January 2026

Agency Board of Directors member Jesse Raudales received the Alan Hillard Legum Civil Rights Award at the 38^th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards Dinner at La Fontaine Bleu on Friday, January 16, 2026.

The award was established in honor of the late prominent civil rights attorney Alan Legum, who successfully sued the City of Annapolis on behalf of African American police officers and firefighters, which led to a more diverse city government.



Jesse represents the OIC of Anne Arundel County as a member of the Agency’s Board of Directors. He is the only Latino Executive Director within the OICs of America network, and leads with vision and innovation. Under his leadership, he launched OIC STEAM Into the Future, a dynamic initiative designed to empower Black and Brown youth through science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. His forward-thinking approach continues to expand opportunities, break barriers, and uplift the communities OIC proudly serves.

Jesse is also an internationally acclaimed artist, whose work is featured in museums, galleries, organizations, and homes of many collectors. A career highlight was being selected out of thousands of applicants to be one of the first Latino artists commissioned to create a piece for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy.

The Community Action Board of Directors and staff members are enriched by Jesse’s contributions not only to the Agency but also to our community at large. 

Congratulations, Jesse for well-deserved recognition!

Program Updates

Community Action Hosts Operation Warm at Annapolis Middle School

Annapolis Middle School’s Dragon Community Night was made even warmer this year thanks to an incredible partnership between Annapolis Subaru, AACPS Community Schools, and the Anne Arundel County Community Action Agency through Operation Warm. Together, we ensured that students and families had access to brand-new winter coats—meeting a critical need while strengthening the spirit of care and connection that defines our school community.

For many families, the rising cost of essentials can make winter gear hard to secure. Operation Warm helps remove that barrier so students can stay healthy, confident, and ready to learn—no matter the weather. The coat distribution also created a powerful moment of community: families gathered, staff connected, and partners showed up with real support that students can feel immediately.

We are grateful to Annapolis Subaru for investing in the well-being of our children, and to AACPS Community Schools and Community Action Agency for coordinating resources that keep our families supported beyond the classroom. This is what it looks like when a community wraps its arms around its students—one coat, one family, and one act of love at a time.

The Homeless Dead

By Thomas Ferraro



In Anne Arundel County, one of Maryland’s wealthiest regions, the annual number of homeless deaths has risen in recent years, reflecting the fact that homelessness is everywhere and, apparently, mounting.

Days before Christmas, the names of 28 men and women, identified as having died in the county in 2025 without a permanent address, were read aloud at the annual Longest Night Homeless Persons’ Memorial Service in Annapolis. The deaths were seven more than in 2024, nine more than in 2023.

“Many never receive a funeral, a headline, any form of public acknowledgement,” David Alt, executive director of the Annapolis Light House, a homeless shelter, told the service, one of many such memorials held nationwide. “Tonight, we give them the dignity of being remembered.”

John Henderson

Ryan McCauley

Roland Blake

Martin Brown

Michael W. Johnson

Christoper Broughton

Elizabeth Quill

Johnathan Warf

John Quillen

Brenda Frame

The National Healthcare for the Homeless Council, a nonprofit in Nashville, Tenn., estimates that roughly between 17,500 and 46,500 people a year die homeless in the United States.

Lorraine Hurst

Raymond Cheatham Jr.

Martin Sean Harvey

Joan Young

Leonard Gilliam

William C. Mills

Anne Arundel County Executive Stewart Pittman told about 100 mourners, “This is a solemn night, this is a difficult night, this is a cold and windy night. It’s really important, if you are unhoused, not only to take advantage of the (food and housing) programs that exist, but also to tell us how to do better.”

According to the U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s annual Point in Time Count, 771,480 people were identified nationwide as homeless on a single night in January 2024, up 18 percent from January 2023, which was up 12 percent from 2022. Figures for 2025 aren’t yet available.

The increases have been attributed largely to a critical shortage of affordable housing, an inadequate social safety net, and stagnant wages.

Ronnie Vaughn

Holli Johnson

Clifton Phillips

Todd Young

Robert Klein

Dennie Thorton

James Foote

Mario Berninzoni, chair of the Anne Arundel and Annapolis Coalition to End Homelessness, said, “Tonight is a meaningful moment to reflect and plan how we can act through the year to ensure that everyone has an affordable, safe place to call home.”

Felicia Hartman

Catherine Shultz

Roger Breeden

Rose Redmond

Dezra Brown

Community Action welcomes back journalist Thomas Ferraro! Thomas wrote an award-winning series on poverty for our monthly newsletter that was also published by Maryland Matters. We welcome him back for a new series, which will debut in our monthly newsletter.

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