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. (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 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’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 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.

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 (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 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.

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.

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.