"Helping People Changing Lives"

Community Action Celebrates Black History Month

Black History Month is celebrated every February in the United States and Canada. It is an important time for remembering significant people, events, and achievements of the African diaspora.

In recognition of Black History Month, Community Action invites you to view video clips featuring Black Americans who have made an impact on the history of our country.

Agency Staff Welcomes Congressman Steny Hoyer to Community Action

The Community Action Agency’s staff was excited to welcome Congressman Steny Hoyer to our Annapolis headquarters on Wednesday, January 24, 2025. Staff members had the opportunity to discuss our programming, the successes we have achieved, and our plans for success going forward. Congressman Hoyer briefed staff on updates from the Hill, as well as sharing his passion for serving his constituents, especially to benefit young children.



It is always a pleasure to welcome our elected officials to visit and see the work we are doing to support households in need within Anne Arundel County!

Community Action Staff Participates in Maryland Community Action Partnership’s Advocacy Day

Anne Arundel County Community Action Agency staff participated in Maryland Community Action Partnership’s (MCAP) Advocacy Day at our state Capitol on January 15, 2025.

Between 2018 and 2021, Maryland’s 17 Community Action Agencies collectively served over 850,000 people and have experienced a 84% increase in demand for services. This increased demand was initially driven by the pandemic and has not slowed down. The demand for housing assistance has impacted by the current housing crisis, which has been caused by a statewide shortage of housing units and skyrocketing rents. 

Advocacy Day allows Community Action agencies the opportunity to meet with their elected officials to discuss the work we are doing to benefit residents in the county, the challenges we currently face, and to advocate for network support to better serve our low-income households.

Mr. Johnson walked through the doors of a Turnaround Thursday (TAT) meeting not knowing what to expect. He was recently released from incarceration after serving a ten-year sentence and explained he was referred to the meeting by the daughter of a Community Action employee. He let staff members know he was wearing a monitor but it was to be removed shortly and he was enthusiastic despite his situation. Although Mr. Johnson was incarcerated for years, he has an abundance of knowledge and skills, including certifications.

Mr. Johnson began attending TAT sessions weekly, building confidence each time he attended. He was engaged and participated in all activities. He stayed involved in the TAT process at every level. During the meetings, it was learned that Mr. Johnson was incarcerated with one of Community Action’s coaches and their was an immediate bond. They were happy and surprised to see each other. They come from two completely different walks of life, shared a brief time incarcerated together, and ended up at TAT together!

During his 2nd or 3rd meeting, he had the opportunity to meet Human Resources staff from Luminus Health, which has representation at each meeting, observing the TAT participants learn and grow. As weeks went by, it was determined and agreed that Mr. Johnson was ready to apply for a job with Luminus. We are pleased to announce that Mr. Johnson has obtained employment with Luminus after being considered for several positions, including one with a physical therapists’ office.

Now employed and on his way to a fulfilling life, Mr. Johnson has started a group for youth to show them a different way of life, so they won’t take the wrong path as he did. He recently held his first meeting with them at the American Legion.

Mr. Johnson is happy in the place he has achieved through his work and dedication to taking advantage of a new chance. He is also a kind and thoughtful man, who came to a recent meeting with flower bouquets and cards for two TAT staff members, Ms. McGowan and Ms. Dorsey!



Agency Participates in County Office of Planning and Zoning’s Outreach for Plan 2040

The Community Action Agency recently received a grant from the County’s Office of Planning & Zoning to help coordinate meetings and outreach activities to reach underserved communities in Region 8, which is comprised of non-coastal communities in South County.

During January and February, staff members from the Office of Planning & Zoning and Community Action hosted two outreach events at Tracey’s Elementary School in Lothian. Approximately 45 local residents were able to share their ideas on future planning for Region 8, focusing on Recreation and Transportation.

Community Action is committed to reaching South County residents individually, or through events held by schools, faith-based organizations, and/or community organizations. For more information, click here or visit aacounty.org/Region8.

If you have a group who would like to explore hosting an event in South County, please contact Ms. Snyder at jsnyder@aaccaa.info.

Every year approximately 805,000 Americans suffer a heart attack. February has been designated American Heart Month to raise awareness about heart disease and how to prevent it.

Devoting a little time every day to care of yourself can go a long way toward protecting the health of your heart. Simple self-care, such as taking a moment to de-stress, giving yourself time to exercise, preparing healthier meals, and getting enough sleep can all benefit your heart. This is a good thing because heart disease is largely preventable and by focusing on improving your heart health one can avoid a leading cause of death for both men and women.

The National Institute of Health recommends following the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Eating Plan to support heart health. DASH is a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating style for life. It requires no special foods and instead provides daily and weekly nutritional goals. The plan recommends:

·      Eating a variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains

·      Including fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils

·      Limiting foods that are high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, and tropical oils such as coconut, palm kernel, and palm

·      Limiting sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, and candy

To learn more about DASH and find heart-healthy recipes, click here.

Stress shows up often in life and our bodies react to it through increased heart rates and narrowed blood vessels, the impacts of which add up over time and can damage our hearts. While we can’t eliminate all stress from our lives, we can change our response to it. Techniques to trigger a healthy relaxation response include meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and guided imagery. Other healthy ways to manage stress include practicing yoga or tai chi, talking to a professional counselor, joining a stress management program, or simply taking a brisk walk outdoors. Combining de-stressors with a healthy diet and plenty of sleep can go a long way toward strengthening your heart.

‘It’s Like Confronting a Natural Disaster’

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman likens President Trump’s rapid-fire cuts in the federal government to “a natural disaster” that will impact nearly all of us, including our local government and those in need.

‘“Housing, aging and disabilities, workforce development, health, and antipoverty efforts tend to be federally funded,” Pittman says. “These programs are targeted for cuts, and the impact would be a massive increase in poverty.”

Pittman made the comments in one of his recent “weekly letters” to his 580,000 constituents, who, at the start of the year, included nearly 31,000 households of federal employees. Many of those federal workers have since been fired or may soon be let go. Pittman also represents tens of thousands of businesses, hundreds of fellow farmers, and the hundreds of young and old individuals expected to experience homelessness at some point this year.

“Deportation quotas, trade war threats, aggressive assaults on efforts to create diverse and inclusive workplaces, firings of the people who report fraud and waste in government agencies, and the freezing of taxpayer dollars,” wrote Pittman, in rattling off the dismantling of the federal government. "It’s like confronting a natural disaster,” added Pittman. “It’s all hands on deck.”

A former community organizer who fought poverty for nine years in Chicago and Iowa, Pittman said Trump and the new Congress have as their “top legislative priority” more tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, funded by cuts in federal spending, from schools to healthcare.

“We could just laugh the threats off and assume that the courts will block the

administration’s attempts … but that would be irresponsible,” Pittman wrote, noting court challenges often take years with no guarantee of success. So, Pittman added, “We’ve asked all of our departments to monitor and report the impacts of these federal actions on their work and on the residents they serve.”

“What we’re discovering is that while there are real impacts on public safety and quality of life for all of us, the greatest impacts are on programs that serve our most vulnerable residents, people at the lowest end of the income scale,” Pittman said. “If the federal government reneges on its obligations to deliver committed funds, we will have to make new decisions about priorities.”

“We’re all hoping that President Trump will recognize that the impacts of the policies he has proposed will cause harm to the people who elected him, and will choose a less destructive path,” Pittman wrote. “But just as we prepare for natural disasters, we must prepare for this.”

Thomas Ferraro is a former reporter for United Press International, Bloomberg, and Reuters. He currently volunteers at the Community Action Agency of Anne Arundel County, where he writes about homelessness and poverty.