Happy New Year from the CVMF!

Pillars of Strength Scholarship

for Caregivers

The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) is proud to offer the annual Pillars of Strength Scholarship Program, which provides full scholarships for caregivers of servicemembers and veterans who are wounded, injured or ill.

This program honors the exceptional dedication of caregivers and supports them in pursuing career-focused undergraduate or graduate degrees.

Here is what you need to know about the scholarship:

Applications are open from Nov. 11, 2025 to April 30, 2026.
The scholarship covers full cost of tuition, fees and course-required resources.
The program is administered by UMGC and the Blewitt Foundation, in partnership with the National Military Family Association.

Submit your applications by April 30, 2026 to www.umgc.edu/pillarsapp, and send any questions or information requests to PillarsofStrength@umgc.edu.

Housing Success Stories

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it permanently housed 51,936 homeless veterans in fiscal year 2025 —the highest number in seven years and 4,011 more than the previous fiscal year.

The increase reflects new tracking methods the VA adopted in 2022, and the results show strong progress under the current administration. As part of its efforts, the VA launched a “Getting Veterans Off the Street” initiative, which helped move more than 25,000 unsheltered veterans into interim or permanent housing.

VA Secretary Doug Collins described the work as “life-changing and in many cases lifesaving,” and said the agency will keep pushing to sustain momentum. Learn more through the online article.

Veterans Crisis Line

The Veterans Crisis Line provides 24/7 free, confidential support for people in distress.

Text: 838255

TTY for hearing loss: 800-799-4889

www.VeteransCrisisLine.net

www.SuicidePreventionLifeline.org

Calvert County Office on Aging

The Calvert County Office on Aging provides a wide range of supportive services that veterans age 50 and older can use.

Find the Office on Aging and other resource newsletters on the county website or call 410-535-4606.

Veterans Resource Guide

The Calvert County Veterans Resource Guide is a comprehensive, easy-to-navigate tool designed to help veterans, service members and their families quickly find the support they need.

With more than 40 topic areas—from claims assistance and caregiver support to PTSD resources, transportation and women’s services—the guide serves as a reliable starting point for learning about available programs and connecting with organizations ready to help.

A link to the full publication is below.

Download the Veterans Resource Guide

This publication is brought to you by the

Calvert County Commission for Veterans and Military Families.

To learn more, contact the Commission for Veterans and Military Families

at veterans@calvertcountymd.gov, 410-535-1600, ext. 8803 or visit www.calvertcountymd.gov/CVMF.