The Help Our Neighbors Fund was created in 2008 in response to significant increases in calls for urgent financial assistance for individuals and families. Since then, this fund has been instrumental in providing emergency support to nonprofits that help Anne Arundel County residents in need, covering essentials like rent, car repairs, utilities, medicine, food, and other basic necessities. 

Grants have been made to numerous local agencies, including Fuel Fund of Maryland, Owensville Primary Care, Blessed in Tech Ministries Inc. SPAN, Inc., Downtown Hope, St. James Parish, The Light House Homeless Prevention Center, and more. These agencies report helping hundreds of people by paying for essential expenses like rent and utilities, enabling their clients to stay in their homes, pay fees for licenses and certifications, provide transportation to work, and pay for essential medication and medical care to return to or maintain their health.

Nonprofits who receive grants from CFAAC often hear from the individuals and families they support. 

One recipient wrote,

“I wanted to say thank you for your gift of a new beginning. By helping me with my rent I am now able to stay in my home and proceed with my GED and finding a new job. There has been a huge weight lifted off my heart and soul because I know now there are still good people in the world.” 

How You Can Help

Supporting the Help Our Neighbors Fund extends a lifeline to Anne Arundel County residents facing crisis. Your donation could keep a family in their home, provide vital medication, or help someone secure a job after earning their GED. These are real stories of gratitude that are only made possible through the generosity of our community. With your contribution, emergency assistance reaches those in urgent need and every dollar counts. Your donation is more than financial; it’s a statement of solidarity. Join us in making a meaningful impact today.

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How to Apply

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To apply for a grant, organizations must have a designated 501(c)(3) nonprofit under the Internal Revenue Code or a faith-based organization. They must provide evidence of this designation and confirm that their registration status with the Maryland Secretary of State is current. The organization must be located in and providing services for residents of Anne Arundel County. Eligible organizations must have a proven and well-established capacity to determine eligibility for urgent financial assistance, and a track record of ensuring that financial assistance is provided to families and individuals with an immediate need in Anne Arundel County. Eligible organizations must have a transparent and documented process for tracking the use of their financial assistance.

Grants range from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $2,500. Funds should provide emergency assistance in paying for rent, car repair, utilities, medicine, food, and other basic necessities. Disbursements from the grant should be made directly to the vendor providing the service or fulfilling the emergency need (i.e. utility company, landlord, pharmacy, grocery gift card) unless exceptional circumstances apply. The severity and urgency of the need to be addressed and the impact of the financial support on an individual’s or family’s ability to remain independent should be the determining consideration in the disbursement of funds. An organization may apply for a subsequent grant after sufficient documentation of disbursements made from a previous grant.

Cycle 1 Application Open: February 19, 2024 | Deadline: March 29, 2024 | Award Size: up to $2,500 | Awards in April 2024
Cycle 2 Application Open: October 8, 2024 | Deadline: November 5, 2024 | Award Size: up to $2,500 | Awards in December 2024

Please contact with any questions: grants@cfaac.org or 410.280.1102 x104.

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Make a Tax-Smart Impact

Many people like you are making tax smart donations with appreciated stocks and bonds, qualified charitable distributions (QCD) from an IRA, or a variety of planned gifts. For more information, please email John@CFAAC.org or call 410-280-1102 ext. 103.

Should you wish to make a non-cash donation, CFAAC accepts gifts of appreciated stock for the benefit of this fund. To initiate this transaction, contact your broker with the number of shares of each security you wish to give. All gifts of stocks and bonds which are “DTC Eligible” can be transferred to CFAAC using the information below:

• Pershing, LLC Depository Trust Company (DTC) #0443 For the credit to: Pershing, LLC #4S2117401
• Account name: The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County

PLEASE NOTE: Donor names are rarely provided when securities are transferred electronically. To ensure your gift is correctly allocated, please email Kathy@CFAAC.org with the gift amount and the name of the fund your gift will support.