It is often a misconception that your Frederick County Chamber of Commerce is a part of the local government. We, in fact, are a nonprofit organization as well and we rely on the support of our members and Partners in Trust to provide the business advocacy, growth, and networking support and opportunities we afford business professionals in Frederick County.
So we get it. The struggle is most definitely real. And this year, we wanted to give some of the amazing organizations in Frederick a little support by spotlighting them, their missions, and their needs this GivingTuesday in an effort to encourage some of our community members to lend a hand.
Whether it’s donating a few dollars or needed items to their location or getting together with family, friends, or coworkers to donate your time and labor to a cause, there are countless ways you can help change lives and enhance our community by helping one of Frederick’s local nonprofit organizations.
It’s easy to get involved and there is truly something for everyone so we urge you to join us this GivingTuesday by supporting your local nonprofit organizations.
What is Giving Tuesday?
According to GivingTuesday.org, GivingTuesday is “a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.” It is a day when generous members of the community donate to support nonprofitorganizations who rely on such gifts to achieve their missions. Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world on December 3, 2019 and every day.
Created in 2012 as a simple idea, GivingTuesday is meant to be a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past seven years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.
We hope you’ll be inspired to give to an organization here in Frederick.
Giving Tuesday: Frederick Nonprofits That Need Your Support
Nonprofits Supporting Frederick’s Youth
The Boy Scouts of America, National Capital Area Council
The Boy Scouts of America’s National Capital Area Council prepares youth for life through outstanding programs that inspire, build character and instill the values that young people need to succeed today. That includes everything from camping and hiking, to community service and leadership development.
How you can help: Donating time or money to their organization.
Website: The Boy Scouts of America, National Capital Area Council
Friendship by LiliZach
Friendship by LiliZach is a Frederick County-based nonprofit with the goal of supporting, welcoming and encouraging local families who receive a diagnosis of Down syndrome. They celebrate new babies with an extra chromosome through uplifting welcome bags filled with items for baby and parents as well as resources on Down syndrome and nearby communities. Friendship by LiliZach wants every birth to be celebrated and every family to feel less alone.
How you can help: Would love items from local businesses to show that our entire community is so excited about these babies and their families and that they are welcome and valued around our county. You can also support their Amazon wishlist.
Website: Friendship by LiliZach
Blessings in a Backpack
BIAB provides non-perishable, kid-friendly food over weekends, school breaks, and weather-related school closings to local children who might otherwise go hungry when school meals are unavailable. We are an all-volunteer non-profit serving over 2,800 low-income children in 19 Frederick schools. We are committed to raising community awareness about childhood food insecurity. It costs only $100 to feed a single for an entire school year and all money raised is used to feed local kids…the more money we raise, the more children we can feed.
How you can help: Consider purchasing something from their Amazon Wish List
Website: Blessings in a Backpack
LOUYAA
Linganore Oakdale Urbana Youth Athletic Association is one of central Maryland’s largest youth athletic organizations, serving more than 2,700 families in 14 sports. With an emphasis on fun, fundamentals, and sportsmanship, LOUYAA offers area children a wide variety of both intramural and competitive level sports programs in southeastern Frederick County, Maryland and beyond. LOUYAA’s mission is to help youth develop physical skills and to mature both emotionally and socially while participating in a structured league of play. Through participation, youth will gain a knowledge of sportsmanship, teamwork, and fair play as they develop their skills and a lifelong love of sports.
How you can help: As this area continues to expand, LOUYAA is eager to expand their foorprint so that they can provide more opportunities for area youth. To this end, they are actively looking for sponsor willing to provide monetary donations and intellectual support to their BOD.
Website: LOUYAA
Girls on the Run of Mid & Western Maryland
Girls face social pressures and conflicting messages about how they should act and who they should be. Studies show that by adolescence, girls’ confidence drops about twice as much as boys’. Friendships become more complicated and challenging, girls’ perception of their academic ability declines, the likelihood of anxiety and depression increases and participation in physical activity plummets. We believe that EVERY GIRL is inherently FULL OF POWER and POTENTIAL. By knowing they are the leaders of their lives, these are the girls who WILL CHANGE THE WORLD.
How you can help: Consider providing a scholarship to a girl who otherwise would not be able to participate in our program. They could also use new running shoes (girl sizes 1 through ladies 11) $25 gift cards to local businesses and 5K supplies.
Website: Girls on the Run of Mid & Western Maryland
Empowering Community Leaders Network, Inc.
Empowering Community Leaders Network (ECLN) is a catalyst for developing effective leadership capabilities in female middle school girls in Frederick County, Maryland. They create an empowering learning environment through their Sisters Wholesome Aspiring Toward Greatness (S.W.A.G.) program for emergent leaders to develop their inherent leadership gifts and abilities. ECLN networks with a view toward community building. The community of subject matter experts in education, business, industry, government and social services enable us to provide a diversity of positive influencers on S.W.A.G. participants.
How you can help: Providing promotional giveaway and monetary support.
Wish list: Themed basket items for annual April Fundraiser
Website: Empowering Community Leaders Network, Inc.
FC Frederick
FC Frederick, a 501(c)(3) soccer club, has been operating continuously in the greater Frederick County area since 1989 bringing thoughtful and informed player development programs to the youth in the greater Frederick area. The club seeks to develop soccer athletes in a positive environment that challenges each player at their highest level – through professional coaching and by providing opportunities through its teams, leagues, tournaments, camps, and soccer schools. In 2011, FC Frederick created The Golden Mile Soccer (GMS) program – a free and reduced cost soccer program for at-risk kids – to bring similar opportunities to kids from the “Golden Mile”/Hillcrest area of Frederick City. Approximately 250-350 elementary age school children participate in the GMS each season with the support of 25-30 volunteer coaches and administrators. In 2015, FC Frederick brought high level semi-pro soccer to Frederick County through FC Frederick PRO men’s and women’s teams. FC Frederick PRO allows our local college age players to continue their development during the summer while bringing a summer entertainment option to Frederick County.
How you can help: FC Frederick relies heavily on the generosity of its member volunteers that serve the soccer community in many ways. FC Frederick is embarking on a fundraising effort to support the construction of a Bartholows Road Soccer Complex, a 152-acre parcel of farmland in Mt. Airy that was purchased by the club. Volunteers with expertise or experience in fundraising or special event planning are welcome to join our organization as we work to fund the construction of a state-of-the-art complex that will benefit our region
Website: FC Frederick