Who We Support - TowerCares Foundation

Examples of Your Donation Dollars at Work

The TowerCares Foundation supports charitable organizations that serve children in need, as well as brave and heroic veterans, active military, and civilian service personnel who sacrificed while protecting our freedom and their impacted families.

Generous cash and in-kind donations from businesses allow us to direct the vast majority of donations from individuals to supporting worthy charities aligned with our mission. We invite you to get to know more about a few of the charities we have supported thus far.

Pennies for Change. Help local military heroes and children in need every time you use your Tower credit card. Details.

2024

Junior Achievement of Greater Washington

The mission of Junior Achievement of Greater Washington (JA) is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. JA provides every student equal access to relevant and experiential education, community mentors, and global business leaders. JA’s programs focus on the core content areas of career readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. The TowerCares grant will support JA Finance Park Prince George’s County, which provides in-school financial literacy education to 7th graders in Prince George’s County Public Schools, including a one-day experience at the JA Finance Park location. Students learn about saving, investing, budgeting, risk management, credit, and more. JA serves over 12,000 students with over half from low-to moderate-income families. The funds will be used for program supplies, curriculum materials, and staff time.

Maryland Youth and the Law, Inc.

Maryland Youth and the Law, Inc. (MYLaw) was established in 1978 to promote knowledge and appreciation of the law and courts among youth. MYLaw’s programs and initiatives provide educational, real-world opportunities for young people to enhance their knowledge of, and appreciation for, our legal system. The TowerCares grant will support Baltimore City Law Links, a paid, full-time seven-week internship for disadvantaged Baltimore, Maryland juniors and seniors who have an interest in the law, legal profession, and/or professional work experience. The grant will fund internships for up to 15 youths and will be used to support direct expenses including the Law & Leadership Orientation, field trips, transportation, and educational materials.

Easterseals

Easterseals of Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia enriches lives and expands opportunities for children and adults in our local communities, including people with disabilities and military backgrounds. The TowerCares grant will provide Mental Health Kits, which are used in conjunction with therapy to help active duty, Veterans, and military family members. Kit items vary by age and serve as coping mechanisms during therapy sessions to help the person focus and stay grounded. Some typical kit items include fidget toys, mints, scented lip balm, etc. The TowerCares grant will provide 150 Mental Health Kits for Easterseals clients in Maryland.

Playtime Project

Playtime Project’s mission is to cultivate resilience in children experiencing family housing insecurity by providing and expanding access to transformative play experiences. The TowerCares grant will support Playtime in the Summer and will provide one week of summer camp for approx. 15-30 children, ages 5-12, facing housing insecurity in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The camps provide time and space to engage with developmentally appropriate activities to help nurture healthy social, emotional, and physical development. The funds will be used to purchase supplies for activities, special guests, transportation to and from field trips, and food/snacks.

Leveling the Playing Field

Leveling the Playing Field provides free sports equipment to kids in under-resourced communities so that more kids can enjoy the mental and physical benefits of sports and recreation. The TowerCares grant will help Leveling the Playing Field increase access to youth sports in Baltimore, Maryland by packs of jump ropes, soccer balls, basketballs, and other gym equipment to Physical Education teachers in Baltimore Title I schools. The funds will be used to purchase 25 P.E. packs, benefiting approximately 5,000 children.

First Generation College Bound

The mission of First Generation College Bound (FGCB) is to inspire low income and first generation youth in Prince George’s County, Maryland to achieve social and economic success by providing advice, encouragement, and support to obtain a college degree. The TowerCares grant will support FGCB’s Homework Club, which provides homework help and academic support to students grades 1-12 in the Kimberly Gardens public housing community in Laurel, Maryland. Funds will be used for field trips, speakers, honor roll events, and the year-end celebration. Each child also receives a gift during the holiday season as many of the families are unable to afford gifts.

Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas

Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas (VOACC) is a faith-based, nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire self-reliance, dignity, and hope through the delivery of health and human services programs. The TowerCares grant will support Operation Backpack, which provides backpacks, school supplies, uniforms, academic enrichment and other support to students ages 5-18. Funds will be used to purchase items for approx. 45 students participating in VOACC programs or attending Title I schools in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

United Through Reading

United Through Reading strengthens military families’ literacy, emotional bonds, and well-being through the power of reading together at every age, no matter the distance. The TowerCares grant will support Advancement and Family Connection for Military Children, which enhances military children’s educational development by providing new, high-quality children’s books to military households and capturing story time videos read by service members for their children to view. Funds will be used to purchase age-appropriate books. United Through Reading works with the Fort Meade military installation and partner organizations to identify and secure opportunities to distribute the books and provide the story time recordings. The charity serves approximately 150 families in the Fort Meade, Md. area.

2023

Fort Meade Spouse’s Club

Located at Fort Meade, Md. the Fort Meade Spouse’s Club supports military spouses and the military community. The TowerCares grant will support the Club’s programs including a food pantry for military families, annual children’s holiday party, scholarships for military spouses, and other community outreach efforts.

