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September 17, 2025

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

5 News Notes

Women & Girls Fund Grant Applications Due by November 1

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The Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore, a component fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, is now accepting grant proposals from IRS-designated non-profit organizations for programs addressing the needs of local women and girls.  Completed applications must be received by Tuesday, November 1, 2022. Grant recipients will be announced in April 2023.

This year, for the first time, organizations have a choice of submitting the standard paper application or using a new online application – same questions, new format.  “The online application is very easy and straightforward,” said Allie Prell, Women & Girls Fund board member and Grants Committee co-chair.  “We’re so excited to offer applicants this new option that will simplify the process and make it even easier to apply for grants!”

Since 2002, more than $782,000 has been awarded to 105 non-profit organizations in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties.  In 2022, 12 grants totaling $50,432 were given for a wide variety of programs such as: Aaron’s Place “Mommy and Me”; For All Seasons “Calming Corner Therapy Kits”; Horizons of Kent and Queen Anne’s “Social-Emotional Learning Project”; Minorities in Aquaculture “Internship Program for High School and College Women of Color”; and Talbot Community Connections “Talbot Children’s Advocacy Center”.

“Programs offered by our grant recipients serve a variety of needs– from food scarcity and shelter to youth education and senior services,” said Kathy Deoudes, board president.  “We encourage applications for innovative programs that target critical needs facing women and girls.  No organization should be reluctant to apply,” she continued.

Grant guidelines and applications are available at www.womenandgirlsfund.org. For further information, call 410-770-8347 or e-mail [email protected].

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Women & Girls Fund of Mid-Shore Marks 20th Anniversary

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The Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore celebrates its 20th year using the power of pooled resources to support local nonprofit initiatives that benefit women and girls.

In 2002, Alice Ryan of Easton set out to create a fund to support the many local efforts to benefit women and girls. She brought together seven female friends from different parts of her life, and together, they established an endowment fund at the Mid-Shore Community Foundation to address the needs of women and girls in the region. Today, 20 years later, the Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore is one of our region’s most respected philanthropic institutions.

In the first year, Ryan’s friends raised enough funds to offer just under $13,000 to four different groups. Twenty years later, the organization funded 12 nonprofits a total of $50,432 this spring. In all, the Fund has granted $782,302 to 105 different nonprofit organizations. The Fund’s reach extends from innovative childcare solutions for working mothers, to outdoor environmental education for teen girls, to special comfort kits for rape and sexual assault victims. The Fund supports nonprofit initiatives in any of the five Mid-Shore counties – Dorchester, Queen Anne’s, Caroline, Kent and Talbot.

Over 400 local women have participated as volunteers in the Fund’s activities over the years. That work ranges from reading grant applications, making site visits and vetting projects, to coordinating, organizing and running special events. Donors to the Fund are encouraged to participate in grant reading to learn more about local nonprofits and their work.

This year, the Fund’s endowment reached over $1,000,000. This mark is notable as that amount generally earns about $50,000 each year that can be distributed to nonprofits in the community while preserving the Fund’s legacy for generations of women and girls to come.

The Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore is known for supporting smaller organizations that often don’t have a lot of funding options, ones for whom a $3,000 – $5,000 grant can make a powerful impact. Sometimes these are new organizations, just getting off the ground, or established groups launching new initiatives for at-risk females. Often Fund Board members connect one-on-one with local groups to help identify best management practices and strategize on other funding options. The relationships between the Fund’s donors and local nonprofit leaders grow each time the Fund puts on a new event or reaches out into the community.

Since 2003, the Fund has held an annual luncheon for 200-250 donors, supporters, and grantees. It is an annual draw for many who see it as a joyful celebration of what’s right about the region, celebrating successes of local women and girls and the nonprofits that support them.The group presents annual grants as well as two significant cash awards each year, one honoring the late Sheryl V. Kerr who had a philanthropic mission to empower women, and a ‘Women & Girls Award’ for someone whose work in the community represents the mission and values of the Fund. The women receiving these honors over the years represent leaders from every facet of the communities of the five counties of the Mid-Shore. Covid unfortunately cut into the Fund’s annual celebrations since 2020, but the group plans to return to its annual celebratory luncheon tradition next year.

