Sharing Prince George’s fund granted $188,000 in awards to nonprofits in Prince George’s County, MD. First Generation College Bound (FGCB) was one of the 15 recipients in the latest round of awards.

FGCB helps youth realize that being the first in their family to earn a post-secondary degree is no longer a dream out of reach. For more than 25 years, FGCB has provided pathways through high school into college for low- to moderate-income, at-risk, and/or underrepresented youth attending Prince George’s County Public Schools.

According to the US Census, only 46% of low-income American students matriculate to college nationally. With limited opportunities for employment, low- and moderate-income students without college degrees will likely encounter a poorer quality of life, marked by inadequate housing, poor health care, food insecurity and the inability to build sustainable futures.
As a society, unless we do more to encourage first generation students to obtain college degrees, we risk becoming a more divided nation: between those who are moving forward, and those left behind.  And our most serious social problems – poverty, racism, violence, substance abuse, and mass incarceration – will grow more intractable.
General Operating Support from the Sharing Fund gave FGCB the flexibility to assure we addressed our most critical needs and gave our Coaches proper administrative and technical support to improve the quality of our services and enhance our mission’s delivery.

—     Joseph Fisher, Executive Director, First Generation College Bound

In 2016-2017, First Generation College Bound served 1,210 students across three programs: the Homework Club (27 students), College Access (223 students), and College Retention (960 students). College Access Coaches conducted a workshop series that educated high school seniors on the importance of taking the SAT, the financial aid system, the college admissions process, and how to successfully transition to college. A record number of students in the program – 98% of the 223 participants – matriculated to college.

The Community Foundation is happy to announce the next grant round for the Sharing funds is opening on June 4, 2018. To stay updated on our grant availability, visit our nonprofit page or join our mailing list.

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The Resilience Fund: A Year in Review

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It has been one year since the Greater Washington Community Foundation and the Meyer Foundation launched the Resilience Fund as a rapid response vehicle to address changes in federal policy and budget priorities and the increasing climate of intolerance, hate, and anti-other, which disproportionately impact people of color, and immigrant and refugee communities. In that time, we have raised more than $630,000 from institutional and individual donors across the region. We are incredibly proud to share that we have also leveraged as much as $450,000 through parallel commitments from donors to organizations funded through the Resilience Fund. That is more than $1 million to support local nonprofits serving the urgent and emerging needs of our region's most vulnerable residents. This is a true testament to the commitment of incredibly generous people in our region who care deeply about their neighbors and communities. 

Reflecting on the past year, we wanted to share some of the important work this Fund has contributed to.

Helping Immigrant Communities

Initially, the Resilience Fund focused last fall on supporting residents and families affected by the new Administration’s changes to international travel, immigration, and deportation policies. The Resilience Fund’s first round of grants supported work to ensure community members understand their legal and civil rights, take precautions to stabilize their families in the event they are detained, and receive legal representation.

  • Know Your Rights education: As ICE changed its enforcement priorities and stepped up detentions, CAIR Coalition responded by delivering 12 presentations across the region educating 326 immigrant youth and adults about their constitutional rights. It also intervened in the bond cases of 18 detained individuals, securing the release of 12 on bond and with three more are awaiting hearings.

  • Legal defense training: Noncriminal arrests of immigrants have increased by nearly 300%. Legal Aid Justice Center is combating ICE abuses by training 64 lawyers to defend immigrants in deportation proceedings by challenging constitutional violations. Without the Resilience Fund’s support, LAJC would not have had the funding to provide this training to nonprofit providers and private attorneys.

  • Legal services: CASA sought to address threats facing immigrants due to increased enforcement and changes to DACA and TPS. It held 46 know your rights workshops attended by 6,740 people, screened 415 people at risk of deportation to identify potential forms of relief, provided DACA application assistance to 320 youth, held bystander trainings for 300 people and mobilized a national day of action.

