Jeanie Cronin’s Inspiration to Give Back to Her Community

Jeanie Cronin has been tireless with her efforts in advocating for and providing services to immigrant populations in Frederick. She received a 2010 Wertheimer Fellow for Excellence in Volunteerism Award from The Community Foundation of Frederick County. Our 2021 Wertheimer Fellow and Youth in Action Award nominations are open throughout the month of May, and I would like to take the time to share Ms. Cronin’s story with the hope that it will inspire our community to nominate similar volunteers this year.

Ms. Cronin has been an active volunteer in the community for many years. She was one of the founders and served as president of Centro Hispano de Frederick, an organization that provides support to Frederick’s immigrant population through a wide range of programs such as English and citizenship classes and sponsorship of summer school and events for seniors.

Ms. Cronin has also volunteered with Advocates for Homeless Families by coordinating food collection drives and arranging childcare. She has served as an on-call interpreter for Heartly House, taught Spanish at Homewood at Crumland Farms, and has volunteered interpretation services for the Frederick City Police Department. In addition, she has coordinated Walks for the Homeless, Bowl for Kids’ Sake benefiting Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and the “Souper” Bowl of Caring to support local food banks.

When Ms. Cronin received her 2010 Wertheimer Fellow for Excellence in Volunteerism Award from the Community Foundation, she created The Juana Delgado Rivas Fund for Centro Hispano de Frederick, Inc. to provide support to the organization. Ms. Cronin decided to name the fund after her grandmother in her honor, a woman she described as her role model and who was always willing to help others. Ms. Cronin credits her grandmother with shaping the person that she is today by inspiring her to show compassion and give back to her community.

Ms. Cronin’s story is one of many outstanding volunteers who have received Wertheimer Fellow and Youth in Action Awards from the Community Foundation. The Community Foundation is accepting nominations for the 2021 Wertheimer Fellow for Excellence in Volunteerism and Youth in Action Awards through May 31, 2021. The online applications can be found at www.FrederickCountyGives.org/WertheimerAwards. Nominations must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on May 31, 2021. Individuals only need to be nominated once for consideration, and no paper applications will be accepted.

The Wertheimer Fellows for Excellence in Volunteerism Awards is now in its 19th year and honors the legacy of the late Janis Miller Wertheimer, a well-known Frederick businesswoman and prolific volunteer. The awards program is made possible through The Janis Miller Wertheimer Endowment Fund. 

The Wertheimer Youth in Action Award is now in its 10th year. Youth under the age of 18 who are positively impacting the community by volunteering their talents and energies in extraordinary ways are eligible to be nominated.