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I was very impressed by the new Nonprofit Support Center and the depth of resources made available. We see the benefits very clearly and expect those tools will strengthen our strategy and mission.
-- Tamara Lee-Brooks, Marketing Manager, Trinity Foundation
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-- Tamara Lee-Brooks, Marketing Manager, Trinity Foundation
» See all our testimonials
Nonprofit Highlight
The Adkins Historical & Museum ComplexThe Complex is located on a city block radius in Mardela Springs, MD. The complex contains a cannery, one room school house, train depot, Victorian home, farmhouse, doctor's office, veterans memorial, general store, livery/stable, and lodge hall. The complex is a wonderful compilation of restored buildings dating back to the 1700's.
Each building is connected in a fascinating and unique setting and each tells the
 story of local town residents and how they lived, worked, and spent their leisure time. Most buildings and their contents were owned by Mr. J. Howard and his wife, Louise Adkins who incorporated the Adkins complex in 1980. Some items were also donated by area residents and everything on site directly relates to local veterans, doctors, farmers, laborers and ladies. The general store boasts a broad collection of museum items for household and private use as well as an amazing amount of records. One of the most fascinating things is their set of "ladies day books", the only set known to exist in Maryland! Ladies day books were beautifully handwritten logs that the store owner kept - they detailed a lady's purchases in the general store. Fascinating fact - ladies never paid for their purchases. The total purchase amount was later added to the husband's store tab. Wow- those were the days!
Many projects are ongoing in the complex - the latest being the train depot restoration, which is the newest addition to the Adkins complex. Work that has been completed includes the train bed, which was put in place by the Eagle Scouts and the train track, which is being donated by a local farmer. Further work on the depot itself will continue this spring as the weather warms up. The Adkins complex is available for tours through appointment only. There is no per person minimum and tours are free but advanced scheduling is appreciated. To schedule tours please call Carolyn Adkins at 410-883-3139.
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Horse Lovers UnitedHorse Lovers United is a small group of dedicated horse lovers who lovingly care for and seek homes for displaced horses. They have placed more than 120 horses in new homes and through networking assisted in the placement of 700 more horses. HLU accepts donations of all breeds of horses into their program with particular interest in the "retired" or "noncompetitive" Standardbred racehorse.
 Upon my visit to the farm on Dog House Drive in Salisbury, MD I was greeted by a bustling barn and pastures full of beautiful horses. It was a cold and wet morning but Lorraine Truitt, Director of HLU, met me at the door and graciously let me tag along through some of her morning chores including feeding the horses, cleaning out their stalls, and freshening up their water. Two fuzzy barn cats followed us along our path and helped cozy the place up. The horses are patient (well some of them) but keep in mind these tasks need to be done twice a day for each horse at the farm which currently houses 14 horses and is close to maximum capacity. Lorraine explained to me that some horses live in foster homes around the local community and HLU is always on the lookout for more foster homes.
Horse Lovers has exciting events planned for this late winter/early spring including a feed drive through Valentine's Day, a spring party for both volunteers and the public, and a dressage clinic. If you would like to donate to the feed drive please consider stopping by the farm on 31244 Dog House Drive, Salisbury MD 21802. The following feeds are used at the farm: steamed crimped oats, southern states select textured, southern states triple ten textured, strategy textured, timothy hay pellets, and good quality hay (no mold or dust).
The horse farm is in need of a few good volunteers of all ages. Caring for these beautiful displaced horses can be a very rewarding volunteer experience. If you are interested in helping out with the horses, or coordinating fundraising and special events please give Lorraine Truitt a call today at 410-749-3599 or email her at boxwood3684@comcast.net There is also currently a special need of a licensed electrician to donate a few hours of their time to the farm. To learn more about this wonderful non-profit visit their website at www.horseloversunited.com
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The Christian ShelterThe Christian Shelter in
Salisbury celebrates thirty years in our community providing temporary emergency shelter,
nutritious meals and practical and spiritual In its first year, the Shelter:
Presently, the Shelter has a
total of fifty-one beds within dormitory style wings. In 2010, the Shelter:
In 2007, the Shelter initiated
the first phase of an expansion to add eight additional family rooms to the
facility. Gifts of plumbing fixtures, heating and cooling elements and labor
were donated to the renovation project. Local contractors have brought the
renovation of the building to 75% complete. If you are interested in supporting
the final phase of this project please contact the Volunteer Center at
410-742-9911 or visit our website at www.shorecan.org The Christian Shelter is open to
those in need of temporary shelter seven days a week. All guests are welcome
including single individuals, families, those who are ill, suffering from
addiction problems or those who have been previously incarcerated. In addition
to the maximum thirty-day stay, a warm bed and hot meals, all guests are
offered job counseling and assistance to find permanent housing.
