In March 2023, Bailey Feldman launched Fount & Flourish—a dynamic women’s social community and co-working space in downtown Annapolis where collaboration and giving back go hand in hand. As part of the launch, Fount & Flourish kicked off a month-long series of events that coincided with Women’s History Month, concluding with a special launch party fundraiser for the Bernie House, transitional housing for survivors of domestic violence.

“We decided for that launch party to find a way to also give back,” Bailey said. “I wanted to integrate giving into our model early on.”

Throughout that first year, Bailey held smaller giving events such as holding a donation-based Barre class. When Fount & Flourish celebrated its first anniversary, it culminated in a heartfelt celebration that raised funds for CFAAC’s Women and Girls Fund, a fund dedicated to supporting initiatives that empower women and girls to lead positive, fulfilling lives. After making the donation, Bailey felt compelled to engage more deeply and volunteered for the Women and Girls Fund grants selection committee, completing a full-circle journey from raising funds to helping to decide how they are distributed.

“It was definitely interesting to see all the different levels of organizations that applied for the grant; just the different backgrounds,” she said of the selection process. “It helped me learn a lot about different organizations that are doing really cool work in the area.”

Growing up in South Florida, Bailey witnessed her parent’s philanthropic efforts through giving their time, talent, and treasures. Her perspective on giving began there and just continues to grow.

“My personal thought on giving is that it's less to do about where the money goes, and more about the act of giving,” she said. “Personally, for us as a business, we want to be committed to giving back. I hope it inspires people, even just within our community, the importance of taking a little bit of what they have and giving it away. I think you learn a lot from it.

“In general, giving back locally connects people within a community,” she continued. “It’s a fundamental part of humanity—people giving and caring for others. With Fount & Flourish, we create the space and you just show up. And I think it’s similar to the Community Foundation in that if giving is what you want to do and it’s really overwhelming to you, you connect with them. The Community Foundation will help make sure your donations get to the right places. They can streamline the process, making it really easy for people to give in a way that matters to them, without it being stressful or time consuming.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CFAAC Awards Women and Girls Fund Grants to Five Local Nonprofits