Frederick Health Hospice

The mission of Frederick Health Hospice is to positively impact the well-being of every individual in our community affected by serious illness, grief, and loss. The TowerCares grant will support Project Christine, a weekly grief support group for families who have experienced the death of a child. Services are provided to the families at no cost. Funds will be used to provide dinner at weekly meetings for a year. By offering dinner at no cost to families who attend, it is one less thing grieving parents must worry about. Research has found that people who eat socially are more likely to feel better about themselves and have a wider social network that provides emotional support.

House of Ruth—MD

House of Ruth empowers women, children, and families to rebuild their lives and heal from trauma, abuse, and homelessness. The TowerCares grant will support the Kidspace Child and Family Development Center, which provides a therapeutic place for children with developmental delay, to find stability and healing, and promote early childhood learning. Funds will be used to provide changing tables, tricycles, early walker push toys, and books.

Leadership Maryland

Leadership Maryland connects, empowers, and inspires a diverse community of leaders across Maryland to drive meaningful change throughout the state. The TowerCares grant will support the Maryland Leadership Workshops, which empower young people to recognize and realize their potential as leaders. Funds will be used to provide need-based scholarships to a diverse group of delegates from all across Maryland. The charity serves approximately 300 students.

Maryland Book Bank

The Maryland Book Bank is a non-profit organization committed to cultivating literacy in children from under resourced neighborhoods. The TowerCares grant will support the Home Library Project, which provides a home library of 20 books to prekindergarten-2nd grade students in 50 Title 1 schools. The Bookmobile visits schools once in the fall and spring to deliver ten books to each student. The charity distributes approximately 185,000 books to over 9,000 students in Baltimore City.

Maryland Humanities

Maryland Humanities creates and supports experiences that explore and elevate our shared stories to connect people, enhance lives, and enrich communities. The TowerCares grant will support the Veterans Book Group, which brings military Veterans, active service members, and their families together to explore the history, experience, and meaning of war and military service through literature and discussion. Funds will be used to purchase a full set of books for each participant at each site, as well as meals and/or refreshments.

North County Emergency Outreach Network (NCEON)

Established in 1989, the North County Emergency Outreach Network (NCEON) has distributed over $10 million in monetary and grocery assistance to those less fortunate living in Maryland’s Glen Burnie, Hanover, Linthicum, Pasadena, and Severn communities. NCEON is a non-profit 501(C)3 organization and does not receive any government funding. All of their needs are provided by donors, which include over 36 churches and organizations, as well as private individuals.

Community Crisis Center, Inc.

Located in Reisterstown, Md. The Community Crisis Center, Inc. (CCC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) human service organization. Their mission is to address hunger and hardship in our community by providing clients with emergency food and essentials, while also rebuilding hope and self-reliance. The Center provides supplemental food assistance, up to two times per month, for low-income individuals and families living within certain zip codes.

Elizabeth House (FISH of Laurel)

Fish of Laurel, Inc. is an all-volunteer non-profit that helps to feed hundreds of food-insecure families in the greater Laurel, Md. area. Elizabeth House serves as the organization’s home base, where volunteers prepare and serve hot meals 365 days a year and operate a food pantry twice a week. Elizabeth House operates entirely on private and public donations of food, financial assistance, and volunteer help.

Rebuilding Together Howard County

Rebuilding Together Howard County helps to repair homes, revitalize communities, and rebuild lives. The TowerCares grant will support Fall Rebuilding Day, which provides critical home repairs. The repairs will be provided to Veterans. The funds will be used to purchase building materials and pay for professional contractors to do the work.

So What Else

So What Else’s mission is to improve the lives of children and their families living in underserved communities in the Baltimore-Washington Metro Area by providing food security, access to basic necessities, and high quality out-of-school time programs in literacy, athletics, and the visual and performing arts. The TowerCares grant will support Out of School Time Enrichment Programs, including after school programs, summer camps, volunteer opportunities, and healthy meals for students. The students served come from majority single parent households where 98% qualify for free or reduced housing. The charity serves approximately 3,000 children.

The Foundation Schools

The Foundation Schools’ mission is to provide a highly specialized education and therapeutic program for students with emotional disabilities, and those with social, emotional, or learning challenges. The TowerCares grant will support Foundation Links, which provides crisis intervention and support, attendance plans, psychiatric care, in-home therapeutic services, and basic needs like food, clothing, and transportation to school or medical care.

Howard County Food Bank

Located in Columbia, Md. the Howard County Food Bank provides food, diapers, and personal care items for low-income individuals and families. Shoppers are allowed two visits a month, and can experience family-choice shopping like at a grocery store. The food bank also provides access to apply for food assistance programs, and access to energy, housing, and early childhood education through Head Start and pre-kindergarten programming.

Meals on Wheels Central Maryland

Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland is one of the largest and oldest continuously operating, non-profit, home-delivered meal programs in the United States. Our approach, to provide nutritious meals, personal contact, and support services distinguishes them from other programs.

Capital Area Food Bank

Located in Washington, D.C. the Capital Area Food Bank’s mission is to provide access to good, healthy food. The Food Bank partners with more than 400 nonprofit organizations in DC and the surrounding region to provide over 50 million meals to almost half a million area residents every year. The Food Bank also addresses the root causes of hunger through multiple education programs and innovative service delivery partnerships.

