News & Event
FREDERICK, MD – July 11, 2019: Ausherman Family Trust has shown its support for The Community Foundation of Frederick County’s Forever Frederick County Campaign with a $250,000 gift.
The Forever Frederick County Campaign was announced in June 2019 as a major fundraising effort by the Community Foundation. With a goal of $20 million, the endowed funds created will provide grants that will support the greatest needs in Frederick County, now and in the future.
Ausherman Family Trust is well known within Frederick County for its support of programs and projects that enhance and help build a thriving community. “This campaign gift is significant and generous, and we are very grateful to Ausherman Family Trust’s board of trustees for their support,” said Gordon Cooley, Community Foundation trustee, and Forever Frederick County Campaign chairman. “It sets an inspiring tone as we work towards meeting our campaign goal.”
To date, the Community Foundation has commissioned two independent needs assessment studies. These studies and similar ones in the future will assist its board of trustees in determining where grants are most needed. The 2018 Frederick County Human Needs Assessment provided data that identified the areas of substance use disorder, the aging population, and supporting families with children as current greatest needs. As needs change over time, the Community Foundation will be prepared to assist.
For more information about the Forever Frederick County Campaign, visit www.ForeverFrederickCounty.org. Information about the 2018 Frederick County Human Needs Assessment study can be found at www.FrederickCountyGives.org/NeedsReport.
FREDERICK, MD – December 18, 2018: During its recent FY2019 impact grantsmaking cycle, The Community Foundation of Frederick County provided $402,717.19 to 43 area nonprofits dedicated to improving lives and enhancing Frederick County.
The grants are designed to assist local nonprofits with projects that have meaningful and direct impact on the residents of Frederick County. As a leading source of grant funding in Frederick County, the Community Foundation supports the arts, historic preservation, agriculture, health and human services, education, cultural understanding, animal welfare, scholarships, elder care, youth programs, civic causes, and more.
Impact Grant Funding was provided from the following funds:
The AG-C.I.T.E. Fund:
$1,551.60 to University of Maryland for its Kids Growing with Grains program.
The Animal Care Field of Interest Fund:
$626.24 to TipMe Frederick for veterinary care expenses.
$626.23 to Days End Horse Rescue for abused and neglected horse care.
The Bar Association of Frederick County Justice for All Fund:
$2,918.00 to Frederick Community College Foundation for Maryland Divorce Custody Notebook Training and Assessment Project
$10,000.00 to Mental Health Association of Frederick County for CASA of Frederick County program.
$2,222.50 to Spanish Speaking of Community MD, Inc. for Critical Needs Partnership with Frederick County Public Schools.
The William E. Barnhart Memorial Fund:
$31,885.40 to Patty Pollatos Fund, Inc. to provide financial assistance to adults with cancer.
The Brunswick Area Fund:
$1,806.92 to Brunswick High School Drama Boosters for its spring musical.
$590.00 to Frederick County Public Schools for enrichment programs at Brunswick Middle School.
The C&O Canal Endowment Fund for Frederick County:
$980.83 to Brunswick Main Street, Inc. for C&O Canal Trail to History Brunswick brochure.
The Charles V. and Louise D. Main Endowment Fund:
$9,054.61 to Calvary United Methodist Church for Calvary Weekday School student tuition support.
The William E. Cross Special Needs Fund: $2,000.00 to Frederick County Government for Infants and Toddlers Program to assist children with developmental delays or qualifying diagnosis prior to age 3.
$1,665.00 to Patty Pollatos Fund, Inc. to provide financial assistance to adults with cancer.
The Dan Crozier Music Trust Fund:
$950.00 to Frederick County Public Schools for elementary instrumental library project and $700.00 to middle school shared sheet music library expansion.
$925.00 to Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra for sheet music purchases.
$925.00 to Frederick Children’s Chorus for sheet music purchases.
The Dola Burkentine Nonprofit Marketing Fund:
$515.80 to Sophie & Madigan’s Playground to assist with marketing the opening of the playground and promote its mission of helping families play, learn, and create together.
The Educational Enrichment Field of Interest Fund:
$738.86 to Frederick Children’s Chorus for Little Music Makers program.
The Elder/Senior Care Field of Interest Fund:
$666.17 to Thurmont Senior Center, Inc. for partial center coordinator salary.
The England Family Fund:
$650.56 to Frederick Rescue Mission, Inc. for TransIT bus passes for Faith House clients.
The Enhancing Agriculture Field of Interest Fund:
$682.50 to YMCA of Frederick County for Camp West Mar teaching garden.
