A Morning to Remember:

Our First Careforce Collective Leadership Giving Breakfast!

The launch of our inaugural Careforce Collective Leadership Giving Breakfast was a huge success! The sold-out event raised more than $300,000 for DWD’s mission and drew 175 attendees and 30 sponsors from across the country.

The DWD team welcomed Dwyer Scholars, donors, and advocates to the Penguin Room at Whitehall Mill in Baltimore to celebrate the generosity of our biggest supporters and connect them to the Scholars whose lives they are transforming each day.



It truly was a powerful morning dedicated to purpose, connection, and impact.

If you missed your opportunity to attend, you can still support our Dwyer Scholars by making a donation here: 

dwyerworkforcedev.org/donate

Turning “What If?” Into “We’re Doing It!”—Watch Barb Clapp on The Nonprofit Show

CEO Barb Clapp joined Julia Patrick on The Nonprofit Show podcast to share how a vision that started from scratch a few years ago is now empowering 10,000 Scholars across seven states—and aiming to serve 100,000 Scholars by 2030.

Combating Medical Staffing Shortages in Texas

Community Impact recently featured DWD’s launch into San Antonio in July 2025, highlighting our efforts to address the city’s medical staffing shortage and train the next generation of healthcare professionals.

Empowering Second Chances:

DWD COO Maria Darby Presents at Texas Workforce Commission’s GRACE Conference

DWD COO, Maria Johnson Darby, traveled to Galveston, TX, to kick off the Texas Workforce Commission’s GRACE Conference, where she shared powerful insights on reentry after incarceration and building a strong, inclusive second chance workforce—especially within the healthcare talent pipeline.

80 and Counting: Building Florida’s Healthcare Future—One Scholar at a Time

DWD is featured in Florida Times Union, highlighting how our partnership with Affordable Training in Jacksonville, Florida, is helping address the region’s critical nursing shortage.

Through our partnership, more than 80 Dwyer Scholars have completed free CNA training, and we look forward to expanding these opportunities for even more individuals in the future.

Together, we’re addressing Florida’s critical nursing shortage and creating life-changing career pathways for residents across the region.

Success in San Marcos: Free CNA Training Helping Texans Launch New Careers

Texas is projected to face a 57,000-nurse shortage by 2032. Community Impact recently highlighted DWD, in partnership with Williams Career School of Excellence, for its efforts to grow the healthcare workforce and help Central Texans build meaningful, stable careers.

Graduations continued in October with Scholars across all our states celebrating after receiving their CNA or GNA certifications. We are so excited to see you all grow and thrive in your careers. 

Check out some pictures from the graduations below!

Celebrating a Year of Partnership and 600 Scholars Served in Houston

DWD and Launch Point CDC in Houston hosted a very special graduation celebration in late October. Not only did we celebrate the most recent cohort of CNAs and a whole year of partnership, but also the milestone of 600 Scholars served!

Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones provided the keynote address, and DWD CEO Barb Clapp and COO Maria Darby spoke to the graduating Scholars.

Together, DWD and Launch Point CDC are helping to build a more robust workforce and economic future for Houston’s most vulnerable populations while providing care for the state’s growing senior population. And we are just getting started!

6 Dwyer Scholars Graduated from Wellsential Mission Valley in Texas

9 Dwyer Scholars Graduated from Wellsential Windsor Harlingen in Texas

4 Dwyer Scholars Graduated from Elderwood in Upstate New York

Maryland Department of Transportation

Our Dwyer Scholars deserve reliable transportation—not only to get to their classes or jobs, but also to get back home after the day is done. Deputy Director of Fare Collections, Tim Nizer, with the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), has truly stepped up to help our Maryland Scholars.

Most of our Maryland Scholars use MDOT to get to and from class and work on time. Tim has been a great partner, getting passes uploaded quickly and jumping in to assist our Scholars.

Warming Up This Season:

Our 2025 DWD Coat Drive

This year’s DWD Coat Drive supported 70 households across 5 states — distributing 221 coats, 63 hats, 70 pairs of gloves, 32 scarves, and 47 fall/winter clothing items!

A special shoutout to Operation Warm, Ms. Caprice from The Soul of Medicine, and everyone who donated, spread the word, sorted, packed, or shipped (including 59 coats all the way to Texas! 🤠). We appreciate your help—your teamwork keeps our Scholars and their families warm all season long.

Building Stronger Communities Across the Rio Grande Valley

Our Community Engagement Coordinator, Joan Garza, has been busy connecting with partners and leaders across the Rio Grande Valley—strengthening relationships that move our mission forward.

At the Easterseals and TexProtects Legislative Update in McAllen, Joan joined important conversations on how new legislation impacts families and participated in workshops focused on expanding access to resources and breaking down barriers to opportunity.

Next, Joan celebrated a milestone in healthcare at the UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center ribbon cutting—a proud moment for our region and for DWD board member Veronica Gonzalez, VP at University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley.

Joan also connected with the dedicated team at Buckner, whose programs across Texas equip participants with skills in job readiness, financial literacy, ESL, and entrepreneurship.

Finally, Joan met with Premier High School of McAllen/Palmview (Responsive Ed) leaders Joe Balderas, M.Ed. and Edgar Martinez to explore future partnerships—including workforce programs like DWD’s CNA training.

Empowering Women in Leadership

DWD team members—Teressa Turner, Training and Project Specialist; Megan Heidler, Manager, Program Services; and Lakita Green, Director of Career Services—recently attended an inspiring event hosted by Executive Alliance, an organization dedicated to accelerating the success and leadership of accomplished women through advocacy, education, and mentorship.

At DWD, we’re proud to support and celebrate women who are expanding their impact, shaping the future of leadership, and modeling the power of inclusion and belonging.

Staying Warmed Up to Support Our Scholars

The DWD team is stretching today so we don’t pull a muscle supporting the next generation of healthcare workers tomorrow.

Cheers to Our Team Milestones!

We're thrilled to give a big shoutout to a few of our team members for hitting career milestones with DWD! 

Teressa Turner - 4 years at DWD

Maria Darby and Sherna' Barksdale - 3 years at DWD

Thank you for bringing your best every single day. Here’s to many more! 

Upcoming Virtual Career Q&A Session on November 13

DWD’s Director of Career Services, Lakita Green, is hosting a virtual Q&A session for Scholars looking to advance their careers on Thursday, November 13, at 11 a.m. EST.

Scholars can bring questions, get advice, and discover new opportunities to grow their skills and confidence.

Now Hiring!

Texas Career Opportunities Await!

Coming up in November, DWD—along with EDC Weslaco and Workforce Solutions—will host a job fair for our Scholars and potential Scholars in Weslaco! More than 15 hiring employers will be on-site, with free resume printing, application stations, and yes—free tacos. We’re proud to support our future healthcare workers as they take the next step toward a rewarding new career.

DWD is Growing 

We're expanding our team and looking for passionate individuals to join us in making a positive impact in Maryland!

Don't miss out on this chance to be part of a dynamic team committed to workforce development!

Know Someone Looking to Grow Their Career in Health Care?

Calling all nonprofits, government agencies, case managers, social workers, faith community leaders, and counselors dedicated to serving unemployed and under-employed community members! We invite you to connect with us and explore how we can collaborate to become a valuable workforce development resource for your organization and the individuals you support. 

Let's work together to empower and uplift our community through meaningful employment opportunities and skill-building programs. Reach out to us today to start this impactful journey together!

Help us spread the word about the impact and positive changes we are making in healthcare. Like, share, and follow our stories on social media to create awareness and inspire others to join our cause.