NonProfit News & Charitable Giving

Manekin LLC Helps Columbia Nonprofit Purchase New Offices
After Fire
Congregations Concerned for the Homeless (CCH), a Columbia-based nonprofit organization committed to helping the homeless or nearly homeless, became homeless itself in December 2008 when a fire completely destroyed its offices on Little Patuxent Parkway.
Simultaneously, Baltimore County Savings Bank was looking to sell a 3,230-square-foot condo office suite it owned at the intersection of Berger Road and Snowden River Parkway in Columbia. In June, the bank awarded Manekin LLC the condo listing.
Knowing that CCH still needed office space, the Manekin LLC team of Richard Fields and Liz Tarran-Jones presented the Berger Road suite. CCH liked the space and ultimately combined grant funds with a commercial mortgage to finance it.
"We had a motivated seller and were able to match the nonprofit with the most appropriate property for its needs at a below market sales price," Fields said. "We were delighted to help them rise from the ashes and continue their mission of helping Howard County families in need."
CCH has implemented an expanded mission, changed its name to Bridges to Housing Stability and moved into 9520 Berger Rd., Ste. 311. For more information, call 410-312-5760 or visit www.Bridges2HS.org.

Bollman Bridge Wellness
Night Draws Support
Wellness Night at Bollman Bridge Elementary required the support of many people, including, front row, from left: Earl Schurman, Wellness Committee chair; Samantha O'Neil, Division of Outreach and Community Partnerships: Howard County Health Department; Gail Welty, Physical Education teacher and Wellness Committee member; Donna Lyman, Cluster Nurse and Wellness Committee member.
Second row, from left, Deb Pulver, Howard County Health Department medical student; Casey Schurman, fifth-grade teacher and Wellness Committee co-chair; Pastor Philip Chin, interpreter; and Principal Jonathan Davis.
Back row, from left, Joseph Murray, community relations director at Ascend One Corp. and member of the Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism; Special Education Instructional Assistant Deanna Murray; and media specialist and Wellness Committee Member Sandy Sneeringer.

Vendors Wanted for
Howard County's GreenFest
Howard County's GreenFest will return for a third consecutive year on Saturday, April 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Howard Community College's Burrill Galleria, which is located at 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia.
Vendor spaces are still available for the event, which last year drew approximately 1,700 attendees and featured more than 95 commercial and nonprofit vendors.
Vendors and exhibitors with information on green products, ecological home cleaning and lawn care, alternative energy, water conservation and reuse, and tips for greening your everyday activities are encouraged to apply. Other topics of interest could include alternative energy, energy efficiency, green buildings and green consumer products, among others.
Cost to nonprofits is $25 per space; cost to other entities, including commercial businesses, is $35 per space. Preference will be given to local businesses and organizations that promote environmentally friendly goods and services. Vendor applications are available via www.hcgreenfest.org. For more information, contact Lindsay DeMarzo at 410-313-4374 or ldemarzo@howardcountymd.gov.
Commission on Aging Seeks Nominees for First Recognition Awards Program
The Howard County Commission on Aging is accepting nominations for the commission's first annual Recognition Awards Program. The awards will recognize outstanding achievement by individuals and organizations that exemplify the commission's mission to promote successful aging in Howard County.
The deadline for nominations is Wednesday, Feb. 10. The categories for nominations include Individual Leadership Awards, Caregiver Friendly Workplace and the Benchmark Award for Businesses.
Nominees must live, work or do business in Howard County and must demonstrate exceptional contributions to the lives of county residents. Nominators are asked to provide details of how the nominee meets the award criteria and describe (or list) achievements specific to the award category.
For more information or to download a nomination form, call 410-313-6410 or visit www.howardcountyaging.org. Completed forms are to be sent to the Howard County Commission on Aging, 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite 200, Columbia, MD 21046 or via e-mail to coa@howardcountymd.gov.

LHC Preparing for Next
Youth on Board Class
Leadership Howard County (LHC) is currently accepting applications for Youth on Board (YOB). YOB offers high school sophomores and juniors a unique opportunity to learn how to become effective board members in the nonprofit community.
At the same time, students will contribute valuable insight about the needs of youth in our community. Students participate in 15 hours of training during March and April, and will be matched with a nonprofit board based on their interests. Students serve on their board for a one-year term.
YOB is sponsored by LHC with support from The Horizon Foundation. Further information can be found at www.leadershiphc.org or by contacting Diane Freedman at dfreedman@leadershiphc.org.