The Environmental Preservation Field of Interest Fund:
$674.89 to Envision Frederick County for food waste collecting and sorting at Sugarloaf Elementary, Urbana Middle School and Urbana High School.
The Florence Zahler Memorial Cancer Support Fund:
$3,342.24 to Patty Pollatos Fund, Inc. to provide financial assistance to adults with cancer.
The Frederick Jaycees Fund:
$1,300.00 to The Salvation Army for its emergency assistance fund.
The Frederick Keys Care Fund:
$1,000.00 to Advocates for Homeless Families for children’s after-school and summer activities.
$750.00 to Blessings in a Backpack for weekend backpacks of food for students served by Frederick County Public Schools Success Program.
$2,500.00 to Heartly House for child counseling.
$3,000.00 to Sophie and Madigan’s Playground for fully accessible ground cover.
$1,435.37 to Student Homelessness Initiative Partnership of Frederick County (SHIP) for New Horizons 2019 program.
$1,856.25 to YMCA of Frederick County for Kids Unlimited Musical Therapy program.
The Health Fund for Frederick County Youth:
$55,490.28 to Patty Pollatos Fund for children’s medical assistance and cancer treatment.
The Historic Preservation Field of Interest Fund:
$576.81 to Historic Rocky Springs Chapel, Inc. for emergency stabilization of historic Rocky Springs school house.
The Sharon I. Hooper Fund for Children:
$14,089.62 to Patty Pollatos Fund, Inc. for children’s medical assistance and cancer treatment.
$1,000.00 to Weinberg Center for the Arts for Families Need Fun program providing event tickets to catastrophically ill children and their families.
The Human Services Field of Interest Fund:
$670.59 to Patty Pollatos Fund, Inc. to provide financial assistance to adults with cancer.
The Job Training and Skills Development Field of Interest Fund:
$1,414.54 to Literacy Council of Frederick County, Inc. for small business workplace literacy classes.
The John L. and Lucille H. Ponton Charitable Fund:
$35,071.22 to Children’s Hospital Foundation to provide patient families resources and lodging assistance.
$35,071.22 to Hospice of Frederick County for Camp Jamie.
$35,071.22 to Patty Pollatos Fund, Inc. for children’s medical assistance and cancer treatment.
The Nonprofit Support Field of Interest Fund: $544.12 to Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County for intern laptop computer.
The Parks Field of Interest Fund:
$724.02 to Sophie and Madigan’s Playground fully accessible ground cover.
The Performing Arts Field of Interest Fund:
$631.58 to Chords of Courage for STEP UP! Student songwriting contest.
The Persons with Disabilities Field of Interest Fund:
$968.66 to YMCA of Frederick County for Kids Unlimited sensory tools and equipment.
The Philip and Erika Rauh Fund: $2,000.00 to Frederick Rescue Mission for summer enrichment camp.
$2,020.62 to Student Homelessness Initiative Partnership (SHIP) for New Horizons 2019 program.
The Pritchett Family Foundation Fund: $1,250.00 to Sophie and Madigan’s Playground for fully accessible ground cover.
$548.30 to Friends of Baker Park for permanent, public, wheelchair accessible Bocce courts.
$1,061.23 to Mission of Mercy, Inc. for opioid alternative pain relief and safety for Frederick County residents.
$1,050.00 to Wells House @ Gale Recovery for men in recovery to receive music therapy.
The Secret Santa Fund:
$1,166.39 to The Federated Charities Corporation of Frederick for rapid response community assistance.
The Paul L. Stine, Jr. Memorial Fund:
$500.00 to TipMe Frederick for veterinary care expenses.
The Paul L. Stine, Sr. Memorial Fund:
$500.00 to Days End Farm Horse Rescue for abused and neglected horse care.
The Transportation Field of Interest Fund:
$936.19 to City Youth Matrix to provide transportation services for children to attend afterschool programs related to music, art, and athletics.
$670.11 to The Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center for an interactive art cart for visitors.
Community Foundation unrestricted funds provided the following grants:
$20,000.00 to Blessings in a Backpack for Pre-K student weekend food packages to students in Frederick County Public Schools.
$1,000.00 to Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry for meat processing costs.
$15,000.00 to The Housing Authority of the City of Frederick for Young Men Rising program.
$3,500.00 to Lions Club of Frederick for eye care assistance to low-income individuals.
$1,000.00 to Frederick Rescue Mission for Bread of Life Kitchen necessities.
$5,000.00 to Maryland Food Bank for senior pantry program.
