Message from the Executive Director
Can you believe we are entering the last few months of the year, also known as the season of celebration? What will you celebrate this season? Will you celebrate reconnecting with family, seeing loved ones and friends for the first time in almost two years, being able to gather in-person? Will you, attend a football game at the Naval Academy, a festival, temple, or church? Whatever you decide to celebrate, it is the hope of the Anne Arundel Conflict Resolution Center (AACRC),that you please do so safely.
October is Conflict Resolution Month and during this month we will celebrate our profession, the disciplines and services offered to our communities and to the people who selflessly give of themselves to bring peace to an otherwise chaotic world. It takes an entire village to accomplish the task of building a strong community; one that is resilient, one that has capacity and competence to heal itself. To realize this vision, AACRC makes a deep commitment to investing in the continuing education of our volunteers. We depend on the generosity of donors to help us reach our financial goals. The support of private donors, grants, and gifts keep the Center operating. The financial assistance provides salaries for our employees, training and services for community leaders, teachers, and children in schools and in place (in their neighborhoods); and for vulnerable and disabled adults, landlord, tenants, parents, incarcerated people who want to make plans with their families as they re-enter society, small business owners, police officers in need of workplace conflict resolution, and county residents who need anger management. The list of services we provide is exhaustive.
What isn’t exhaustive are our financial resources. Please help us raise funds to continue to be a viable and reliable option for our fellow Anne Arundel County residents by giving to AACRC. Join us for the upcoming annual FUNdraiser and celebration from 6 to 9 pm on October 28, 2021 -- Cocktails & Conversation. We’ll be at the Atreeum at Soaring Timbers (610 N. Bestgate Road Annapolis, MD 21401). Tickets can be purchased here or on our website at aacrc.info. Even if you are unable to attend the FUNdraiser, consider donating to support the vital work of AACRC. Again, to give, please use our website to donate. Every gift is appreciated!
Most Appreciatively,
Georgia Noone-Sherrod
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WE WELCOME NEW STAFF
AACRC has recently added Morgan Richards to our staff as Case Coordinator. Morgan was formerly a college intern and AmeriCorps staff, and is currently completing her undergraduate degree. We are excited to have Morgan, who has very capably hit the ground running! Welcome, Morgan!
AACRC IN THE COMMUNITY
As the pandemic eases, we are able to enter the community more, but we are still conducting many of our mediation sessions via Zoom. In August, our total number of mediation sessions decreased slightly from July, but based on the conflict we see in the community, and the number of requests for mediation we’ve received, we don’t see this as a trend. Other activities with which we’ve been involved include:
*Facilitation of a discussion with Anne Arundel County and other local nonprofit social service agencies about a health and wellness resource center in Crownsville. The County is currently identifying needs and a framework of services for AAC residents.
*Provided Mental Health First Aid training for 15 of our volunteers. Mental Health First Aid teaches how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training teaches the skills needed to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis.
*Entered into an agreement with the Anne Arundel County Police Dept. to provide facilitation and training for the Department’s Prisoner Re-Entry program. To date we have provided Anger Management and Goal Setting training to this population.
*Met with Andrea Dillard, Principal of Georgetown East Elementary School (and former AACRC board member) to finalize attendance mediation services to GEET – one of 12 new AACPS “Community Schools”
*Participated in the Edgewater Library’s Community Resource Festival
*Provided training to our volunteers in Reflective Listening, Open-Ended Questioning, and Attendance Mediation.
*Received a second year of funding from the Huddleston Family Trust
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AACRC hosted a Volunteer Appreciation event Thursday, September 16th from 5:00 to 8:00 PM in the parking lot of our office complex at 2666 Riva Road, Annapolis, MD. Our staff, members of our board of directors, volunteer mediators, and several of our community partners including My Sista’s Keeper, staff from the Maryland District Court ADR Office, and the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland joined us for an old fashioned tailgate party. Our guests, old and young, wore jerseys, t-shirts, and hats of their favorite sports teams, laid back and socialized in lawn chairs while wearing AACRC branded face masks, enjoyed good music, and fellowshipped with one another. Food for the soul! We also enjoyed Tex-Mex cuisine from our awesome food truck vendor, Chevy’s Fresh Mex, which provided both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. We are grateful to the volunteers who attended and look forward to seeing all of our volunteers on October 28th at our annual fundraiser, if not sooner.
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Can't Wait To
See You!
Thursday, October 28, 2021
"Cocktails and Conversation", AACRC's annual celebration
at the Atreeum at Soaring Timbers
6 to 8 pm
Live Music * Silent Auction * Friends & Fun
Purchase tickets here. Proof of full COVID vaccination is required. Please do not attend if you have tested positive for COVID and have not been medically cleared, have recently been exposed to someone with COVID, or are experiencing any COVID symptoms.
Can't attend? You can still donate here.
Any amount is greatly appreciated!
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JOIN US!
AACRC welcomes volunteers! Not everyone has the time to mediate, but participating on one of our committees is a great way to support the Center. Our Development and Marketing Committee (DAM), which plans and oversees the marketing, development and fundraising activities of the Center, is looking for short-term assistance with our annual and other fundraising events. Additionally, the Outreach Committee is looking for help. Outreach works with Center staff to schedule, coordinate and facilitate outreach events and activities in the community and at schools. We table at events and activities by providing brochures, bookmarks, flyers, swag, and answering questions about the services we provide. If you are interested in joining the Outreach Committee please email Darlene Gamble at darlene.gamble06@yahoo.com.
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