WGC's Journey 2010 Accepting Applications for Summer Program
The Women's Giving Circle (WGC) of Howard County is accepting applications for its residential summer camp, Journey 2010. The camp will include 40 girls entering 8th or 9th grade this fall. Maryland Leadership Workshops (MLW) will operate Journey, as it has since its inception.
The WGC is an organization of women philanthropists dedicated to addressing the needs of women and girls in Howard County. MLW has been providing leadership training programs for middle and high school students in Maryland for more than 50 years.
Journey will run from Sunday, June 27, to Saturday, July 3, at Washington College in Chestertown, which is located on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The girls will live in the college dorms, eat in the college cafeteria and experience a collegiate atmosphere during the week-long program.
Journey's program director is Kea McKoy, an experienced Journey staff member. Atholton High School Principal Marcy Leonard serves as outreach program Facilitator and policy board member of MLW. For further information, contact journeydirector@gmail.com.

Atholton High Raises
Money for Grassroots
The National Art Honor Society (NAHS) at Atholton High School raised $1,100 for Grassroots, attracting 100 people to "Empty Bowls," a soup and bread dinner that came with a ceramic bowl made by students.
The NAHS was founded by the National Art Education Association to inspire and recognize students with an outstanding ability in art and to bring art education to the attention of the school and the community.
Grassroots is located next door to Atholton High. The center is staffed by professional crisis counselors who answer 24-hour hotlines, see walk-ins in need of immediate counseling assistance, operate the mobile crisis team which responds to community emergencies, and manage the county's emergency shelter for homeless men, women and families.
In addition, Grassroots manages the Cold Weather Shelter Program, housed in the area's faith communities, for people who are unable to find emergency shelter when Grassroots is full. To contribute to Grassroots, visit www.grassrootscrisis.org.

St. John's Episcopal Raises
$11,500 for Grassroots
St. John's Episcopal Church in Ellicott City raised $11,500 for Grassroots at its annual County Fair Fundraiser. The event, part of the church's outreach opportunities, included games, a buffet, square dancing, cake and pie contests, and an auction and raffle.
Last year, Grassroots had 27,416 hotline contacts and 1,252 personal contacts. The Mobile Crisis Team made 314 community responses. The shelter programs housed 417 people, 206 of which were children, from infants to high school students. Another 79 people were served by the Cold Weather Shelter Program.

BB&T Presents Chocolate Ball Fundraiser for The Arc
BB&T will present Chocolate Ball 2010, "Growing and Going Green," to benefit The Arc of Howard County on Saturday, March 6, 7 p.m.-midnight, at the Kossiakoff Center at The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
The black tie-preferred event is expected to be a sell-out. The benefit for The Arc of Howard County includes a silent auction and raffle for luxurious prizes, as well as dinner, dancing and entertainment by Oracle - and, of course, extravagant desserts created by the area's best chefs and caterers, including the Food Network's Duff Goldman of Charm City Cakes.
Proceeds from the Chocolate Ball benefit The Arc of Howard County's vocational and residential support and services, respite care, and other programs and services for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Sponsorships, from $15,000 to $500, are still available. Individual tickets are $150. Contact Director of Resource Development Kari Ebeling at 410-730-0638, ext. 306, or kebeling@archoward.org.

Ascend One's EDGE
Fund Makes Grants
Ascend One's EDGE Fund (Employee Donations & Grants Empowerment Fund) has distributed monies to five organizations: Grassroots, Domestic Violence Center, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, STTAR Center and the U.S. Dream Academy.
The EDGE Fund has continually replenished donor-advised cash funds at The Columbia Foundation and the Baltimore Community Foundation. Contributions come from employees and are matched by Ascend One Corp.
Distributions are made based on recommendations from employees, and Community Relations Director Joseph Murray, Sr. and a committee of three employees research the organization, then decide on the amount of the grant, typically between $250 and $1,000.
"Its mission is to help revitalize our communities through cutting edge philanthropy: caring enough to extend help to families through funding, volunteerism and support of human services organizations," said Murray.