$3,000.00 to Mission of Mercy for opioid alternative pain relief and safety for Frederick County residents.
$4,847.27 to Second Chances Garage for driving school funding for low-income individuals.
$5,000.00 to Student Homelessness Initiative Partnership (SHIP) New Horizons 2019 program.
$10,000.00 to Thurmont Senior Center for partial center coordinator salary.
$2,000.00 to United Way of Frederick County for The ALICE Report.
FREDERICK, MD – September 27, 2017: The Community Foundation of Frederick County will hold its 31st Annual Report to the Community on Thursday, November 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the Clarion Inn Frederick Event Center. The event will thank donors and highlight prior fiscal year accomplishments. In addition, the 2017 Wertheimer Fellows for Excellence in Volunteerism will be honored.
Wertheimer honorees are selected for their selfless contributions of time, energy, and talents to the Frederick County community. The awards are made possible by a bequest from the late Janis Miller Wertheimer, a well-known Frederick businesswoman and prolific volunteer whose legacy of giving continues through her planned gift that created, among three funds, The Janis Miller Wertheimer Endowment Fund with the Community Foundation.
The Janis Miller Wertheimer Endowment Fund has provided each Wertheimer Fellow with $25,000 to add to an existing Community Foundation fund or create a new fund. The fund also provides a $1,000 grant to a nonprofit of choice by the Youth in Action honoree. Through these awards, their legacies of giving will continue to touch lives and help those who are served through area nonprofit organizations.
The following individuals have been chosen to receive the 2017 Wertheimer Fellows for Excellence in Volunteerism Award and the Wertheimer Youth in Action Award.
RaeAnn E. Butler, of Frederick, has made volunteering a lifelong second career. Her passions are helping seniors in Frederick County and historic preservation. She helped launch Daybreak Adult Day Services and, as a 20+ year member of the Elder Services Provider Council, was instrumental in creating the annual Elder Expo and conference. Ms. Butler served on the board of Frederick County Commission on Aging from 2006-2014, and recently served on the Seniors First Committee. She collaborated with Frederick Community College’s Gerontology Advisory Committee to establish its gerontology certificate program and has organized fundraising for numerous organizations serving seniors.
Ms. Butler is a board member of Heritage Frederick and has contributed countless hours to strategic planning, fundraising, volunteer recruitment and more. Through her membership with Carrollton Manor DAR, she helped coordinate the Middletown African American Methodist Episcopal Cemetery project, a book about those buried there, and a symposium about African American history and genealogy.
Ms. Butler’s other volunteer service includes serving currently as president of the Hood College Alumni Association; co-chair of Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ’s Building Project Construction Implementation Committee; board member for Western Maryland Alzheimer’s Association; and previously, a board member and first aid instructor with the Frederick County Chapter of the American Red Cross.
With her Wertheimer Award, Ms. Butler has established The Butler Collins Community Impact Fund to provide grants to Frederick County nonprofits, with a focus on seniors and historic preservation and education.
Daniel W. Campbell, of New Market, is dedicated to helping individuals, families, and veterans who need a hand-up. He volunteers with Mission of Mercy’s medical and dental clinic and helps coordinate services for people through the Frederick Department of Social Services with the involvement of the Frederick Faith Community Partnership.
Mr. Campbell, a retired United States Air Force officer, is the mentor coordinator with the Frederick County Veteran’s Treatment Court (VTC). He provides peer support and helps veterans facing a variety of violations obtain counseling and Veteran Administration benefits. He is active with The American Legion and Disabled American Veterans.
Mr. Campbell is also the volunteer director for JustServe Initiative in Frederick County, a non-denominational website that connects people who wish to volunteer with nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and government service entities. In addition, he has created a partnership with Seed of Life Nurseries and organized volunteers to plant and harvest an acre-sized garden to supply food pantries and soup kitchens with produce. He has coordinated warm-clothing drives for Frederick Rescue Mission. He also serves as a board member for the Purple Moon Project, and he has assisted many families in need of food, clothing, transportation, and other basic needs.
With his Wertheimer Award, Mr. Campbell has established The Major Dan Campbell Veteran Services Fund to support veteran mentoring and also Mission of Mercy’s medical and dental programs.
