The Arc Montgomery County
The Arc Montgomery County (thearcmontgomerycounty.org) provides support services to over 1,100 children, youths, adults, and seniors with and without disabilities, and their families. The Arc offers inclusive child care, youth programming, work skills training, community living support and respite coordination, and has supported Montgomery County residents for over 60 years.
Headquartered: Rockville
Serves: Montgomery County
What a donation buys:
• $50 provides a full set of classroom supplies for one child at KFICCC, The Arc’s inclusive child care program.
• $100 provides a week of groceries for one of The Arc’s Community Living homes.
• $1,000 covers the cost of replacement staff when an employee must quarantine.
Volunteer opportunities:
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Arc Montgomery County is currently developing alternative opportunities to safely engage volunteers with the people it supports.
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Community Reach of Montgomery County
Community Reach of Montgomery County (cmrocks.org) works to improve the quality of life for the most vulnerable county residents by providing a health clinic for the low-income uninsured and Medicaid underinsured; home care assistance for seniors aging in place; financial assistance to stop eviction and utility termination; English language and citizenship classes for immigrants; and supportive housing for the homeless working toward self-sufficiency.
Headquartered: Rockville
Serves: Montgomery County
What a donation buys:
• $250 provides five ESL students with tuition and books.
• $1,000 keeps a family facing eviction in their home.
• $10,000 covers the cost of 100 patient visits at the Mansfield Kaseman Health Clinic.
Volunteer opportunities:
• One day: Do yard work at the home of a senior.
• Weekly: Be an intake coordinator for the Rockville Emergency Assistance Program.
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Interfaith Works
Interfaith Works (iworksmc.org) helps more than 17,000 residents each year, equipping homeless and low-income neighbors to lift themselves from poverty through integrated prevention, stabilization and empowerment programs. Interfaith Works’ programs change lives with the help of 7,000 volunteers and 165 congregations.
Headquartered: Rockville
Serves: Montgomery County
What a donation buys:
• $100 provides job-specific clothing that recently employed clients have to buy.
• $250 can help pay six rental application fees for clients moving into permanent housing.
• $2,000 helps five families avoid being evicted from their homes.
Volunteer opportunities:
• Ongoing: Sort and organize donated clothes and household goods that will be provided to clients free of charge.
• Ongoing: Help distribute food on a weekly basis.
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• Internships
Latino Economic Development Center
Latino Economic Development Center (ledcmetro.org) equips Latinos and other underserved Greater D.C. residents with the skills and tools to achieve financial independence and become leaders in their communities. The organization’s small-business services include technical assistance and microloans for aspiring and existing low- to moderate-income entrepreneurs. Its housing services prepare families for responsible homeownership.
Headquartered: Washington, D.C.
Serves: Maryland, Virginia, D.C. and Puerto Rico
What a donation buys:
• $250 helps establish tenant associations to preserve affordable housing.
• $1,000 helps a low-income family or senior in crisis remain in their home.
• $10,000 helps an aspiring low- to moderate-income entrepreneur.
Volunteer opportunities:
• One day: Offer expertise related to personal and business financial management.
• Weekly: Help with survey administration.
• Internships
Rainbow Community Development Center
Rainbow Community Development Center (rainbowcdc.org) seeks to build better lives for those in need by providing safety net services, including healthy food for those facing food insecurity; stable homes by providing eviction prevention; utility cutoff prevention; and temporary emergency shelter.
Headquartered: Silver Spring
Serves: Montgomery County (primarily East County)
What a donation buys:
• $100 provides a family of four with a two-week supply of groceries.
• $5,000 provides holiday food baskets for 350 families in November and December.
• $10,000 provides needed refrigeration storage space.
Volunteer opportunities:
• One day: Pack grocery bags for holiday food distribution.
• Ongoing: Provide administrative and operational support; pack grocery bags; assist with food distribution; or post on social media.
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• Internships
Sheppard Pratt
Sheppard Pratt (sheppardpratt.org) provides support programs to more than 70,000 people annually throughout Maryland. Regionally, its programs aim to improve the quality of life for families through special education services, child development programs, prevention and early-intervention services, emergency assistance, mental health and substance abuse services, domestic violence services and more.
Headquartered: Towson, Maryland
Serves: Maryland, including Montgomery County
What a donation buys:
• $500 provides aid and shelter to a woman and her children fleeing domestic violence and human trafficking.
• $1,000 provides safe environments for youths to prevent gang involvement and to support recovery from substance abuse.
• $10,000 furnishes a playroom at the Betty Ann Krahnke Center, a domestic violence shelter.
Volunteer opportunities:
• One time: Volunteer at a special event.
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• Internships
Voices for Children Montgomery
Voices for Children Montgomery (voicesforchildrenmontgomery.org) supports abused and neglected children by providing them with trained court-appointed special advocates (CASAs) to ensure their best interests are represented in the legal and social service systems. CASAs work with nearly 300 children each year.
Headquartered: Rockville
Serves: Montgomery County
What a donation buys:
• $250 covers recruiting/training for four new child-advocate volunteers.
• $1,000 provides ongoing support and supervision for volunteer advocates to serve three children for one year.
• $10,000 covers the full cost of providing volunteer advocates for seven children for one year.
Volunteer opportunities:
• One day: Donate household items to support older youths transitioning out of foster care.
• Weekly: Train to become an advocate (must be 21 or older).
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• Internships