  • DACA application support: The President’s decision to rescind DACA provided only one month for eligible recipients to renew their status – affecting an estimated 20,000 people in the region. Ayuda received an emergency grant to conduct outreach and organize two free DACA clinics – helping 45 clients prepare renewal applications, receive in-depth legal consultations, and open long-term representation cases. The future of DACA remains uncertain but, with the Resilience Fund’s support, Ayuda continues to assist DACA recipients with legal advice and representation.

Countering Hate and Intolerance 

Recent increases in incidents of hate, intolerance and incivility in the Greater Washington region led the Resilience Fund to refocus its second round of grantmaking on building community cohesion and combating anti-other sentiment. In late December, the Fund made grants to local organizations focused on grassroots community engagement and national organizations combating bullying, bigotry, and fake news through education. While much of the work funded this round is still in process, some early notable achievements include:

  • Anti-bias education: The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has tracked a disturbing trend of increasing bias incidents in schools, where it’s estimated that 1 in 4 students are bullied. With support from the Resilience Fund, ADL doubled the size of its No Place for Hate program to reach more than 25,000 students in 25 K-12 schools throughout the region. The program is helping local schools foster an accepting and safe climate using ADL’s framework to teach respect and inclusion.

  • Digital literacy tools: More educators are seeking tools to teach students how to sort fact from falsehood in the digital age so they can be informed and engaged citizens. A grant from the Resilience Fund enabled the News Literacy Project to expand its program into Arlington County, Virginia, where it will host a NewsLitCamp for teachers in August and make 2,500 subscriptions to its virtual classroom available.

  • Community engagement: Prince George’s County residents care deeply about the well-being of their communities but lack a space to discuss relevant issues. With support from the Resilience Fund, the Prince George’s County Social Innovation Fund partnered with the Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative and will host a town hall style gathering on April 23, for discussions of economic, health, public safety and educational challenges in the County.

  • Training future leaders: Disenfranchised communities have long been left out of conversations about economic improvement and systems change. Progressive Maryland offered 5 trainings to empower 50 members to become agents of change and advocates for social and economic justice. These members have since taken on leadership positions within their local chapters to help strengthen their community’s grassroots capacity to advocate for their needs.

While many similar rapid response funds launched in other parts of the country are winding down, the Resilience Fund is gearing up for its second year. The Steering Committee is in the process of building out its agenda. We invite you to join us in our efforts. For more information contact Tonia Wellons, Vice President - Community Investment at [email protected]. 

Sincerely,

 
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Bruce McNamer

President and CEO

Greater Washington Community Foundation

Nicky Goren

President and CEO

Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation

Resilience Fund Steering Committee

Greater Washington Community Foundation

Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation

The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation

Harman Family Foundation

June Linowitz

Elaine Reuben

Rob and Sheri Rosenfeld

Mauri Ziff and Jeff Hamond

Announcing TNI Grants to Support Community-Based Groups

The Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative (TNI) Fund for Community Innovation was established in 2014 by The Office of the Prince George's County Executive and Prince George’s County Public Schools to support community-based organizations providing quality free and/or affordable out-of-school time programming for youth, ages 0-18, and families living in the Prince George’s County’s TNI communities. A total of $125,000 in grants were awarded to:

  • Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington to provide 300 at-risk middle school youth with high quality out-of-school learning to enhance literacy and problem-solving skills, and the beginnings of preparation for a successful adulthood.

  • CM Educational Program Services Inc to help at-risk youth and underprivileged families overcome recurring issues by providing Academic Financial Literacy Skills (AFLS) to the Suitland community.

  • Leep To College Foundation to expand its capacity to provide developmental and supportive services which contribute to increased high school graduation rates and subsequent college attendance to additional high schools in the TNI communities, including Northwestern, Oxon Hill and Suitland High Schools.

  • Scholastic Olympics, Inc. to expand visits from 3 to 10 Prince George's County high schools to offer academic workshops, afterschool study sessions and other activities that not only introduce students to Scholastic Olympics but prepare them for classroom rigor and the academic challenges of the competitions.

