Special Guest Grantees

A representative from the following organizations will give a short presentation.

• Standby Guardianship

  When immigrant parents are detained or deported, where do their children go? Typically they go into the foster care system but, because of a change in the guardianship law, there is an alternative in Maryland: Parents in danger of being seized by immigration authorities can, in advance, designate family members or friends to become caretakers of their children. A good part of the credit for that change goes to the Standby Guardianship Project. The Standby group helped write language for the new guardianship designation form and currently works full time to ensure families submit legally-sound forms in case the worst happens.

• Maple Tree Group

  When you move to a new address, especially to a new country, the challenges can be daunting. Who do you ask for advice? In the spirit of self-reliance, several women who had moved from their native Ethiopia to apartments on Maple Avenue decided to figure out as much as they could and then share it with neighbors. In 2019, they formed the Maple Tree Group and organized a variety of programs that include support for parents, support for teens, wellness classes, English conversation classes and more. They also made sure to add what is often missing when starting a new life—picnics, games, fun activities. Today their group is an invaluable resource to many tenants on Maple Avenue.