NEWS & EVENTS AROUND THE REGION
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County Executive Leggett to Hold Five FY18 Operating Budget Forums
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett is holding the first of five budget forums the second week in January to seek input from residents about Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) Operating Budget priorities.The forum will begin at 7 p.m. on Monday, January 9 at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, 4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda.
Additional forums are scheduled throughout January at:
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Annual Birthday Tribute and Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr
Monday, January 16, 3:30 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. To obtain FREE tickets for the program, please contact the ticket office at www.strathmore.org or 301-581-5100. The Music Center at Strathmore requires each person to have a ticket to enter. FREE parking in the adjacent Grosvenor/Strathmore Garage.
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Mark Your Calendar!
Bernie Scholarship Awards Program Looking for Past Awardees to Participate in Effectiveness Survey:
In its 22 years of existence The Bernie Scholarship Awards Program has awarded $469,700 in scholarships to 423 low-income residents.To evaluate the success of the program and improve its effectiveness, the program's Board of Directors has hired Quick Study Consulting, LLC, to assist with the collection and analysis of survey data from past
scholarship recipients. If you are a past scholarship recipient, or know someone who is, please email and provide the scholarship recipient's name and preferred
email address so that a copy of the survey can be sent to him or her on or about Jan. 15, 2016.
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Register for Montgomery College Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) Classes starting in January and February
LLI is offering various non-credit courses starting in January and February. Some of these courses include: Digital Photography I & II, Personal Fitness I, Water Exercise, Self Defense for Women, History of the Ancient World, Find Your Strength/Find Your Future, Conflict in the Middle East, Literary Café, Archaeology: Medieval Islam, Psychology of Personalities and more. Click here for a complete LLI Spring Semester Schedule.
Questions? please call Natasha Sacks, 240-567-1828.
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FIRM 2017 Registration Now Open
FIRM Financial Leadership Institute is for members of nonprofit organizations serving residents of Montgomery County. This 2-day workshop with follow-on tutorials and personal support provides the strategic framework and practical tools needed to strengthen your organization's financial leadership and management.Spring session begins March 14 & 15 and Early Bird Registration is now open through February 14 and includes free tuition.Regular registration is open through March 1. Click here to register.
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FY18 Grant Opportunity Deadlines
Nominations Executive's Community Collaboration Grants, Office of the County Executive
FY18 Applications due Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Contact here.
County Council Grants, Office of the County Council
FY18 Applications due Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Contact email.
Applications Open for FY18 Artists and Scholars Project Grants:
Deadline: Friday, January 27, 2017 at 11:59 p.m.Grants for FY18 will be awarded for use from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018. The amounts awarded for Artists and Scholars Project Grants will range from $1,000 to $5,000. To access the grant guidelines and submit your application click
here
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FY18 Project Grants for Small Arts and Humanities Organizations and Groups: Deadline: Thursday, January 19, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. To access the grant guidelines and submit your application, click here.
First-time applicants must contact Grants Program staff and attend at least one webinar or workshop prior to applying. Please email
Grants Program Manager,
Nabil Ghachem
or
Takenya LaViscount
, Senior Grants Program Manager, at 301-565-3805 x 26.
General Operating Support Grants to Large Arts and Humanities Organizations. Details and deadline here.
Advancement Grants for Arts and Humanities Organizations: Deadline is January 30, 2017. Details here.
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11th Annual History Conference Registration Open
Saturday, January 28,8:30 AM - 4:30 PM at Montgomery College, Germantown Campus, 20200 Observation Dr, HT230, Germantown. Click here to register. If you have questions or need assistance with registration, please call Montgomery History at 301-340-2825 and visit website.
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2017 Black History Celebration
Thursday, February 16,
at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre at Rockville Civic Center Park from 12 noon to 2pm.
Questions? please contact
JoAnn K. Barnes
Chief, CYF, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services at 240-777-1223 or
Debra Jones
, Chair of the Planning Committee
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FY-18 Gaithersburg Community Grants
FY2018 Community Services Grants - Due February 17. Applications for FY18 funding are now being accepted to collaboratively address community needs in the areas of Health and Mental Health, Housing Stabilization, Food and Nutrition, Homeless Services, Vocational Counseling, and Financial Fitness Education. A mandatory pre-submission meeting will be held on January 10, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park. The deadline for submission is 4:00 p.m. on February 17, 2017. Click here for more information.