Caring Cupboard

The Caring Cupboard runs multiple pantries out of its headquarters located in Pasadena, Md. The first is the food and personal hygiene pantry. Food is distributed during Fill-A-Bag evenings and through home delivery for those without transportation. The charity is also located in several schools within Anne Arundel County for families to reach out to their counselors for assistance. Caring Cupboard also has a Baby Pantry, providing formula, diapers, and other items for infants. The Baby Pantry is part of the Southern Maryland American Red Cross, and responds to disasters in partnership with the Red Cross.

Celestial Manna

Celestial Manna is a faith-based food recovery nonprofit started in 1986 by founder Charlie Mann as a means to feed his own family. Today, the charity supports over 20,000 people monthly in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. Celestial Manna recovers food from grocery stores, restaurants and local farms that would otherwise be discarded. Volunteers pick up and distribute the donations in communities where people are affected by poverty, twice a day, seven days a week.

Boys Hope Girls Hope of Baltimore

The mission of Boys Hope Girls Hope of Baltimore is to nurture and guide motivated young people in need to become well educated, career-ready men and women. The TowerCares grant will support BHGH Academy, a non-residential academy designed to prepare academically capable and motivated at-risk middle and high school students in Baltimore, Md. to rise above disadvantaged backgrounds, success in school, and gain acceptance to college. Funds will be used for educational supplies, educational field trips, and summer activities.

Anne Arundel County Food Bank

The mission of the Anne Arundel County Food Bank is to alleviate food insecurity in Anne Arundel County by partnering across our community to obtain and distribute nourishing food to our neighbors in need. The Food Bank was founded in 1986 to distribute food to community partners throughout Anne Arundel County. AACFB continues its commitment to providing free food and other critical services to under-resourced residents, working alongside county and state governments to address food insecurity throughout the County. The AACFB network of member agencies includes over 70 community-based member food pantries.

The Arc Montgomery County

The Arc Montgomery County connects people of all ages and abilities with their communities to build inclusive and fulfilling lives. We are a private nonprofit which provides daily direct support services to about 450 children, youth, adults, and seniors with and without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). The Arc also provides information, respite coordination, and referrals to another 600 people annually. We strive to provide a continuum of support services which help every person grow and thrive, delivered by well-trained and well-compensated employees. Our goal is to provide services which meet the individual needs of each person.

2022

Mount Washington Pediatric Hospital

Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital in Baltimore, Md. is dedicated to maximizing the health and independence of the children they serve. The TowerCares grant will support Child Life and Therapeutic Recreation at the hospital’s UM Capital Region Medical Center. The program helps children and their families cope with and adjust after an illness, injury, and hospitalization. Funds will be used for new toys, books, rehabilitation and adaptive equipment, infant massage classes, and activities for siblings of hospitalized children.

2021

Sleep In Heavenly Peace, Inc. – Howard County Chapter

Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Inc. provides new twin-size beds for children in need, ages 3-17, in Howard County, Md. The TowerCares grant will support the No Kids Sleeps on the Floor in Our Town Bed Build. Custom beds are built by skilled volunteers, who are trained and supervised to take a pile of wood and turn it into a bed using an assembly line approach at which each station the volunteer is trained to do his/her part. Each well-built bed comes furnished with a mattress, pillow, sheets and comforter, and can be bunked for families with multiple children.

Chesapeake Down Syndrome Parent Group

Chesapeake Down Syndrome Parent Group (CDSPG) provides information, connection and support to individuals with Down Syndrome or other developmental disabilities, and the people who love them. The TowerCares grant will support the CDSPG Fort Meade Children Project, which helps provide private playdates at a MyGym facility for military children with developmental disabilities, ages 3-15, in Fort Meade, Md. Children practice socialization and expression skills, and receive guided activities that support gross motor skills.

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) offers compassionate care and resources to those grieving the loss of a military loved one, at no cost to the surviving families. The TowerCares grant will support monthly TAPS Care Groups in the Baltimore/Washington area, which allow the surviving families to have sustained connections, helping them know they are not alone on their grief journey. The groups are led by a peer mentor—also a military survivor— and a mental health professional. Survivors are given time to talk and opportunities to listen in an atmosphere of validation and compassion.

Donations From The Heart

Donations from the Heart serves disadvantaged low-income individuals and families, including military troops and Veterans from five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. The TowerCares grant will support the Veterans Complete Program, which helps restore the lives of Veterans and provide them with independence and self-sufficiency. The program targets the overall needs of Veterans, making sure that obtaining the basic necessities of everyday life, such as medical assistance and counseling, are not burdensome during their time of transition to forced military retirement due to PTSD or other health conditions.

Horizon Day Camp

Horizon Day Camp helps kids with cancer, and their siblings, to bring back the joys of childhood through day camps, year-round programs and in-hospital recreational activities. The seven-week day camp offers an array of nature activities, music, drama, theatre, arts and crafts and sports. Bus transportation is provided for those children that need it, and campers are referred by doctors at Maryland and Washington, D.C. hospitals. The grant funds will support two campers from Takoma Park, Md. with a financial need, so they can attend the camp free of charge.

Kidspeace National Center of North America – Maryland Office

The KidsPeace mission is to give hope, help and healing to children, adults and those who love them. The TowerCares grant will support the KidsPeace Empowering Youth to Succeed (KEYS) program, which helps prepare foster youth in Central Maryland and the Greater Baltimore Metropolitan Area ages 14-21 for a successful transition to adulthood. The program focuses on six main areas: money management, daily living, self-improvement, healthy living, educational planning and workforce development.

