Spy Desk

UMMS Announces Universal Masking Policy In Response To COVID-19

April 7, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

As part of its ongoing preparedness and response effort regarding COVID-19 and in order to protect patients, staff and visitors, the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) has implemented a Universal Masking Policy for all 13 System hospitals and other UMMS healthcare facilities beginning Monday, April 6 at 7 am and continuing until further notice.

The Universal Masking Policy will require every person within an UMMS acute care or ambulatory facility to wear a face mask at all times.

“The fight against the COVID-19 pandemic is happening on multiple fronts, and our mission to provide high-quality, compassionate and safe patient care and to ensure the safety of our workforce has never been as demanding or as important as it is right now,” said Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer of University of Maryland Medical System.

“Given the asymptomatic community spread of COVID-19, we have shifted to a broader stance on infection prevention, including this masking policy, out of an abundance of caution and respect for the safety of our patients and staff,” Dr. Suntha added.

UMMS staff members are being provided with appropriate masks to support this new policy.

Non-medical or cloth masks are permitted (and encouraged) for use when walking through the facility. When clinical or non-clinical staff are within six feet of any non-PUI patient, a medical mask is required. When clinical staff is within six feet of a COVID-19 positive or PUI patient, all proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) guidelines are being followed, including use of a respirator, eye protection, gown and gloves.

As new information about the COVID-19 virus is learned on a daily basis, and expert guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is shared, UMMS policies such as this one will evolve and develop as appropriate.

More information about the Universal Masking Policy and other information related to the UMMS response to the global pandemic can be found on our dedicated COVID-19 information webpage, https://www.umms.org/coronavirus.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is a university-based regional health care system focused on serving the health care needs of Maryland, bringing innovation, discovery and research to the care we provide and educating the state’s future physician and health care professionals through our partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the UM Schools of Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Dentistry in Baltimore. As one of the largest private employers in the State, the health system’s 28,000 employees and 4,000 affiliated physicians provide primary and specialty care in more than 150 locations and at 13 hospitals. UMMS’ flagship academic campus, the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore is partnered with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and is recognized regionally and nationally for excellence and innovation in specialized care. Our acute care and specialty rehabilitation hospitals serve urban, suburban and rural communities and are located in 13 counties across the State. In addition, UMMS operates health insurance plans serving Medicare and Medicaid members. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

Talbot County Empty Bowls Tops Fundraising Goal

April 7, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Talbot County Empty Bowls held its 12th annual community dinner on Sunday, February 23. Volunteers for the cause served 325 guests at two sold-out seatings that evening.

After tallying the proceeds from dinner ticket sales, sponsorships, donations, and the sale of bowls and soup cozies made by the Bayside Quilters, the Talbot County Empty Bowls committee was able to distribute $39,800 to ten organizations that feed the hungry in Talbot County.

Anna Harding and Susan duPont, co-chairs of Talbot County Empty Bowls committee.

The organizations that benefited from the 2019-2020 fundraising efforts include Asbury Methodist Church, Easton; Care Packs, Easton; Christ Church St. Michaels Food Pantry; Harvest of Hope Food Pantry, Easton; Neighborhood Service Center, Easton; Presbyterian Church, Easton; St. Vincent de Paul Society, Easton; Scotts United Methodist Church, Trappe; St. Michaels Community Center Food Pantry; and Tilghman Island Food Pantry.

“The checks we delivered to the beneficiaries of our fundraising efforts were 13% higher than our gifts to them in 2019,” says Susan duPont, who co-chairs Talbot County Empty Bowls with Anna Harding. “We had no idea when we launched this year’s efforts that the organizations that we support would be challenged beyond anything they could have anticipated given the increased needs that accompany COVID-19 in our community.”

Talbot County Empty Bowls was founded in 2008 by Anna Harding. She was inspired to bring this fundraising initiative to Talbot County when she learned how John Hartom, a Michigan art teacher, involved his art students in a local food drive by asking them to make soup bowls that they would give to guests who attended a fundraising dinner organized by the students. The people who came to that first Empty Bowls dinner left with their soup bowls to remind them that others are hungry every day.

