Sponsored by:
Our Mission

To foster and maintain a thriving business climate in which our
members and community can grow and prosper.

NEW MEMBERS
Welcome our recent new members!
American Red Cross of the Greater Shenandoah Valley
1131 Conrad Ct.
Hagerstown, MD 21740
301.739.0717
Stoney Creek Farm
19223 Manor Church Rd.
Boonsboro, MD 21713
301.432.6272
Resources
 
Manning Media, Inc has launched a FREE webinar series to help businesses of all sizes learn more about marketing and how to take advantage of metrics and analytics that can help their businesses grow.
 
The 2021 Business Acceleration Series is free to register, but space is limited. The link below takes you to the information and registration page. 
 
Please feel free to share with your contacts and constituents as you see best. 
 
MEMBER NEWS
Browse through news from some of our members, some may even be able to help you during this critical time.
Grant Applications Available for Mary K. Bowman Fund for Historical and Fine Arts 
The Community Foundation of Washington County MD, Inc. announces that applications are now being accepted for the Mary K. Bowman Fine Arts Fund.
This fund provides financial support for current charitable and educational initiatives that preserve and maintain historical and cultural properties in Washington County. It also promotes the fine arts, history and historic preservation while encouraging the interest in and study of such matters.
Applicant organizations must be based in and primarily serving Washington County, MD, and have a current 501(c)(3) determination from the IRS. They also may only submit one application for one project each grant cycle. 
If funds are being requested for a program previously supported, please include evidence of the program’s success and any partnerships into which you’ve entered into in order to ensure continuity of the program. Explain why continued support from this fund is essential to the program’s viability.
Most recent grant recipients include Barbara Ingram School for the Arts Foundation, C&O Canal Trust, Citizens Assisting and Sheltering the Abused, Hagerstown Aviation Museum, Hagerstown Community Concert Association, Hagerstown Day Nursery, Maryland Symphony Orchestra, The Maryland Theatre, Sharpsburg Historical Society, Washington County Arts Council, Washington County Historical Society, Washington County Historical Trust, Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, Maryland Wind Music, The Women’s Club Foundation.
Applications can be made online at cfwcmd.org. For any questions about this fund and its granting process, please contact Sarah Burge, director of grants & donor relations at (301) 745-5210.
About Community Foundation of Washington County MD, Inc. has a five-year annualized investment return that makes it one of the top performing community foundations in the country. The Foundation has over $45 million in assets and has distributed more than $25 million in grants and scholarships since 1997. Donors can support any of its more than 380 funds or create a charitable fund of their own. To learn how to create a fund at the Community Foundation, please visit www.cfwcmd.org, or call 301-745-5210.
Student Humanitarian Creates “Future Is Yours - WV Child” Scholarship Fund
The Community Foundation of Washington County MD, Inc. announces a new scholarship fund created by 15-year old Hedgesville, WV student Kati Hatfield, Future Is Yours - WV Child Scholarship Fund. Having faced struggles of her own, Hatfield intends for this scholarship to benefit a West Virginia high school graduate who has an ADHD diagnosis and who is, or was at some point, either a ward of the state, foster child or adoptee, internationally or domestically.
Hatfield’s means of raising funds for this scholarship is gaining attention - unique bracelets, necklaces and earrings that she sells locally at Nelson’s Supply in Hedgesville, WV and Westwood Charm Boutique in Martinsburg, WV and through her Facebook page, named after her title of Miss Rhododendron's Outstanding Teen 2020, facebook.com/missrhododendronsoteen2020
When asked why she wanted to start this scholarship to begin with, Kati answered, “The main thing I noticed among foster care children is that sometimes they do not have the financial security to attend college and I wanted to create a scholarship for foster care, adoptees, or wards of the state in order to help them to get a college or trade school education.”
All funds raised through jewelry sales benefit the scholarship fund directly, with set prices and suggested additional donation dollars. 
Applications are currently being accepted through the Community Foundation of Washington County with a deadline of March 15th at 11:59pm. Applicants must be a high school student who resides in one of West Virginia’s 55 counties, have an ADHD diagnosis, was at some point a ward of the state, foster child or adoptee, has been accepted into a college, university, or trade school.
“These foster care kids are once where I was. I was once an orphan and was blessed with a wonderful family. Some of these children do not have what I do now and because of my awareness of this, I want to give back to them so that if nothing else, they can pursue an education as they work to secure a good life for themselves and their future family,” said Hatfield.
General contributions to support this fund can be made by visiting the Community Foundation’s website cfwcmd.org or by delivering checks to 37 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown MD, 21740. 
HCC Hires a New Business Certification and Licensure Program Manager in Their Workforce Solutions and Continuing Education Division 
I am excited to be working for Hagerstown Community College! With a resume in marketing management for over 20 years, I have successfully woven in project management, specializing in process improvement development. I am adept at identifying opportunities in operational processes and working cross functionally towards the appropriate resolution. I am also highly skilled at managing projects to ensure execution of deliverables are within the required timeframes. My background includes a successful track record of increasing sales and strengthening brand image by planning, establishing, and implementing key customized plans and promotional content.
I can take my skills and work experience and build stronger relationships with companies in the tristate area, assisting them in establishing a more pivotal foundation for their workforce. By assisting companies in navigating the upskilling of their employees and offering specific training for those needs, we can build a solid operational standard within their community. Training does not have to be difficult as we can bring an instructor to your company or we can hold trainings at the college for you with the ability to social distance and provide accommodations for food service, AV equipment and materials. With customizable training for you and your employees, HCC is a one-stop-shop for all your training needs. Allow us to do the work, so your employees can just arrive relaxed and be ready to learn. 
Please give me a call to see how we can serve you today.  240-500-2490
The Yarn Shop's New Location
The Yarn Shop has temporarily relocated to 36 North Potomac Street.