Platoon 22

Platoon 22 seeks to end Veteran suicide through the successful reintegration of service members and their families by assembling critical resources, providing peer support and developing transitional programs. The TowerCares grant will support the Platoon Care program, a wellness retreat that focuses on physical, mental and financial wellness through seminars and hands-on activities. Funds will be used to provide the programming and Veteran travel for this event. As with other programs where Veterans convene together, Veterans will be able to connect with one another and build lasting relationships.

Semper Fi & America’s Fund

Semper Fi & America’s Fund provides immediate financial assistance and lifetime support to combat wounded, critically ill and catastrophically injured members of all branches of the U. S. Armed Forces and their families. They deliver the resources needed during recovery and the transition back to their communities, working to ensure no one is left behind. The TowerCares grant will support the Service Member and Family Support Program, which provides direct assistance for wounded, ill and injured service members and Veterans, their families and caregivers during hospitalizations, recovery and home care. The grant funds will provide assistance for 10-12 service members in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard and Prince George’s Counties.

USO of Metropolitan Washington – Baltimore’s Warrior and Family Center

The TowerCares grant supports the USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore’s Warrior and Family Center located in Bethesda, Md. The Center creates a unique community for active-duty military and is critical to the betterment of the physical and mental health of wounded, ill and injured service members and their families. Grant funds will be used for the Bethesda Center’s hospital services and healing programs.

Ascensions Community Service, Inc.

Ascensions Community Service, Inc. serves Prince George’s County and southeast Washington, D.C. through quality therapeutic services and social initiatives. The TowerCares grant supports the Ascending Veterans River Therapy Program, which uses boating as a rehabilitative and therapeutic tool to help Veterans with PTSD cope with daily life, experience the healing power of water and enjoy the camaraderie and support of other Veterans. Funds will be used to help pay for boat fuel and to buy therapeutic supplies, such as workbooks, journals, interactive games and art supplies.

Sasha Bruce Youthwork

Sasha Bruce Youthwork provides emergency and long-term services for homeless youth and families in Washington, D.C. and Prince George’s County, Md. The TowerCares grant helps fund the Prince George’s Drop-In Center Learning Lab in Mount Rainier, Md., which provides emergency services for homeless, abused and neglected youth. Services include van pick-up from anywhere, crisis intervention, conflict resolution, counseling, health education, school reengagement and food resources. The TowerCares grant will help create up to seven Learning Lab workstations, so homeless youth can search for jobs and participate in distance learning.

2020

House of Ruth–DC

House of Ruth empowers women, children and families to rebuild their lives and heal from trauma, abuse and homelessness. The TowerCares grant will support Kidspace, a children’s play center located at the House of Ruth that helps young children overcome trauma-related developmental delays and prepare them for success in school. The program provides speech and occupational therapy and encourages parents to become actively engaged in their child’s positive development. House of Ruth can serve 88 children at Kidspace, including 64 infants and toddlers. Grant funds will help assist in the purchase of swing sets and structures to provide shade on the playground.

American Corporate Partners

American Corporate Partners is a national non-profit organization focused on helping returning Veterans and active-duty spouses find their next careers through one-on-one mentoring, networking, and online career advice. Mentors provide year-long career guidance and professional development to help Veterans seek meaningful employment and avoid underemployment. The TowerCares grant will help fund mentorships between Veterans or military spouses and a professional who shares their same career interest.

Casey Cares

Casey Cares provides ongoing, uplifting palliative support to children diagnosed with critical illness and their families. Hundreds of families have reached out to Casey Cares for support as their already stretched finances are near the breaking point due to the necessary care for their child and the ongoing effects of COVID-19. The TowerCares grant will help provide gift cards for groceries, food delivery and streaming services for families in need in Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia.

Operation Homefront

The mission of Operation Homefront is to build strong, stable and secure military families so they can thrive in the communities that they have worked so hard to protect. The TowerCares grant will support Operation Homefront Village, a transitional housing program in Gaithersburg, Md. The program provides rent-free apartments to wounded, ill and injured active duty and Veterans and their families as they transition from the military. The goal of this program is to rebuild stability, including financial, employment, education and housing. Caseworkers assist clients and their families to locate the resources they need.

Neighbor Ride

Neighbor Ride enhances the health and quality of life for seniors living in Howard County, Md., by providing affordable, passenger-focused transportation services through a reliable, volunteer-based system. The TowerCares grant will help fund the Driving Heroes program, which provides subsidized transportation for local low-income Veterans, ages 60 and over. Rides are available for essential needs like medical, social, wellness, education and employment. Many of the program’s volunteer drivers are also Veterans.

Leadership Howard County

The mission of Leadership Howard County is to empower individuals so we can strengthen and transform our community. The TowerCares grant will provide tuition subsidies to students in need of financial assistance so they can attend Leadership U, a four-month experiential leadership development and community service program for current high school sophomores who either live or attend school in Howard County, Md. Subjects include: team building, health and human services, diversity and inclusion, local government, criminal justice, and leadership skills workshops. Students also participate in interactive workshops on networking, communication skills, listening and more. Adult mentors are assigned to help facilitate and connect the students with community resources.

