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 got your latest edition of A Wider Community ready just in time for a quick read over dinner or in place of the nightly news.
This week, we’re taking a look at:
- Highlights from a visit by Brooke Lierman, Comptroller of Maryland
- Big news about our biggest night of the year, Neighbor to Neighbor Night!
- And more!
A visit from your friendly neighborhood Comptroller!
Long-time friend of the circle and current Maryland Comptroller, Brooke Lierman recently stopped by our Center for Community Service for a tour and to see how our approach to holistic community support continues to evolve!
Comptroller Lierman sits down with Delegate Jared Solomon and AWC President & CEO Amy Javiad for a discussion of how our work is evolving to meet the needs of our community.
Comptroller Lierman joins the list of local and state officials who have stopped in the last few months to learn more about what’s going on around our circle. As shared in a previous A Wider Community, Maryland’s Secretary of Human Services, Rafael Lopez, recently stopped by, as well as Montgomery County Council Member Kate Stewart!
MoCo Council Member Kate Stewart (Center) pauses for a quick pic after a pleasant visit and tour with Government Relations Manager, Lara Gagrica (Left) and President & CEO, Amy Javaid (Right).
We’re incredibly grateful for the time, ideas, and connection that our local officials, community partners, and volunteers share with us when they stop by for a visit to learn more about our work!
Amy, Comptroller Lierman, and Delegate Solomon pause for a moment in our Professional Development Center.
If you’re ever in our neck of the woods and want to learn more about our work, feel free to reach out to schedule a tour of our Center by emailing contact@awidercircle.org!
A Neighbor to Neighbor Night to remember!
As of today, Monday, October 2, with 350 total tickets bought, we have officially sold out our biggest night of the year! With those attendance numbers, our second annual Neighbor to Neighbor Night is shaping up to be twice the size of last year’s event!
What makes Neighbor to Neighbor Night such a special evening is that, in addition to being a fundraiser, it’s a great opportunity to learn more about what happens inside our doors.
At its core, the night is about recognizing our community, particularly those who have worked towards equity for all our neighbors. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Our Circle of Community Champions,” and that’s why we’ll be honoring Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin! In case you missed the announcement you can read more here!
Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin and A Wider Circle’s Community Partnerships Manager, Chris Tobias, together at last year’s grand opening of Marriott’s new international headquarters in Bethesda.
In addition to honoring Congressman Raskin, we’ll also be recognizing the tireless support of several other members of our circle to support our vision of a world where all our neighbors have what they need to thrive!
Our thanks to the generous sponsors who are making this night possible and to the community members who will be joining us for the evening! We’re incredibly excited to open our doors to you for what is sure to be an unforgettable evening!
Rounding out the circle
Upcoming events in the community:
- 10/5/23 A Sold Out Neighbor to Neighbor Night at our Center for Community Service!
- 10/10/23 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Montgomery County African American Health Program Information Table at Rockville Memorial Library
- 10/13/23 10:30 -11:30 am Touch A Truck! Fire-truck-themed story time and a real fire truck! at Bellevue/William O. Lockridge Library
Ways to get involved:
There are plenty of ways you can support the work of A Wider Circle right now!
- Spend some time volunteering with us!
- Schedule or drop off an in-kind donation
- Support our Market Bag program
- Help restock our food pantry
- and more!
Staff Recommendations:
This week Director of Essential Support, Allie Imhoff recommended the 2021 Netflix original Maid, a miniseries telling the story of a young mother fleeing from an abusive relationship and trying to rebuild her life with her young daughter.
The show creates a realistic picture of what individuals in abusive relationships go through and is a good reminder to never judge a book by its cover and to lend a helping hand where you can.
Furniture Finds:
This recent donation had our team somewhat unsure what it was for, but after a bit of research, we’re pretty sure it’s a Ruyi, a ceremonial scepter from Chinese Buddhism said to be a symbol of good fortune.
We’re hoping it will bring good fortune to each and every client who enters our doors!
A unique donation that our staff believes to be a Ruyi
That’s all for this week’s edition of A Wider Community! Be sure to subscribe and check your inbox later this week for First Friday, our monthly e-newsletter. We’ll be back with the next edition of A Wider Community on 10/16!