The Fund raises money through annual giving campaigns, an annual golf tournament, and special events. All donors are valued as much as any other – the core value of the group is that every donation, no matter the size, contributes to the larger good of the community when pooled together with others. Donors are encouraged to “Honor Someone Special” throughout the year with a special gift to the Fund.

Teaching and creating the next generation of philanthropists is part of the Fund’s mission, and in 2015 the group established the “Daisy Fund” to encourage learning about philanthropy. With a $10,000 pledge, anyone can establish an account for a younger person. The “Daisies” use the funds earned by their endowment accounts to give extra support to initiatives selected for grants each year. These gifts are carefully selected by the younger generation fund holders as they learn about philanthropic giving by doing it themselves.

Over the years, the Fund has sponsored educational programs, speakers, panel discussions, exhibits, and outreach events. For its 20th anniversary, among other activities, the Women & Girls Fund, with support from the Ellie Spurry Christ and Margaret Ferree Funds, is partnering with UM Shore Regional Health on a Mammography Initiative to provide screening mammograms to local women with financial need.

Given the success of the first 20 years of stewardship of the Women & Girls Fund, the Mid-Shore can expect to see annual grants and awards marking accomplishments for women and girls throughout the region for decades into the future. More information about the Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore can be found at www.womenandgirlsfund.org, where one can make a donation or view videos of the Fund’s work and its current video series in partnership with the Talbot Spy highlighting the 20th anniversary, called “Women and Girls Fund: 20 Years of Success.”

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Chrissy Aull and Beth Brewster Receive 2022 Women & Girls Fund Annual Awards

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Chrissy Aull, Founder and Head of School (Retired), Wye River Upper School, is the recipient of the 2022 Women & Girls Fund Award.

The Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore has announced Chrissy Aull, of Queenstown, and Beth Brewster, of Denton, are the 2022 recipients of the Women & Girls Fund and Sheryl V. Kerr Awards, respectively.

“Our annual awards are special because they shine a spotlight on individuals, often unsung heroes, who are making a difference in our communities.  We want the recipients to know their inspiring work, either personal or professional, is recognized, valued, and improving the lives of Mid-Shore women and girls,” said Kathy Deoudes, president of the Women & Girls Fund Board of Directors.

Chrissy Aull received the 2022 Women & Girls Fund Award for her efforts in co-founding the Wye River Upper School (WRUS) to educate bright high school students with learning differences.  Based on a shared personal need for an appropriate high school experience for their young adult sons, she and co-founder Patricia McGlannan, of Tilghman, opened the school in 2002 with nine students, three teachers, and two staff members on the campus of Chesapeake College.

Establishing the school was not without challenges, and Beth Spurry, former WRUS board member and current Women & Girls Fund board member, recalled, “At every point in the founding and development of WRUS, when it appeared there was ‘no way this will work’, Chrissy did impossible things through her positive attitude and compassion.  She never took no for an answer.  It’s a remarkable story and look where the school is now!”

Wye River Upper School grew to 57 students from as many as nine Maryland counties and Delaware while Mrs. Aull’s served as Founding Head of School from 2002 until her retirement in 2020.  The school offers a wide range of curricular options, including an impressive digital and mechanical tools space, and extra-curricular offerings including interscholastic sports, theatre, and off-campus experiential learning.

In 2010 the school purchased the Centreville Maryland National Guard Armory as its permanent campus.  Mrs. Aull led a successful capital campaign to raise over $5 million dollars to complete a total renovation of the historic structure.  During her tenure, the school awarded an average of $150,000 annual financial aid to enable deserving students to attend.

The Women & Girls Fund Award was established by the board in 2004 to recognize a community member who, through their body of professional work or volunteer experience, exemplifies the Fund’s mission.  The shared traits among recipients are vision, integrity, compassion, and generosity of time and talent, which demonstrates a commitment to improving the lives and opportunities of women, girls, and families.  This award is publicized in all five counties, and nominations are accepted from the public.

Previous recipients of the award are the following women of distinction:  Lois S. Duffey, Harriet S. Critchlow, Sandra W. King, Maria Boria, M.D., Sr. Patricia Gamgort, OSB, Tracy Davenport, Sandra Redd, Sara Jane Davidson, The Hon. Karen Murphy Jensen, Kathleen Francis, Maureen Jacobs, Janet Pfeffer, Joy Price, Nancy Wilson, Mary Lou McAllister, Diana Mautz, Kathy Weaver, Ellen Rajacich, Susan Stockman, Krista Pettit, Carlene Wilson, and Julie Lowe.

