For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Imany Dye, Communications & Marketing Coordinator Iadye@mdnonprofit.org | (443) 238 2336
Baltimore, Maryland: At a press conference in Baltimore yesterday, Heather Iliff, President & CEO of Maryland Nonprofits, announced that over 200 nonprofit organizations and leaders are joining to call on the state to devote at least $1 billion of the $4 billion projected budget surplus to services for families and communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic effects. The video of the press conference is here: https://fb.watch/9Dmb_Nhi0V/
Ms. Iliff was joined by:
- Christi Green, Executive Director, St. Francis Neighborhood Center
- Todd Marcus, Executive Director, /Intersection of Change
- Elder CW Harris, Founder, Intersection of Change
- Keron R. Sadler, Executive Director, Maryland Association of Resources for Families & Youth (MARFY)
- Tiffany Turner Allen, Executive Director, Nonprofit Prince George’s County
- Veronica Cool, Co-Founder and Chair, Maryland Latinos Unidos
“We need to put people first because the pandemic is not over,” said Iliff. “Many Marylanders are still struggling, and nonprofits are stretched past their limits in keeping up with the most urgent needs. Over 200 nonprofit organizations and leaders are calling on the Governor and the rest of Maryland’s government leadership to commit at least $1 billion of the projected $4 billion state surplus to help Maryland’s families and communities – and the nonprofit services that are working hard each day to meet their needs.”
The funding would be used for food assistance, rental assistance and other housing supports, behavioral health services, and other basic needs.
Maryland is home to over 28,000 nonprofit organizations, responsible for about one of every eight private-sector jobs in the state.
“Nonprofit managers cited a critical shortage of direct care workers.” Said Keron R. Sadler, Executive Director of the Maryland Association of Resources for Families and Youth (MARFY), “Providers are unable to hire enough direct care staff to fill their program needs and unfortunately are operating at less than half of their operating capacity. There are severe issues around the inability to pay staff “a living wage” especially when competing with entry-level jobs at companies like Wal-Mart or Amazon.”
The funding recommendation is contained in a letter to Governor Larry Hogan, Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford, Senate President Bill Ferguson, House Speaker Adrienne Jones, Comptroller Peter Franchot, and Treasurer Nancy Kopp.
Other recommendations in the letter include:
- Expanded workforce training to fill direct care jobs that are vacant now, plus to meet the workforce needs of the recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill.
- Greater input into government programs from the affected communities.
- Improved systems for managing government grants, contracts, and payments to nonprofits.
- Grant and loan programs for nonprofit enterprises similar to those provided to for-profit businesses.
Sign Maryland Nonprofits’ letter here: https://www.tfaforms.com/4944162
-Signers as of 10 AM EST, December 1, 2021-
Organizations:
365 Diversity
A Healing House, Inc.
Accessible Resources for Independence Incorporated
African Institute of Arts, Science & Technology, Inc.
AfriThrive Inc.
Allegany County HRDC
Always In His Footsteps
America’s Hauling for Hope
Ameriglef
Anne Arundel County Food Bank
Anne Arundel County Literacy Council, Inc.
Apra Maryland
Araminta Freedom Initiative
Arc Maryland
Ark of God International Ministry Inc.,
Association of Community Services of Howard County
Baltimore Community ToolBank
Baltimore Fashion Alliance
Baltimore Outreach Services
Bay Community Support Services (Bay-CSS)
BCAUSEICAN INC
Bemorecaring, Inc.
BEACON House, Inc.
Bemorecaring, Inc
BioTechnical Inst of MD
BLK ED Network
Breakthrough Strategies, Inc.
BTST Cares Inc.
CASA of Baltimore County, Inc.
CASA of Western Maryland
Cedar Ridge Children’s Home & School, Inc.
Center For Convention On Democratic Integrity Inc
Center of Help Inc.
Charitable Choices
Charles County Charitable Trust
Child Justice, Inc.
Clinica Medica Primaria de Rising Sun
Community Assistance Network
Community Reach of Montgomery County
Community Solutions, Inc.
Community Support Systems, Inc.
CommunityNexus Consulting LLC
Compass
Comprehensive Housing Assistance Incorporated
Cornerstone Community Housing
Cornerstone Montgomery
Diamond Life Inc
Disability Rights Maryland
Doleman Black Heritage Museum, Inc. Projects Dir.
