United Way of Washington County, MD

Last call! Join your United Way for an evening of celebration as we honor the hand-raisers, game-changes, and difference-makers in our community. For tickets: https://bit.ly/3N6LWn1 This event is presented by Dot Foods - Williamsport, MD.

HAGERSTOWN, MD (MAY 1, 2024) — Washington County was recently awarded $40,473 of federal funding from the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the national Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) under Phase 41. The funding is to supplement established emergency food assistance and emergency shelter programs within the county. The selection of which communities to receive funding, and the total funding amount, was made by a national board of directors that is chaired by #FEMA. The national board consists of representatives from the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, the Jewish Federation of North America, the Salvation Army, and United Way Worldwide. The Local EFSP of Washington County’s Board of Directors is charged with identifying the most urgent, critical needs within the county after a grant application and review process. The local board is comprised of local government officials, nonprofit leaders, faith-based groups, homeless advocates, and other community members. Washington County’s local board determined the following recipients under the Phase 41 allocation of $40,473: • Washington County Community Action Council: $18,664 • Reach of Washington County: $10,000 • St. John’s Family Shelter: $5,000 • The Hope Center at Hagerstown Rescue Mission: $2,000 • The Salvation Army: $2,000 • Washington County Commission on Aging: $2,000 • United Way of Washington County: $809 The grant application was advertised and open to any Washington County agency that: 1) is private, voluntary non-profits or units of government, 2) eligible to receive federal funds, 3) has an accounting system, 4) practices non-discrimination, 5) has demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs, and 6) if they are a private, voluntary organization, they must have a voluntary board of directors.

CONGRATULATIONS to our Director of Engagement, Kate Younkins, for her induction into the #HagerstownRotaryClub. #Rotary clubs, similar to United Ways, engage and activate motivated leaders and problem-solvers around the world who unite to take action and create lasting change. #ServiceAboveSelf #LiveUnited

CONGRATULATIONS to our March Urgent Needs 🚨 Grant Recipient, Boys & Girls Club of Washington County Maryland. The Boys & Girls Club of Washington County utilizes several passenger vans to transport students from schools to various after-school club locations in the county. If a van is no longer in operation, the Club is forced to reduce and/or eliminate routes temporarily. Fewer van routes mean fewer children are transported to after-school programs. When one of the vans had its catalytic converter stolen, the Club contacted United Way for assistance. Through the Urgent Needs grants, we ensured that 50 children have a safe place to go after school. BGC is one of three nonprofit organizations receiving a #LiveUnited Urgent Needs Grant this month. #UnitedWeRespond

CONGRATULATIONS to our March Urgent Needs 🚨 Grant Recipient, Breast Cancer Awareness, Inc. For over 35 years, Breast Cancer Awareness, Inc. (BCA) has been supporting local breast cancer patients and their families with programs and services. Services include free mammograms for uninsured men and women who cannot afford screening. Recently, BCA has experienced an unusually high volume of patients seeking financial assistance during treatment and surgical recovery. One such request was for a homeless breast cancer patient having extensive surgery with drains. The patient was living in her car when her physician contacted BCA Executive Director, Stacy Horst, with concerns about the significant risk of infection if the patient did not have access to a clean living space or shower facilities. United Way’s Urgent Needs grant funding provided the patient with an eight-day stay in a local hotel (with meals included) to ensure that she has a safe and clean place to stay while she recuperates from her surgery. BCA is one of three nonprofit organizations receiving a #LiveUnited Urgent Needs Grant this month. #UnitedWeRespond

CONGRATULATIONS to our March Urgent Needs 🚨 Grant Recipient, Washington County, MD, Historical Society. The Miller House Museum opened to the public in the summer of 1966, creating a safe, permanent home to many artifacts collected over the past 100 years in Washington County. Not only is the Miller House a museum, but it also houses the administrative offices of the Washington County Historical Society and hosts a variety of public programs and other services to our community. Recently, when BOTH their boiler and refrigerator broke down, United Way was able to provide funding to cover the cost of these unanticipated critical repairs. The Historical Society is one of three nonprofit organizations receiving a #LiveUnited Urgent Needs Grant this month. #UnitedWeRespond #UWWCMD

Welcome, Kate! Please join us in welcoming the newest addition to Team United, Ms. Kate Younkins. As our new Director of Engagement, Kate will prioritize, scale, and lead the execution of our strategic partnerships, marketing efforts, community-facing events, and volunteer opportunities. Kate will work to advance our mission and strategic imperatives while collaborating with our many stakeholders in Education, Financial Literacy/Stability, Health, Urgent Needs/Disaster Response, and Essential/Basic Needs. Kate most recently served as the Marketing and Events Manager for The Arc of Washington County. Before her time with The Arc, she was the Sales and Marketing Manager at the American Jail Association. Mission focused. Kate is well-versed in the barriers and needs of the most vulnerable. She has extensive experience assisting residents in active crises through her work with our mission partner, Zion Reformed United Church of Christ. Kate is a Washington County native and proud mother. She enjoys running in her free time, having recently completed her first half marathon. Kate is also an accomplished artist specializing in graphite portraits. Kate and her family reside in Hagerstown with her brood of beloved animals. Kate looks forward to making positive, measurable change in our community, benefiting the nearly 65,000 residents that United Way and our 80 partner organizations serve each year. #UWWCMD #LiveUnited

Books United is Inclusive. Our #BooksUnited program has 26 active partner locations and several seasonal partners. It's not just about the paperbacks; we are considerate of those with visual impairments as well. We recently refreshed the Coffman Nursing Home library to include new audiobooks, headphones, and CD players for their residents to enjoy in the privacy of their rooms. We extend a special thank you to the Washington County Free Library for donating the audiobooks. Books United has distributed over 30,000 books in the past two years since its fruition! Supporting your #UnitedWay supports #Literacy.

Be in the know. All things community and #nonprofits #BytheUnitedWay February #newsletter 👉 https://conta.cc/498xgfZ

United We Respond. We extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to the employees of our nonprofit partner, Family Healthcare of Hagerstown, for their incredible support of our annual workplace giving campaign. Recently, 41 employees donated over $5,300 to support our community impact programs! This. Nonprofits collaborate with other nonprofits to serve our community. #UnitedWeServe #UnitedWeRespond #LiveUnited Pictured from left: Stacey Abeles of United Way; Angela Thurber and Laura Pennington, both of Family Healthcare.