Beth Brewster, Founder of the Chesapeake Culinary Center and Director of Food Services for Caroline County Public Schools, received the 2022 Grayce B. Kerr Award.

Beth Brewster received the 2022 Sheryl V. Kerr Award for her accomplishments as the driving force at the Chesapeake Culinary Center (CCC) in Denton, which she founded in 2005. The center’s focus is on job training, youth education, and economic development in Caroline County, critical issues in the area Mrs. Brewster recognized needed to be addressed.

In partnership with the Caroline County Public Schools, Town of Denton, Caroline County Government, and other organizations, CCC undertook the rehabilitation of the original Caroline County high school building, built in 1901.

The old building has been retrofitted with classrooms, training kitchens, and a retail store featuring local products.  The building lends itself to be a community kitchen incubator for farmers to create added value products and promote small food-based businesses entrepreneurship.  It also houses the Caroline Career and Technology Center’s culinary arts class allowing high school students to gain a job skill as well as a variety of community programs.

For many years, Mrs. Brewster has offered “The Dinner Party”, an after-school program for at-risk students, and “Cooking Matters”, a program to teach lower income families how to cook and shop on a budget.  She leads “Farm to Freezer”, an in-house project capable of preserving up 20,000 pounds of local produce to serve all year.

Caroline Curbside Market is CCC’s newest project.  A specially outfitted van – “Sho Go Mobile” – follows a busy weekday schedule traveling to food scarce areas of Caroline County to bring residents with mostly local fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat at deeply discounted prices.

Mrs. Brewster’s tireless efforts at CCC – in addition to her “day job” as Caroline County Public School’s Supervisor of Food Services – have earned her town, county, state, and national awards.  She is legendary for her vision and innovation.  Says Women & Girls Fund board member, Kathy Bosin, “Beth is one of the brightest stars on Delmarva.”

Established in 2015 with a grant from the Grayce B. Kerr Fund, the Sheryl V. Kerr Award can be given to an individual or organization.  Recipients are identified and selected through an internal board review process that recognizes exceptional community outreach or work that aligns with strategic goals of the Women & Girls Fund.  The late Shery Kerr, a philanthropist and vice-president of the Grayce B. Kerr Fund, was a proponent of women empowering women, which is hallmark of the Sheryl V. Kerr Award.

Previous distinguished recipients of the award are Maria D’Arcy, Estela Ramirez, Cheryl Hughes, Robbin Hill, Debbye Jackson, Peggy and John Ford, and Leslie Bishop.

For further information or to download a 2023 Women & Girls Fund Award nomination form, visit www.womenandgirlsfund.org or call 410-770-8347.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Women & Girls Fund Announces this Year’s Grants for Programs Benefitting Area Women and Girls

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The Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore has announced its list of recipients for the 2022 grant cycle.  Twelve local non-profit organizations received awards totaling $50,432 for programs addressing critical needs facing women and girls in the five Mid-Shore counties of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot.

The grants went to 3 new applicants and 9 non-profits that have been awarded Women & Girls Fund grants at least once before.

First-time grant recipients are Aaron’s Place, Minorities in Aquaculture, and Talbot Hospice.

Repeat recipients are CASA of Caroline, Critchlow Adkins Children’s Centers, Compass Regional Hospice, For All Seasons, Horizons of Kent and Queen Anne’s, Haven Ministries, Kent Attainable Housing, Talbot Community Connections, and Tilghman Area Youth Association.

To help select grants, the Fund’s board recruits two dozen volunteer grant readers who work in teams for three months to review each application.  Using their reports and recommendations, the Board of Directors makes the final award decisions.

“The grant reading process is one of my favorite things we do as an organization”, said Allie Prell, who co-chairs the Grants Committee with board member, Beth Spurry.  “It allows our volunteers to learn about organizations in our communities, be part of what we do, and see first-hand how the process works,” she added.

“This was our second year of adjusting to Covid, and though it is very different from our usual in-person meetings with applicants, the reading groups have been able to accomplish a great deal via zoom and phone conferences,” Mrs. Prell continued. “Thanks to their efforts, the Board can do the work of connecting donor dollars with the organizations whose programs match our mission.”

