Posts in November 20, 2023
By Jen Tidwell, AWC Volunteer For as long as I can remember, what I wore was very important to me. I remember in first grade, smearing toothpaste all over the front of my red sweater with the plaid apple, because I wanted to wear something else […]
[UPDATED for 2025] Did you know that in addition to being a social service organization, A Wider Circle also works to build a sustainable future for our region and planet? Here are 5 ways we worked to protect our climate in 2024: 1. Diverting 2.7 MILLION […]
Partnering for Sustainability and Community Impact Mattresses from a recent hotel delivery at A Wider Circle’s satellite warehouse. The Call that Changed Everything “…they sought a nonprofit that could make use of more than 250 rooms’ worth of beds, dressers, love seats, and other furniture…” In […]
A Note From Amy Dear neighbors, With Earth Day coming up, I wanted to take a moment to share some of the ways A Wider Circle has been helping to build a sustainable future for our region and our planet. In 2024, we: Support from neighbors like you […]
A Note From Rachael “There is nothing new about poverty. What is new, however, is that wehave the resources to get rid of it.” – Martin Luther King Jr. Dear neighbors, As we write to you, many in vulnerable communities are facing a high level of […]
“‘I never would have guessed you were from Ward 8. You’re so articulate!’” Christina* repeats these words, once said to her by a hiring manager during a job interview. She and six fellow job seekers are discussing workplace discrimination, one of the topics at this week’s […]
A Note From Amy Dear neighbors, This month, I celebrate eight years on staff at A Wider Circle. One of the things I’ve grown to love most in this time is that we are a “say yes” organization. We say yes to partnerships, knowing collaboration makes […]
I’ve never been a winter person. I don’t like the cold, the wind, the ice. And even when we have a respite from the worst weather, I don’t like how darkness comes so early. I struggle with how many of my family, friends, and neighbors seem […]
Editor’s note: Adam Albanese, Senior Program Advisor at AWC, recently shared the personal reflection below with our staff in recognition of Second Chance Month. Since 2017, April has been deemed “Second Chance Month,” to recognize the importance of reintegrating justice system-affiliated individuals back into communities. This […]
Did you know that in addition to being a social service organization, A Wider Circle also works to build a sustainable future for our region and planet? Here are 5 ways we worked to protect our climate in 2023: 1. Diverting 3 MILLION POUNDS of items […]
Liz Anne Ganiban, Co-Founder of A Wider Circle’s Partnership to Independence Program, Retires Liz Anne Ganiban (second from the left) with three members of P2I’s first graduating class at A Wider Circle’s Neighbor to Neighbor Night in 2023. Editor’s note: In December 2023, Liz Anne Ganiban, Senior Director of our […]
Growing Up Kind At A Wider Circle 04/02/2024 By Maggie Fox Jj Cuneo knows A Wider Circle inside out. They should. The high school senior has been volunteering at A Wider Circle since they were in the 6th grade. On a cold January morning, Jj is […]
In November, we shared the inspiring story of Elmer Brown, a 94-years young, community-minded neighbor who volunteers his time and uses a local church’s workshop to refurbish furniture. The beautiful pieces he brings back to life are then donated to local organizations, like A Wider Circle. […]
Hard to believe, but it’s finally here, folks: the final A Wider Community of the year! Since we started this blog, it’s been a blast sharing a closer look at all kinds of stories, events, and excitement in and across our community. We hope you've […]
Happy holidays, neighbor! Holiday cheer is definitely in the air at all of A Wider Circle’s locations. We have community celebrations coming up at our Ward 8 Hub; we’re collecting and sorting gifts at our admin building; at our satellite warehouse, volunteers are […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Officials from Maryland’s District 18 Announce A Wider Circle’s Participation In Maryland’s Groundbreaking Service Programs Silver Spring, MD — December 1, 2023 — Maryland’s District 18 State Senator Jeff Waldstreicher, along with District 18 Delegates Jared Solomon, Emily Shetty, and Aaron Kaufman are […]