Article content contributed by Jenni Pastusak, SURE PUBLIC RELATIONS & MARKETING |
Pemberton Historical Park Pemberton Historical Park is a 262 acre and 5 mile nature trail system developed by
Wicomico County. The property also includes Pemberton Hall, which is a fully restored 18th century Eastern Shore structure. The structure was built by Isaac and Anne Handy in 1741.
The park is open every day from dawn until dusk. Park Naturalist, Kerri Liming is always nearby to assist visitors and run the many wonderful programs the park offers for both children and adults. Upcoming programs include:
Pemberton Historical Park is such a great asset to our local community. It gives us a place to appreciate the beauty of nature and participate in environmental education, historical interpretation or special events. The staff at Pemberton is especially proud of the recent summer camp series which was a great success. There was an increase in the number of participants and new curriculum was introduced including the Heritage Garden where unique varieties of vegetables were grown and children worked in the garden alongside staff. Also within the last year the park started offering 5K race programs which benefit the park's programming and so far have raised two thousand dollars towards educational activities.
Visit Pemberton Historical Park today at 5561 Plantation Lane in Salisbury, Maryland. For directions or information contact Kerri Liming at 410-860-2447 or email her at pembertonpark@wicomicocounty.org |
Maple ShadeMaple Shade is a private non-profit located in Mardela Springs, MD. Their staff and volunteers provide continuum of care services for local youth and families with special needs.
 Maple Shade offers services through five different residential program locations and several education clinics on the Delmarva Peninsula. The agency has provided progressive, professional services to children, adolescents and their families on the Eastern Shore since 1970.
The Maple Shade Family Christmas Party will be held on December 14th, 2010 at UMES. Staff invites the parents and siblings of the children we serve to join in and celebrate the season. Thanks to contributions and donations, we are pleased to provide dinner and gifts to the children. The party will be held from 5-8 pm. Maple Shade is also hosting a fundraiser with Celebrating Home to raise money for this event and their summer activities.
Maple Shade truly lives by it's motto of "Rooted in Compassion, Growing in Excellence".
If you would like to learn more about this wonderful agency please contact 410-202-2750 or 410-677-0202 and ask for Angie Bopp or Jessica Littleton. |
United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore |
Art Institute and Gallery (AI&G)The Art Institute and Gallery, located in Downtown Salisbury’s Gallery Building, is a
 hidden gem for art lovers and students of all ages and skill levels. For nearly 58 years, the AI&G has served as a local, artist-friendly gallery where artists ranging from the most distinguished to the aspir-ing and growing can exhibit and sell their artworks.Each year, there are ten or more different judged exhibitions which offer cash prizes to the winners and a wonderful opportunity for visitors to experience a variety of themes and mediums. The largest annual exhibition is February’s youth show, highlighting works from children in pre-school through 12th grade. In the past, over 350 pieces have been shown and the gallery welcomes more than 300 guests for this exhibition.
In addition to the juried shows, the AI&G also provides a wide range of education classes for ages 4 and up. Day classes, workshops, and youth summer camps provide an opportunity for artists (or budding artists) to experience everything from watercolor to fiber arts to jewelry making and even pottery! The Art Institute and Gallery is the only gallery in the area with an on-site pottery studio. Through the efforts of Education Director Kate Cashman and the requests of students, new instructors and classes are constantly being developed.
If you enjoy appreciating art more than making it, don’t forget to explore the AI&G’s Martha Gue’ Gift Show—named for Martha Gue’ who want the volunteer manager of the shop for more than 25 years. It is the perfect spot to find original artworks in all mediums along with unique hand-crafted jewelry, pottery, photographs, watercolors, glassware, and even free trade items right here on the Eastern Shore.
Like most local nonprofits, the Art Institute and Gallery views their volunteers ad the “life-blood” of the organiza-tion. While many organizations focus on providing valuable human services needs, the Art Institute and Gallery is serving a critical mission of our community as well. One simply has to “imagine a world without art,” in the words of AI&G Office Manager Andrea Hamilton, to understand the passion that she and her colleagues have for fostering appreciation for the arts and local artists. Summer is a busy time of the year for the Art Institute so now is the perfect time to get involved. Volunteer support is always appreciated, but is specifically needed in the Gallery (to help with the rotating shows), the Gift Shop (volunteers can sign up for 2-hour shifts), Fundraising and with other activities including publicity, education, special events, volunteer development, and Board of Director membership. Additionally, the AI&G is a membership organi-zation with student, senior, individual, and family membership levels. Critical funds from membership support the mission of the organization. Thanks to the Art Institute and Gallery for all they do to support local artists and to encourage an appreciation of the arts in our community. If you would like to learn more about the AI&G, visit www.artinstituteandgallery.com. |
DiakoniaOne of the most
over looked aspects of nonprofits is that they provide hope. A
 shining example of this in our community is
Diakonia, the only provider of comprehensive emergency
and transitional housing for men, women and families on the Lower Eastern Shore
of Maryland. Located in West Ocean City,
this amazing nonprofit provides emergency food assistance, 24 hour housing
services and hope, 365 days a year.“Diakonia does what we can do because the community supports
us,” stated Executive Director Claudia Nagle.