This year’s grant recipients will reach children, teens, and adults through a broad range of programs on issues addressing such things as life skills development, academic enrichment, specialized mental health counseling, first-time homeownership, and end-of-life care.

Aaron’s Place is a well-established human services outreach organization in Caroline County.  Services include food distribution, GED and ESL classes, rental and utility assistance, and senior care.  This grant will support the “Mommy and Me” program that seeks to prepare young women to be mothers and teaches young girls grooming skills while building self-esteem.  New mothers come for free baby supplies and stay for the assortment of classes that will help them learn to care properly for themselves and their babies.

Minorities in Aquaculture, founded in 2020, seeks to address the lack of diversity and inclusion in the male-dominated aquaculture industry.  It bridges the gap between minorities and sustainable seafood by creating a supportive space for professional growth while actively changing the current demographics in aquaculture. Through academic and industry partnerships, MIA will identify girls and young women interested in science, primarily sustainable aquaculture, and offer paid internships with partner aquaculture organizations to eliminate any financial barriers that might impede their academic or professional progress.  This grant will provide support for internships.

Talbot Hospice is a fully licensed medical hospice that offers comprehensive care in homes, nursing facilities, at Hospice House (the only residential program in Talbot County), and partners with the local hospital to serve hospice patients who cannot leave the acute care setting.  In operation since 1981, it now has 75 staff and 175 volunteers, who in 2020-21 made more than 4,500 visits in homes and facilities to provide hospice care and daily living tasks.  Recently, more than half of the patients at Hospice House were women and 61% of them received free or subsidized room and board through the Community Supported Care program.  This grant will help cover the cost of meals and personal care items, often not fully paid by Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance, for women who need the Hospice House to pass in a dignified and peaceful way.

Now in its 20th year of awarding grants, The Women & Girls Fund has given more than $782,000 to 105 unique non-profits in the Mid-Shore region.  Its mission is to support under-funded programs and initiatives that aid women and girls, raise awareness of community needs, and advance women’s philanthropy in the region.  A component fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, the Fund has built a growing permanent endowment of more than $1.2 million dollars with donations from individuals and businesses around the Mid-Shore.

“The Women & Girls Fund is so grateful to all our donors who have enabled us to support these wonderful organizations over the past 20 years, and who continue to support our mission in the community. We also owe a debt of gratitude to our grantees that continue to work tirelessly to improve and enhance the lives of women and girls in our communities”, said Women & Girls Fund Board President, Kathy Deoudes.

IRS-designated non-profit organizations in the Mid-Shore whose programs specifically target the needs of women and girls are encouraged to apply for a grant.  Grant applications for the 2023 grant cycle are due by November 1, 2022.  Guidelines and a downloadable application form are available at https://womenandgirlsfund.org/grant-guidelines.

For more information, call 410-770-8347, email [email protected] or visit www.womenandgirlsfund.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Women & Girls Fund Hosts Successful Golf Tournament

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After a year off due to Covid-19, the Women & Girls Fund Golf Clinic & 9-Hole Tournament returned on September 21 at Talbot Country Club in full swing! Christine Dayton, Diana Lach, Kelly McDonald, and Liz Shields claimed Low Gross honors while Meggie Gabrielian, Sandy Johnson, Dianne Miller, and Allie Prelltook the Low Net honors.

The Women & Girls Fund 10th Annual Clinic & 9-Hole Tournament returned this year with amazing support from participants and sponsors. The event was a great day for golf and a good cause! Photo credit: Karena Dixon Photography

“There isn’t a tournament out there like this one, it is just a day of women getting together to have fun and share a lot of laughter.  It isn’t about competing or winning, though that was a really fun surprise!” said Allie Prell, Women & Girls Fund board member and avid golfer. The contests saw a lot of action with Alice Ryan making the Longest Drive on #7, Janet Larson with Closest to the Pin on #4, and Kari Rider with Closest to the Pin on #8. “So close, yet so far,” said event marketing chair and former Women & Girls Fund board president, Talli Oxnam, about Kari Rider’s near-Hole in One hit from the 8th tee that stopped on the edge of the hole, one of the Closest to the Pin contest holes.“We all jumped for joy but even that didn’t knock the ball in – – it was a fantastic nonetheless!”