Mary Lou Malone (3rd from left), a member of the Talbot County Empty Bowls committee with student volunteers.

“I invited a few friends to help me duplicate the Empty Bowls model in Talbot County,” Harding remembers. “We hosted the first fundraising dinner on March 8, 2009. We were overjoyed to sell 115 tickets and raise $3,800, all of which we donated to a few food pantries who operate in Talbot County.”

Since that first dinner the popularity and the success of the community dinner has expanded every year. The total net proceeds from all Talbot County Empty Bowls fundraising activities reached $238,700 after the 2020 dinner.

Many of the committee members have been involved with the cause for all 12 years it has operated. The group has decided to take a break from the annual dinner.

Guests who attended the 12th annual Talbot County Empty Bowls community dinner on February 23.

“Our commitment to providing financial assistance to a select group of community organizations that feed the hungry will continue,” Harding says. “The Mid-Shore Community Foundation will maintain the Talbot County Empty Bowls fund that we established with them in 2009. Donations to the fund can be made through their website at www.mscf.org and by mailing checks to the Mid-Shore Community Foundation at 102 East Dover Street in Easton.”

Talbot County Empty Bowls volunteers will be at the Easton Farmers Market on holiday weekends and during the Waterfowl Festival, selling bowls from past community dinners and accepting donations.

“We are looking at other ways to keep this fund alive because we know that the needs of the hungry in Talbot County are not going away,” says duPont. “Several of our sponsors have already pledged their support.”

Representatives from the Scotts United Methodist Church food pantry in Trappe.

Talbot County Empty Bowls has been an all-volunteer initiative for 12 years. “Susan and I as well as the other members of the committee decided that it is time to let others step up to take on the community dinner,” says Harding. “We have developed a simple, effective template for the event and we will gladly pass it on to anyone willing to manage this aspect of fundraising for our local food pantries.”

Looking back on the 12-year history of Talbot County Empty Bowls, Harding says, “Our success has depended on collaboration among so many talented and generous people. We are most grateful to all of them. The kitchen and dining hall at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Easton was the perfect setting for the community dinner. As an artist I am especially thankful for the local potters and high school art students who made and donated bowls that we used to serve soup to guests at the annual community dinners.”

Kiln Born Creations was another perennial supporter of Talbot County Empty Bowls. Members of the community filled Kiln Born as groups went there to paint bowls that were donated for the dinner along with a portion of the studio fee. Soup makers, restaurants, cookie bakers, and other businesses donated the food and supplies used every year to serve dinner guests.

“Individual and business sponsors made it possible for us to give every penny raised from dinner tickets sales and other donations to the Talbot County organizations that feed the hungry,” says duPont. “Some of these philanthropists may never have attended an Empty Bowls dinner yet they understood the importance of providing financial support for our cause.”

Donations to the Talbot County Empty Bowls fund can be made online at www.mscf.org. Checks can be mailed to the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, 102 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD 21601. Note “Empty Bowls” when making a donation.

Anyone interested in Talbot County Empty Bowls and continuing the annual community dinner can get more information by emailing talbotcountyemptybowls@gmail.com.

Free Community Webinar – Coping with our New Normal

April 5, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Shore Neurocognitive Health is offering a community webinar on “Coping with our New Normal” on April 9, 2020 from 4 to 5 pm. Join your friends from Shore Neurocognitive Health via Zoom to talk about how to keep your spirits up despite the restrictions COVID-19 has put on our lives. None of us, ever, have lived through a time like this one. Beth Parker-O’Brien, LCSW-C, MPH, Yvonne Liswell, FNP, and Maggie Black, PsyD, will talk about how to maintain a sense of community and connection in these strange times. Resources and ideas will be discussed, and mindfulness exercises demonstrated to help our community members boost their resilience.

