Faces of Sharing: Getting to Know Sharing Prince George’s Kelvin & Darlene Brown

‍For Kelvin and Darlene Brown, Prince George's County is more than just a community – it’s home.

“Prince George’s County has always been home for me,” Kelvin Brown said. “From its diversity to its vibrant community – it represents everything we’re looking forward to for our family.”

Originally born in Jamaica, Kelvin moved to Prince George’s County with his family when he was eight years old. After graduating from Prince George’s County Public Schools, Kelvin attended college out of state before returning to the community where he grew up. Soon after, he met Darlene, a Howard University graduate from Upstate New York who fell in love with the area – and with Kelvin.

Eighteen years of marriage and three kids later, the county isn't just where they live — it's part of who they are. And increasingly, it's what they're investing in.

Giving Back with a Growth Mindset

For Kelvin and Darlene, community engagement and professional purpose are deeply intertwined.

Kelvin works as a VP Manager for TD Bank, where he works to build stronger partnerships across DC and Prince George’s County. He often goes out into the community to lead financial literacy sessions across age groups — from elementary school students to seniors — to help people unlock their financial potential.

Darlene, meanwhile, has background in speech therapy and nursing home rehabilitation. She is currently working as a case manager supervisor supporting adults with disabilities.

“Community means that everyone should have a seat at the table,” Darlene shared. “I love being able to broaden that table through my job and through our work with Sharing.”

Broadening Horizons through Sharing

Kelvin and Darlene's path to Sharing Prince George's runs through a friendship that stretches back to college. Darlene met Sharing Prince George’s committee member David Hawkins during her first weeks at Howard University.

Two decades later, David and his wife Keisha joined Sharing Prince George's – an initiative of The Community Foundation that brings people together to learn more about the opportunities, challenges, and changemakers that exist across the county. It wasn't long before they invited their good friends, the Browns, to join them.

“We had been looking for a way to get more involved in the community – outside of being full-time ‘sports parents’,” Kelvin said. “As much as we love coaching and being soccer mom, Sharing seemed like it would be perfect opportunity to broaden our horizons and learn more about the people doing the work.” ‍

At the time, Darlene was in the middle of a career pivot, looking for new ways to apply her skills and expand her sense of what was possible in her community. Kelvin was eager to deepen his roots in Prince George's County and model something important for his kids.

Sharing Prince George’s presented the perfect opportunity for both.

“If you’re looking to engage in something that is meaningful that will allow you to pour into something that’s going to pour back into both you and your community – Sharing is for you,” Kelvin explained. “Each time I interact with the committee, I walk away with new ideas and information that gets me excited about where I live.”

“I think it's fantastic,” Darlene said. “There are so many organizations and opportunities in Prince George’s County that I was not even aware of. Being able to do this work — and help others continue to do the work — is so rewarding.”

“When you meet these folks — the grantees — it's a lot of people that we see daily,” Kelvin said. “It's not large organizations coming in from the outside. It's people who live in our neighborhoods who have ideas and are dedicating their time, talent, and treasure to serving others.”

Giving Back with Purpose

Both Kelvin and Darlene say Sharing Prince George's has made them more intentional — not just in their philanthropy, but in how they see their community's needs and their own role in addressing them.

‍“One of the first questions the Sharing Committee taught us to consider is what is the return on our investment,” Kelvin shared. “That question goes with me everywhere now,” he said. “What is our ROI? Yes, we want to give back; but how can we can help our investments go further to meet the real needs in our community?”

“We’re not just looking for quick fixes or short-term projects,” Darlene added. "Being a part of Sharing has helped us be more intentional at looking at the big picture so we can not only give back, but we can give back in a way that makes a difference.”

Want to get involved? The Sharing Prince George's Fund Committee welcomes new members! Contact Eliza Tolbert-Howard ([email protected]) to find out more about how you can be a part of this impactful fund!