301.573.9973
Go For Bold Cultural Conversation
On Friday 2/19 (11:45am - 1pm), there will be a community Cultural Conversations session centered around the Meritus Go for Bold initiative and how the initiative addresses both physical and mental health and how it addresses equity as part of the initiative.   

We look forward to welcoming the following community experts:
 
Dr. Mitesh Kothari (LH Class 16, 2003) - Physician at Capital Women's Care
Maria Rubeling (LWC Class 29, 2016) - Executive Director at YMCA of Hagerstown
Dr. Douglas Spotts - Vice President and Chief Health Officer at Meritus Health
Allen Twigg (LWC Class 21, 2008) - Executive Director, Behavioral and Community Health at Meritus Health
$55,374 to be Awarded to Seven Local Agencies
 
Washington County was recently awarded $55,374 of federal funding from the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the national Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). The funding is to supplement emergency food assistance and emergency shelter programs within the county.

The selection of which communities receiving funding and the total funding amount was made by a national board of directors that is chaired by FEMA. The national board consists of representatives from the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities, USA; National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, the Jewish Federation of North America, the Salvation Army, and United Way Worldwide.
 
A local, Washington County board of directors is charged with identifying the most urgent, critical needs within the county after a grant application and review process. The local board is comprised of elected and government officials, nonprofit leaders, faith-based groups, homeless advocates, and other community members. Washington County’s local board determined the following recipients under the Phase 38 allocation of $55,374:
 
Washington County Community Action Council - $14,476
Reach Cold Weather Shelter - $13,894
The Salvation Army, Hagerstown Command - $13,473
Together with Families, Inc. - $5,240
Washington County Commission on Aging - $4,740
CASA, Inc. - $2,444
United Way of Washington County - $1,107
 
The grant application was advertised and open to any Washington County agency to apply that: 1) is private, voluntary non-profits or units of government, 2) be eligible to receive federal funds, 3) have an accounting system, 4) practice non-discrimination, 5) have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs, and 6) if they are a private, voluntary organization, have a voluntary board of directors.
SIGN UP FOR REGULAR WASHINGTON COUNTY
JOINT INFORMATION CENTER (JIC) UPDATES
Washington County, Maryland has invited many partners to form a Joint Information Center (JIC) created to address COVID-19.

Here at the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, we're proud to be involved in these weekly meetings and contributing to the County's press releases. We're in good company: Meritus Health, Washington County Public Schools, Hagerstown Community College, The City of Hagerstown, Washington County Sheriff's Department, and Washington County Health Department. All of these agencies combine information on a daily basis to form several uniform emails per week.

We want YOU to be a part of this mailing list, but you need to sign up to receive these messages and we encourage you to pass along the word to the rest of our community, should they be interested in receiving these alerts in their Inbox.

Do you have something to share with fellow Chamber members? Simply email Director of Member Services Brianna Scott at brianna@hagerstown.org to get started on this free opportunity.
Washington County Chamber of Commerce members include more than 650 organizations, representing over 40,000 local jobs in a wide variety of industries: Retail, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Skilled Trades, Service and Hospitality, Technology, Government, Nonprofit, and Education.