Nonprofit News & Charitable Giving

Register Now for the TCM's Selling to the Federal Government Conference
The Tech Council of Maryland (TCM) and TEDCO will present the Selling to the Federal Government conference on Wednesday, Dec. 10. It will be held at the Bethesda Marriott, which is located at 5151 Pooks Hill Road, from 8 a.m. to noon.
This conference will offer attendees various opportunities to expand portfolios, including access to federal government procurement professionals, updates on the rules and regulations governing contracting and procurement with the federal government, and a forecast of the contracting landscape under the Obama administration.
New this year will be two hours of matchmaking among companies of all sizes. Registration for this program is $69 for TCM MemberPlus members and $99 for regular TCM members. The cost is $149 for others.

Soroptimist International Seeks Women
Soroptimist International of Howard County is seeking women who help women, and who use their personal or professional influence to improve the lives of other women and girls.
This person may be a candidate for the 2008 Soroptimist International of Howard County's Making a Difference for Women Award. The woman so recognized by the Howard County Club receives $250 for her selected charity. The local winner goes on to compete in the Region and then Federation levels of Soroptimist for additional awards.
To obtain a nomination form or further information, interested candidates should e-mail the club at sihowardcounty@yahoo.com with their request. Deadline for completed nomination forms must be submitted by Dec. 15. For more information, call Karen Trennepohl at 410-750-9413.

'Change Matters' Raises $5K at Howard High
Howard High School recently raised $5,130 for Grassroots during the two-week Change Matters campaign, which was co-sponsored by the Elkridge Horizon Council.
Howard High students Che Brown, Walker Smith and Alison Spatz, who are members of the council, led the drive to purchase playground equipment for homeless children who are sheltered at Grassroots. The Change Matters campaign involved collection of coins from students and school staff at Howard High. The Student Government Association donated $3,000 to the effort.
Change Matters was a pilot project and it will be replicated in the spring of 2009 at other Howard County high school schools. Change Matters will be launched at middle schools during the 2009-2010 school year.
The student leaders and other members of the Change Matters Committee set public awareness of Grassroots and homelessness in Howard County as a major focus of their efforts. In addition, committee members hope to increase philanthropy by young people in the community.

Be a Santa to a Senior Continues
The Be a Santa to a Senior campaign that last year delivered more than 800 gifts to local needy seniors is being planned for a fifth holiday season. The local office of Home Instead Senior Care has partnered with community groups, Wal-Mart and K-Mart Stores in Howard and Anne Arundel counties to sponsor the program.
During its history, more than 26,400 volunteers have distributed more than 93,000 gifts to 568,055 seniors throughout North America. The local reach is planned to touch more than 1,000 seniors this holiday season.
Christmas trees, which will go up in area Wal-Mart and K-Mart stores on Nov. 17, will feature ornaments with the first names only of the seniors and their respective gift requests. Holiday shoppers can pick up an ornament, buy items on the list and return them unwrapped to the store, along with the ornament attached. Home Instead Senior Care then enlists the volunteer help of its staff, senior care business associates, nonprofit workers and others to collect, wrap and distribute the gifts.
The program runs through Dec. 15. Community gift-wrapping events, when thousands of the presents will be wrapped, will be held on Dec. 16 and Dec. 17. For more information, call David Dickens at 410-349-2320 or log onto www.beasantatoasenior.com.

HCAC Receives Grant From Target
The Howard County Arts Council has announced a new partnership with Target. In recognition of its efforts to foster the arts and arts education, the arts council received a $2,000 grant from Target to support its fiscal 2009 Artists-in-Education program. The program is a partnership between the council and local PTAs to place visiting artists in K-12 schools, both public and private, for periods spanning from one day to several weeks.
During the residency, students are challenged to explore their own creativity under the guidance and inspiration of a visiting artist. The residency is meant to complement what is being taught in the classroom, be it an art, social studies or science class.
"Ensuring that children of all ages, backgrounds and abilities have access to enriching experiences in the arts is an important goal for the arts council," said Coleen West, executive director of the council. "With the downturn in the economy, the arts council, like other [nonprofits], faces reductions in programs and funding. The grant from Target ... will help ensure that Howard County students from all walks of life will continue to benefit from the Artist-in-Education program."

