DIGEST Newsletter
November 2025
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Through every challenge, Howard County continues to lead with love. That spirit was on full display during this weekend’s food collection, where County Executive Calvin Ball joined community members to collect more than 5,000 pounds of food from approximately 1,600 residents and Howard County Government employees.
With more than 21,000 Howard County residents relying on SNAP benefits, County leaders remain steadfast in their commitment to ensuring that no one in our community is forgotten. Click here to learn more.
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The Howard County Local Health Improvement Coalition (HCLHIC) works to increase access to and awareness of culturally appropriate, affordable, and nutritious food — helping reduce food and nutrition insecurity among Howard County residents.
Explore the following resources to find food assistance and support:
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Come out as Howard County residents come together to celebrate our county’s Veterans and honor their dedication, courage, and service to our nation.
📅 Date: Sunday, November 9, 2025
📍Location: Downtown Columbia
🎖️ Parade: 9:30 am
🎆 Ceremony: Immediately following the parade
🔗 Click here for more information.
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You are invited to join Community Health Workers as they use visual storytelling to foster discussion around community strengths and opportunities for change in the Waterloo Road area in Elkridge, Maryland.
Learn about the strengths and lived experiences within the neighborhood and engage in dialogue to spark meaningful community change.
This FREE community event is hosted by the Howard County Local Health Improvement Coalition. Light refreshments will be served. Registration is encouraged.
📅 Date and Time: Monday, November 10, 2025, 5:00 – 7:00 pm
📍 Location: Howard County Library System - Elkridge Branch, 6540 Washington Boulevard Elkridge, MD 21075
🔗 Click here to learn more and to register.
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To Benefit the Community Action Council of Howard County, there will be a diaper (all sizes needed) and baby wipes collection to support local families in need.
📅 Collection Deadline: November 10th
📍 Drop-Off Locations: Any FirstCall Medical Center location
Your donation makes a big difference — thank you for helping our community thrive!
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The Howard County Office of Children and Families will celebrate National Parents as Teachers (PAT) Day, a time to honor parents as their child’s first and most important teacher and to recognize the programs and partners who support families every step of the way.
The PAT team partners with families to promote positive parenting, strengthen protective factors and nurture early learning. Parent educators are committed to work with families to build bright futures together.
📅 Date and Time: Thursday, November 13, 2025, 7:00 pm
📍 Location: Virtual
💻 Register here to attend. For questions, please send an email to ✉️lrhodes@howardcountymd.gov.
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Rho Chi Chi Chapter, Inc. and Chi Eta Phi Sorority present Baby to Bump: A Journey through Pregnancy and Birth. Participants will discover new ways to boost their prenatal wellness, gain confidence and feel prepared for childbirth, build their vital support system, and more.
📅Date & Time: Sunday, November 23, 2025, 11:00 am
📍 Location: Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center, Clinical Education Room, 5755 Cedar Ln, Columbia, MD 21044
💻 Click here to register.
For more information, send an email to✉️rhochichi2016@gmail.com.
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Presented by the Office of Children and Families
Discover “one-stop shopping” for child care, preschool, school-age, and summer programs — all in one place!
Meet teachers, program directors, and explore a variety of options for your family’s needs.
📅Date & Time: Saturday, January 24, 2026, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
📍 Location: East Columbia 50+ Center, 6610 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045
💻 Register: Howard County Child Care Fair 2026
(Free admission — registration encouraged, especially in case of inclement weather.)
For more information or to request accommodations,
📞 Call 410-313-2273 or ✉️ email children@howardcountymd.gov.
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The Howard County’s Child and Adolescent Resources and Education (CARE) Line is a free information and referral service connecting families with childcare resources, parenting support, and other essential services. If you're dealing with problems because of your job changing back to working in an office, or because of new schedules, the CARE Line team is here to help you find solutions that work for your family.
For more information, click here, email ✉️ children@howardcountymd.gov or 📞 call 410-313-CARE (2273).
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The Howard County Office of Children and Families Parent Pages newsletter has resources for parents, caregivers and agencies working with families.
Each monthly issue features information to help parents and caregivers learn how to promote positive parenting
for children’s development.
Click here to view most recent newsletter.
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The Columbia Mom is a trusted community resource and support network for mothers and caregivers in Howard County.
Led by Claire Duarte, it creates a safe, inclusive space for sharing experiences, learning from one another, and fostering meaningful connections among families.
🔗 To learn more about the resources available, visit The Columbia Mom website here.
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The Community Ecology Institute (CEI) is hosting an event with free potluck style meal with on-site resource information from community partners. Activities for all ages. The purpose of this weekly meal is to ease food insecurity, build connections, and relieve stress for parents, while giving kids a safe, joyous outlet. All are welcome.