  • Strive To Tri, Inc to empower the youth of Prince George’s County, ages 7 to 17, to adopt a healthy lifestyle through regular physical activity, participation in sports, and promoting positive eating habits.

  • Take Charge Juvenile Diversion Program, Inc. to support Just For Her girls programs and Leadership Development and Life Skills boys programs at Andrew Jackson, Crossland High School and Suitland High schools to help reduce juvenile delinquency and recidivism and increase academic performance and graduation rates.

  • Vine Corps, Inc. to provide students in Bladensburg/Riverdale, Woodlawn/Lanham, and Kentland/Palmer Park with weekly study halls to include tutoring, mentoring, and college and career preparation; open gym sessions; and leadership development experiences such as community service and outdoor activities.

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Winter/Spring 2018 Site Visit Schedule

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This calendar is exclusively for The Community Foundation's network of donors to learn about the needs of our region, discover great organizations, and share ideas with other donors looking to make an impact. Space at these events is limited. Please RSVP to [email protected]. Directions and additional information about each visit will be sent to guests who have submitted an RSVP.

February 20, Montgomery County: Making A New United People

3:00PM – 4:00PM Making A New United People develops teen leaders social emotional and employment skills by providing them with supports, resources, and training to ensure that they are resilient, healthy, and contributing community members.

March 1, Montgomery County: IMPACT Silver Spring

6:00PM – 7:00PM Community networking programs and events focused on building intentional relationships among diverse peoples to foster trust, collaboration, and value exchange in the pursuit of healthier individuals, families, and neighborhoods. For this visit, we’ll get to hear from leaders who formed the Montgomery Community Investment Corporation (MCIC), a cooperative model that started a loan fund has raised over $90,000 from micro-entrepreneurs to support each other in expanding their businesses.

March 5, Montgomery County: Urban Alliance

3:30PM – 4:30PM Urban Alliance provides paid, professional internships, job skills training, and one-on-one mentoring to economically-disadvantaged high school seniors.

March 9, Montgomery County: Sunflower Bakery

10:30AM – 11:30AM Sunflower Bakery prepares individuals with developmental or other cognitive disabilities for employment in baking and related industries through on-the-job training.

March 13, Montgomery County: YMCA Youth and Family Services

3:00PM – 4:00PM YMCA Youth and Family Services provides mentoring, therapy, and case management programs geared to help children and adolescents, as well as their families, who are struggling with trauma, poverty, and food insecurity.

March 14, Montgomery County: Youth/Police Dialogue

3:00PM – 4:30PM Identity, Inc.— A series of discussions between youth and police geared to improve communication, understanding, and trust between youth and law enforcement.

March 15, Montgomery County: Manna’s Mobile Kitchen & Pop-Up

3:15PM – 4:15PM Manna’s Mobile Kitchen & Pop-Up Pantry provides access to healthy foods and nutrition education to low-income kids and seniors at risk of food insecurity.

March 20, Prince George’s: Greater Riverdale Career Empowerment Center Site Visit

10:00AM - 11:00AM The Central Kenilworth Avenue Revitalization Community Development Corporation (CKAR) implements projects throughout the Greater Riverdale community that include workforce training/job development, environmental sustainability, business retention, advocacy and economic and community development. To curb unemployment, CKAR has developed the Greater Riverdale Career Empowerment Center where they offer certified workforce training, career development programming and legal services.

March 22, Northern Virginia: Offender Aid and Restoration Site Visit

12:00PM - 1:00PM Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR) is a community-based restorative justice organization that blends compassion and accountability to assist offenders in leading productive and responsible lives. OAR participants are invited to take responsibility for past actions and repair the damage done by giving back to the community and providing a service that enriches the lives of others.

