Twenty-Four Nonprofits Receive 2026 Rotary Club of Columbia-Patuxent Grants

Twenty-four local community organizations received program and project grant awards, which are part of Rotary’s focus on community service and commitment to giving back. A club committee considers applications based on merit. Applications must be sponsored by a club member in good standing. This latest round of grants totaled more than $81,000. Checks went to the following:

• The Autism Society of Maryland that supports individuals with autism and their families across the lifespan (children to seniors), with a focus on education, emotional support, employment opportunities, and social activities. The grant goes for a program supporting Water Safety & Wandering Prevention.

• Blossoms of Hope for its Seeds of Hope Initiative that gives mental health support for students with an afterschool program and “calming corners” so students can regulate behavior and remain in class.

• Columbia Amateur Radio Association that serves the community through amateur radio. The grant supports a scholarship to encourage STEM education for students pursuing post-secondary education.

• Community Action Council of Howard County that works to diminish poverty and enable self sufficiency for individuals, families, and children. The grant supports their Summer Enrichment Program family engagement picnic expenses not covered from other funding sources.

• Dr. Bikoi Foundation and its focus on oral health education, oral inflammation, and chronic disease prevention, emphasizing the link between oral health and overall health. It works both locally and abroad.

• Food and Care for All, providing food security plus health education and access to health care for underserved populations. Its pantry now serves 700+ families, open twice a week, and also supports health education missions abroad.

• Community Ecology Institute – Freetown Farm and its mission to create a world where people and nature thrive together through outdoor experiential education. It operates Freetown Farm and other properties, and engages the community in environmental learning and stewardship. The grant goes toward constructing an outdoor classroom to support the education of children onsite.

• Equipment Connections for Children and its project to provide toys and adapt them for switch operation to create a lending library of 150-200 adaptive toys for children with disabilities. This grant would help with the purchase of adaptive switches and support a toy workshop.

• Friends & Foundation of the Howard County Library System, supporting the library’s mission to help people learn, grow, and connect. The grant supports the Adult “Battle of the Books” reading competition, modeled on the children’s version, which has become extremely popular.

• Fueling Dragons / Howard Community College Educational Foundation working to pave pathways for student success. Our grant supports the campus food pantry, recognizing basic needs support for students, not just scholarships.

• Gilchrist Hospice, the leading provider of hospice and serious illness care in Howard County. The grant will help create a welcoming living room area in the inpatient unit lobby, improving first impressions and comfort for patients and families.

• Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center providing free, high quality behavioral health and homeless services. The grant supports their 24-hour crisis center on Route 108. Rotary also supports them weekly with 35 bag lunches assembled each Friday morning in summer.

• Hills to Climb, an immersive summer camp program for youth in Baltimore City that’s grown from 25 boys to 125+ boys and girls over the years. The grant helps sustain and expand programming and internships for alumni.

• Howard County Conservancy and its mission to educate children and adults on the environment, to conserve land and to model environmental stewardship. Our grant supports community education programming and/or performance events between summer 2026 and spring 2027.

• James’ Place and its focus on substance use disorder/mental health conditions and its work to reduce stigma and ignorance through advocacy and education. The grant aids people transitioning from treatment into recovery housing, keeping roofs over their heads while they stabilize.

• Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center Foundation, which we previously helped in funding the behavioral health emergency department unit that opened in December 2024 and is now the busiest in the Hopkins system. Our grant continues support for patient care and intake, where we are recognized with naming rights.

• Maryland State Dental Association Charitable & Educational Foundation providing improved oral health with large scale programs like Mission of Mercy – 1,500 patients treated last year, $1.7 million in free care; and Give Kids a Smile – served about 8,500 children across several months. The grant contributes to these free care and outreach efforts.

• National Alliance on Mental Illness, Local Affiliate whose mission is education, advocacy, and support for people and families living with mental illness. Rotary-funded prograns include suicide prevention trainings and Mental Health First Aid, which they otherwise couldn’t offer.

• Neighbor Ride, the volunteer-driven transportation service for seniors in Howard County that aids seniors’ health and quality of life through rides. Our grant supports the Good Neighbor Fund for fully-subsidized rides for low income clients; about 31% of rides were fully subsidized last fiscal year, and eligibility will be expanded.

• Patapsco Heritage Greenway and its mission to preserve, protect, and interpret the cultural, environmental, and historical resources of the Patapsco Valley. The grant will help reach new communities, especially youth and Scout groups, bringing them to the river and building connection and stewardship.

• Rebuilding Together Howard County and its work to make free, critical home repairs for low income homeowners. Repairs were made to 170 homes in the last year. Rotary provides a strong team of volunteers on Rebuild Day. The grant helps fund tuition for a new Chief Development Officer’s participation in the Leadership Howard County program.

• Respite Retreats and support for its day retreats and programs for cancer patients, caregivers, and families to experience rest and joy away from the constant “patient” role. Grant funds will be used for materials included in each ReTreat Yourself care package.

•Silhouette Stages, Howard County’s premier (and only) community theater offering accessible, high quality performing arts and volunteer opportunities for performers, designers, and technicians. It attracts roughly 3,000 audience members and 200+ volunteers annually. This grant will help replace additional wireless microphones and related receivers in need of upgrading.

•Sobar and its work to provide and promote adult non-alcoholic beverage options (beyond soda/water) at events for people who cannot or choose not to drink alcohol. The grant supports expanding availability and awareness of sophisticated non-alcoholic options in social settings.

Columbia-Patuxent Rotary is the largest and most active of Howard County’s seven Rotary Clubs. It meets weekly at 7:30 a.m. at JAMS Eateries. Visitors are always welcome.