Vanessa Fox, of Frederick, already has a long record of volunteer service in Frederick County. A student at Tuscarora High School, Ms. Fox learned about homelessness and socio-economic conditions in Frederick County and, with her English class, attended the Frederick County Coalition for the Homeless Forum in 2016. As a result, Ms. Fox and several classmates created Welcome Home Kits for families transitioning from homelessness to semi-permanent housing for The Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs. Wanting to do more, Ms. Fox approached her teacher with an idea to organize a group to promote philanthropy for youth. Now, The Local Love Project has become a successful youth volunteer group at Tuscarora High School with 80 students involved. The group wanted to dedicate themselves to helping one nonprofit and, after research and meeting with various organizations, they decided to support Frederick Rescue Mission. Ms. Fox, who currently serves as president of The Local Love Project, has been instrumental in cultivating a close working relationship with Frederick Rescue Mission to support its food distribution center, organizing students to serve breakfast and lunch, and also creating fellowship for the residents.
Ms. Fox has also volunteered at Ballenger Creek Elementary as a tutor, the soup kitchen at Frederick Community Action Agency, and is active with her church, Frederick Christian Fellowship.
With her Wertheimer Youth in Action Award, Ms. Fox has selected Frederick Rescue Mission to receive a grant in support of its activities.
FREDERICK, MD – August 21, 2018: The Community Foundation of Frederick County, in conjunction with Ausherman Family Foundation, Delaplaine Foundation, Frederick County Government, The Robert C. and Jane E. Ladner Charitable Fund, Helen J. Serini Foundation, and United Way of Frederick County, is spearheading a new Frederick County human needs assessment. The public is invited to participate in one of two open forums: Wednesday, September 12th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Anthony M. Natelli Community Room at the Urbana Regional Library, 9020 Amelung Street, Frederick, Maryland, (parking available in front and in back of the library) and Thursday, September 13th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., 1st Floor Hearing Room at Winchester Hall,12 East Church Street, Frederick, Maryland, (parking available in the garage directly across the street). Please arrive early for seating; the presentation will begin promptly at 7:00 p.m. No advance registration is required.
This project will update the Community Foundation’s 2011 Frederick County Human Needs Assessment. The study is assessing the needs of the community by combining research and data with input from service providers, stakeholders, community leaders, and the public to determine the areas of most pressing needs. The 2018 Frederick County Human Needs Assessment is being conducted by Devereux Consulting in partnership with Social Science Consultants.
The forums are an opportunity for the public to provide input based on the preliminary findings of the assessment to help shape the final report. The human need areas being studied include but are not limited to: basic human needs and financial sustainability, including food and nutrition, clothing and shelter, and physical, economic, and health security; healthcare; and issues related to children and youth from birth to age 24. Time will be reserved for open discussion and interested persons are also invited to bring written statements to submit to the Community Foundation. The results of the assessment will influence the Community Foundation’s strategic grant funding and advocacy priorities over the next decade.
FREDERICK, MD – March 14, 2019: The Community Foundation of Frederick County will release the findings of its 2018 Frederick County Human Needs Assessment on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, 9:00 a.m. at The Delaplaine Arts Center. The public is invited to attend. Registration is requested at www.FrederickCountyGives.org/HNA.
The Needs Assessment report identifies human needs as they have evolved in Frederick County since 2011, when the Community Foundation completed its first Frederick County Human Needs Assessment. The 2018 report, prepared by Devereux Consulting and Social Science Consultants, combined expert and community input through key informant interviews and focus groups, a survey of community-engaged persons from across Frederick County, comparison trends with the State of Maryland and other comparison counties, and data from sources such as U.S. Census/American Community Survey and National Center for Education Statistics. The 2018 report is accompanied by an online, dynamic visualization tool that offers access to data about social and economic conditions in Frederick County.
A brief presentation of the findings will be presented by Eric Devereux, Ph.D., of Devereux Consulting, including an overview of the online interactive visualization tool, followed by a question and answer period. Other speakers include Dr. Rachel Mandel, trustee, and champion of the Needs Assessment Strategic Planning subcommittee, and Gordon Cooley, trustee, regarding the Community Foundation's response to these stated needs.
The full report can be accessed at www.FrederickCountyGives.org/NeedsReport. An executive summary will be available on April 3, at the event and at this same website address.
The Community Foundation gratefully acknowledges the co-sponsors of the 2018 Needs Assessment whose generosity made possible the significant expansion of the effort for this project: Ausherman Family Foundation, The Joseph D. Baker Fund, Delaplaine Foundation, Frederick County Government, The Robert C. and Jane E. Ladner Charitable Fund, Helen J. Serini Foundation, and United Way of Frederick County.