COPT's Griffin to Chair HCAC's 12th Annual Gala
The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) has announced that Rand Griffin, president and CEO of Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT), will serve as honorary chair of the 12th annual Celebration of the Arts in Howard County.
Celebration 2009, presented by the Arts Council, will be held on Saturday, April 25, from 6 to 10 p.m. at The Jim Rouse Theatre for the Performing Arts in Columbia. Dick Story, CEO of the Howard County Economic Development Authority, will emcee the program.
The celebration is the arts council's major source of annual corporate support. In 11 years, the event has netted $816,650. Proceeds not only underwrite the event, but provide the arts council with the resources necessary to fund grants to organizations and to offer arts programs year round.
Celebration 2009 will feature the Rising Star competition for emerging performing artists. The winner of the competition will receive a $5,000 professional development award. Sponsorships and volunteer opportunities are available. Tickets are $75 and $50. For more information, call 410-313-ARTS (2787) or visit www.hocoarts.org.

Millennium Serves as Drop-off Point for Toys for Tots
Millennium Marketing Solutions, a full-service printing and marketing company in Annapolis Junction, is serving as a drop-off location for the local Toys for Tots campaign.
This drop-off site at 10900 Pump House Road (near the intersection of Guilford and Dorsey Run Roads, just off Maryland Route 32), is one of 21 such sites in Howard County. Toys may be dropped in Millennium's main lobby Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., on or before Friday, Dec. 19.
For more about the Toys for Tots Program or information on how to become a Toys for Tots drop-off site, visit www.toysfortots.org. For more information about Millennium Marketing Solutions, call Janice Tippett at 301-725-8000 or e-mail jtippett@mm4solutions.com.

The Arc of Howard County Recertified for Standards of Excellence Seal
Maryland Nonprofits has recertified The Arc of Howard County for its Standards of Excellence Seal of Approval. The statewide association made the announcement at its annual conference on Nov. 12. Ten organizations received certification and 10 received recertification.
Maryland Nonprofits developed Standards for Excellence to promote ethical practices and accountability in nonprofit organizations across the state. Eligibility for the Seal of Approval rests upon adherence to such fundamental values as honesty, integrity, fairness, respect, trust, compassion, responsibility, and accountability in program operations, governance, human resources, financial management and fundraising.

Synergy, Howard Bank Raise $10,000 to Fight Breast Cancer
Charmaine Gordon and Synergy Women's Fitness, and Mary Ann Scully and Howard Bank, raised more than $10,000 at "Zumba & Yoga for Pink," an event to increase awareness and funds for the fight against breast cancer.
"Zumba & Yoga for Pink" was held at Synergy's studios. All proceeds from "Zumba & Yoga for Pink" went to the Red Devils, an organization that funds services to improve the quality of life of breast cancer patients and their families in Howard County and throughout the state of Maryland. To make an online donation, go to www.zumbayogaforpink.com.

Howard County Library Joins Foundation Center's National Network
Nonprofit organizations and other grantseekers in Howard County looking for funding sources now have access to a valuable new collection of resources at Howard County Library, which has become a Cooperating Collection of the Foundation Center of New York, one of nine in Maryland.
Grant seekers may access two foundation center databases via any computer at the Central Library in Columbia Town Center. The Foundation Directory Online Professional surveys 92,000 foundations and provides extensive information on their grantmaking interests and grantmaking histories.
Foundation Grants to Individuals Online is a database of more than 6,500 foundation and public charity programs that allows users to locate individual research grants such as scholarships and fellowships. It tracks sources of scholarships and fellowships and will be of great use to high school guidance counselors and students looking for financial aid.

Schnorf Wins Infiniti Raffle
Cole Schnorf, president emeritus of The Arc of Howard County, won the Infinity Dream Car raffle held as a fundraiser for the nonprofit.
Funds from the raffle were dedicated to The Arc's Residential Services program. A maximum of 1,000 raffle tickets were sold. JBA Infiniti of Ellicott City provided the luxury vehicle at a discount to The Arc. Schnorf selected an Infinity G35 Sedan.