FY2018 School Based Nonprofit Youth Grants - The deadline for submission is 4:00 p.m. on February 17, 2017. For more information and to access the Instruction Sheet, Application Form, Budget Worksheet, and a current list of schools with 10% or more City residents, click here.
City of Gaithersburg School Grants- The deadline for submission is 4:00 p.m. on February 24, 2017.
Click here for more information and to access the Instruction Sheet, Application Form, Budget Worksheet, and a current list of schools with 10% or more City residents.
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Get Involved: Join a Board or Commission
County Executive Ike Leggett seeks applicants of diverse backgrounds, professions, gender, geography, disability, and ethnicity to serve on the county's boards and commissions. Members of County boards, committees and commissions may not serve on more than one such group at a time. Members of these boards are eligible for reimbursement for travel and dependent care for meetings attended. County Executive Leggett's appointments are generally subject to confirmation by the County Council. Applications of individuals selected for appointment are made public as part of the confirmation process.
Access complete list of vacancy announcements for boards, committees, and commissions
here
.
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Sign up to Serve on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Make January 16 a Day ON, Not a Day Off
I hope you and your families had an enjoyable holiday season and that you are ready and rested for 2017. We all deserved some time off after that crazy roller coaster ride we were on in 2016.
One really good
way to start 2017 off
on an inspiring
note is to
volunteer
to serve on Monday January
16. Our wonderful Volunteer
Center has again scheduled a full slate of service options for our Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Sign up for one of these or organize your own service event. Check out the
Volunteer Center's website
to volunteer on January 16 or at any time throughout the year.
Bruce Adams
Director, Office of Community Partnerships
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County Executive Leggett Joins Cities For Action in Calling Upon President Obama to Continue His Support for Immigrant Communities
Thirty-one members of Cities for Action, a coalition of more than 100 mayors and county executives from across the country, issued an open letter to President Obama, thanking him for his Administration's support for immigrant families and urging him to commit to further protection for the many immigrants in their communities before he leaves office.
In their letter, local leaders recommend that the Obama Administration strengthen support for young immigrants with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and support immigrants who cannot safely return to their home countries due to conflict, natural disaster, or other emergency conditions.
The Mayors and County Executive Leggett also thanked the president for responding to concerns raised by coalition members about the discriminatory National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) program which created a "special registration" for immigrants from 25 primarily Muslim-majority countries.
"As a welcoming community, Montgomery County, Maryland has become a magnet for talented people from every corner of the globe. We know having people who understand nearly every culture and speak nearly every language is our edge in the global marketplace of the 21st century. We are working hard every day to make sure that the individuals and families that make up our diverse population of more than one million people feel safe and have the support they need to thrive," said Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett.
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MLK Day Offers Wide Variety of Family-Friendly Volunteer Opportunities
See information about these sites and more on our website!
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Community Guide for Immigrant Residents in Montgomery County
In response to community demand, the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center created "Community Guide for Immigrant Residents in Montgomery County, MD". Available in English and Spanish, the 4 page guide provides resources and information for immigrants during this time of uncertainty. Included in the Guide are links to local and national immigrant advocacy organizations, fact sheets, local law enforcement and public school contact information, and more. Visit Gilchrist Center's website to access the
Guide in both languages. Individuals and organizations are welcome to copy and distribute the Guide as needed.
Winter 2017 Registration at Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center
Spread the word - registration for English and Computer classes at the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center start on January 4. Click on link below to see registration dates for all classes at our sites in Wheaton, Gaithersburg, Germantown, and East County. Winter Registration Dates.
Click here to see flyers for classes at each of our sites.
Job Search Workshop For Non-Native English Speakers
The Gilchrist Center's
Job Search Workshop provides non-native English speakers intensive training and support in their job search. Prospective applicants must have access to a computer and be comfortable with email and Microsoft Word.