March 22, Northern Virginia: Legal Aid Justice Center Site Visit

TBD Legal Aid Justice Center battles poverty and injustice by solving critical legal problems for individuals and communities. Housed in over 40 offices throughout Charlottesville, Falls Church, Petersburg and Richmond, they provide a full range of services to their clients, utilizing a mix of zealous individual representation, group and class litigation, community organizing, policy advocacy, and media relations.

April 12, Prince George’s: Housing Initiative Partnership Site Visit

10:00AM - 12:00PM Housing Initiative Partnership, Inc. (HIP) is an innovative, green nonprofit developer and counseling agency dedicated to revitalizing neighborhoods. HIP creates housing and economic security for low- and moderate-income households and provides services that improve the quality of life in the communities they serve.

April 17, Prince George’s: Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Site Visit

10:00AM – 12:00PM CASA, Inc. is a volunteer-based organization that partners with the juvenile court to improve the lives of children living in foster care who have suffered from abuse and neglect. With a strong commitment to diversity, CASA trains and supervises volunteers from the community who advocate for the best interest of children, recognizing and respecting each child’s individual needs.

May 11, Prince George's: Mistaken Identity Foundation

10:00AM - 12:00PM Mistaken Identity Foundation focuses on emotional education, workforce training and employment for teens and young adults. They also offer programs for adults re-entering society after short or long-term incarceration. Their intent is to help participants understand how to translate their frustrations, emotions, and fears into a productive lifestyle that benefits them and their community.

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Exploring Our Community: Site Visits in Prince George's County

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The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County has launched a new initiative to strengthen relationships between local individuals, businesses, and nonprofits. Each year, our donors and other community members join us in visiting several local organizations, to celebrate, support, and learn more about the important and diverse work happening across the County. It is our hope that building strong networks between our donors and effective nonprofits serving County residents will enhance the philanthropic experience and grow positive community impact.

Highlights from Places We've Gone

 
 

Computer CORE is a job training program that offers technological and professional skill-building courses for low-income adult residents of Northern Virginia to improve their careers and transform their lives. During a site visit to one of the organizations many locations, Executive Director Lynn O’Connell and Business and Community Partnerships Director Quincy White taled to us about the program’s successes, its challenges, and invited donors to sit in on a beginners excel class and interact with students.

“I’m not only learning things that will help me grow my business, but I’m also learning things to help me organize my daily life.”
— Student Participant
“The teachers here are really patient and truly care.”
— Student Participant

Our donors gained a deeper understanding of Computer CORE’s mission and values. Many of their questions were answered and the experience promoted program advocacy in a new way.

 
 

House of Ruth Maryland is leading the fight to end domestic violence against women and their children. This local nonprofit provides victims with tools and professional resources to build appropriate safety

plans and reduce harm. Program Counselor Asjoure Brown engaged donors in a simulation activity called “In her Shoes”, introducing some of the challenges faced by victims of domestic abuse. We discovered the complexities of this type of work and the diverse way in which cases are handled.

Attributing all we learned, we can consider realistic program practices when evaluating outcomes and impact. The overall experience was rated both informative and meaningful.

COMING SOON

The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County will begin touring other nonprofit sites starting in March 2018. Get ready to explore a variety of nonprofit organizations working on a diverse set of issues, including affordable housing, education, criminal justice, family and youth support, media projects, and much more!

If you are interested in attending one of our site visits, please contact Monique Riley at [email protected] or (301) 918.8480 ext. 164.

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Local Youth Team Up with Law Enforcement & Build Bonds Through Athletics

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““Building big league people, not just big league athletes.””
— Cal Ripken, Sr.

The Site Visit

The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County witnessed the great work that both the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation and the Police Athletic League are doing for some of our most vulnerable youth.  Students, donors and other participants had a great time getting to know each other through fun introductions, team building exercises and trainings! The PAL Program uses mentoring, education, recreation and athletic activities to build bonds between youth and law enforcement. They have went from serving 15 to over 400 students in just 5 years.

