People frequently ask how they can help Grassroots meet the needs of neighbors in crisis. Some individuals and organizations host fundraising events in their neighborhoods, schools, workplaces and faith communities and give all or part of the proceeds to Grassroots. For more information on fundraising for Grassroots, please contact Anna Katz, Director of Grants and Support, at anna@grassrootscrisis.org or 410-531-6006 x1770.
Host a walk, run or other exercise/sports activity and have participants pay to participate and/or generate contributions for Grassroots by having friends and family pledge a certain sum for completing the event.
Make arrangements for a special collection for the homeless on a designated Day of Worship and give the proceeds to Grassroots.
Find out if your company offers grants to employees who volunteer their time for charitable causes.
Do you have an upcoming birthday, anniversary, shower or bar/bat mitzvah? Consider making a contribution to Grassroots in lieu of personal gifts – and ask your friends and family to do the same. This is a great way to get kids involved!
Celebrate your birthday or anniversary, or honor the memory of a loved one by notifying your Facebook friends or Instagram followers of your campaign to raise funds for Grassroots.
Are you a local independent business owner, restaurant or retail owner who is looking to align with a great cause? Whether it is a percentage of proceeds for a week or simply collecting change, you can make a difference while you work.
Get your neighbors and friends to contribute some items and then donate the proceeds.
A classic fundraiser! Get some great prizes from local businesses (try to get them donated) and invite everyone you know to play. You can sell bingo cards and/or entry tickets.
Create a personalized fundraising page and ask your friends, family, coworkers and other colleagues to help you support Grassroots. Email info@grassrootscrisis.org if you are interested, and we can easily and quickly help you build a page.
Group members (or students) can each bring a big batch of a “one-pot” meal, like chili, soup or pasta. Attendees sample them, then vote on their favorite.
The opportunity to win a cash prize makes this a popular fundraiser. Sell raffle tickets, and at the time of the drawing, half of the proceeds go to the winner, and half goes to Grassroots. This can be built into any event that you hold, and is especially great for sporting events.
This student community service and philanthropy initiative allows students to raise money in various ways, including collecting change from students and school staff in cafeterias and at school events. Students have also held student-faculty basketball games, math-a-thons, challenges, walks, Zumba-thons, tea and coffee houses, spirit days and more.
This Grassroots initiative allows you to “purchase” a period of crisis services ranging from $100/hour to $2,400/day. During your selected time, Grassroots will feature you at our Crisis Center and via social media. You will also learn about the individuals whose lives you helped!
During this fun event, groups make and sell ceramic bowls, serve a simple meal of soup and bread, and invite guests to make a donation to Grassroots and keep the bowl as a reminder of hunger in the world.
Gift cards provide a flexible and efficient way to provide support to those who come to Grassroots struggling with economic or food insecurity. Work as an individual or group to collect gift cards that let people buy necessary and essential items for daily living. The most in demand are from food stores, Walmart, Target, dollar stores, gas stations and Amazon.
An Alternative Gift Market is a fundraiser that raises money for various causes like Grassroots. It is typically held in a community space and features booths where donors can “shop” and support causes they care about. Host a market for holidays, religious celebrations, graduations, birthdays, retirement parties, or just because!
Joe Eldred joined Grassroots in 2023 as director of Homeless Services where he oversees the emergency shelter programs and the Grassroots Day Resource Center. He started his career in homeless services nearly 20 years ago, having previously worked in education, after participating in a homeless count in Seattle. He has held every position in affordable housing from Onsite Property Manager to Director of Housing and Property Management.
Over his years, Joe has run all types of housing offerings including those for individuals experiencing homelessness and substance use issues, seniors, farm workers, and those with disabilities and HIV/AIDS. He has also worked with many different types of funding programs including HUD, PRAC 202, PRAC 811, USDA Rural Housing funds and funding services designed to break the cycle of homelessness like Continuum of Care and the Maryland Homelessness Solutions Program. Joe has had the opportunity to see how housing programs differ throughout the country, working in Seattle, Chicago, Harrisburg, PA and Ventura, CA, among others.
Nancy Campbell supervises the operations of Grassroots, including HR, finance, emergency shelter, homeless services, case management and facilities. She has more than 30 years of experience in managing organizations’ operations activities, mostly in the human services field.
Community support is a passion for Nancy. She feels that mental health and homelessness often co-occur, and her goal is to develop strong strategic plans that meet the needs of Grassroots’ clients. She looks to make a difference by effectively working with our programs and staff to explore what we can offer to the community. She pays special focus on efforts that help individuals adjust while in the emergency shelter, as well as those that help them achieve stable housing. Nancy has her PMP, master’s degree in Psychology and MBA, and is currently in school to pursue a Doctorate in Leadership and Organizational Management.
Laura Willemin oversees all of the clinical and crisis services at Grassroots, including the crisis line, walk-in services, 988 crisis chat and text services, Mobile Crisis Team, substance use disorder program, urgent care mental health services and Outpatient Mental Health Clinic. She joined Grassroots in 2021 having previously served as manager of the Child and Adolescent Mobile Psychiatric Services for the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington. She also worked in Prince George’s Child Protective Services, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children in the community.
Laura’s career has been concentrated in intense, fast-paced, high-acuity, safety-related and high-risk areas of practice. She appreciates the opportunity to support individuals and families during the most difficult or intense circumstances they may experience through the lifespan. She has a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Social Work and is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW-C).