You’ve heard us talk about Janis Miller Wertheimer whose endowment fund makes it possible for the Community Foundation to honor some of Frederick County’s unsung heroes each fall with The Wertheimer Fellow for Excellence in Volunteerism Awards and The Wertheimer Youth in Action Award. Because of her volunteerism and extensive involvement in numerous organizations during her lifetime, the 2002/2003 board of trustees created the opportunity to honor others who give back to Frederick County through sweat equity. In this way, we honor Mrs. Wertheimer annually, too.
But wait, there’s more. Mrs. Wertheimer created two more funds in the early 2000s that aren’t as well known because of the annual publicity given to the endowment fund and Wertheimer honorees. These two funds have had, to date, combined community grant impact exceeding $1.1 million!
The Philip and Janis Miller Wertheimer Fund was created through Mrs. Wertheimer’s estate and is endowed, meaning the money the fund was started with will never be spent, thus ensuring grants are given annually from the fund forever. Mrs. Wertheimer designated six local nonprofits to receive annual grants from the fund: Frederick Memorial Hospital, Evangelical Lutheran Church, Historical Society of Frederick County, National Lutheran Home, YMCA of Frederick County, and Penn Laurel Girl Scout Council (now the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital). Before her death in 2001, Mrs. Wertheimer established The Philip and Janis Wertheimer Fund for the Salvation Army/Frederick Corps to support its activities and programs.
Why would Mrs. Wertheimer want to support these organizations after her passing, and why did she work with the Community Foundation to make this happen? Since she was well-known for her volunteer work, it can be assumed that she understood how grant monies are critical to nonprofit programs and services. But a more substantial reason was behind her motivation: the desire to give back to a community that had provided so much to her and her husband, Philip.
Born, raised, and schooled in Frederick County, including an English degree from Hood College in 1929, she married Philip Wertheimer, and they opened Nicodemus and Wertheimer, a successful insurance and real estate business in Frederick, where she served as vice-president. Her community involvement included the Hood College Board of Associates, Hood College Alumnae Association, Frederick Woman’s Civic Club, Frederick Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Frederick County Landmarks Foundation, Historical Society of Frederick County, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, Reserve Officer’s Auxiliary, and Frederick Art Club. Also, she was a lifelong member of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Frederick.
In life, Mrs. Wertheimer gave back and benefitted others through her volunteer work, and in death, she continues to give back through her funds. Her true legacy, however, is not the grant support. It is her true love of Frederick County, shown by example and followed by her generosity.
Did you know that Frederick County is one of the fastest growing counties in Maryland? Because of this, it is undergoing important demographic and social changes not only because of growth but also because of its role as a commuter suburb of the surrounding metropolitan areas.
This change affects all of us and brings more attention to pressing human needs in our community. In 2011, the Community Foundation and a group of sponsors commissioned the first Frederick County Human Needs Assessment. We wanted a solid, unbiased assessment to guide our grantmaking, and from that, we’ve been strategically focused on providing grants to organizations addressing health care, school-readiness, and homelessness. Last year, we commissioned another county-wide human needs assessment to update the 2011 study (again, via a third-party, unbiased source) to see if and how the most pressing areas of human need had changed. The data has just been released, showing that the most pressing needs have changed, but the needs from 2011 still exist and are contributing factors to the current issues. In this update, supporting families with children, preparing for an aging population, and responding to substance use disorder have risen to the top.
What happens now? First, the 2018 data will be used by local nonprofits and government agencies as they review their programs and build new ones, and it will assist them in applying for grants from many funding sources. Second, the data will help the Community Foundation continue to do meaningful strategic grantmaking with a focus on the areas of greatest need. Our advocacy, leadership, collaboration, and education within the community will continue as we work with our nonprofit and government partners to create positive change within the newly identified areas.
An exciting new component of the 2018 Human Needs Assessment is the “visualization tool.” This online, interactive, dynamic tool allows users to examine important local, state, and national trends over the prior 20 years related to human needs in Frederick County. It’s based on the aggregation of many different official sources of demographics and statistics, including information from the National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. Census/American Community Survey. The visualization tool will continue to be updated as new data becomes available.
The complete 2018 Human Needs Assessment Report, executive summary, and the visualization tool can be accessed through our website at www.FrederickCountyGives.org/NeedsReport. I urge you to look at all the information available. The human needs discussed here pose significant challenges that will require broad community participation and support to secure Frederick County’s future.
A huge thank you to our co-sponsors of the 2018 report: Ausherman Family Foundation, The Joseph D. Baker Fund, Delaplaine Foundation, Frederick County Government, The Robert C. and Jane E. Ladner Charitable Fund, Helen J. Sirini Foundation, and United Way of Frederick County. Their generosity made possible the significant expansion of effort of this project.
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