The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC) recently distributed the sixth cycle of grants through its Community Crisis Response Fund. To date, 139 grants to 66 unique nonprofits totaling $296,561, have been awarded. Most recently, CFAAC funded $34,500 to 17 local nonprofits that serve the county’s most vulnerable and at-risk populations including seniors, children, low-income or food-insecure families, and the recently unemployed.

This latest grantmaking provided funding for organizations to purchase and distribute food and essential items to maintain safe and healthy environments as well as to provide assistance to Anne Arundel County residents who are facing housing insecurity and homelessness.

Organizations such as Kids Changemakers, a nonprofit whose mission is to serve the food insecure, homeless, and foster children in the county, were recipients of the grants. The nonprofit has been holding pop-up pantries/distribution events throughout Anne Arundel County since the start of the pandemic every one to two weeks, partnering with other nonprofits and churches in the county to secure locations for these distribution events. Caleb Oh, Founder and Director of Kid Changemakers, said they saw an exponentially increased demand for baby formula, baby food, baby cereal, food, and diapers since the beginning of the pandemic.

“These items are costly, and the demand has exceeded our current budget,” said Oh. “In addition, due to COVID-19, many families are now housebound. We have had to add deliveries to our current services, which again has increased our budget.” CFAAC’s Community Crisis Response Fund grant will help Kids Changemakers purchase more baby essentials for families in need in Anne Arundel County. 

Sixth Cycle Community Crisis Response Fund Grantees

• Agape Deliverance Ministries, Inc.: Project Farm 2 Families Mobile Food Pantry: Grant awarded to purchase and distribute food, including farm fresh products, to low-income North County residents in Glen Burnie and Old Mill.
• Annapolis Maritime Museum: Grant awarded to provide funding or scholarships for low-income children to attend the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s Summer Camp in order for parents to return to work.
• Associated Catholic Charities, Inc.: Grant awarded to purchase and distribute cleaning and hygiene supplies, to Anne Arundel County residents through Sarah’s House homeless shelter at Fort Meade, and for Project North. Project North is a supportive housing program, which provides up individuals and families the additional longevity needed to lessen the gap between themselves and self-sufficiency.
• BeMoreCaring, Inc.: Project Helping the Homeless During COVID-19: Grant awarded to purchase and distribute essential items such as food, water, and toiletries to North Anne Arundel County homeless residents.
• Be Rose International Foundation, Inc.: Grant awarded to purchase and distribute food and essential items to maintain safe and healthy environments to low-income communities across Anne Arundel County.
• Blessed in Tech Ministries Inc.: Grant awarded to distribute essential items such as food, prescriptions, and transportation assistance, as well as items to maintain safe and healthy environments, including cleaning and hygiene supplies, to low income seniors in West Anne Arundel County.
• BWMC Foundation: Project Hungry Harvest produce box distribution for needy families: Grant awarded to purchase and distribute food to primarily Northern Anne Arundel County residents who live in food deserts.
• Chesapeake Cares Food Pantry: Grant to provide enhanced food support services to 142 low-income Anne Arundel County families living in the South County area.
• Child Hunger Outreach Partners: Grant awarded to purchase and distribute food to Anne Arundel County children and their families through the organization’s Emergency Feeding Program.
• The Church at Severn Run: Grant awarded to provide financial assistance to Anne Arundel County residents in need of support for both rent and/or utilities.
• Downtown Hope: Project COVID-19 Love Annapolis: Grant to purchase and distribute essential items such as food, formula, diapers, medicine, transportation assistance, and items to maintain safe and healthy environments to Annapolis residents.
• Helping Hands of America, Inc.: Grant awarded to purchase and distribute essential items such as food, formula, diapers, transportation assistance, and items to maintain safe and healthy environments to Anne Arundel County children and their families through the organization’s Mobile Emergency Baby and Children's Pantry.
• Kid Changemakers: Grant awarded to purchase and distribute essential items such as food, medicine, baby supplies, baby food, formula, as well as items to maintain safe and healthy environments, including cleaning and hygiene supplies, to Anne Arundel County residents in Glen Burnie, Severn, Annapolis, Jessup, and Gambrills.
• The Light House Homeless Prevention Center: Project Light House Bistro - Food Distribution for Homeless and Food Insecure Community Members: Grant awarded to purchase and distribute food for the 25-30 homeless Anne Arundel County clients.
• My Life Foundation, Inc.: Project Support Food and Basic Needs for the Asian American Community: Grant awarded to purchase and distribute culturally appropriate food and essential items to maintain safe and healthy environments to Anne Arundel County residents in Glen Burnie, Millersville, Crofton, Hanover, and Pasadena.
• SheRises, Inc.: Project Emergency Baby Depot: Grant awarded to purchase and distribute essentials such as food, formula, diapers, medicine, transportation assistance, and items to maintain safe and healthy environments to Anne Arundel County residents.
• Stanton Community Center: Grant awarded to purchase educational materials for organized tutoring and STEM classes to supplement e-learning and fill unstructured time.

“Who would have imagined that we would still be in the midst of a crisis these many months after we first began accepting gifts into the Community Crisis Response Fund. And yet, our tireless community nonprofits are still out there helping others get what they need, day in and day out,” said Mary Spencer, President & CEO of CFAAC. “CFAAC is proud to be able to do our part to support these organizations. There are so many people who want to help but don't know how, and that is what this special fund is all about. With aid from our community's generous donors, our work will continue."

CFAAC continues to raise money from Donor Advised Funds, individual donors, foundations, and local businesses. CFAAC has made grants through the Community Crisis Response Fund on a monthly basis since the beginning of the pandemic, adapting and expanding the focus areas based on the needs of the community, and will continue for as long as funding is available. Grants will be made to local nonprofit organizations that are addressing the increase in community needs and demand for services.

Those wishing to contribute can:

• Make a secure, tax-deductible online donation through www.cfaac.org.
• Mail a check payable to “CFAAC” with “Community Crisis Response Fund” in the memo line to: 900 Bestgate Road, Ste. 400, Annapolis, MD, 21401.

Organizations Seeking Funding:

CFAAC will continue to make grants through the Community Crisis Response Fund. Interested organizations should follow www.cfaac.org/community-crisis-response-fund.html-0 for more information or sign-up for CFAAC’s newsletter at cfaac.org. A direct email will be sent to all nonprofits on our distribution list when the next cycle of funding is available. CFAAC is currently working with local nonprofits to determine the current areas of greatest need before announcing the seventh cycle. 

CFAAC’s Community Crisis Response Fund allows for funding priorities to shift according to the most critical needs in Anne Arundel County. All grants from CFAAC’s Community Crisis Response Fund will be made to IRS-qualified 501(c)(3) public charities; the fund is not able to provide grants directly to individuals.