YWCA Annapolis/Anne Arundel Announces 25th Anniversary of
TWIN Awards
The YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County has announced that it will be hosting the 25th anniversary of the Tribute to Women and Industry (TWIN) awards on June 3.
TWIN is an annual program that honors Anne Arundel County women for their outstanding achievements in business and recognizes their employers who are committed to empowering women. Since TWIN's inception in 1986, more than 600 women have been chosen for the award by their companies.
Each honoree is recognized at an annual dinner and invited to participate in YWCA activities throughout the year. TWIN 2010 will honor county women in management or executive positions who have made significant contributions to their companies' progress.
Nominations are now being accepted. For more information, visit www.annapolisywca.org or contact Emilia Poiter at 410-626-7800, x115, or epoiter@ywcaaac.org.

Howard County Still Offering Counseling Services After STTAR Center Closing
Howard County Executive Ken Ulman has announced that through the county's Community Service Partnerships program, the Way Station Inc. (a subsidiary of the Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Health Foundation) will provide counseling services for survivors of sexual violence, child abuse and other traumas now through June 30.
These services were formerly provided by the STTAR Center, which closed its doors at the end of last year.
"I am pleased we have been able to quickly work out an interim plan with our community partners to continue these services over the next several months," said Ulman. "These services are critical to victims of sexual assault and child abuse in Howard County."
During the next six months, community organizations will be meeting to consider possible models for a long-term solution to provide trauma services in the county. In the meantime, the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center will continue to answer the 24/7 crisis hotline established by the STTAR Center for victims of trauma. The hotline number is 410-997-3292.
Howard County General Hospital continues to provide medical assistance and forensic exams for survivors of rape and sexual assault.

Rams Head Restaurants
Support the Special Olympics
On Jan. 19, the Rams Head Restaurants donated 10% of the patrons' total dinner check to Special Olympics of Maryland. Management asked patrons to bring a 10% off coupon for the money to be donated towards the Special Olympics and the 2010 Polar Bear Plunge.
On Jan. 30, the Rams Head Group committed to grin and "bear" it for the athletes of Special Olympics Maryland by taking a chilly dip into the Chesapeake Bay alongside 10,000-plus other warm-hearted people.

Get a Head StART in
ART With Trainor
In fiscal 2000, the Howard County Arts Council developed a partnership with the Ellicott City Head Start Center to establish an artist in residence program. This partnership, Head StART in ART, provides the children with an in-depth, hands-on artistic experience they might otherwise never have and ensures them access to the arts.
Many are introduced to the arts for the first time and experience the joy and wonder of artistic expression. Today, Sue Trainor is directing students during her residency and encouraging children to participate in the creation and performance of a song. Students also will practice holding a steady beat, improvisation and singing and will participate in call and response songs.
Students will participate in a final performance at the Howard County Center for the Arts at 8510 High Ridge Road, Ellicott City, MD 21043. Call 410-313-2787 or visit www.hocoarts.org for more information.

Perfect Networker Wins Networking Group of the Year Award
Elkridge-based Perfect Networker was named 2009's Networking Group of the Year by Beltway Networking Inc. (BNI). The group was chosen overwhelmingly with 63% of the votes in an online tally that garnered more than 80,000 votes.
The online ballot included 31 nominated groups within Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., and included chambers of commerce, leads clubs and online groups. BNI of Maryland took the honor last year.
"When I heard that there were 80,000 votes this year, compared to just 1,100 last year, I knew it was our members driving the numbers up. They're so engaged and connected," said Mac Cassity, director of operations and co-owner of Perfect Networker.

A Healthy Step Donates
Shoes to the YWCA's Arden House
A Healthy Step, a shoe store in Gambrills, has donated 85 pairs of new shoes and boots to Arden House, a program of the YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, as well as the county's only domestic violence safe shelter.
The shoes were made in a kibbutz in Israel and were donated to women who are escaping from domestic violence. The donation was facilitated by the Severn Town Club, a local women's organization that has long supported the YWCA and the residents of Arden House. The shoes will be made available to women at Arden House, who often arrive with little or no clothing and personal supplies.

ShadowLand Partners With
Heart of America Foundation
ShadowLand, a mid-Atlantic family entertainment chain based in Howard County, has announced its partnership with Heart of America Foundation to conduct a book drive during the month of February.
Customers bringing in a new or gently-used book for preschoolers and elementary-aged children to any ShadowLand Center will receive $2 off the price of their first adventure. Books from the Heart is a national program of The Heart of America Foundation, a nonprofit humanitarian network located in Washington, D.C., that seeks to engage students, corporations and other organizations in gathering books for libraries and classrooms located in areas of poverty.
ShadowLand provides laser tag adventures to individuals, families, youth groups and business teams. ShadowLand's five area centers, including its Columbia location, will participate in this program.
Further information about this program can be found at www.ShadowlandAdventures.com.