Arundel House of Hope

Arundel House of Hope provides emergency, transitional and permanent affordable housing for those experiencing homelessness, including Veterans, in Anne Arundel County, Md. The TowerCares grant will support Patriot House, a facility for homeless Veterans. Arundel House of Hope provides employment, training and education for the Veterans, along with support for health-related matters. Veterans can live at Patriot House for up to 18 months, with the goal of transitioning to permanent housing.

Junior Achievement BizTown

Junior Achievement’s purpose is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in the global economy, and to empower, enrich and inspire the next generation of innovators. The TowerCares grant supports BizTown, a program for elementary school students that combines classroom lessons with a day-long visit to a simulated city. BizTown is free of charge to students that can’t afford to pay. The funds will be used to help pay for at-risk elementary students in Anne Arundel County, Md. to attend BizTown, and for the costs of program materials, curriculum, evaluation, transportation, teacher training and volunteer recruitment/training.

Bridges to Housing Stability

Bridges to Housing Stability works to help end homelessness in Howard County, Md., with a focus on assisting Veterans and families with children. The organization helps provide a path to self-sufficiency to prevent and end homelessness through affordable housing solutions and advocacy. The TowerCares grant will support the Housing Stability Program/The Path Home for Veterans, which provides eviction prevention and rehousing services. Eviction prevention includes working with the landlord, goal planning, budgeting and working with other partner agencies to help subsidize rent. Comprehensive case management is also provided.

Helping Up Mission

Helping Up Mission provides hope to people experiencing homelessness, poverty or addiction by meeting their physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs. The TowerCares grant will help fund the Veterans Spiritual Recovery Program, a one-year residential recovery program for Veterans who have experienced homelessness, addiction, poverty and co-occurring mental illnesses. The funds will help provide basic needs (food, shelter, and clothing) and comprehensive wraparound services (access to medical and mental health care, education, workforce development, legal services, spiritual care and life enrichment), resulting in long-term recovery.

To watch a video about Helping Up Mission click here.

For an inspirational story about Helping Up Mission, click here.

Photos courtesy of Helping Up Mission

Hope For All

Hope For All provides basic human necessities to families and individuals living in Anne Arundel County, Md. and parts of Baltimore City, Md., who lack sufficient economic resources. The TowerCares grant will support the Head to Toe program. This annual program ensures that students in need have new undergarments, basic tennis shoes and clothing to attend school and participate in athletics. Each child receives five pairs of socks and underwear, and one pair of tennis shoes. Clothing is provided from an inventory of gently used items. All items are given to school officials so they can discreetly provide them to the children.

MAKE-A-WISH® MID-ATLANTIC

Make-A-Wish^® Mid-Atlantic creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Wish granting has consistently been evaluated as powerful, meaningful and positive for children fighting critical illnesses. The TowerCares grant will support the Uniformed Services Family Wish Fund, which helps children with critical illnesses, whose parent are active duty, reserve or Veterans. Many of these children reside in the Baltimore/Washington area or are being treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The funds will be used to grant requested wishes for children in military families.

Click here to watch a video about the Make-A-Wish Uniformed Services Family Wish Fund.

National Center for Institutes and Alternatives

The National Center for Institutes and Alternatives (NCIA) is an innovative Vocational Training Center in East Baltimore, Md., designed to provide training for Veterans and returning citizens. Their mission is for each participant to become a fully independent and productive member of society. The TowerCares grant will support Quality Vocational Training for Veterans in Need, and provide job training for Veterans in the area of auto repair, commercial driver’s license, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) or unmanned aerial systems (drones). Participants also receive training in financial literacy/budgeting, GED education/testing, housing placement assistance and other life skills to improve their overall living, financial stability and long-term success.

2019

Gigi’s Playhouse

Gigi’s Playhouse, located in Annapolis, Md., seeks to change the way the world views Down syndrome through national campaigns and educational programs, and by empowering individuals with Down syndrome, their families and community. The TowerCares grant will fund Gigi’s Math Tutoring Program, which supports the learning styles of individuals with Down syndrome ages 3 and up, and helps them apply new learned math skills to real-world experiences. The tutoring program helps boost students’ self-esteem and confidence, and supports the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills, greater independence and autonomy and increased inclusion in general education classes. The TowerCares grant will go towards the purchase of teaching materials and student take-home kits, the cost of learning lab space and ongoing supply replenishment costs.

Gigi’s Playhouse was recently featured on NBC News! Click here to watch the video.

Melwood Horticultural Training Center Inc.

Located in Upper Marlboro, Md., Melwood’s mission is to advocate for and empower people with disabilities by expanding opportunities to live, work, and thrive in the community. The TowerCares grant will support Melwood’s Youth Enrichment Service, an inclusive after school program for approximately 40 children with and without disabilities at Apple Grove Elementary School in Fort Washington, Md. Funds will be used toward staff expenses, program supplies, supplemental meals, and sports equipment.

BellXCel – After School

The TowerCares grant supports BellXcel’s After School Middle School Program in Baltimore, Md. The program prepares middle school students from impoverished Baltimore City neighborhoods for college and career success. Students in low income families, ages 10-16, participate in the program free of charge. Program goals include maintaining daily attendance in school, increasing literacy/math scores, growing self-confidence and social skills, and encouraging parent involvement.

