Women's Giving Circle of Harford County awards more than $54,000 to 13 nonprofits

Katia Parks, The Aegis, Bel Air, Md.
·3 min read

Jul. 7—The Women's Giving Circle of Harford County awarded $54,724 to 13 nonprofits that serve women, families and children in the county.

"We received over $100,000 in grant requests this year, so the need is great," said Donna Kreis, chair of the Women's Giving Circle of Harford County in a news release. "Our philosophy is simple. Give, guide and grow. We give to those in need. We guide the next generation. We grow our community. We welcome members of all ages and from all areas to join the Women's Giving Circle to further our ability to serve women and children in Harford County."

Since its founding in 2010, the Women's Giving Circle has provided 162 grants to 60 nonprofits, according to the news release. In 2023, the organization provided grants to the following organizations:

— Boys and Girls Clubs of Harford and Cecil Counties received $5,000 grants to run a summer camp designed to promote and sustain learning in youth of all ages during the summer months.

— CASA of Harford County received a $5,000 grant for tutoring services for children.

— Coming of Kings, a boys mentorship program, received a $5,000 grant to enable boys to meet with mentors on Sunday afternoons, and to secure speakers and field trips with a focus on leadership development, college preparation and work readiness.

— Girls on the Run of Central Maryland, Harford County chapter, received a $5,000 grant, to grow participation among Title 1 schools in Harford County, and to purchase running shoes for participants in need.

— Homecoming Project, an eight-bed, state certified halfway house for women recovering from alcohol and substance abuse, received a $5,000 grant to cover the cost of a 20-week life-skills group for eight participants and licensed counselors.

— Improving Education, an education services nonprofit, received a $5,000 grant to provide low-income families with books and health care materials to establish a nightly routine that supports each child's health, sleep and early learning.

— The Sexual Assault/Spouse Abuse Resource Center, SARC, received a $5,000 grant to purchase new car seats, strollers and bedding, and to provide child care and ride share assistance.

— The Sharing Table, a nonprofit coalition of churches and other community organizations, received a $5,000 grant to provide meals and groceries to those in need in the Edgewood community.

— LASOS, Inc., received a $4,500 grant to cover the cost of renting the Bel Air Armory on Fridays to run their summer camp five days a week during the summer for children who are enrolled in school in Harford County but who do not speak English as their first language.

— Chesapeake Therapeutic Riding received a $3,849 grant for a Micro Rain M25 water wheel to reduce the amount of dust in the air making riders and volunteers more comfortable.

— The HOPE Center of Maryland, Inc., received a $3,000 grant to provide 75 low-income students with backpacks filled with shelf-stable meals to ensure students don't go hungry over weekends and over the holidays.

— The Forgotten Initiative-Harford received a $2,000 grant for a weekly life-skills class for transitional children ages 14 to 21 who are in foster care that will teach cooking, preparing a resume, finding affordable homes, financial literacy and identifying career goals.

— Harford County Family Assistance Fund received a $1,375 grant to provide 25 children who are entering out-of-home care with luggage in order to help their transition go as smoothly as possible.

The Members Choice Awards invites Women's Giving Circle members to nominate a nonprofit serving women, families and children in Harford County to receive a grant. Each nominator is featured in a video, explaining why their nonprofit should receive the award. This year's nonprofit honoree will receive $5,900. The winner will be announced on Nov. 28.