The organizations listed below are part of the 2024 Guide to Giving. Return to the guide’s homepage by clicking here.
Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington (ACSGW)
Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington (ACSGW) (acsgw.org) reaches out to vulnerable residents and works with them to build independence and self-sufficiency. Donations of food, clothing, diapers, holiday baskets and more support clients who need help making ends meet during tough times. During COVID, ACSGW provided meals for 20,000 families, and 50,000 diapers, per month. Now, eight-week courses in English and computers at its Learning Center boost job prospects, while training in computer repair and technical certifications increases earning power. Fitness programs and learning camps empower youths to make healthy choices and shape their own futures. ACSGW serves nearly 3,000 families.
HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring
SERVES: Montgomery County
WHAT A DONATION BUYS:
– $100 provides one immigrant with three weeks of language training.
– $250 helps provide diapers for 250 infants for a month.
SSL HOURS: No
INTERNSHIPS: No
CareerCatchers
CareerCatchers (careercatchers.org) provides personalized employment and job-skills counseling to the area’s most vulnerable residents. CareerCatchers’ approach focuses on developing each client’s unique combination of professional development, in-house training, education, and long-lasting engagement to ensure they find career success and move out of poverty. CareerCatchers engaged 1,033 participants last year, of whom 330 participated in training, 356 received job retention services, and 270 obtained new jobs totaling over $11.5 million in value.
HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring
SERVES: The Washington Metro Area
WHAT A DONATION BUYS:
– $500 prepares a client with career coaching and job readiness.
– $1,500 provides a client ongoing services from intake to starting a new job.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
– Ongoing: Grant Writing; Workshop presenters; Teach computer skills; and Tutor ESOL, GED, etc.
SSL HOURS: Yes
INTERNSHIPS: Yes
Classroom 2 Community
Classroom 2 Community (LCMC) (learnwithc2c.org) has helped make daily tasks easier for over 20,000 adult English learners for more than 50 years. Through one-on-one basic literacy and English as a second language (ESL) tutoring and classes, it provides cost-effective instruction to both foreign-born and native-born students who have limited flexibility in their schedules, may not be comfortable in large classes, or may simply need to learn at their own pace. It also offers conversation classes and workplace literacy courses—all of which give students the skills and vocabulary to navigate school, work, and community. More than 30 classes at six sites will reach nearly 1,700 adults next year.
HEADQUARTERED: Rockville
SERVES: Montgomery County
WHAT A DONATION BUYS:
– $100 provides online books for five students
– $250 provides online ESL class for 4 learners
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
– Ongoing: Become a community coach (mentor) for a student, train to be a teacher assistant
SSL HOURS: No
INTERNSHIPS: No
Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County
Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County (CRCMC) (crcmc.org) offers conflict resolution services. Its Landlord-Tenant Mediation Program helps resolve conflict and builds understanding while providing a safe space for complaints and rebuilding community relations. School programs focus on resolving conflict through teacher training, dialogue circles, and mediation; community programs include couples negotiating child custody, Spanish speakers in need of bilingual mediation, virtual mediation and more. Restoring justice, mending relationships, supporting small businesses, creating safer schools and neighborhoods are all part of CRCMC’s mission.
HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda
SERVES: Montgomery County
WHAT A DONATION BUYS:
– $50 provides one hour of mediation for a family in crisis
– $250 provides a youth restorative justice dialog circle for five youths
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
– Ongoing: Get trained as a community mediator, volunteer in a mediation role
SSL HOURS: No
INTERNSHIPS: No
Gaithersburg HELP
Gaithersburg HELP (gaithersburghelp.org) assists people living in poverty, who can schedule a same-day pickup at its food pantry, stocked with fresh, canned, packaged, and frozen foods (including baby food and formula). Seniors and clients with disabilities rely on volunteer drivers to attend their medical and social service appointments. Uninsured and underinsured clients are referred to participating pharmacies that accept funding for medication and supplies (like insulin), as well as referrals to obtain ongoing assistance. More than 160 volunteers provide more than 200,000 meals, make approximately 876 trips and pay for 283 prescriptions annually. The organization serves more than 6,000 English- and Spanish-speaking households.
HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg
SERVES: Montgomery County
WHAT A DONATION BUYS:
– $100 provides food to feed five individuals for three to five days
– $250 provides prescription medications for five individuals
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
– Ongoing: Bilingual assistance (Spanish) at the call center, drive clients to appointments, work at the call center directing food or transportation needs
SSL HOURS: No
INTERNSHIPS: No
Housing Initiative Partnership
Housing Initiative Partnership (HIP) (hiphomes.org) develops innovative affordable housing, revitalizes neighborhoods and equips people to achieve their housing and financial goals. HIP builds affordable rental apartments and for-sale homes, and provides a full range of housing and financial counseling services to at-risk renters, first-time homebuyers and struggling homeowners.
HEADQUARTERED: Hyattsville
SERVES: Maryland
WHAT A DONATION BUYS:
– $100 covers a one-night hotel stay and meal for a homeless family awaiting placement.
– $500 covers food and supplies for a holiday meal for 50 low-income seniors at HIP’s properties.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
– One day: Help at an outreach event, groundbreaking or ribbon-cutting ceremony.
– Ongoing: Participate in monthly food distributions at HIP’s senior properties.
SSL HOURS: Yes
INTERNSHIPS: Yes
IMPACT Silver Spring
IMPACT Silver Spring (impactsilverspring.org) works to achieve racial and economic equity in Montgomery County. They do this by creating and sustaining community-based spaces where people and organizations dialogue, build relationships of trust and mutual benefit, raise awareness, and take action collaboratively–all to promote equity and justice. IMPACT believes that achieving true equity and justice requires transformation at the personal/interpersonal, neighborhood and systems levels.
HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring
SERVES: Montgomery County
WHAT A DONATION BUYS:
– $150 covers the cost of three student books for English language learners.
– $500 purchases a pair of goals for a youth soccer team.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
– As needed: Teach English as a second language classes
– As needed: Volunteer as an Assistant Soccer Coach for a youth soccer team (minimum age 14)
SSL HOURS: Yes
INTERNSHIPS: No
Interfaith Works
Interfaith Works (iworksmc.org), founded in 1972, has a mission to support neighbors in need by providing vital services and a pathway to greater stability. IW’s 200 staff and 7,000 volunteers provide emergency shelter, supportive housing, essential needs, and employment programs to more than 35,000 of our Montgomery County neighbors each year.
HEADQUARTERED: Rockville
SERVES: Montgomery County
WHAT A DONATION BUYS:
– $280 is the estimated cost of groceries received during a client’s weekly trip to the IW Food Pantry
– $1,000 can help one family avoid being evicted from their home through IW Connections
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
– Ongoing: sort/organize donated clothes, household goods, and non-perishable food items; prepare/deliver meals for shelter and supportive housing clients; organize recreational activities at shelters & homes
SSL HOURS: Yes
INTERNSHIPS: Yes
Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy
Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL) (mcael.org) serves as a hub for some 60+ program providers that, together, meet the needs of over 16,000 adult English language learners annually. It advocates for, streamlines, and coordinates the funding opportunities and capacity-building resources that partner organizations need to focus on providing high-quality instruction. Coalition members receive ongoing technical assistance to improve program design while new and experienced instructors participate in free professional development to better engage learners. Community partnerships with schools, businesses and faith-based organizations expand its reach to more under-served residents.
HEADQUARTERED: Rockville
SERVES: Montgomery County
WHAT A DONATION BUYS:
– $100 provides a Chromebook for English as a second language (ESOL) classes
– $500 provides an instructor for a community learning group
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
– Ongoing: Support or teach ESOL classes
SSL HOURS: No
INTERNSHIPS: No
Nonprofit Montgomery
Nonprofit Montgomery (nonprofitmoco.org) provides nonprofit organizations serving Montgomery County residents with the support needed to be effective and sustainable by providing training and technical assistance that builds organizational resilience and strengthens leadership. With 200-plus members, Nonprofit Montgomery also connects nonprofit leaders to build a strong community and advocates to increase resources and participation of small and emerging nonprofits to ensure that policymakers, business leaders, and the public understand the vital role of nonprofits.
HEADQUARTERED: Rockville
SERVES: Montgomery County
WHAT A DONATION BUYS:
– $500 provides a year of membership for 5 organizations with budgets under $100,000.
– $1,000 sponsors an essential skills workshop for nonprofit professionals, such as finance, HR, or fundraising.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
– Members are eligible to serve as a committee or board member.
– Ongoing: Support or teach ESOL classes
SSL HOURS: No
INTERNSHIPS: Yes
