How You Can Help Others...

Christmas is the season for giving.  Despite all of the visible wealth in southern Maryland, there are also thousands of families—with and without children—and senior citizens who are low-income or poverty level. Please consider giving your time or money to one or more of the following worthy programs—not just during the holiday season, but all year long.

Catholic Community Services
(Formerly Catholic Charities)

Catholic Community Services offers emergency food packages, child and elderly care supplies, clothing, referrals to homeless shelters, and emergency financial assistance to those in need.  Needs Donations, Needs Volunteers.

Calvert County Family Center
440 Main Street, PO Box 779
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
410-535-0309
This group has a wish list of items that they need

Charles County Family Center
1 Oak Street, PO Box 487
La Plata, MD 20646
301-934-2582

St. Clements Family Center
21333 Colton Point Road, PO Box 113
Avenue, MD 20609
301-769-2788

Food & Toy Programs

Mike's Food Fund

Mike's Christmas Food Fund has become a Christmas tradition in St. Mary's County.  Every year Mike of Mike's Bikes on Great Mills Road and his volunteers raise money to purchase a Christmas dinner for over 1,000 local families.  Donations are needed to help purchase food and volunteers are needed to make deliveries.  $20 will feed one one family.  Mike said that they are also welcoming toy donations this year.  If you want to know more about the program, here's a story by County Times reporter Adam Ross.

Mail Donations to:

Mike's Food Fund
21310C Great Mills Road
Lexington Park, MD 20653
301-863-7887

Volunteers are needed to help make deliveries of food and toys December 19 - 22 (Tue-Fri) starting at 4 p.m.  Volunteers can just show up at the Zion United Methodist Church, 21291 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park.  It is suggested that you have a good local map of the area.  The St. Mary's County map book by ADC that is available in many local retailers is an excellent resource.

Toys for Tots

Drop off a new unwrapped toy at the Metrocast office in Hollywood by December 17th.   As a thank you for your generosity, show the cashier your toy and receive a coupon for a free Video OnDemand movie !

43920 Airport View Drive, Hollywood MD 20636

Christmas Connection, Charles County

The Christmas Connection is a consortium of six agencies that has been serving Charles County's neediest citizens for 17 years.  Each year they provide Christmas dinner, gifts, clothing, and books to thousands of low-income to poverty level residents.  This year they expect to help over 3,000 children, 200 senior citizens, and 200 other needy childless adults.

They need financial donations, toy donations, and volunteers to help distribute the services.  Volunteers are needed to work at the National Guard Armory in La Plata from Dec. 12 - 19.

There are several toy drop-off location in Charles County:

Ken Dixon Chevrolet
Waldorf Wal-Mart
Century 21, La Plata
Md. Bank & Trust - All locations
American Veteran Title, La Plata
Md. Independent Newspaper, Waldorf
Waldorf Auto Outlet

Christmas Connection
c/o Children's Aid Society
3000 Huntington Circle
Waldorf, MD 20602
301-645-1561

Non-Perishable Food Drive at the Indoor Community Pools at Lackey and North Point High Schools

Join the Charles County Department of Community Services for our Non-Perishable Food Drive December 1-17. Receive $1 off your daily admission to the Indoor Community Pools at Lackey & North Point High Schools with your donation of a non-perishable food item. Discount good for one item per person, per visit. Call for details - Lackey: 301-743-2470 or 301-753-6003, North Point: 301-934-7475.

Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry

Since 1997, more than 282 tons of deer meat have been donated by hunters and farmers, resulting in over 2.2 million meals being served to needy people. Learn how to donate your deer to the program and make a family’s holiday a little bit brighter.

Homeless Shelters

Local shelters are always in need of donations and volunteers.  Please see our community guide on local shelters for a location nearest to you.

Hospice

Hospice provides care for those who are in the final phase of life's journey in the form of support for terminally ill patients and their families.  Financial donations are needed.

Calvert Hospice
238 Merrimac Court
P.O. Box 838
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
(410) 535-0892 (301) 855-1226

Hospice of Charles County, Inc.
105 LaGrange Avenue
P.O. Box 1703
La Plata, MD 20646
(301) 934-1268 1-888-934-1268

Hospice of St. Mary's, Inc.
22699 Washington Street
P.O. Box 625
Leonardtown, MD 20650
301-475-2023 301-475-6423

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is one of the best stewards of financial donations in the charitable world.  The local service units provide emergency shelter, food, and clothing.  Please note that each county has a service unit that is attached to a host organization.

Financial donations are needed (Please make checks out to The Salvation Army).  Volunteers are also needed to be bell ringers during the holiday season.

There is also a good story about the Angel Tree program by Christine Basham called Christmas Comes to One and All Through Local Service Organizations.

Charles County Service Unit
c/o Children's Aid Society
3000 Huntington Circle
Waldorf, MD 20602
301-645-1561

St. Mary's County Service Unit
c/o Catholic Community Services
PO Box 113
Avenue, MD 20609

Calvert County Service Unit
c/o Dept. of Social Services, ATTN: Finance Dept.
200 Duke Street
Prince Frederick, MD 20678