The talk is sponsored by the Eastern Shore Horizon Fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation. For more information, and to reserve your spot, please email programs@snhealth.net or call (443) 746-3698 to register. Participants will be given an access code to join via Zoom.

Shore Neurocognitive Health is a woman-owned practice in Easton, specializing in the issues adults faces as they age. The Eastern Shore Horizon fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation was developed as a direct response to the growing population of aging adults. Horizon’s goal is to provide community and professional programs on topics of relevance to our community. Join the clinicians from Shore Neurocognitive Health for this very important webinar in learning how to, as a community, we can better cope with these trying times.

“The Island of Sea Women” by Lisa See is One Maryland One Book Selection

April 5, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Maryland Humanities is pleased to announce the selection of The Island of Sea Women: A Novel by Lisa See for the 2020 One Maryland One Book program. The novel follows the decades-long friendship of two haenyeo (female divers) from Jeju Island in Korea. The book was chosen by a committee of librarians, educators, authors, and bibliophiles in February from more than 165 titles suggested last fall by readers across the state for the theme, “Friendship.” In 2019, The Island of Sea Women made the New York Times’ list of best sellers.

“For the past 12 years, One Maryland One Book has generated frank conversations about urgent issues explored through literature—including refugees and migrants, conflicts with police, and most recently the Flint water crisis,” says Aaron Heinsman, Acting Executive Director at Maryland Humanities. “I’m excited to see what new perspectives Lisa See’s novel surfaces for readers.“

See says: “I’m thrilled and honored that The Island of Sea Women has been chosen as the 2020 One Maryland One Book selection. This has been a trying year and some of us have sustained terrible losses. I’m proud of the way we’ve had to come together in our families, communities, and states. Books have always given me joy, solace, and courage. Now we have the opportunity to come together to have a shared reading experience. I hope the sea women that I wrote about—their physical and emotional bravery—are as inspiring to all of you as they have been to me. I’m so looking forward to our events and meeting all of you. We’re going to have fun!”

As our One Maryland One Book programming takes place in the fall, we do not as yet anticipate any impact from the COVID-19 pandemic.

About the Book

The Island of Sea Women by New York Times bestselling author Lisa See chronicles the lives and friendship between Young-sook and Mi-ja, two girls living on the Korean island of Jeju. They become the closest of friends. However, their differences are impossible to ignore: Young-sook was born into a long line of haenyeo and will inherit her mother’s position of leading the divers; whereas Mi-ja is the daughter of a Japanese collaborator and will forever carry that mark. From the Japanese occupation of the 1930s and 1940s to World War II to the Korean War, events will push their seemingly unbreakable bond to its breaking point.This beautifully written and thoughtful novel shines a light on the remarkable haenyeo culture and two women who are a part of it. Readers won’t soon forget the journey of Young-sook and Mi-ja’s friendship.

Lisa See. Photo Credit: Patricia Williams

About the Author

In her beloved New York Times bestsellers, which include Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, Shanghai Girls, Dreams of Joy, China Dolls, and The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, Lisa See brilliantly illuminates the immigrant experience and the indissoluble bonds between women. Her newest novel is a story of family secrets and female friendship on a remote Korean Island. The Island of Sea Women introduces readers to the fierce and unforgettable women divers of Jeju Island and the dramatic history that shaped their lives. Her first book, the national bestseller and New York Times Notable Book, On Gold Mountain: The One Hundred Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family, traces the journey of her great-grandfather, Fong See, who overcame obstacles at every step to become the 100-year-old godfather of Los Angeles’s Chinatown and the patriarch of a sprawling family. See was the Publishers Weekly West Coast correspondent for thirteen years, and her articles have appeared in Vogue, Self, and More.

About One Maryland One Book

When we read a great book, we can’t wait to share the experience and talk about it with others. That’s one of the joys of reading.

In that spirit, through our Maryland Center for the Book program, Maryland Humanities created One Maryland One Book (OMOB) to bring together diverse people in communities across the state through the shared experience of reading the same book. We invite readers to participate in book-centered discussions and related programs at public libraries, high schools, colleges, museums, bookstores, and community and senior centers around the state.