Getting to Know the Team

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Randy Acosta (far right), Senior Director of Development & National Corporate Partnerships, Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. “I grew up going to the Boys and Girls Club. The opportunity to serve and give back to these same types of organizations is my greatest accomplishment.”

Joe Rossow (far left), Executive Vice President of Operations, Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. “We are always looking to learn from the work of other foundations and in the process, form lasting partnerships.”

Corporal Kurt Schnitzenbaumer (middle), Executive Director, Prince George’s County Police Athletic League (PAL). “PAL wants to create a space for kids to call home. We want our kids to feel a sense of ownership and connectivity.”

Meet Taylor!

Taylor is a student participant from Fairmont Heights High School. “Here, we have so many different ways to express ourselves… Fairmont Heights is the hidden secret of Prince Georges. There is so much talent at my school. I’m glad that when the police came to our building, it wasn’t bad. They recognized our talent and gave us resources to achieve our goals. I have really seen the police force and my peers changing for the better.”

Showing up and lending our voices for Prince George's County

By Brian Rubin, Advisory Board Member, Prince George's County Social Innovation Fund and Bowie resident

I firmly believe that good things eventually happen when you commit to showing up. To that end, it was only logical that I join the Greater Washington Community Foundation in the launch of Voices of the Community (VoicesDMV) at the Prince George’s County Ballroom.  I am convinced that if spaces are created for the most promising talent and the brightest ideas to emerge, the possibilities are endless.  

It was gratifying to be in a space in which so many people, not only cared about Prince George’s County, but also believed in the County.  As one of my conversation partners that night stated, “Prince George’s County is already a good place to live.  With the proper investment, we have an opportunity to take it from 'Good to Great' (stealing from management guru, Jim Collins)."

At the community conversation, we discussed everything from healthcare to education, from housing to transportation, from crime to overall community well-being. We also separated the real issues from the ‘fake’ news. What became evident is that all of us who showed up desire a community built by design and not as a reaction to perceived crisis or merely by accident.   

Nearly five years ago, when my wife and I relocated to the Metro DC area, we made a decision to live, worship, and raise our two boys in Prince George’s County.  We could have chosen some of the local areas often profiled as being a better choice for families with school-aged children, but we were convinced that Prince George’s County was for us.  Even amidst some of the negative press, both warranted and unwarranted, we have not regretted our decision. 

Even evident during the night’s dialogue, one of the areas that is often scrutinized about Prince George’s County is public education.  While there have been times in which we have wanted more out of our school’s, our oldest son has excelled.  Many times that required action on our part as parents, but in making a decision to enroll him in the local public system, we also were committed to showing up and making our children’s education a joint effort between us and the school.  We believe in placing high expectations on those who serve our children, but we also believe that in order for any community endeavor to succeed, we must also show up.

By the attendance alone, it was clear that people in Prince George’s County are willing to show up. Perhaps the most valuable thing that I took away from joining this conversation is that Prince George’s County is comprised of people who care. As we discussed perceived strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, not everyone agreed, but everyone communicated a shared interest in seeing Prince George’s County thrive and flourish.

In the end, my hope is that this conversation leads to a stronger investment in the people that have decided to make Prince George’s County home.  We can point to so many individuals that are already engaged in small scale interventions - family, church, mentoring, fraternities and sororities, etc. - that are worthy of being acknowledged, but are typically small scale and under-resourced.  I often muse about the impact that a collective effort of adequately resourced folks with ‘skin in the game’, committed to the long path would have. As I stated before, the possibilities are endless.

A Day in the Community with The Walton Group of Companies

To offer donors an in-depth opportunity to learn about the local nonprofit community, The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County is hosting a series of site visits where donors can take a first-hand look at the important and exciting work the sector plays in meeting needs of some of the region’s most vulnerable residents.  The series will run throughout 2017 and will include an array of organizations including those providing education, safety-net, workforce training, and environmental and housing services.

