Non Profit News & Charitable Giving

Howard County Police Offering Collision Avoidance Training for Teens
The Howard County Police Department is the first agency in Maryland to offer collision avoidance training, a defensive driving and vehicle control program for teens developed by the National Traffic Safety Academy.
During the two-day course, adapted from law enforcement training, teens will learn how to handle their vehicles in any situation. Designed especially for new drivers who want more specialized experience on the road, the program teaches hands-on techniques for evasive maneuvers, emergency braking, cornering, backing, skid recovery, steering, acceleration and more. It is offered at the James N. Robey Public Safety Training Center.

Student Santas 'Adopt' Healthy
Families Clients
The "Santas" at Howard High School are already busy in their workshop collecting gifts for clients of the Healthy Families program, which offers first-time parents access to community resources and provides support in their new role as parents.
Run jointly by Howard County General Hospital and Family & Children's Services (FCS) of Central Maryland, the program is part of the Healthy Families America initiative. Locally, FCS provides the home-visit component of the program.
Every year, Healthy Families invites local businesses and individuals to "adopt" a family for the holidays. Each donor receives the name of a family and the family's holiday wish list. Items on the wish list include "utilitarian things," says FCS's Healthy Families Director Judy Templeton, such as baby toys, diapers, equipment and clothing.
For information, contact Templeton at 443-864-0379 or jtempleton@fcsmd.org. The deadline for signing up is the second week in December.

Bright Minds Gives Away
100 Computers
Students at four middle schools were selected as recipients of 100 Internet-ready desktop computers and printers from the Bright Minds Foundation, the local group supporting equity, innovation and lifelong learning in Howard County schools.
Students at Oakland Mills, Wilde Lake, Murray Hill and Patuxent Valley Middle Schools received computers. The Computers for Students Program is a collaborative initiative of the Bright Minds Foundation and the Lazarus Foundation, a local nonprofit that refurbishes computers.
Funds for the program come primarily from private donations solicited by the Bright Minds Foundation Board of Directors, said Chairman Douglas Hostetler. "We are part way through a three-year, $1 million campaign, 'Bridging the Digital Divide,' and to date we have over $425,000 in gifts."
The lead gift came from McDonald's Restaurants of Howard County, which contributed $100,000. The Howard County Board of Education provided $60,000 in funding and the Hostetler Family Foundation and Howard County General Hospital each contributed $50,000.
Other major gifts came from Grant Capital Management, $30,000; Ascend One Corp., $25,000; and GBL Sales, $20,000. Creig Northrop & The Northrop Team of Long and Foster Real Estate, and David and Patty Walter made $10,000 contributions. In-kind donations came from Redhead Companies, $20,000; and Jean Moon & Associates, $10,000.

Zumba and Yoga for Pink Raises $1,000 for Breast Cancer Patients
Nearly 100 people gathered at Synergy Studios in Columbia on Oct. 3 to enjoy a day of Zumba and Yoga while raising money for The Red Devils, an organization that funds services to improve the quality of life for Marylanders living with breast cancer and their families.
Charmaine Gordon of Synergy Women's Fitness and Mary Ann Scully of Howard Bank sponsored this year's event, which raised more than $1,000. In-kind donations came from Soilsound and Curlyred.
Synergy, a women's fitness studio, has raised more than $100,000 for the American Heart Association in six years and was recently the top team at the Howard County Arthritis Walk. Howard Bank has been recognized by the Baltimore Business Journal as one of the top 10 philanthropic organizations in Central Maryland, contributing more than $250,000 to local charities since its founding in August 2004.

Michael's Pub Hosts Comedy Club Benefit for Grassroots
Stand-up comedians Patrick O'Donnell, Mike Way, Lisa Lanham and Mike Shader will all appear at The Taglines Comedy Club at Michael's Pub on Dec. 8 in a benefit for Grassroots, Howard County's only homeless shelter and 24-hour crisis center.
O'Donnell has been seen on Comedy Central and A&E's "Comedy On The Road." Way's credits include winning the 2007 D.C. Improv Showcase Finals and performances at the Washington, D.C., Boston, and California Comedy Festivals. Lanham's style is often described as a twisted combination of Lewis Black and Ellen DeGeneres.
Grassroots operates Howard County's only emergency shelter for homeless men, women and families. Michael's Pub is located in the Kings Contrivance Village Center. The benefit begins at 8 p.m. For reservations, call 443-851-3826 or contact MikeShader@hotmail.com.