OMOB programs, including an author tour, take place each year in the fall. A calendar of free public events—including the Author Tour—will be available online beginning this summer.

One Maryland One Book is presented in partnership with Enoch Pratt Free Library and is sponsored by The Institute of Museum and Library Services via the Maryland State Library as well as PNC Foundation and BGE, with additional support from M&T Bank,an anonymous donor, and the Citizens of Baltimore County.

About Maryland Center for the Book

The Maryland Center for the Book (MCFB)—an affiliate of the national Center for the Book in the Library of Congress—develops and supports literary programs and outreach activities that engage citizens across Maryland in literature and reading. As a program of Maryland Humanities, MCFB highlights our region’s literary heritage and calls attention to the importance of books, reading, literacy, and libraries.

Want to discuss the book now or get updates on upcoming events? Join the conversation on the Maryland Center for the Book page.

About Maryland Humanities

Maryland Humanities is a statewide nonprofit organization that creates and supports educational experiences in the humanities that inspire all Marylanders to embrace lifelong learning, exchange ideas openly, and enrich their communities. For more information, visit www.mdhumanities.org. Maryland Humanities is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities; the State of Maryland;the Citizens of Baltimore County; private foundations such as The William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, creator of the Baker Artist Portfolios, www.BakerArtist.org; corporations; small businesses; and individual donors. Connect with Maryland Humanities on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

ShoreRivers Announces Teacher Training “Academy”

April 4, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

ShoreRivers is now accepting teacher applications for its Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) Academy. The yearlong MWEE Academy supports teachers of all disciplines to integrate Chesapeake Bay–focused investigations into existing curricula. These studies will follow the MWEE framework: outdoor learning that empowers students to ask questions, discover answers, and create solutions to local environmental issues.

ShoreRivers is an environmental nonprofit that restores and protects Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education, including providing programming to public and private schools.

ShoreRivers and University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) Horn Point Laboratory co-host the MWEE Academy, which will begin in summer 2020 and continue through the 2020-2021 school year. Teachers will receive paid professional development, a free-of-cost field trip to Horn Point Laboratory for their students, and funds to support student-led action projects at their school.

Students investigate current Bay–related issues through a Meaningful Watershed Education Experience (MWEE) at UMCES Horn Point Laboratory.

Public and private school teachers of grades 3 through 12 in any discipline are encouraged to apply. “Environmental literacy intersects with almost every aspect of school,” explains ShoreRivers Director of Education Suzanne Sulivan. “Students can be learning about the properties of water in chemistry class, graphing water quality data in math class, reading Rachel Carson’s essays in English class, or learning about the Clean Water Act in government class. Opening the MWEE Academy to all disciplines strengthens environmental literacy and interdisciplinary learning across the educational spectrum and better prepares the next generation of environmental stewards.”

Successful completion of the MWEE Academy helps students meet Maryland Environmental Literacy Standards (a graduation requirement)and supports schools in obtaining Maryland Green School Certification.

Additional information and applications are available at shorerivers.org/newsfeed. Applications must be submitted by Friday, May 1 to Suzanne Sullivan at ssullivan@shorerivers.org or mailed to ShoreRivers at 114 S. Washington St., Suite 301, Easton, MD 21601.

PLEASE NOTE:

ShoreRivers and UMCES Horn Point Laboratory acknowledge the uncertainty in planning for the future amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. We are announcing this unique opportunity because we are eager to continue our support of Eastern Shore school systems when it is safe to do so. ShoreRivers and UMCES Horn Point Laboratory are exploring all options for adapting the program to future federal, state, and local health guidelines, including hosting an in-person summer workshop, converting to an online webinar series, or adjusting the timeline. We will communicate and update applications with changes as they arise. In the meantime, we gratefully reflect on the enormous efforts made by schools at this time to keep their communities safe and enriched. We look forward to the time when we can see you on water, in your classrooms, and visiting our labs again.

