Grant Impact Stories

One Road to Success

Rick and Cindy Trawick have a deep-rooted passion for cars as well as the Frederick community. Since April 2010, Second Chances Garage, Inc. has been providing residents of Frederick County with refurbished cars for an extremely low price.

Second Chances Garage received an unrestricted grant from the Community Foundation that bought the organization a new wheel balancer and tire changer. These two pieces of equipment allow the staff at Second Chances Garage to change and balance tires on their own without seeking outside help, allowing them to refurbish more vehicles in less time.

Preservation Through Collaboration

Collaboration is a very present component of the preservation of historical properties. The Roger Brooke Taney House, located at 121 South Bentz Street, is operated by The Historical Society of Frederick County. Built in 1798 by a developer, the house had numerous owners throughout its long history as a private residence. When it became a historic site and museum in 1930, it was managed by The Roger Brooke Taney House, Inc., operated by Judge Edward S. Delaplaine. In 1946, it was transferred to the Historical Society, and throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s, the Historical Society partnered with the Frederick Jaycees to help with the maintenance and upkeep. In 1968, ownership went to The Francis Scott Key Foundation, and in 2003, the Historical Society once again added the home to its list of historic properties. Without the collaborative efforts of these organizations, the countless volunteers who assisted, and those who provided financial support, the house would not have survived for more than 220 years.

Mentoring for Success

Finding positive influences, enjoying male companionship and social outings, learning responsibility, gaining self confidence, and setting life goals are things that are sometimes hard to come by if you are a young man who may only have one parent, or are being raised by a relative in a public housing community. When a needs assessment and outreach effort by Project ALIVE of the Housing Authority of the City of Frederick indicated that establishing a mentoring program at the Carver Apartment community could be beneficial, Ann Ryan, Coordinator for Project ALIVE, Housing Authority of the City of Frederick, applied for an unrestricted grant from the Community Foundation’s Frederick Keys Care Fund.

Impact That Grows

The excitement was electric, the enthusiasm was contagious and the zucchini bread was divinely delicious. But nothing was better than witnessing the pride of accomplishment that residents of the Carver Apartments have for their community garden, made possible by a grant from The Don Dougherty and Linda Moran Fund.

On a warm mid-July evening, members of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Carver Apartment Garden Club members, residents, Resident Council members, Linda Moran, fund representative, Kathy Ford, Master Gardener, Linda Helms, City of Frederick, and Karlys Kline, Community Foundation Trustee gathered to see and celebrate the fruits and vegetables of the community’s labors.

Hope Alive - A New Look at Life

Riyan Williams was just 16 when she made some choices that would affect her life forever. She was living with a man who was involved with criminal activities and soon became abusive to her, mentally and physically. She never wanted to give up on the unhealthy relationship until several years later when she discovered she was pregnant. When her child was born, the father tried to gain custody and ultimately Riyan cut off all ties between the two of them.