A Sanctuary for Military Families – Project Sanctuary

Project Sanctuary is a therapeutic program that addresses specific needs of at-risk heroes and their families. The program includes marriage guidance, financial sustainability training and PTSD field guide classes. Through a six-day retreat and two years of pre- and post-retreat assistance, families make long-term progress toward self-sufficiency, which helps strengthen the family unit, community, military and country. The TowerCares grant will support a retreat in Reisterstown, Md., for multiple families.

Tri-County Council Foundation – Project Opportunity

The TowerCares grant supports Project Opportunity, a free ten-week entrepreneurship program for Veterans and active duty/reserve personnel who wish to start a small business or expand a currently operating one. Classes are held in four locations throughout Maryland, including Howard and Prince George’s counties, and are taught by experts in the fields of marketing, law, accounting, banking and sales. Participants in the program learn how to write and implement a formal business plan. Eligible candidates are referred to the program by the State of Maryland, the Maryland Unemployment Office and the Veterans Administration (VA).

Partners in Care Veteran Support

Among other programs, Partners in Care provides Veterans 50 years and older with mobility buses, house repair services and the Ride Partners program. Coordinators, staff and volunteers connect Veterans to a range of Partners in Care services. The TowerCares grant will help provide transportation for Veterans to medical services and recreational activities, and will help with respite care for Veterans’ caregivers and family members. Partners in Care provides a hands-on social support network for Veterans to deter isolation and depression.

Fisher House Foundation – Heroes’ Legacy Scholarship Program

Fisher House builds comfort homes at military and VA medical centers so that our heroes and their families have a place to stay when dealing with medical treatments. Among other programs they provide, Fisher House supports a Heroes’ Legacy Scholarship program for dependent, unmarried children under the age of 23, whose parent has fallen in battle, died or were disabled through active military service. TowerCares grant funds will be used to help provide Heroes’ Legacy Scholarships.

Baltimore Research and Education Foundation, Inc. (BREF) – Baltimore Vets & Pets Foster Program

The Baltimore Vets & Pets Foster Program encourages and supports Baltimore-area Veterans to become foster caretakers for animals housed at the Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter (BARCS). The goal is to increase the physical and psychological health of Veterans and to help guard against suicide. Companion pets can provide Veterans with stability and strength, unconditional love, emotional health and physical activity. The TowerCares grant will help purchase pet supplies and provide veterinary care.

Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating

Located in Annapolis, Md., the mission of Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB) is to bring the thrill, freedom, and therapeutic value of boating to people with disabilities, recovering warriors, and youth from at-risk communities. The TowerCares grant supports the Recovering Warrior/Family Sailing Clinic, which brings together recovering military and their family members to learn how to sail. Sailing instruction is provided by a professional USCG Masters licensed skipper covering sailing basics to racing strategy and tactics. The TowerCares grant will be used to help fund the cost of sailing, instruction materials, housing, transportation, and more.

2018

Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation

The mission of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation is to seek a cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life for children and adults affected by these diseases. The TowerCares grant supports Camp Oasis, a summer camp that enriches the lives of pediatric IBD patients by providing a safe, supportive camp community among their peers. The camp offers an environment of self-empowerment for patients giving them a sanctuary where they can simply be kids and have fun. The TowerCares grant will help cover food, camp staffers, equipment, and supplies for three local children that could not otherwise afford camp.

Literacy Council of Carroll County

The Literacy Council of Carroll County is a non-governmental, non-profit, primarily volunteer organization that provides one-on-one tutoring for clients in need of reading, writing, and mathematical skills improvement. TowerCares’ grant will help support the Carroll Veterans Career Assistance Program, which provides veterans residing in Carroll County the opportunity to develop skills, competencies, and strategies for successful transition from military service to a position within their desired career field.

Resiliency & Education Center

The renovation of Kuhn Hall on the Fort Meade base will create a new 9,000 square foot Resiliency & Education Center to help soldiers, veterans, DOD civilians, and their families connect to resources and empower them to be the best that they can be. The new center will help connect Fort Meade community members to local wellness programs, mental health services, education and transition services, substance abuse counseling, and legal assistance. As the first designated check-in facility for new military families, the center will provide services for transitioning military families to link to area schools, housing, and other services. The TowerCares grant to the Fort Meade Alliance Foundation will help provide a kiosk in the lobby of Kuhn Hall with a directory of available services and programs.

Operation NPLB Outdoor, Inc.

Operation NPLB Outdoor, Inc., affiliated with Operation Second Chance, is committed to serving wounded, injured and ill combat veterans. The organization supports veterans while they recover in military hospitals, including Walter Reed Medical Center and their families, by building relationships and identifying and supporting immediate needs. The TowerCares grant will fund outdoor events designed to help veterans who are having trouble adapting to life after being wounded. They can learn to deal with their physical and mental injuries, see that they can still do things they did before they were injured, get back out in society, and feel accepted.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

The mission of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is to help find missing children, reduce child exploitation, and prevent child victimization. Since 1984, the center has served as the national clearinghouse and resource center for families, victims, private organizations, law enforcement and the public. The TowerCares grant will help fund the center’s Volunteer Engagement Program, to increase the potential of reaching more families and children with recovery assistance and critically important safety education. Volunteers will be trained to assist with missing and exploited children and their families, with the hope of reaching a larger audience by increasing the number of volunteers both locally and nationally.