ShoreRivers protects and restores Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education.

shorerivers.org

Compass Regional Hospice Celebrates National Volunteer Month

April 3, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Throughout the month of April, Compass Regional Hospice will be celebrating National Volunteer Month. This month was designated as a time to honor and acknowledge the individuals who volunteer their time and talents to give back to their community.

Compass Regional Hospice was started in 1985 as a solely volunteer-based operation, with the intention of providing care and comfort to those facing a life-limiting illness. Over the last 35 years it has grown into a community-based nonprofit, serving patients and families in Caroline, Kent, and Queen Anne’s counties. The organization has also grown to encompass a wide range of services from medical care, to grief counseling, to caregiver support.

As Compass has continued to change and grow, their volunteers have remained a constant. Their team of nearly 300 volunteers provides integral support, and these individuals volunteer their time in a variety of ways. In addition to patient care and companionship, there are opportunities to work at their resale shop, Estate Treasures, sew Memory Bears for grieving families, assist in day-to-day operations, or participate in fundraisers and events. In a single year, volunteers dedicate over 21,000 hours to the Compass mission.

“Each day the nature of our work drives home the sentiment that time is invaluable. We recognize what a privilege it is to have so many volunteers willing to spend their time with Compass to help us serve and support our community with compassion”, said Chief Executive Officer, Heather Guerieri. For more information about becoming a volunteer for Compass Regional Hospice, contact Robyn Affron at 443-262-4112 or raffron@compassregionalhospice.org. Whatever your motivation to volunteer, there is a place for you at Compass Regional Hospice.

Compass Regional Hospice

Since 1985, Compass Regional Hospice has been dedicated to supporting people of all ages living with a life-limiting illness, and those learning to cope following the death of a loved one. Today, the organization is a regional provider of hospice care, supportive care, and grief services in Caroline, Kent, and Queen Anne’s counties. Whether serving their patients in private residences, skilled nursing facilities, or Compass’ residential centers in Centreville and Chestertown, staff and volunteers are guided by their mission to provide comprehensive and compassionate care. Grief support services are offered to families of all patients, as well as to all children and adults in the community through grief groups, one-on-one counseling, and in-school support. As a Level 4 partner of the We Honor Veterans program, they also offer veteran-centric care that meets the unique needs of men and women who have served our country. Compass Regional Hospice is a fully licensed, independent, community-based nonprofit organization certified by Medicare and the state of Maryland, and accredited by the Joint Commission. It is affiliated with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the Hospice & Palliative Care Network of Maryland. For more information about Compass Regional Hospice, call 443-262-4100 or visit compassregionalhospice.org.

Local Quilters Bring Area Residents Together on Common Cause

April 2, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

As the demand for surgical masks grows, one Mid Shore resident saw that quilters in the Boston area were making masks of colorful fabric for residents. She decided to share the pattern with some of her quilting friends in the local quilt guild, Bayside Quilters of the Eastern Shore, Inc., specifically, the guild’s Outreach and Modern Quilt Bees.

Talbot County Council President Corey Pack wearing a handmade camouflage surgical mask made by local quilters.

To date, 10 quilters have made over 240 masks which will be used primarily for patients being transported in ambulances to help prevent their germs from traveling in the air before they are diagnosed, as well as for law enforcement and nursing homes. According to Jan Willis, Coordinator of the Local Care Team for Talbot County, the masks are not intended to be protective gear. Instead, they are a practical aid that may help prevent the spread of germs from patients, as well as make them smile while they are going through a difficult time.

Willis comments, “This is a moment of a lifetime for quilters and anyone who sews – to use the fabric in their closets for good!”

A local quilter with Bayside Quilters Modern Quilt Bee adapted a pattern she found on the Internet and added wire in the top to form fit the masks over patients’ noses. She is coordinating the mask-making effort locally and distributing the masks to those who have requested them. The masks are made in a variety of fabric patterns, from flowers to camouflage, which makes the project fun for quilters and recipients of the masks. Masks are laundered before being packaged for distribution.