Howdy, neighbor! Turkey Day has come and gone, which means the holiday season is officially underway! While there are plenty of great things to celebrate over the coming weeks, there are a few events we’re so excited about that we’re dedicating this entire […]
By Theo Blair Howdy, neighbor! Fall is in full effect, and the start of the holiday season is just days away! While we have a short week ahead of us as our team takes some well-deserved time to relax for the holiday weekend, we’ve still got […]
By Theo Blair Hello, neighbors, we meet again! There’s never a shortage of news to share from around our community, so let’s get to this week’s stories! Coming up in this week’s A Wider Community, we’ll be looking at: So have a seat, kick up your […]
From the White Collar Rat Race to Blue Collar Service By Maggie Fox Gary Friend is concentrating hard as he shaves a small piece of wood to fit into the foot of a wrought metal chair. “It just came in with this sign on it that […]
Welcome to another edition of A Wider Community! October at A Wider Circle has continued to stay busy, and we’ve got some fantastic highlights to share with you, including: Congratulations, Graduates! On October 14, we gathered with the 15 participants in the first cohort of our […]
By Theo Blair There’s a chill in the air and there’s news to share, so welcome back, neighbors, to another edition of A Wider Community! We’ve had quite a busy October so far by starting the month off with our second annual Neighbor to Neighbor Night, but it […]
By Theo Blair Hey neighbor, how was your day? Hopefully, your week is off to a smooth start. But if you’re looking for a way to unwind after a hectic Monday or you’re just curious how things are going in our neck of the woods, we’ve […]
By Theo Blair Falling into your feed just in time to start your week and kick off the new season, it’s the latest edition of A Wider Community! This week, we’ve got a double stuffed edition to catch you up on some of the awesome work […]
By Theo Blair Despite the disappointment of last week’s false fall coming to a quick end and ushering in another heat wave, we’re still burning with the desire to do great work here are A Wider Circle! This week we’ve got another two-tale edition of A […]
By Theo Blair Have you felt a crisp chill in the nighttime air? Maybe you caught the scent of a backyard bonfire from down the street? A season of change is slowly approaching, and this week for A Wider Community, we’ve got two great stories about […]
By Theo Blair Howdy, neighbor! Pull up a chair, settle in, and we’ll share some news from around our circle in this week’s edition of A Wider Community! This week, we’re covering: Let’s get rolling! Young Leaders Learn How They Can Make a Difference! As mentioned […]
By Theo Blair Welcome to another edition of A Wider Community, A Wider Circle’s ongoing blog exploring the goings-on in and around our circle! This week, we’re covering: Let’s get rolling! 2023: A year for advocacy, awareness, and getting to know our government! Recently, A Wider […]
Welcome to week three of A Wider Community, A Wider Circle's ongoing blog exploring the goings-on in and around our circle!
In just the past two weeks, we've been fortunate to be featured in three different programs showcasing our work. Check them out below!
By Theo Blair Welcome back to A Wider Community, A Wider Circle’s ongoing blog exploring the goings-on in and around our circle! This week, we’re diving into: Let’s get rolling! Johns Hopkins hops in to help bolster the inventory of A Wider Circle! In the past […]
This week, we're diving into:
How we're coping with a summer of scarcity through the power of partnership
A new support group launching at our Ward 8 Hub
Insightful discussions between the staff and interns of AWC
A retrospective on our recently developed needs assessment tool, which has reduced wait times in our Essential Support program by seven months!
And more!
Last week, I walked into A Wider Circle’s Silver Spring Center for a meeting. It was noon on a typical day, with neighbors waiting patiently in our lobby to select and take home items they needed. As I entered our furniture showroom, I was disheartened by […]
Neighbor to Neighbor Day was one week ago today. It was a bright sunny day, and from early in the morning, our space and staff were buzzing with energy and purpose.
At the end of the day we were asked — was it a success? For me....
Matthew Desmond, sociologist and author of the books “Evicted” and “Poverty, By America” recently wrote a New York Times article on the persistence....
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