For more than thirty years the community has been supporting Diakonia as they help the less fortunate in Worcester
County. The mission is simple; to build
a foundation for those in crisis who are homeless while maintaining their
dignity and respect, providing hope and assistance and helping them change the
direction of their live, one step at a time.
With a small
staff on the front lines working with the clients, Diakonia relies heavily on the support of volunteers. Susan Blaney,
Volunteer Coordinator and head of shelter operations exclaimed “We wouldn’t be
able to operate at capacity like we do without volunteers, and I try to match
these volunteers with what they enjoy doing.”
Two of Diakonia’s most outstanding volunteers
are Gloria Winne who has been answering the phones for
over twenty years, and Mary Ferry who operates the “Used To Be Mine” thrift
store located on route 611. Without
dedicated individuals like Gloria and Mary, it would be impossible for Diakonia to give hope to so many
people.
There are many
opportunities to volunteer at Diakonia such as sorting
donations and taking unusable donations to be disposed of, helping in the food
pantry with food donations and volunteering to help answer phones. Another way to support Diakonia is through donation or by visiting the Used To Be
Mine thrift store, whose proceeds benefit emergency and transitional housing
services of Diakonia.
In 2009 over 1800 hours of volunteer service were recorded in the thrift
store and over 3500 hours in housing.
Diakonia has plenty of opportunities for you to
lend a hand! Even the board of directors
is 100% volunteer and staffed by dedicated people such as Ed Montgomery.
“We appreciate
our volunteers more than we can ever say,” stated Nagle, “we do hold an annual
recognition dinner in March to say thank you to the many volunteers who provide
thousands of hours giving hope to our community.” Diakonia’s new
webpage will be up and running in June so be sure to check them out at www.diakoniaoc.org and look them
up on Facebook! If you are looking for a
rewarding volunteer experience with one of the most respected organizations in
the community, be sure to check out the opportunities Diakonia has to offer.
Offer help for today, and hope for tomorrow.
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Women Supporting WomenWomen Supporting
Women is a “grassroots organization with no affiliation to any national group,
so we rely on the local community for continued support” stated Sue Revelle, Executive Director of Women Supporting Women, “all
of our funding
 stays right here on Delmarva.”
The work this organization does and the services they provide for our
community are invaluable. Their mission
is to provide awareness, education and support to all those who are affected by
breast cancer. Women Supporting Women is
an example of an organization who not only fulfills their mission statement but
goes above and beyond with the services they provide.Women Supporting
Women was founded in 1993 by three area women: Harriette Fine, Carol Prager and
Sue Revelle.
They started the group out of their homes after discovering the need to
help women through their journey with breast cancer. “We believe in women being their own
advocates, so we assist them with that” Revelle
remarked, “control or lack thereof is one of the biggest issues and we teach
them so be in control, be their own advocates and make informed
decisions.”
The services
provided by this outstanding organization are exemplary and varied. Monthly support meetings, which resemble AA
meetings and led by a licensed facilitator, are held throughout the Eastern
Shore. Private and confidential
mentoring by an individual matched to your age and circumstances is also
available. Education and awareness are
provided though such services as guest speakers, the lending library, monthly
newsletters, the website and public events. These services are catered to all including
the newly diagnosed, those who having a recurrence, patients receiving
chemotherapy or radiation and children.
There are
numerous ways that you can join this organization and help them fulfill their
mission. You can participate in one of
the many local events that they hold and you can also donate money and
time. Lisa Twilley, Director of Volunteers stated “Without volunteers
we would not be able to fulfill our mission, they are truly a blessing to our
organization.” Volunteers for Women
Supporting Women can do a number of things including compiling educational tote
bags, replenishing the boutique, straightening up the wig room and lending
library as well as being a guest speaker for those affected by breast
cancer.
Women Supporting
Women provides a vital service to the Eastern Shore and they need your help to
continue making an impact. Donate your
time to a worthy cause…inspire those who are affected by breast cancer. Help give hope to those who may feel like
they have lost it. Volunteer for Women
Supporting Women and make an impact in someone’s life today!
On the Web: www.womensupportingwomen.org
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Are you
interested in having your nonprofit a highlight, or know one that should? |
counseling to people in crisis.
"Our faith is the true power behind 30 years of mission and
ministry," said Joanne Grier, founding Christian Shelter Board
member. 
alone, United Way is providing over $1.3 million to fund 57 different local non-profit programs focused on education and helping children succeed, financial stability for families in crisis, and health for the aging and vulnerable. This support touches the lives of over 100,000 of the less fortunate each year. Such community impact is made possible through over 15,000 donors, local businesses giving employees a chance to give through payroll deduction, corporate contributions, and hundreds of volunteers who sacrifice so much because they know all dollars stay right here on the Lower Shore helping local people.