Completed masks are picked up from people’s porches to keep social distancing. One anecdote from a local quilter was that a Queen Anne’s County quilter brought 30 masks by plane to the Easton airport to be distributed. This project is bringing the Mid Shore residents together and giving people things they can do to help.

A variety of quilted masks being donated.

County Health Officer Dr. Fredia Wadley comments, “This effort is just one example of how the residents in this community are reaching out to help meet unmet needs related to this virus. We salute the volunteerism of our community and thank all those who are stepping up.”

Bayside Quilters Outreach Quilt Bee supports Talbot Early Head Start, Caroline Family Service Center (with 3 Early Head Start locations), Talbot Hospice House and University of MD Shore Regional Health, 2 East/Pain Palliative Care unit and the Clark Breast Center with a variety of quilted items from bibs to quilts to soup bowl cozies for Empty Bowls. To participate in the mask-making project sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040e4daaa82faafb6-sewing. For further information about the project, contact Jan Willis at talbotlct@talbotcountymd.gov.

Where to Find More Information

CDC COVID-2019 Website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Talbot County COVID-19 Information www.talbotcovid19.org
Shore Regional Health COVID Information https://www.umms.org/shore/patients-visitors/coronavirus
Maryland Department of Health Website: https://health.maryland.gov/pages/home.aspx
Talbot County Health Department Website: https://health.maryland.gov/talbotcounty/Pages/home.aspx
Talbot County Health Department Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalbotHealthMaryland/
Talbot County Department of Emergency Services Website: http://www.talbotdes.org/covid19.asp
Talbot County Department of Emergency Services Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talbotdes

Leadership Maryland Class of 2020 Postponed Until 2021 Due to COVID-19

March 31, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Leadership Maryland officially announced today that the Class of 2020 will become the Class of 2021, as it has postponed its eight-month professional development program one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All 52 members of the Class of 2020, announced in February, will have the opportunity to join the Class of 2021. Anyone who is not able to participate will be replaced by alternates selected from this year’s applicant pool. There will not be an application or selection process in 2021.

The Class of 2020 was scheduled to host its annual new class reception this week in Annapolis and had monthly educational sessions scheduled throughout the state from April through November. This will be the first time in the organization’s 27-year history that Leadership Maryland has not hosted its annual program.

“This has been a heartbreaking decision for us to make, but our Board of Directors agrees that we want everyone to be able to experience the full impact of the Leadership Maryland program, from orientation to closing retreat, and the regional programs in between,” said Renée M. Winsky ‘05, president and Chief Executive Officer, Leadership Maryland. “We feel this is the best decision when we consider our class members’ health, financial positions and professional concerns. We want to thank our membership for their generosity over the years in supporting our legacy fund, which is allowing us to preserve this experience for what is now the Class of 2021.”

Leadership Maryland is currently exploring options to provide virtual programming to its members in 2020. For more information, please call 410-841-2101 or email Info@LeadershipMD.org.

About Leadership Maryland

Leadership Maryland is a professional development program dedicated to building a better Maryland by harnessing the strength of its local business and community leaders. Each year, as many as 52 diverse and accomplished executives from Maryland’s public and private sectors are selected to come together as a class for an eight-month hands-on learning program focused on the state’s most vital social, economic and environmental issues. The first Leadership Maryland class graduated in 1993, and the organization’s alumni network now consists of more than 1,100 leaders from all industries and regions of the state. To learn more, please call Leadership Maryland at 410-841-2101 or visit www.LeadershipMD.org.

Qlarant Foundation Awards Additional Grants to Maryland Nonprofits

March 30, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Qlarant Foundation, the mission arm of Qlarant, has given $4,000 and twelve refurbished laptops to five local organizations.