Hope for Warriors

Hope for Warriors provides comprehensive support programs for service members, veterans, and military families that are focused on transition, health and wellness, peer engagement, and connections to community resources. The TowerCares grant will help fund Couples Wellness Retreats for post 9/11 military combat-injured veterans and their spouses. The retreats provide time for relaxation and reconnection with the ultimate goal of improving well-being, both as an individual and a couple.

Camp Attaway

Camp Attaway is a summer day camp program in Howard County, Md. for children ages 7-13 with emotional and behavioral challenges. The three-week camp offers a variety of activities designed to ensure a safe, therapeutic environment, and most importantly, fun-filled days for children, along with a weekly support and education group for parents. Campers learn life skills like coping, self-control, positive image, and making friends. TheTowerCares grant will help provide scholarships/tuition assistance.

Maryland Family Network

The Maryland Family Network (MFN) ensures that children ages, birth through five, years and their families have the resources to learn and succeed. MFN is the only statewide early childhood advocacy organization. The TowerCares grant will provide funding for a two-day Parent Café at or near Fort Meade. During the Parent Café, parents of young children learn strategies to increase their knowledge and skills, reduce stress/increase peace and well-being by building family strengths to help reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect, and build a peer-to-peer process which engages parents in meaningful conversations and provides significant opportunities for parent leadership to create Parent Cafés in their communities.

2017

A Wider Circle

A Wider Circle provides basic needs such as furniture and other household items for families living in poverty. TowerCares’ grant funds will be designated to help 100 veterans and their families transform their homes into comfortable, dignified spaces helping them take the first steps on their journey out of poverty toward independence.

Our Military Kids

Families of National Guard, Reservists and wounded warriors from all branches of service face unique challenges: they live in civilian communities, but lack the support of a military base. Our Military Kids helps children ages 5 through high school to improve their physical health, and reduce the stress and accompanying psychological symptoms observed in children of service members who are deployed or severely injured. The TowerCares’ grant will be used to fund extra-curricular activities in sports, the arts and tutoring.

Operation First Response

Operation First Response offers assistance to wounded military members and their families facing financial difficulties due to injury or illness. Support is provided throughout recovery and the transition from military to civilian life. Financial assistance is available to cover emergency basic needs such as groceries, utility bills, rent and clothing. TowerCares’ grant will help assist 20 wounded military heroes and their families in our service area.

No Warrior Left Behind

No Warrior Left Behind is committed to honoring, saluting and supporting members of the military and first responders. Their Operation Hidden Wounds program focuses on education and training for law enforcement and first responders who are frequently called upon to handle escalated situations with veterans who suffer from PTSD and traumatic brain injuries, as well as those at risk of committing suicide. The program seeks to identify appropriate remedies, alternative therapies and best practices to obtain a peaceful resolution. Veterans participate in the training by sharing their experiences.

National Military Family Association

The National Military Family Association has assisted military families for close to 50 years. The TowerCares grant supports the Military Spouse Scholarship and Employment Program. Challenges due to the military lifestyle, and the rising cost of education and licensure, are significant barriers to military spouses and has led to a high unemployment rate among this group. The TowerCares grant will provide scholarships for military spouses in the Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. area so they can complete their education. The NMFA also hosts Operation Purple Camp, a week-long camp which brings together children of wounded, deployed or reintegrating service members to help them learn effective communication skills and build relationships with peers that have shared military experience. TowerCares grant funds helped send 100 military children living in our service area to camp.

Travis Manion Foundation

The Travis Manion Foundation works to empower veterans and families of fallen heroes to help develop character in future generations, and to assist veterans in their transition from service. The TowerCares grant supports the Character Does Matter program, which leverages the skills of our military community as role models, educating youth on character and leadership. Individuals involved in the program are empowered to improve their well-being and mental health by finding meaning and purpose in their lives, developing meaningful relationships and fully engaging in activities. Veterans volunteer as mentors to inspire students to live a life of service, leadership and integrity.

Comfort Cases

Comfort Cases provides overnight bags for youth, newborn to age 21, entering the foster care system in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Each bag is filled with new items including pajamas, blanket, stuffed animal, book, fun activity, hygiene kit and dental kit. Entering foster care is a chaotic and scary experience, and Comfort Cases helps to provide basic needs, comfort, and a sense of dignity by providing children a special bag they can call their own.

To view Comfort Cases’ wishlist of donated items, click here.

Comfort Cases was recently featured on NBC News! Click here to watch the video.

STARS Foundation of the Reserve Officers Association

The STARS Foundation of the Reserve Officers Association supports the mental and physical well-being of those serving in the National Guard and their families. The National Guard and Reserve continue to have high numbers of suicide and problems with post-traumatic stress disorder. TowerCares sponsored a mental health seminar for those serving in the National Guard and Reserves in June 2017. Attendees included Congressional members and staff, Pentagon senior leaders, and service members from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Warrior Canine Connection

Warrior Canine Connection offers a unique program in which veterans train companion animals for fellow veterans who suffer from brain injuries or post-traumatic stress. The organization currently operates in three states, and has been recognized at the highest levels of the Department of Defense. Their Mission-Based Trauma Recovery Therapy Program is part of the medical protocol at many military hospitals.