Historic District Holiday
Window Decorating Contest
The Ellicott City Restoration Foundation (ECRF) has announced the People's Choice winner in its annual window decorating contest: The Vintage Girls at 8086 Main Street is the official People's Choice winner for 2009.
This year's popular winner was determined by ballots cast by visitors to the Historic District and submitted to the foundation. The winner of the people's choice will receive an ad in The Business Monthly, courtesy of Howard County Tourism.
This year's runners up are The Yuppy Puppy Pet Boutique at 8104 Main Street (1st) and Out of Our Past Antiques at 8111 Main Street (2nd). This is the first year that the Judges' Choice and the People's Choice have been the same location.
The ballot also serves as an entry form for the voter in the foundation's drawing for a $75 gift certificate to the retail shop or restaurant of their choice.

HCAC Ready for Cultural
Arts Showcase 2010
The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) is accepting attendee registration for its annual Cultural Arts Showcase, which will be presented in partnership with the Recreation & Leisure Service Branch (RALS) of the Maryland Recreation & Parks Association.
The event will be held at Howard County Center for the Arts at 8510 High Ridge Road in Ellicott City on March 4 and 5. The showcase is a program to assist school and cultural civic organizations in identifying visual, literary and performing artists for workshops, performances, demonstrations and residencies.
This is an opportunity to meet and view the work of more than 45 performing artists, each presenting an eight-minute excerpt of their work, and to meet other individual visual, literary and performing artists who will be on-hand to discuss their programs with attendees.
The registration deadline is Feb. 26. For registration information, contact the HCAC at 410-313-2787/TDD 711 or e-mail info@hocoarts.org.

Howard County Public School System Sponsors 2010 STEM Fair
Long Reach High School, 6101 Old Dobbin Lane in Columbia, will serve as the host for the 2010 Howard County STEM Fair on Friday, Feb. 19, and Saturday, Feb. 20.
The fair provides an opportunity for middle and high school students to represent their schools and compete in many categories of science, technology, engineering and math. The STEM Fair also showcases the talents of students who participate in mentorships through the Gifted and Talented Research Program.
Judging for the registered middle school projects will occur on Friday, Feb. 19, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Judging for the registered high school projects will take place on Saturday, Feb. 20, from 9 a.m. to noon. A public open house is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 20 from 3 to 4:15 p.m. and will be followed by an awards ceremony from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Long Reach High School auditorium.
In the event of a cancellation due to inclement weather, the fair will be held the following weekend, Friday, Feb. 26, and Saturday, Feb. 27.

Ascend One Sponsors Junior Achievement in Howard County
Columbia-based Ascend One Corp. has donated $10,000 to Junior Achievement of Central Maryland to support financial literacy, entrepreneurship and life skills training for young people in Howard County.
"At no time in recent history has the need for financial education and the infusion of 21st century skills been more visible and widespread than today," said Jennifer Bodensiek, president of Junior Achievement of Central Maryland.
At Ascend One, where employees are encouraged to become involved in community life and assist local nonprofits through board membership and volunteerism, Junior Achievement is a popular volunteer project.
Company team members have taught financial literacy classes in Howard County and Baltimore City schools and participated in other programs. In addition, Ascend One has donated more than $80,000 to Junior Achievement to pay for programs that give students the skills they need to be successful.

GenderStrategy Attains
Certification as a WBE
West Friendship-based GenderStrategy is now a Certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) by The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). WBENC provides and manages the development, enforcement and implementation of its gold standard of certification, which is nationally accepted by thousands of major corporations and a select group of government entities. WBENC certification is a multi-faceted business application and review process that is conducted by a trained Certification Review Committee to ensure that women-owned businesses applying for certification are 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or group of women.

HoCoFilm Festival
Submissions Requested
It's time for the cue to Howard County Teenagers for the sixth annual Howard County Student Film Festival, a product of the Howard County Public School System Gifted & Talented Intern/Mentor Program.
The festival is seeking original film submissions from county high schoolers from Howard County public and private schools. All films must be three to 10 minutes in length, original and family friendly. The deadline for submissions is Feb. 26, 2010. See www.hocofilmfestival.com for more submission guidelines.