📅 Date and Time: Every Thursday as of October 23, 2025, 6-7:30 pm
📍 Location: Freetown Farm, 8000 Harriet Tubman Ln, Columbia, MD 21044
🔗 Click here to learn more.
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Howard County Office of Veterans and Military Families (OVMF) is partnering with the County’s Department of Recreation & Parks to host the Veterans Affairs' Adaptive Cycling event.
📅 Date and Time: Thursday, November 6, 2025. Two (2) sessions in the morning and in the afternoon.
📍 Location: Western Regional Park, 14800 Carrs Mill Rd, Cooksville, MD 21723
Contact Lauren Buckingham at ✉️ Lauren.Buckingham@va.gov or 📞 call 443-421-6548 to learn more and how to register.
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Hosted by the Downtown Columbia Partnership and the Howard County Office of Transportation, Cranksgiving offers residents a chance to engage in active recreation while raising awareness about Howard County’s bikeable pathways and collecting food donations for individuals and families in need.
Participants ride into Downtown Columbia with food donations for Grassroots Crisis Intervention. Cyclists of all skill levels are welcome, making it a family-friendly event that fosters camaraderie among the local cycling community while supporting those in need.
📅 Date and Time: Saturday, November 8, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
📍 Location: 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD 21044
💻 Registration ends November 7, 2025.
🔗 Click here for more information and to register.
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The Howard County Local Health Improvement Coalition (HCLHIC) is excited to share materials developed through the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) Diabetes Communication Campaign Grant, a local public health initiative aimed at raising awareness about prediabetes, diabetes, and access to SNAP benefits.
This campaign focuses on promoting healthy lifestyle tips, using SNAP benefits, and helping residents learn more about prediabetes and diabetes prevention.
We are distributing culturally and linguistically appropriate materials to support outreach across Howard County. Posters and postcards are available in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Korean.
💻 Please use this form to let us know which resources you would like to receive.
🔗 Click here to learn more.
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The Howard County Office on Aging and Independence (OAI) invites residents to join the Living Well program—free, evidence-based workshops that support adults in managing chronic conditions and improving overall wellness.
Participants build skills in stress management, nutrition, and fitness through weekly small-group sessions, offered in English, Korean, and Spanish. Topics include chronic disease, diabetes, and chronic pain self-management.
Dates, times, and locations vary. 💻 Click here to learn more and to register.
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The Fostering Hope Summit, Unplugged, is a free, one-day experience designed to empower both youth and adults to unplug from negativity and plug into positive energy, purpose, and connection.
Students in grades 7–12 will engage in inspiring sessions, hands-on activities, and real conversations about mental health, resilience, and hope — all while earning service hours and enjoying food, music, and prizes.
📅 Date and Time: Saturday, November 15, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
📍 Location: The Meeting House, 5885 Robert Oliver Place, Columbia, MD 21045
🎓 Open to Students (Grades 7–12) and Adults
💫 FREE for all!
Registration will begin at 9:30 am. A light breakfast, snacks and lunch will be provided throughout the day.
💻 For more information and to register, click here.
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Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center is hosting a free mental health first aid course. Participants will learn to assist an adult who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge including:
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Signs and symptoms of mental illness and substance use.
- How to interact in a non-crisis and crisis situation.
- How to provide initial support and connect them to appropriate care.
- The Mental Health First Aid Action Plan for panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, non-suicidal self-injury, reaction to a traumatic event, and substance abuse.
Includes a self-paced online course to be completed before the instructor-led class. The online course will be the foundation for the skills practiced in class.
📅 Date and Time: Friday, November 7, 2025, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
📍 Location: Virtual via Zoom
🔗 Click here to register.
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Guiding Good Choices® is an evidence-based, interactive prevention program that helps you build a stronger bond with your child, while also providing skills proven to reduce the risk of children engaging in substance use.
This series of five Zoom classes is for parents, guardians, and grandparents of 9-14 years old, but will consider slightly older or younger children on a case by case basis. Adult or child must be a Howard County resident.
📅 Date and Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, November 11, 13, 18, 20 and December 2, 12:00 – 1:30 pm
📍 Location: Virtual via Zoom
🔗Click here to register.
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Presented by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
Join in for an engaging and informative session with Dr. Chad J. Lennon, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at Sheppard Pratt’s Baltimore/Washington Campus.
💬 Discussion Topics
- Myths and truths surrounding ADHD
- How ADHD affects individuals at different stages of life
- Practical coping skills and strategies for living with ADHD
📅 Date and Time: Tuesday, November 18, 2025,
7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
📍 Location: Virtual via Zoom
🔗 Click here to register.
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Africans for Mental Health is hosting Mental Health First Aid and QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Trainings.