Dream Queen Foundation
Dyslexia Tutoring Program
ELCN
ElevateHER
Empowering the Ages
EveryMind
Faith in Family Community Center Inc
Family League of Baltimore
friend referral
Friendship Outreach Center
Fuel Fund of Maryland
Future Harvest
Garrett County Lighthouse, Inc.
Greater Washington Urban League
Hampden Family Center
Harvest Resources in Anne Arundel Co.
Healing church of Christ
HeartSmart Foundation
Helen J. Serini Foundation
Historical Society of Baltimore County
HopeWell Cancer Support
Hospice of the Chesapeake
Howard County Autism Society
HTP Homes, Inc
In Reach, Inc.
Intersection of Change
ISS-USA
Jessilove.org
Justice Jobs of Maryland, Inc.
KD Leslie LLC
Kindness for Kidneys International, Inc.
Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services
Literacy Council of St. Mary’s
Little Deeds, LLC
Love Wins Movement
Loving Care Senior Services
Management Counsel, LTD &LLC
Manna Food Center
Martin Pollak Project Inc.
Maryland Association of Community Services
Maryland Association of Resources for Families & Youth (MARFY)
Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition
Maryland Latinos Unidos
Maryland Nonprofits
Maryland Philanthropy Network
Maryland Tourism Coalition
Matthew2816
MD Coalition of Families
Md. Crime Victims’ Resource Center
MHCF Foundation
Mid Shore Community Mediation Center
Minority Access, Inc.
Mobile Healthcare Services International Corp
Monterey Institute of Natural Medicine
Movement Disorder Education and Exercise, Inc
NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore, Inc.
New Day Maryland, Inc
Nonprofit Prince George’s County
Nueva Vida
On Our Own of Frederick County
One Source Wellness Center
Outcast Food Network
papas land family educational inc advancement international foundation
Parent’s Guide Cord Blood Foundation
Park Heights Saints Community Center, Inc.
Partnerships for Sustainable Development, Inc.
Passion and Compassion, INC.
Phillips Wharf Environmental Center
Prince George’s Child Resource Center, Inc.
Professional Development and Research Center International (PDRC International)
Public Justice Center
Pure Play Every Day, Inc.
ROC Global Network
Saltzberg Consulting
securitynextgen.org
Seeds of the City, Inc
Shared Support Maryland, Inc.
Shifting Power Workgroup
Sisters Saving the City
Stella’s Girls Inc
Strategic Music Partnerships
Student Support Network
Susanna Wesley House
Tanyimor Foundation Inc
The Arc Baltimore
The Arc NCR
The Arc Southern Maryland
the Board Room Chess Inc
The Coordinating Center
The Global Z Recording Project
The Harford Center, Inc
The Hearing and Speech Agency
The National Center for Children and Families-NCCF
The Webb Group Inc. Educational Learning Center
Upward Thrive Academy, Inc.
Victory of Hope Outreach Ministry, Inc.
Water 2 Wine Consulting Group
Westminster Rescue Mission, Inc.
Wide Angle Youth Media
Wilcome Human Services, Inc.
Willow Oak Therapy Center
Winter Growth, Inc.
Women Veterans United Committee, Inc.
Women with Initiatives, Inc.
Yellow Ribbon Fund
Youth Sports Collaborative Network
Individuals:
Susan Elizabeth Atwood
Jamar P Barnes
Jill Anne Berry
Laurie Bezold
Trezur Kapri Black
Tonisha Boyd
Michelle Boyle
LOIS M BROWN
Ericka Burke
Sarah J Clark
Dana Cole
Veronica Cool
Veronica Cool
Dr Gregory W Diachenko
Carol A Duvall
Mr Justin Fair
Lauren Feingold
Mr Kevin Fitzgerald
Steven J. Gray
Vinicio Guzman
Valeri Hampton
Mr John D Herron
Heather Iliff
Mr Warren Jones
Christine Keppel
Erica Lancaster
Peter Lane
Keichel Lewter
Charisse Lue
Doug Mann
Ana-Astrid Molina
Ms. Jessica Morgan
Lauren Munson
Nancy Newman
Duc Ntsomi
Cynthia O’Neill
Julia Pierson
Leanna Powell
Todd Powell
Alicia A Richardaon
Marie Schell
Ronald Shelley
Mr. Guffrie Matthews Smith Jr.
Susan Kendall Sorenson-Clark
Dr. Kristin Sullivan
Pattie Tingle
Anne Wallestad
Conner Wolfe
Scott Wolgamuth