The biggest win of the day, however, goes to the Women & Girls Fund.  With a record-breaking number of participants and sponsors, net proceeds reached a new high of $15,700.  Special thanks to Station SponsorsBlue Point Hospitality, BSC Group, LLC, Christine Dayton Architect, P.A., Dock Street Foundation, Ewing, Dietz, Fountain & Kaludis, P.A., Miss Alice and Crew, Shore United Bank, Sullivan Surgery & Spa, The Gunston School, Tred Avon Family Wealth, Sandi Vince, and Wye Financial Partners for their support.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit the Women & Girls Fund’s special programs and annual grants. For information about the Fund, visit www.womenandgirlsfund.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Women & Girls Fund to Distribute $49,318 in Grant Awards

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Representatives from twelve Mid-Shore non-profits will accept checks totaling $49,318 from the Women and Girls Fund’s 19th annual grants program.  That will bring the Fund’s overall grant total since 2003 to$731,870 to 101 unique Mid-Shore non-profits whose programs benefit women and girls in one or more of the five Mid-Shore counties of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot.

The grants will go to three new organizations and ten nonprofits that have been awarded Women & Girls Fund grants at least once before. New this year are the MAC, Inc, and Pine Street Committee, both in Dorchester County and Kent Attainable Housing in Kent County.

Other grant recipients are: CASA of Caroline, Compass Regional Hospice, Critchlow Adkins Children’s Centers, For All Seasons, Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence, Partners in Care/Community for Life, Pickering Creek Audubon Center and Talbot Community Connections and The Ladies of Nia.

“The Women & Girls Fund is so grateful to all of our donors who enable us to support these wonderful organizations and individuals. And we are in awe of our grantees and honorees as they work tirelessly to improve and enhance the lives of women and girls in our communities,” said Women & Girls Fund President, Kathy Deoudes.

In addition to distributing the grant checks, the Fund will present two annual awards and one new award.

The Women & Girls Fund Award for 2021 will be presented to Julie Lowe, Executive Director of Talbot Interfaith Shelter – a homeless shelter and transitional housing program in Easton.

Julie led Talbot Interfaith Shelter from a volunteer-run effort that moved people, cots and supplies from one church to another every few weeks, to a larger and more stable organization.  Talbot Interfaith Shelter opened its first permanent shelter in 2014 in a former bed and breakfast called Easton’s Promise, in Easton’s historic district. Helping more people for longer periods of time gave staff a more complete picture of the challenges that guests were facing.  This prompted them to create the S4 Program aimed at addressing the root causes of poverty and homelessness and facilitating sustainable change, rather than simply providing a temporary reprieve.

Julie believes that every human’s purpose on this planet is to “love our neighbors, and that means to help one another through the difficult challenges of this life. I couldn’t imagine anything much more difficult and demoralizing than not being able to maintain a roof over my head and food to eat, and having people look down on me for being in that situation.  I am both proud and humbled to be a part of helping people to overcome their challenges and build successful lives.  It is my passion and my calling,” she said.

Previous recipients of this award are the following women of distinction: the late Lois S. Duffey, the late Harriet S. Critchlow, Sandra W. King, Maria Boria, M.D., Sr. Patricia Gamgort, OSB, Tracy Davenport, Sandra Redd, Sara Jane Davidson, The Hon. Karen Murphy Jensen, Kathleen Francis, Maureen Jacobs, Janet Pfeffer, Joy Price, the late Nancy Wilson, Mary Lou McAllister, Diana Mautz, Kathy Weaver, Ellen Rajacich, Susan Stockman, Krista Pettit and Carlene Wilson.

The 2021recipient of the Sheryl V. Kerr Award is Leslie Bishop, founder of Dorchester County’s MidShore Meals til Monday. After raising two sons and having a career in residential, interior design, Leslie and her husband re-located to Cambridge, MD from the Washington, DC area in 2016. This was to be their retirement home, spending time enjoying their grandchildren and working on restoration and renovations to their Victorian home in Cambridge.