Please note that space in all classes is extremely limited, and registration is first-come, first-served. Wheaton registration dates are starting early this year - on January 4. Questions? Call the individual site or our main number, 240-777-4940
2016 TAX Preparation Information Session
Join the session to get overview of the tax assistance programs offered for Montgomery County residents and updates for 2016 tax filing, including: Refund delay and ITIN renewal on Tuesday, January 17, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 3300 Briggs Chaney Rd. Silver Spring. For more information contact: 240-777-8406 and/or Zainab.hassan@montgomerycountymd.gov
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41st Annual Alpha MLK Day Breakfast Tickets on Sale
The Montgomery County chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity is sponsoring the 41st annual Martin Luther King, Jr., memorial breakfast at 7:45 a.m. on Jan. 16 at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel & Conference Center at 5701 Marinelli Road in Bethesda. Tickets are $70 for adults, $45 for 18 years and under. To purchase tickets, contact Isaac Wilson at 301-983-4989 and Hasan McDonnaugh at 267-918-0424. The Bethesda Marriott parking facility will be undergoing renovations. Alternate parking site is 6120/6130 East Jefferson St, North Bethesda. Shuttle service will be provided to and from the hotel.
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First Interfaith Thanksgiving Service Hosted at Congregation Har Shalom
Diverse in Faith: United in Thanksgiving was the theme for the first Interfaith Thanksgiving Service in Potomac. It was hosted by Rabbi Adam Raskin and included faith leaders, musicians and hundreds of members from Har Shalom, St. Peter and Paul Antiochia Orthodox Church, Hare Krishna Temple, and the Islamic Community Center of Potomac; and messages being offered by leaders from St. Raphael Roman Catholic Church, Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter0day Saints, potomac Presbyterian Church, St. James Episcopal Church, Islamic Community Center of Potomac and the Baha'l Faith Community.
Rabbi Adam Raskin opened the service, with hundreds seated in the full sanctuary, acknowledging the division and fear related to the expressions of hatred following the election. It seemed everyone agreed that the expressions of hatred following the election made it all the more important to come together
acknowledging our essential unity as sisters and brothers made in the divine image. The music, scripture, poetry and messages from seven faith traditions expressed gratitude and praise for the gifts of life and love. A similar service was held at the Oakdale United Methodist Church in Olney that has been an annual event planned by the Greater Olney Interfaith Ministerium.
Walking Pilgrimage to Strengthen Solidarity
Choosing Unity Over Extremism: A Walking Pilgrimage was organized in response to the division, fear and hatred generated by the election. In spite of the cold and harsh wind, a hearty interfaith group from Montgomery County, Northern Virginia and Washington DC met at the Washington Hebrew Congregation and walked on to the Washington National Cathedral and the Islamic Center. It was inspirational being together across lines of ethnicity, race, gender and faith, and recognizing the importance of strengthening our solidarity and acting on behalf of those fearing deportation, being put on a register, losing their healthcare benefits and more. It was agreed that denigration, prejudice and hatred expressed toward any one of us hurts all of us.
Working Together for a Better Community Town Hall
The Town Hall, Working Together
for a Better
Community, was co-sponsored by the Office of
Human Rights, Faith Community Working Group, MC Police Department and NAACP. It followed up progress made since the earlier
town Halls in July and pointed out what needs to be done today. Chief among the outcomes were the Police Department being engaged in over 500 meetings with community groups, partnership between faith communities and
NAACP, Black Ministers Conference and one another, and the Interracial/Interfaith Dialogue on Racism: Seeing the Divine in Each Other.
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Out of the Mouth of Babes: "The Lie" A Powerful Culturally Sensitive Outreach Message
As 2016 comes to an end leaving many of us breathless, and as the incidents of hate speeches and crimes continue to escalate in our community and throughout the country, new voices are emerging to dispel the lies spread by false myth and stereotyping. Clear and determined voices are bringing to light the truth about the oneness of our humanity and the precious value of our diversity. The new determined voices are those of our children
On December 13, 2016 during Montgomery County Council Proclamation in Recognition of Human Rights month, council members were presented with a video "The Lie" a class product of the fourth Grade students, and their teacher Melina Nwoye, from Stedwick Elementary School, in Gaithersburg, This clear message which is delivered through the innocent young faces of the students, their strong and determined voices and the richness of their diversity, has transformed this video into a powerful, diversity sensitive, education outreach message. "The Lie" dispels the lies with such strength and dignity, setting the example for all of us to follow.
Congratulations to the students of Stedwick Elementary School and their teacher for taking the lead in helping us better understand one another.
A special salute to our county leadership for their exemplary commitment to the diversity of our communities and to safeguard the constitutional rights, dignity and safety of young and older alike. Thank you for giving us the hope we need to start 2017 with a prayer and a smile. View the video message here.
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Have News to Share?
To submit your news and events of interest to those in and serving Montgomery County's emerging communities and neighbors in need, email complete details and/or a press release to the
OCP Newsletter
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