Breast Care for Washington, DC received $2,000 to provide uninsured women with screening mammograms and diagnostic follow-up. In addition to serving approximately 180 clients per month at a fixed site mammography center, the organization utilizes a mobile mammography program that serves approximately 100 additional clients per week. The mission of Breast Care for Washington, DC is to provide mammograms and diagnostic services to reduce breast cancer mortality in the Washington, DC. This is done by promoting access to breast cancer screening, diagnostics and treatment to all women regardless of their ability to pay.

Miriam’s Kitchen received $1,000 for supplies to enable them to distribute prepackaged meals in the church courtyard to ensure that the homeless continue to have access to nutritious meals during the corona crisis. Their goal is to improve access to medical and behavioral health care for District of Columbia residents who are experiencing prolonged homelessness and related complex health issues. The organization’s flagship programs are its breakfast and dinner meals, designed to treat people with dignity and encourage a sense of belonging.

University Legal Services’ Advocacy Project received $1,000 to purchase gift cards for food and clothing for clients leaving correctional facilities to help them with the transition to life in the community. The organization promotes access to community-based health care and behavioral health care for DC residents with psychiatric disabilities who have been incarcerated in DC.

Qlarant Foundation donated refurbished laptop computers two grantees. Camp Attaway received two laptops, one for the Clinical Director and one for training purposes. HASA (Hearing and Speech Agency) received ten laptops for their telemedicine program so that they can continue to treat patients during the coronavirus pandemic.

“The work these organizations do is outstanding and often goes unnoticed,” said Dr. Molly Burgoyne-Brian, Qlarant Foundation Board chair. “We are proud to provide laptops, funding, and encouragement to the many volunteers and staff members who serve the community so well.”

About Qlarant

Qlarant is a not-for-profit nationally respected leader in fighting fraud, waste & abuse, improving program quality, and optimizing performance. The company uses subject matter experts and innovative data science and technology to help organizations see risks, solve problems, and seize opportunities. Solutions are customized for health and human services organizations, government agencies, and financial and insurance companies. Qlarant employs nearly 500 people and has a 45-year record of accomplishment improving the performance of some of the Nation’s most important programs. In addition, the Qlarant Foundation has provided over $5.2 million in grants.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Pat Boos at 410.819.3553 or email at boosp@qlarant.com. For more information and to view the video go to www.qlarant.com.

Letter to the Editor: CASA of the Mid-Shore information

March 29, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Dear Friends,

During this unprecedented time, CASA of the Mid-Shore continues our commitment to the vulnerable children in our caseload who are under court protection because of abuse, neglect, abandonment, or their parents’ inability to safely care for them. This is a frightening time for all of us, and we remain mindful of the additional burden the novel Coronavirus is placing on some of society’s most vulnerable citizens.

Our staff and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) are following federal and state guidelines, to include social distancing. Our office is closed to the public. We have temporarily suspended all in-person visits and are maintaining contact with our children via safe and creative methods, such as texting, phone calls, video chats, as well as staying in contact with their caregivers. I have asked each CASA volunteer to keep us informed of any needs the children have so that our advocacy for them can continue in this crisis. We are in the process of sending a small gift (such as stuffed animals, art kits, and even grocery store gift cards for our older youth) to every child to let him or her know they are in our thoughts.

Our major fundraising event, the Galaxy Gala on May 16th, has been canceled out of an abundance of caution and to keep everyone as safe as possible. As many of you know, our Spring fundraiser is a significant source of funds that go far in sustaining CASA’s programmatic needs. Event proceeds were expected to cover 40% of our operating budget. If you have already agreed to support this event, we thank you for your generosity and will be in touch to discuss this. We hope all of our friends will consider making a donation to CASA to support our unique and important work with our community’s children. Please consider supporting us by mailing a check to the office at 1 S. Washington Street, Suite 2, Easton MD 21601, or by visiting www.casamidshore.org to donate online.

On behalf of everyone of CASA of the Mid-Shore, I thank you for your compassion and consideration. I wish you and your families good health and look forward to seeing you once we are on the other side of this crisis.

Be well,

Robin Davenport

Executive Director

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