In 2017, Leslie first learned about the backpack program “Care Packs” feeding hungry students on weekends in Talbot County, and discovered that no similar program existed in Dorchester County. Leslie contacted the Dorchester County Public School Information Officer and was asked to prepare weekend bags of food for 25 students at Vienna Elementary School. By April 2017, Leslie was preparing and delivering about 35 bags each week to Vienna Elementary. Three years later, during the height of the Covid -19 Pandemic, MidShore Meals til Monday was packing and distributing over 1,100 bags of food each week. Currently, this all-volunteer organization, comprised of over 150 people eager to help feed hungry children and their families; has provided food to students attending every school in Dorchester County.

Previous recipients of the Sheryl V. Kerr Award are Maria D’Arcy, Estela Ramirez, Cheryl Hughes, Robbin Hill, the late Debbye Jackson, and Peggy and the late John Ford.

The Women & Girls Fund created a special award this year to address our region’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Board unanimously agreed that the award would be named “2020 Champion.” It will be presented to Chief Executive Officer Beth Anne Langrell and the staff of For All Seasons, Inc. for their heroic response to the pandemic, serving our community with life-saving behavioral health and rape crisis services. For All Seasons is the largest licensed behavioral health and rape crisis center serving the five counties of the Mid-Shore without regard to one’s ability to pay.

The Women & Girls Fund eagerly anticipates a day in the future when it will be safe to once again bring hundreds of people together for an annual luncheon to distribute grant checks and celebrate the annual awardees.

For more information about the Women & Girls Fund, call 410-770-8347, email [email protected] or visit www.womenandgirlsfund.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore Seeks Nominations for Annual Award

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The Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore is accepting nominations for its annual Women & Girls Fund Award.  Established in 2004, the award honors a community member from Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, or Talbot counties who has made outstanding professional or personal contributions towards addressing the needs of local women and girls.

Candidates for this award should have demonstrated leadership, vision, integrity, compassion, cooperation and generosity of time and talent in their efforts to improve the lives and opportunities of women and girls.

The 2020 Women & Girls Fund Award went to Carlene Wilson of Kent County for her initiative and leadership in providing meals to more than 20 food-insecure children in a low-income apartment complex in Fairlee, seven miles from the nearest town, convenience story or food pantry.

Kathy Deoudes, Women & Girls Fund board president, said of Carlene, “She is a ‘mother hen’ to these children.  She knows their food likes and dislikes and engages them in setting up and cleaning up after meals. Due to her efforts, there are 20-plus children in our community each day that are not going hungry.”

The late Lois Duffy of Centreville and Chestertown was the first recipient.  In succeeding years, the Women & Girls Fund has honored: the late Harriet Critchlow; Sandra King; Dr. Maria Boria; Sister Patricia Gamgort, OSB; Tracy Davenport; Sandra Redd; Sara Jane Davidson; The Hon. Karen Murphy Jensen; the 5 founders of For All Seasons Behavioral Health and Rape Crisis Center; Mary Lou McAllister; Diana Mautz; Kathy Weaver; Susan Stockman; and Krista Pettit.

Application deadline is January 31st.  Nomination forms can be downloaded from www.womenandgirlsfund.org.  For further information, call 410-770-8347.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Women & Girls Fund Seeking Grant Applications

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The Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore, a component fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, is now accepting grant proposals from IRS-designated non-profit organizations for programs addressing the needs of Mid-Shore women and girls.  Completed applications must be submitted by Monday, November 2, 2020. Grant recipients will be announced in April 2021.

Since its founding in 2002, the Women & Girls Fund has awarded $682,552 to 99 non-profit organizations in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties.  In April 2020, 15 grants were given for a wide variety of programs such as Girls on the Run of the Greater Chesapeake’s after-school program in Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties, Maryland Community for Life – Talbot that provides services to help seniors safely age in place, Delmarva Community Services for transitional housing for women and their children, and Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence’s Food Pantry project in each of their five offices.

“Programs offered by our grant recipients serve a variety of needs facing women and girls – from food scarcity and shelter to youth education and senior services – and make significant differences in our community,” said Kathy Deoudes, president of the Fund’s Board of Directors.  She added, “During these uncertain times, we are encouraging applications for programs targeting critical needs facing women and girls as a result of the pandemic.  No organization should be reluctant to apply.”

To obtain a grant application or learn more about the Fund and its application process, go to www.womenandgirlsfund.org.  Applications may also be obtained by calling 410-770-8347 or e-mailing [email protected].