Mayor of Columbia, Mo.,
Visits Columbia, Md.
Mayor Darwin Hindman of Columbia, Mo., visited Columbia, Md., as a guest of Columbia Tomorrow, a nonprofit group founded to address issues facing Columbia in the future.
Hindman's itinerary included breakfast with County Executive Ken Ulman and Columbia Association President Phil Nelson, a bicycle tour of downtown Columbia, a Bike Power Lunch with community leaders and an appearance at Howard Community College's multi-media event, The Bike Project.
Hindman was recently featured in a Parade magazine article headlined "Reinventing America: A Free-Wheeling City." The 76-year-old mayor rides 60 miles a week in his hometown of Columbia, Mo., which has a population of 100,000 people - almost exactly the size as Columbia, Md.

Howard Soroptimist Seeking Candidates
Soroptimist International of Howard County is seeking candidates for the Soroptimist Ruby Award: For Women Helping Women (formerly known as the Women Making a Difference Award).
The award honors women who have worked to improve the lives of women and girls through their profession/volunteerism. The gemstone "ruby" is associated with wisdom, strength, power and love - words that also embody the award winner and the values of the organization.
The recognition begins at the local level, where the winner receives $250 for her favorite charity and continues to the regional and federation level. The ultimate winner receives $5,000 for her charitable cause.
Candidates may self-nominate or individuals may nominate someone else. For more information, e-mail Marianne Hollerbach at sihowardcounty@yahoo.com. The deadline for completed applications is Dec. 29.

Howard County Library
Board Seeks Applicants
The Howard County Library (HCL) Board of Trustees has extended an invitation to community residents to apply for two library board vacancies. One position represents the community residing in Howard County Council District 1, and the other serves as an at-large trustee and attorney for the board.
The HCL board establishes policies, approves budgets and ensures that Howard County Library fulfills its mission of delivering quality education. Trustees, who serve as volunteers, are appointed by the county executive and county council for up to two consecutive five-year terms.
Interested applicants for the trustee position representing Howard County Council District 1 should reside in District 1; applicants interested in applying for the HCL trustee and attorney position may live anywhere in Howard County. A cover letter and rŽsumŽ are requested by Friday, Dec. 20, to Stephanie Shane at 410-313-7772 or stephanie.shane@hclibrary.org.

Local Business Leader to Star in 13th Annual Celebration of the Arts
The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) has announced that Dick Talkin, a long-time local lawyer and avid art collector, will serve as honorary chair of the 13th annual Celebration of the Arts in Howard County.
The event, presented by the HCAC, will be held on Saturday, April 24, from 6 to 10 p.m. at The Jim Rouse Theatre for the Performing Arts in Columbia. Dick Story, executive director of the Howard County Economic Development Authority, will serve as emcee of the program.
Throughout his four-decade career, Talkin has been active in the nonprofit community, where he prefers to work behind the scenes when contributing his time, expertise and resources to forging partnerships, spearheading fundraising campaigns and preparing governance and policies for organizations large and small.
A serious art collector, he takes a special interest in supporting the careers of Howard County artists. Talkin's collection exceeds 100 works of art.

The Arc Renovates Respite House
The Arc of Howard County has renovated its Respite House in Columbia, with financial assistance from Howard County government and volunteer help from DreamBuilders and students from Centennial High School.
The renovation project, which included green features, was led by Jay Raksin, The Arc's facilities and maintenance manager. Raskin cited the support of Stacy Spann, Howard County's Director of Housing and Community Development, as critical to the growth of The Arc's residential services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Teens and adults from St. John's Episcopal Church in Ellicott City, St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Highland, The Church of the Ascension in Westminster, Temple Isaiah in Fulton and Trinity Episcopal Church in Elkridge participate in the projects undertaken by DreamBuilders. The Arc has an educational partnership with Centennial High School.
The Arc of Howard County provides housing, employment services and individual and family support programs to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. For information, call 410-730-0638 or visit www.archoward.org.

GSCM Receives Business 2000 Award
Girl Scouts of Central Maryland (GSCM) received The Business 2000 Award at the annual Network 2000 luncheon at Martin's West. The award was created by the organization and The Daily Record in 1995 to recognize a Maryland firm that promotes and recognizes women in positions of leadership.
GSCM is the largest organization in Maryland providing leadership programs for girls with the help of accomplished women serving as mentors. Simultaneously, many adult volunteers enrich their leadership skills through their participation in Girl Scout programs.
Two of the council's signature events define its commitment to helping young women realize their potential through personal experiences with women leaders: The Women's Leadership Forum and the Distinguished Women's Award Reception.