The first visit was held on April 27th and was organized in conjunction with The Walton Group of Companies, a multinational, privately-owned real estate investment and development company that transitions land into sustainable communities where people live, work, and play.  The goal was to provide an opportunity for company executives to learn firsthand about the services that nonprofits provide in Prince George’s County with an aim of observing the results of the investments made by the company through its Walton Prince George’s Community Fund, which is housed at The Community Foundation. 

The team spent the day visiting First Generation College Bound, Prince George’s County Child Resource Center, and Promise Place – Sasha Bruce Youthwork. These nonprofits are part of a larger network of The Community Foundation’s grantees that work with communities daily, addressing some of the most pressing challenges such as homelessness, education, healthcare, workforce, and family dynamics.  As grantees of The Community Foundation’s Sharing Initiative, these organizations along with many more, can address and alleviate many of the issues that are commonly associated with poverty.  The Community Foundation’s robust grant-making process helps to identify opportunities for investing in social causes and work with competent nonprofits that demonstrate the potential for delivering effective and measurable results. It was apparent during the site visits that these nonprofits were undeniably delivering on their commitments.

For over 20 years, First Generation College Bound (FGCB) has been working with high school students who would be the first in their immediate family to attend college. Working in five schools in Prince George’s County, the organization helps students seek admission to college. Additionally, FGCB works with student’s parents to ensure they are engaged in the process of preparing and transitioning high school students to college. While the staff of First Generation College Bound encounter a wide range of challenges in this effort, the results of their hard work over the years are evident in their successful alumni who graduated from college and are now serving their communities in important roles. For example, Alonzo Washington, currently a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, spoke to participants during the site visit about his personal journey through the program and the significance of First Generation College Bound in transforming his life. He invests in the program by creating scholarship and internship opportunities and mentors students currently enrolled in the program.

Another example is the compassionate services provided by Prince George’s Child Resource Center.  This organization works with vulnerable families in Prince George’s County with children under the age of 4, providing them access to family support services, literacy, career preparedness, and positive nurturing parenting techniques. With a focus on nurturing healthy growth of children and helping parents gain access to community services, this nonprofit plays an important role in family integration efforts – a forward-looking approach to developing a “healthy next generation.”  The organization is facing significant challenges in addressing the needs of recent immigrants particularly with language barriers and insufficient resources needed to ensure that their services are culturally competent.  However, the staff of continuously solicits support from other communities with common languages and donors to help cover as many vulnerable families as possible.  

Similarly, Promise Place – Sasha Bruce Youthwork provides emergency shelter to homeless, abandoned, abused, or neglected youth as well as supports their reintegration with their families after offering intensive counseling services. The staff shared numerous examples of the success of their interventions resulting in successful transitioning of youth into healthy lifestyles. Interestingly, during these processes, this nonprofit identified highly talented youths with the potential to grow significantly when guided appropriately. For instance, one participant of the program, recovering from a nervous breakdown, voluntarily designed and organized a proposal to create a garden for the Promise Place offices.  She incorporated basic statistical analysis to substantiate her proposal which resulted in a convincing piece of work that the organization considered appropriate to include in their budget.

Our partnerships with individuals and organizations like The Walton Group of Companies have proven vital. Over the years, The Community Foundation has served as a unique platform for donors to give back to their communities and achieve their philanthropic goals while also connecting nonprofits to funding opportunities necessary to carry out the much-needed services. We continue to deliver on our commitments to our partners by effectively tailoring funding opportunities to specific social needs. Our primary goal is to help our donors achieve their philanthropic goals and expand the resources to provide shelter for more families, educate more children, offer healthcare for vulnerable families, and address other emergency needs of our communities.   

We invite you to join us on the amazing journey!  For more information, please contact Mustafa Rahin, Donor Services Officer at [email protected].

Dropping the drop out rate in Prince George's County

It is estimated that every nine seconds in the United States, a student drops out of school.1 Defined as an individual between the ages of 16-24 who is not in school and not working, a “disconnected” youth often drops out of school after prolonged periods of disengagement due to multiple factors. Check out the report to learn more.