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Women & Girls Fund to Distribute Annual Grants Totaling $56,513

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Representatives from fifteen Mid-Shore non-profits will receive grants totaling $56,513.  This brings the Fund’s overall grant total to $682,552, awarded to 99 organizations whose programs benefit women and girls in one or more of the five counties across the Mid-Shore.

Since 2003, the Fund has given out the grants at its Annual Grants & Awards Luncheon the last Monday in April.  This year, however, in order to help mitigate community transmission of the novel coronavirus, covid-19, grant checks will be mailed to the recipients, and the event will be re-scheduled.

The organizations receiving grants are: Community Mediation Upper Shore; Compass Regional Hospice; Delmarva Community Services; For All Seasons; Girls on the Run Chesapeake; Great New Hope Church and Ministries; Haven Ministries; Horizons of Kent and Queen Anne’s; Maryland Community for Life – Talbot; Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence; MidShore Meals til Monday; Soroptimist International of Talbot; Talbot Interfaith Shelter; Talbot Mentors; and, Tilghman Area Youth Association.

The grants will support services and programs provided by these organizations, such as: homelessness; mental, physical, and emotional needs; personal safety; parity; and, continuity in education, including physical, emotional, and educational development for all ages.

The Fund has also selected the recipients of its two annual awards, the Women & Girls Fund Award and the Sheryl V. Kerr Award.

The Women & Girls Fund Award for 2020 will be presented to Carlene Wilson of Kent County. The award honors a community member who has demonstrated leadership, vision, integrity, compassion, and generosity in their efforts to improve the lives of women and girls.

The Fund first heard of Carlene during grant application review process when she was nominated by a grant reader for her “tireless efforts in providing meals, love, and guidance to children who reside at the Baywood Village apartment complex in Fairlee.”  She took it upon herself, and at her own expense, to provide children with breakfast and lunch during the summer months and breakfast during the school year. On average, Carlene feeds 20 children each day.She has partnered with Community Mediation of the Upper Shore (CMUS) to enhance her summertime efforts, and, last year,reached 30 children and 10 parents at her Back to School Carnival.This year she is hoping to expand her program and provide even more for these children.

Carlene Wilson “is a ‘boots on the ground’ type of woman,” says Kathy Deoudes, Board President. “I think of her almost every day, and, that due to her efforts, there are over 20 children in our community each day that are not going hungry. Carlene’s personal contributions go above and beyond and make her truly worthy of receiving this award.”

Previous recipients of this award include the following women of distinction: the late Lois S. Duffey, the late Harriet S Critchlow, Sandra W. King, Maria Boria, M.D., Sr. Patricia Gamgort, OSB, Tracy Davenport, Sandra Redd, Sara Jane Davidson, The Hon. Karen Murphy Jensen, Kathleen Francis, the late Maureen Jacobs, Janet Pfeffer, Joy Price, the late Nancy Wilson, Mary Lou McAllister, Diana Mautz, Kathy Weaver, Ellen Rajacich, Susan Stockman, and Krista Pettit.

The recipients of the 2020 Sheryl V. Kerr Award are John and Peggy Ford.  The award recognizes community members for empowering and improving the lives of women and girls.  The Women & Girls Fund board voted to make this award in early January, and a board officer went to the Fords that very day to inform them in person. Unfortunately, John Ford subsequently passed away on February 4.

Peggy Ford, a community educator and volunteer extraordinaire began her teaching career in Baltimore City and then came to the Shore in 1977 as a special education teacher at the Benedictine School, and subsequently taught in the Talbot County public schools until she retired in 2014.  Along the way, she supported summer youth employment, worked with at-risk girls from Tilghman, led anti-discrimination studies, and supported “Girls Are People Too.”  In her personal volunteerism, she’s been involved with Big Brothers, Big Sisters board, the Foster Care review board, Festival of Trees, Talbot Arts Council as President of the Board, Care Packs, CASA as a valued advocate, Character Counts, founding member of  Continuum Dance, St. Vincent de Paul, and Talbot Hospice just to name a few! She has made an impact on women and girls for generations to come.

John Ford taught literature, poetry, Shakespeare, American history, civil history, and short stories as a founding member of the Academy for Lifelong Learning at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, where he worked as Operations Manager for several decades until his retirement in June 2019.  He served on the boards of Historic Cemeteries of Easton and Easton’s Affordable Housing Board and was a member of the Frederick Douglass Honor Society.  He was also president of the board of the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center and president of the Easton Town Council for many years.  John was a key founder and president of the Chesapeake Forum, a newly formed adult education organization in Easton. He leaves a legacy of service and love of community, and Peggy continues to carry on their good works.