Columbia Foundation Honors Chase Brexton for Dental Program
The Columbia Foundation presented Chase Brexton Health Services with the Casey Willis Making a Difference award at its recent annual dinner. The award acknowledges the impact of Chase Brexton's dental education program on the lives of low-income children.
Children in low-income families are especially vulnerable to oral health problems. Dental cavities, for example, are the single most common chronic childhood disease. Among low-income children, the prevalence of cavities is nearly three times that of middle- and high-income children.
In partnership with the Howard County Health Department and the Howard County Public School System, Chase Brexton offers services to pre-K through second grade students who attend Howard County's Title I schools. These services include dental education, screening, fluoride treatments, cavity-prevention sealants and referrals.

Kaufmann's Is the Place to
Be on Wednesdays
Kaufmann's Tavern, which has been serving Gambrills and its surrounding communities since 1937, is launching its new Giving Back Campaign. On Wednesday nights through April 2010, Kaufmann's will host Giving Back Night - where diners can select the pre-registered charity of their choice to receive a donation of 10% of their check in their name from Kaufmann's.
Interested nonprofit and charitable organizations can register with Kaufmann's by downloading and submitting the forms found at www.kaufmannstavern.com. For more information, call 410-923-2005.

HCAC's 2010 Arts Scholarship Application Now Available
This year, the Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) will award a minimum of $10,000 in scholarship funds to students entering college in the 2010-11 academic year. Scholarships must be used for enrollment in an accredited college program for a degree in the arts.
Awards will be made in the minimum amount of $1,000 and may be used for tuition and fees only. Applications will be reviewed by the HCAC's Scholarship Panel. Review criteria will include artistic merit, demonstrated knowledge of an artistic discipline, commitment to a career in the arts and a demonstrated track record of success in an academic setting. Applicants will be notified of the committee's decision in April 2010.
Applications are available from the HCAC web site at www.hocoarts.org. They must be postmarked or hand-delivered by Jan. 11. Call 410-313-2787 or e-mail info@hocoarts.org for more information.

Howard County Library
Celebrates 40 Years
Howard County Library, Friends of Howard County Library and the Columbia Foundation are partnering to celebrate the foundation's 40th anniversary by promoting charitable giving and volunteering in Howard County.
The library has prepared two lists of books related to "giving back" to the community through charitable giving, volunteering and helping friends and family. One list includes books for teenagers and adults; the other has books appropriate for children in elementary and middle school. The lists are available at each of the library's six branches and online at www.hclibrary.org/friends.

Youth on Board Working on
2009-10 Recruitment
The board recruitment process for Youth on Board is underway. The organization is seeking nonprofit boards and commissions who would benefit from having a youth serve on its board.
Additionally, Youth on Board offers high school students a unique opportunity to learn how to become effective board members in the nonprofit community.

Leadership U Recruitment Sessions Set
Leadership U is recruiting current high school sophomores for next year's class. Information sessions are set for Feb. 2 and Feb. 11; applications are due March 12. For more information, contact Diane Freedman at dfreedman@leadershiphc.org.

Cold Weather Shelter Program
Opens for Season
The seventh season of Grassroots' cold weather shelter program started Nov. 23 and will run through the end of March. The cold weather shelter program, housed in Howard County's faith communities, is provided for people who are unable to find emergency shelter when Grassroots is full.
Shelter participants receive additional services during their stay, including assistance with food stamps, medical assistance, case management referrals, preparing rŽsumŽs and tax returns and getting a social security card.
This year, 16 local churches will host the shelter for one or two weeks. Church volunteers provide shelter, meals, transportation, clothes, medicine and laundry services. This year's participating congregations are Atholton Seventh Day Adventist Church, Bethany United Methodist Church, Chapelgate Presbyterian Church, Christ Memorial Presbyterian Church, Columbia Community Church, Cornerstone Community Church, Covenant Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Gary Memorial United Methodist Church, Glen Mar United Methodist Church, Grace Community Church, Kittamaqundi Community Church, Linden-Linthicum United Methodist Church, St. John Baptist Church, St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church and St. Paul's Catholic Church.
Grassroots is located on Freetown Road in Columbia. For information, call 410-531-6006 or visit www.grassrootscrisis.org.

HC DrugFree to Hold Teen
Job & Volunteer Fair
HC DrugFree is seeking volunteers, sponsors and exhibitors for the 2010 Teen Job & Volunteer Fair. The annual event is free to the public and offers teens the opportunity to explore jobs, volunteer opportunities, services, camps and classes.
The fair is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Long Reach High School. For more information, call 443-325-0040 or visit www.hcdrugfree.org.