The Mission and Local Outreach Committee of Christ Memorial Presbyterian Church proudly supports the work of numerous mission agencies in and around Howard County, as well as nationally and globally. The Committee has had a faithful, long-standing relationship with many of these partners because their work aligns with our priority of helping the homeless and the less fortunate among us. The profiles of partners supported in 2023 are provided below.
CMPC Preschool
CMPC Preschool provides a quality Christian education for children of all races and creeds and has been doing so since 1978. The preschool is licensed by the Maryland State Department of Education. The preschool program encourages growth of the whole child with teachers selecting activities and experiences that meet each child where s/he is on the developmental continuum. The curriculum provides a broad range of learning opportunities in the social, emotional, physical, language and cognitive areas. Each year the committee provides scholarships to a limited number of families in need. For more information visit https://cmpcusa.org/preschool/
Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center
The Center houses a family and women’s shelter and a men’s shelter. There is an on-site, 24-hour crisis intervention service with hotlines and walk-in counseling. A Mobile Crisis Team is located on-site. Grassroots provides overflow shelter from November through March. Congregations, including CMPC, support the Cold Weather Shelter during winter months for one week at a time with meals for guests staying temporarily in an extended stay motel. Grassroots provides administrative coordination to support the effort. For more information, visit https://www.grassrootscrisis.org/
Route 1 Day Resource Center
Under the leadership of Grassroots (see above), the center is supported by a network of churches and synagogues whose volunteers provide hot meals. They also bring in donations – everything from shampoo to socks and underclothes and winter coats. The Center is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 2-6, and Saturdays from 10-2. The Center has specialists who help people sign up for health insurance; obtain MVA IDs, SSA cards, and SNAP cards; and network with other agencies and service providers. CMPC volunteers provide dinners to guests the fourth Monday of every month. http://www.daycenter.org/
Howard County Cold Weather Shelter
For the past 20 years, CMPC has been part of the Howard County Cold Weather Shelter. From November to March churches of all denominations provide meals on a rotating basis one week at a time to the homeless living temporarily in an extended stay motel. Our time has been the week after Christmas during which our congregation provides guests a hot dinner, breakfast, and bag lunches. It takes approximately 60 members performing a variety of roles to do this mission.
Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services (LARS)
LARS is a non-profit organization serving homeless and low-income families and individuals in Laurel, Maryland. LARS service area includes parts of Prince George’s, Howard, and Anne Arundel Counties. LARS was founded in 1987 by a group of local congregation leaders and community members who sought a consolidated approach to responding to those who came to their doors for food and financial help. Today LARS is staffed by trained social workers and continues to receive financial and volunteer support from its founding faith-based partner organizations. LARS’ mission is to enable homeless and low-income people in crisis to achieve stability and long-term self-sufficiency. For more information, visit https://www.laureladvocacy.org/
Rebuilding Together Howard County
Rebuilding Together was formed in 1992 when a group of committed Howard County residents and businesses joined together to mobilize volunteers and provide free home repairs to low-income families in Howard County. Rebuilding Together is committed to improving the lives of the elderly, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and families with children; all homeowners in Howard County who have worked hard, but can no longer afford to keep up with repairs. Each year CMPC sponsors a home repair project by providing a volunteer team on our annual National Rebuilding Day held in April. The team works directly with the homeowner to make the necessary repairs during a very rewarding day of service. For more information visit http://www.rebuildingtogetherhowardcounty.org/
Home of Our Own Howard
Founded in 2014, Home of Our Own (HOOO) Howard is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that provides Howard County residents with essential furniture and household items promptly and at no cost to them, enhancing their safety, well-being, and quality of life. Clients are referred by a state or local program that helps people transition into housing within Howard County. CMPC members participate in workdays at their warehouse in Columbia. For more information visit https://sites.google.com/homeofourownhoward.org/homeofourownhoward/home
Columbia Community Care
This grassroots group began in March 2020 in response to the growing and dire needs of community members who are been affected by the COVID-19 crisis. This group was set up because so many members of our community wanted to help our fellow residents in this unprecedented time of need. CCC collects and donates non-perishable food, fresh fruit and vegetables, personal care and baby items, and essential household supplies at three drive-through locations. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/807588256400584/permalink/1193138594512213
Howard County Food Bank
Working under the Community Action Council, the Howard County Food Bank offers family-choice shopping like a grocery store with fresh produce and dairy options fresh breads and baked goods, canned and boxed food, and personal care hygiene products at their location on Gerwig Lane. The demand for items in their inventory has significantly increased. They are open four days a week. At various time during the years, CMPC has collected items to donate to the food bank. To learn more visit https://cac-hc.org/
Maryland Food Bank
With three branches and more than 1,450 distribution points, the Maryland Food Bank provides food insecure Marylanders with pathways out of hunger while distributing more than 102,000 meals every day. Approximately 350 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other community-based organizations across the state help provide relief to members of their communities who struggle to put food on their tables. In support of this effort, between Thanksgiving and Christmas 2021 CMPC members donated 770 lbs. of canned goods and paper products which was given to the Maryland Food Bank to benefit needy families. For more information visit https://mdfoodbank.org/hunger-in-maryland/approach/
Helping Up Mission (Baltimore)
Helping Up Mission provides hope to people experiencing homelessness, poverty, or addiction by meeting their physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs. Their approach to treatment is holistic in nature and integrates the practical needs of clients — food, clothing, shelter — with their clinical, mental health, medical, educational, and vocational needs. All of that is built upon a Gospel foundation and by God’s grace, it can lead to lasting change. To learn more visit https://helpingupmission.org/