Patriot Point

Patriot Point provides a relaxing and safe environment to enjoy outdoor recreational activities for our nation’s wounded service members and their families. It gives a much needed respite in a country setting to active and retired military personnel. Located near Cambridge, Md., Patriot Point provides activities, accommodations, meals, and therapeutic services. TowerCares donated several new kayaks and paddleboards for use by guests, and is funding the addition of a guesthouse wheelchair lift to provide needed access for disabled veterans.

Hero Dogs

Located in Brookeville, Md., Hero Dogs trains and provides service companion animals for disabled veterans. It takes almost three years to complete the training/placement process at a cost of almost $40,000 per placement. TowerCares helps fund the last phase of training, where the veteran and service dog are matched and begin their lives together.

Final Salute, Inc.

Final Salute, Inc. provides emergency housing programs for women veterans and their minor children. TowerCares supports Project H.O.M.E. (Housing Outreach Mentorship Encouragement) which provides transitional housing, food, clothing, transportation, child care assistance and other essential support services for homeless women veterans and their children in Final Salute’s Emergency Housing Facility in Virginia. TowerCares also provided funds to assist with much-needed renovations of the homeless shelter.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Annapolis & Anne Arundel County

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Annapolis & Anne Arundel County serves more than 3,500 youth, ages 6-18, throughout Anne Arundel County. Their before- and after-school programs provide a safe, nurturing environment with a focus on community service, outreach, academic success and career preparation. The TowerCares grant provides a transportation subsidy for at-risk youth so they can participate in and benefit from programs to help them learn, grow and succeed.

Y in Central Maryland

TowerCares supports the U.S. Naval Academy Beyond School Walls Program, which pairs midshipmen with at-risk elementary school-aged students in Anne Arundel County. Each month, students in grades 3-5 at Germantown Elementary are transported to the Naval Academy to spend two hours with their mentors engaged in STEM and other enrichment activities designed to promote positive youth development.

Paul’s Place

Paul’s Place works to help improve the quality of life in Southeast Baltimore communities through programs, services, and support that strengthen individuals and families, fostering hope, personal dignity, and growth. TowerCares helps fund after-school programs for students in grades 1-12 at which they can enjoy a hot meal and personal support while pursuing academic interests, recreation, and job skills in a safe and nurturing environment.

Maryland Center for Veteran Education & Training

The Maryland Center for Veteran Education & Training, located in Baltimore, MD, empowers homeless Veterans to achieve economic self-sufficiency and residential stability. The TowerCares grant will support the Keeping Our Veterans Safe Program, an on-going comprehensive upgrade of the facility’s security systems and processes to provide an enhanced level of security for homeless Veterans living there and staff. Previous TowerCares grants have helped provide a Study Room/Computer Café for Veterans in need to use for workforce development, college endeavors and to connect with their families and other students.

To watch a video about MCVET’s services, click here.

Click here to see MCVET featured in a video commemorating our million dollar milestone.

Zachary Hebda Foundation

Zachary Hebda Foundation provides support and programs for children battling cancer. TowerCares supports Camp Sunrise, an annual summer camp in Annapolis, Md. that provides a normal camping experience for young cancer patients. Camp Sunrise is 100% cost free to campers and provides 24-hour pediatric oncology medical support, all meals, daily activities, lodging, prizes and a lifetime of memories.

2016

Fort Meade Alliance Foundation

The Kenneth O. McCreedy Scholarship Fund

The first initiative of the Fort Meade Alliance Foundation, this scholarship assists students who have a financial need and are graduating from Meade High School with plans to study science, technology, engineering, math (STEM subjects) or linguistics in college.

Hospice of the Chesapeake

We Honor Veterans

This program includes the annual Veterans Day event that honors veterans for their service, and the Honor Salute Program that provides a final tribute to veterans in hospice care.

Do you like to quilt or crochet? Click here to learn about a volunteer opportunity with the Hospice of the Chesapeake.

Click here to see Hospice of the Chesapeake featured in a video commemorating our million dollar milestone.

Johns Hopkins Children’s Center

The Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, a local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, offers one of the most comprehensive pediatric medical programs in the country, with more than 92,000 patient visits and nearly 9,000 admissions each year. It is Maryland’s largest children’s hospital and the only state-designated Trauma Service and Burn Unit for pediatric patients.

Maryland Therapeutic Riding

Military Ridership Program

TowerCares supports the Maryland Therapeutic Riding Equine Services for Heroes program, which provides equine therapy for active military and Veterans wounded in the line of duty. TowerCares’ donation will provide an entire year of ridership for one injured military member.

Sarah’s House

Our grant supports licensed daycare for the children of families staying at Sarah’s House, a transitional homeless shelter. Through access to this childcare, parents are able to seek employment or job training that can ultimately help them escape homelessness.

USO Metropolitan Washington / Baltimore, Fort Meade

The grant supports a variety of programs meant to bring joy to military families associated with Fort Meade.