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Volunteers Make Waves

Grassroots was so excited to be joined by more than 100 of our amazing volunteers last week at our annual Volunteer Recognition Celebration! We had the opportunity to enjoy a meal and fellowship, as well as present awards to some outstanding individuals and organizations that make a tremendous impact on Grassroots and those we serve. We were also honored to be joined by Delegates Jessica Feldmark, Pam Guzzone and Natalie Ziegler, County Councilmember Deb Jung and Vikki Garcia, Outreach Coordinator for County Executive Dr. Calvin Ball. In addition, two of our consumers spoke about the impact our volunteers have had on their lives.

Grassroots first opened its doors more than 55 years ago as a volunteer-run crisis line and peer counseling center. Nearly six decades later, our volunteers are still vital in helping us support those who are in their most challenging times. Last year, our 822 volunteers gave 8,423 hours of service across the emergency shelter, crisis center, Day Resource Center and Cold Weather Shelter. That’s hundreds of thousands of moments of care and reminders that kindness exists in this world.

We are so thankful that our volunteers have chosen to be a part of the Grassroots family, and it means so much that we were able to spend this time celebrating them. We truly love our volunteers!

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Joe Eldred

Director of Homeless Services

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

Sr. Director of Operations & Corporate Compliance Officer

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, LCSW-C

Sr. Director of Clinical and Crisis Services

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).