Mental Health First Aider Courses: This evidence-based training teaches participants how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges in adults.
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Format: Two hours of self-paced/pre-work online learning. Six hours of live, instructor-led training over two days (3-hour sessions)
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Cost: Free
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📅 Date: Multiple dates are offered.
Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Courses: Is a nationally recognized suicide prevention training designed to teach individuals how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help.
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Format: Online 2-Hour, Instructor-Led, Interactive Training
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Cost: Free
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📅 Date: Multiple dates are offered.
🔗 For detailed information, click here.
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Everstand is hosting an 8-hour training introducing common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. One or two certified instructors lead each course. Classes usually consist of 30 people or less and are offered in a respectful, comfortable environment.
🔗 Click here for more information.
For questions, please contact Donna Phillips at ✉️ dphillips@everstand.org or 📞 call at 443-615-3151.
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Register is now open for the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) of Howard County's free fall classes!
Class are for parents, caregivers of children and teens who are experiencing symptoms of a mental illness, adults with a loved one who has experienced symptoms of a mental health condition, and adults with a mental health condition.
NAMI Family-to-Family (in-person and virtual):
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📅 Dates and Times: Thursdays, September 18 - November 6, 2025, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
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📍 Location: NAMI HC Office, 9650 Santiago Rd., Suite 1, Columbia, MD and via Zoom
NAMI Peer-to-Peer (in-person and virtual):
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📅 Dates and Times: Tuesdays, September 30 - November 18, 2025, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
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📍 Location: NAMI HC Office, 9650 Santiago Rd., Suite 1, Columbia, MD and via Zoom
NAMI Basics (via Zoom):
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📅 Dates and Times: Wednesdays, October 15 - November 19, 2025, 6:30 – 9:00 pm
🔗 For more information visit our classes page. To register fill out our class interest form or email Kristen at ✉️ kmoore@namihowardcountymd.org.
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Grassroots provides free, around-the-clock support for individuals facing substance use challenges or seeking treatment—no referrals, appointments, or insurance needed. Services include screenings, counseling, withdrawal management, and medication-assisted treatment.
Their team of nurses, clinicians, counselors, and peer specialists helps connect people to long-term recovery, including insurance enrollment, financial planning, and transportation assistance—all in a safe, welcoming environment.
Get help now:
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📞 Call Grassroots 24 hours a day at 410-531-6677 or 9-8-8
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📍 Walk in to our free, 24-hour crisis center at 8990 Old Annapolis Rd, Suite A, in Columbia, MD 21045
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📞 Request transportation to Grassroots by calling 410-531-6677
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🔗 For more info, visit the Grassroots Crisis Intervention website.
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The Howard County Health Department's Bureau of Behavioral Health and the Howard County Library System is providing adults age 18 and older with free gun safety locks at the Elkridge Library and East Columbia Library branches to help increase gun safety, reduce accidental injuries, and save lives.
🔗 For detailed information, click here.
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Are you or someone you know struggling with addiction and recovery and want to learn about available resources and supports? You can now connect with a Bureau of Behavioral Health (BBH) Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) at your local library. All conversations are anonymous and confidential. Drop in, no registration required.
Peer Recovery Specialists will be available at several HCLS branches on 📅 Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 am - 4:00 pm.
🔗 Click here for a full schedule.
📞 Peer Recovery Specialists can be contacted directly on their confidential line, 667-203-1253 or 667-203-1264.
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The Primary Behavioral Health and Early Intervention division of the Maryland Department of Health Behavioral Health Administration is responsible for creating a system of care for young people and their families, from early childhood to adulthood (age range 0-25 years old). This system addresses the needs of individuals with mental health conditions, substance use disorders, or both.
🔗 Click here for more information.
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The Mental Health Community Action Council (MHCAC) is excited to share their very first edition of the MHCAC Newsletter. Inside, you’ll find valuable resources, tips, and supports for children and families as the new school year begins.
🔗 Click here to read the newsletter and explore available resources.
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Pregnant or just had a baby? The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is free, confidential, and here to help, 24/7.
📞 Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA
🔗 Click here for more information.
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If you are experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988. Maryland veterans and their loved ones can call 988 and press 1 to transfer to the Veterans Crisis Line. Press 2 for Spanish.
🔗 Learn more at 988.maryland.gov and access free community outreach materials in the 988 Toolkit.
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The Howard County Health Department (HCHD) offers free virtual training on Narcan.
In-person Narcan training is also available at the HCHD van.
📅 Days: Tuesdays and Thursdays
🕒 Times: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
📍 Location: 8930 Stanford Blvd. Columbia, MD 21045
Phone: 410-313-6202
✉️ Email: orpresponse@howardcountymd.gov
🔗 Register here for the virtual training.
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