On Saturday, August 27th, Silver Spring Patch helped spread the news that Interfaith Works’ Community Vision program was opening it’s doors to anyone seeking emergency shelter from the storm.

With the doors opening at noon, Community Vision served lunch to almost 30 people, and by the time nightfall came that number had grown to 49 individuals who spent the night with a safe, dry place to lay their heads. After breakfast and lunch were served on Sunday, the rain and wind gave way to beautiful sunshine, and Community Vision closed it’s doors by 3 PM.

Another piece of sunshine reached Community Vision today – a talent show was held for clients and staff of the day center. A chance to sing, dance, smile, and shed their cares, it was a much needed morale boost for everyone after a stressful weekend. In the days that come, we are continuing to keep our neighbors in our thoughts as they wait for power to be fully restored and flood waters to recede.

We have many volunteer opportunities at Interfaith Works, from sorting donated clothing to preparing and serving meals. Many groups approach us with creative and thoughtful ideas for giving back to our neighbors in need. Janet Madison, a member of the Cedarbrook Community Church in Clarksburg, recently hosted a tea party with her congregation for the ladies at our Wilkins Avenue Women’s Shelter.

“We had a great time doing the tea – we have organized tea parties for the women of the church in the past and thought that it would be fun to do at Wilkins Avenue,” Janet shares. A group of women from Cedarbrook Church serve meals once a month at Wilkins Avenue, and looked forward to sharing a special event with the women at the shelter.

Eight ladies from the congregation met on a Saturday morning and made chicken salad on wheat bread, egg salad on flat bread, and English cucumber with dill and cream cheese on marbled rye sandwiches. They filled lemon tarts and baked chocolate cupcakes and caramel pecan cookies.  Hummus and crackers, chocolate truffles, a variety of tea, and sodas completed the menu.

The Cedarbrook ladies went to Wilkins Avenue to decorate the kitchen and serve tea for the women at the shelter. Congregation member Susan Dunn spoke about love and having faith, and presented a gift bag for every woman with each item representing a part in her talk.

Water – essential to life, refreshes

Kleenex – wipes away our tears

Lotion – soothes and heals the rough places

Sponges – wipes up messes and removes stains

Note pad and pencil with eraser – gives a fresh start and new paper on which to write our life, eraser for correcting mistakes

Candy – love is sweet

Janet recalls, “I think there were about 20 women that attended. They seemed to really enjoy themselves. It was very fun for those of us that played a part, and I highly recommend that other groups get involved. You get far more out of it than you put into it.”

If you are interested in volunteering or have a creative idea for a service activity, please contact our volunteer coordinator, Cindy Hall, at chall@iworksmc.org. Learn more about our volunteer opportunities by visiting our website: www.iworksmc.org.

State Senator Brian Frosh, Delegate Brian Feldman and County Council Members George Leventhal and Hans Riemer spoke with more than 50 leaders of county nonprofits about budget and legislative issues from this past session, as well as issues that remain on the horizon. After each presentation, questions were raised by the audience and spanned a wide range of topics.

For instance, Rev. Dr. Rosetta Robinson, Director of Interfaith Works’ Emergency Assistance Program, asked a question about the staffing needs at county agencies, and how nonprofits like Interfaith Works can work together with county employees to ensure that vulnerable residents who need assistance do not fall through any cracks in the system.

Our new Executive Director Marie Henderson also addressed the crowd at the conclusion of the event, where she thanked our elected officials for their partnership with the nonprofit sector and emphasized our collective belief in forging a better community for all county residents.

In the coming months, Interfaith Works looks forward to continuing this dialogue in order to prepare for what is sure to be another challenging budget year.

This means that poverty is no longer confined to just our poor and working class residents. Now, many of our neighbors who have lived comfortable lifestyles are for the first time finding themselves ‘living on the margins,’ struggling to get by in an economy that continues to remain uncertain. Addressing this growing need is something that drew me here to Interfaith Works, as it is part of my own personal story.

In finding perspective about this new reality of poverty in our county, I am reminded of the saying of “There but for the grace of God/Buddha/Allah/Jehovah, so go I.” With one lost job, or one medical accident, we could be clients here. It is that simple.

It is with that humility that I come to work every day. In times good and bad, we at Interfaith Works are driven by the desire to serve because we personally have or know others who have walked a similar path to those who come through our doors every day looking for help.

Together, we seek to be the bringers of the Almighty’s grace to those in need.

Marie Henderson

Executive Director

mhenderson@iworksmc.org

New Executive Director Marie Henderson joins Interfaith Works' Senior Staff at headquarters.

After an extensive and exhaustive search process, Interfaith Works is proud and excited to announce Marie Henderson as the organization’s new Executive Director. Marie will succeed Interim Executive Director Barbara Garlock, who will remain involved with the agency in a volunteer capacity after 7 years of steadfast service. Today is Marie’s first day on the job.

“I am humbled to be joining Interfaith Works and working with all its partners in the community to further its mission of pursuing social justice for all of Montgomery County’s most vulnerable residents,” says Henderson. “With such a committed staff and an incredible volunteer base, I am confident that I will settle in very quickly and get to work addressing the growing need for services in the wake of this economic recession.”

Prior to coming to Interfaith Works, Marie worked for 13 years with Food & Friends, a Washington DC nonprofit that provides meals to individuals that are diagnosed with HIV and AIDS, cancer or other life-threatening illnesses. Henderson began her tenure at Food & Friends as a Client Services Assistant where she introduced clients to the organization’s programs, and eventually worked her way up to serve as its Director of Programs.

She will be replacing Interim Executive Director Barbara Garlock, who filled the position after former Executive Director Becky Wagner took a leave of absence to run for Montgomery County Council in June 2010. Prior to becoming Interim Executive Director, Garlock served as Director of Development.

“It has been a great honor to work with so many people who are committed to the cause of social justice here in Montgomery County,” said Garlock. “Marie’s fresh perspective, new energy and years of experience will allow her to hit the ground running and take this agency to an even higher level of service. Under her leadership and with the help of our professional staff and committed Board, I know that Interfaith Works and the people that we serve will be in good hands.”

Since its founding in 1972, Interfaith Works has had three Executive Directors, who have each built upon the successes of their predecessors. Under their collective leadership, the organization has grown to represent more than 165 congregations, with annual cash revenues of more than $4.5 million – allowing it to serve 35,000 neighbors in need while maintaining an overhead of less than 5%.

In moving forward, Henderson’s main goals include strengthening the agency’s ability to provide service support as well as expand upon the organization’s work as “the voice of the vulnerable” through its work with various coalitions in the county and throughout Maryland.

Henderson’s arrival comes at a busy time for Interfaith Works in the community, as the organization gets ready to celebrate its 40^th anniversary next year. In addition, this year, the organization will celebrating the 25^th anniversary of its Friends in Action program, which recruits and trains teams of volunteer mentors, whose common interest is to provide support to needy families in our community.