Board member Karen Kaludis says it best, “You have heard of power couples, well, John and Peggy Ford are the empowering couple of the Mid-Shore.  Through their many years of dedicated service to the people in the Mid-Shore they have empowered women and children to excel and succeed and to thrive.”

Previous recipients of the Sheryl V. Kerr Award are Maria D’Arcy, Estela Ramirez, Cheryl Hughes, Robbin Hill, and Debbye Jackson.

For more information about the Women & Girls Fund, and to learn when the Grants & Awards Luncheon has been re-scheduled, call 410-770-8347, email [email protected] or visit www.womenandgirlsfund.org.

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Women & Girls Fund Grant Awards Luncheon on April 29

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Representatives from seventeen Mid-Shore non-profits will accept checks totaling $48,750 at the Women & Girls Fund’s 17th Annual Grants & Awards Luncheon on April 29. That will bring the Fund’s overall grant total to $601,767, awarded to 93 organizations whose programs benefit women and girls in one or more of the five Mid-Shore counties of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot.

The grants will go to 5 new organizations and 12 non-profits that have been awarded Women & Girls Fund grants at least once before. New this year are: Anchor Point, Maryland Community for Life, Mid-Shore Meals til Monday, Soroptimist International of Talbot County, and The Gratitude House.

“The programs offered by our grant recipients address critical needs facing women and girls,” said Emily Sparks, board member and Grants Committee co-chair along with Beth Spurry and Susan Wilford. “From literacy and education to addiction recovery services to home repairs, they have the potential to make significant differences in our community and we are proud to be able to support their efforts.”

In addition to handing out grant checks at the luncheon, the Fund will present two annual awards.

The Women & Girls Fund Award for 2019 will be presented to Krista Pettit of Centreville. For the past fifteen years, Krista has tirelessly advocated for the most vulnerable residents of Queen Anne’s County. She is the founder and executive director of Haven Ministries, which began as a cold weather nighttime shelter, and now includes two food pantries, resource assistance center, street outreach program, thrift shop, and job-training center. Her leadership, dedication, integrity, compassion, and commitment are the hallmarks of this annual award.

Previous recipients of this award are the following women of distinction: the late Lois S. Duffey, the late Harriet S. Critchlow, Sandra W. King, Maria Boria, M.D., Sr. Patricia Gamgort, OSB, Tracy Davenport, Sandra Redd, Sara Jane Davidson, The Hon. Karen Murphy Jensen, Kathleen Francis, Maureen Jacobs, Janet Pfeffer, Joy Price, the late Nancy Wilson, Mary Lou McAllister, Diana Mautz, Kathy Weaver, Ellen Rajacich, and Susan Stockman.

The 2019 recipient of the Sheryl V. Kerr Award is Debbye Jackson, of Easton, executive director of Channel Markers. The organization provides a long list of comprehensive mental health services to clients in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot Counties. For more than thirty years, and seventeen as executive director, it has been Debbye’s creative and strategic leadership that has provided the impetus for expanding services, addressing and reducing the stigma around mental illness, and encouraging teamwork at the staff level. She epitomizes the Sheryl V. Kerr Award in every respect having excelled in her field with resolute vision, integrity, and respect for others. She has, in short, “empowered” – one the late Shery Kerr’s favorite words – everyone she’s worked with, including clients, families, staff, as well as the community at large through her extensive community volunteer work.

Previous recipients of the Sheryl V. Kerr Award are Maria D’Arcy, Estela Ramirez, Cheryl Hughes, and Robbin Hill.

“The Women & Girls Fund Annual Grants & Awards Luncheon celebrates the importance of improving the lives of women and girls every day on the Mid-Shore. With our grants and awards, we are excited each year to showcase those organizations and community leaders that truly make a difference!” said board president Talli Oxnam.

The Grants & Awards Luncheon will be held on Monday, April 29, 11:30am, at The Milestone in Easton. Ticket price is $50 and the event is open to the public. For more information, call 410-770-8347, email [email protected] or visit www.womenandgirlsfund.org.

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