Current Grantees

Summary of 2024 Qlarant Foundation Grant Awards

New Grantees

Epoch Dream Center — Award Amount: $20,000

Building Responsible and Productive Citizens

Epoch Dream Center creates nurturing relationships that empower, mentor, and encourage students in academics, character development, and social-emotional wellness. The Mental Wellness and Mentor program provides the support, resources, and opportunities to reach the greatest potential through access to on-site therapeutic sessions and the creation of a safe space. Additionally, mentorship plays a crucial role, pairing students with positive role models who offer guidance on personal growth, academic pursuits, and life skills.

Food & Friends — Award Amount: $20,000

Addressing Health and Food Security Challenges

Food & Friends improves the lives and health of people with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other serious illnesses that limit their ability to provide nourishment for themselves. Qlarant Foundation funds support the Specialized Nutrition Services (SNS) program providing a uniquely multifaceted service that seeks to address health and food security challenges faced by residents in the greater DC metro area. SNS consists of two meal services, medical nutrition therapy, and nutrition education—all of which help clients manage their health and avoid the costly side effects of illness.

HOFFA Foundation — Award Amount: $25,000

Extending a Lifeline for Treatment

The HOFFA Foundation promotes individual recovery capital while strengthening the local recovery ecosystem. The HOFFA Operations program is dedicated to strengthening the foundation of the helpline, supporting recovery residence operations, transport service, and community engagement programs. The 24-hour helpline serves as a lifeline for individuals in need of treatment for Substance Use Disorder. Its connection and transport service has eliminated geographical limitations for individuals with on-demand medical solutions. The objective is to unite individuals with the most successful treatment tailored to their unique circumstances.

Horizon Day Camp — Award Amount: $20,000

Bringing Joy to Children with Cancer

Horizon Day Camp brings back the joys of childhood to children with cancer and their siblings ages 3 to 16 through a 7-week free summer day camp at Boys Latin School of Maryland. They also support year-round camp reunion programs and in-hospital programs for pediatric cancer patients in treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sinai Hospital, University of Maryland Children’s Hospital, and Children’s National Medical Center in the District of Columbia. Horizon Day Camp and year-round programming are all offered completely free of charge.

NADDI — Award Amount: $20,000

Making Efforts to Reduce Drug Abuse

The National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI) connects innovative people with great ideas and vital training in current pharmaceutical drug diversion trends. Household medical cabinets have become a source for drug seekers, including young individuals within these residences, leading to significant instances of theft and misuse from a readily accessible supply. NADDI’s drug drop boxes are a preventive solution adopted by law enforcement agencies across the country. Qlarant Foundation funds will support drug drop boxes in the Eastern Shore region.

Pro Bono Counseling — Award Amount: $16,000

Removing Barriers To Mental Health Support

Pro Bono Counseling removes barriers and provides relief by connecting Marylanders to mental health support. Qlarant Foundation funds are used to support the PBC WARMLine which provides on-demand, telephone-based connection with a compassionate mental health professional. The WARMLine addresses many common barriers to accessible mental health care including high cost, time constraints, lack of transportation, technology difficulties, and stigma.

Project ECHO — Award Amount: $20,000

Hope for the Homeless

Project ECHO is Calvert County’s only emergency shelter providing a safe, sober, and stable environment for homeless men, women, and children for up to 90 days. They also operate four shared-rent houses, for “graduates” of the main shelter, with a willingness to live together with other individuals. In addition, they operate Clare’s Program where participants receive therapy counseling, neurofeedback therapy for managing emotional triggers, life coaching, trauma group sessions, trauma-based yoga sessions, counseling, and dental work that is not covered by insurance or Medicaid.

Spirit Club Foundation — Award Amount: $15,000

Lifting the Quality of Life

The Spirit Club Foundation provides access to fitness and wellness opportunities for Maryland residents diagnosed with physical or intellectual disabilities. They lift the quality of life of the individual, improve the financial stability of their family, and bring balance to their entire community. The ultimate goal is not only to assist these individuals on their journey towards health equity, but also to lift the quality of life of their caretakers, thus bringing balance to our entire community.

Student Support Network — Award Amount: $10,000

Meeting Students’ Basic Needs

The Student Support Network (SSN) provides food, basic necessities, and advocacy to support the well-being of Baltimore County Public School (BCPS) students in need. Qlarant Foundation funds support the Rooms of Support(ROS) program. ROS exists to meet the basic needs of BCPS students after the family and school system have exhausted their resources. SSN distributes food and supplies at critical times in the year, and when students will face extended periods of time without the free meals. Everything is free of charge.

Talisman Therapeutic Riding — Award Amount: $5,000

Transforming Lives Through Equine Activities

Talisman Therapeutic Riding transforms lives by fostering personal growth, healing, and empowerment through equine-assisted activities and enriching outdoor experiences. The professional team passionately believes in the life-changing potential of equine-assisted activities and the transformative power of nature and the outdoors. They are dedicated to providing services to people of all backgrounds and abilities creating an environment where everyone feels welcome and valued.

Qlarant Foundation funding will help sustain and enhance services. This will allow the organization to maintain the current per-lesson costs to participants.

VAMSA — Award Amount: $20,000

Lifting the Quality of Life

VAMSA is a proud component fund of Chesapeake Charities, Inc. which provides innovative leadership and quality services that encourage charitable giving, builds community resources, and enables donors to achieve their charitable purposes. VAMSA provides accessible and free resources uniquely tailored to the needs of military members and veterans, their families, and their caregivers. Operation Volunteer Activation mobilizes volunteers to expand the ability to provide services supporting veterans, military personnel, family members, and caregivers.

Previously Funded Grantees

Bringing Hope Home — Award Amount: $25,000

Increasing Access for Families of Cancer Patients

Bringing Hope Home (BHH) is a non-profit organization that provides Unexpected AmazingnessÂŽ to local families with cancer through financial and emotional support. Through the Light of Hope Family Program, BHH offers one-time financial assistance to pay essential household bills for families with cancer. Qlarant Foundation funding provides 30 families with one-time assistance to pay rent or mortgage, utilities, food, and transportation costs.

Building African American Minds (BAAM) — Award Amount: $10,000

Building Responsible and Productive Citizens

Qlarant funding supports Your Wellness Matters!—a physical and mental health support program for youth, adults, and families from people who are more likely to be at-risk for factors associated with poor health. This population is mainly associated with people of color and those experiencing poverty and the effects it has on physical health and social-emotional wellness.

Calvary Women’s Services — Award Amount: $20,000

Building on Women’s Strengths in D.C.

Calvary Women’s Services empowers homeless women in Washington, DC, to transform their lives through housing, health, education and employment programs. Qlarant Foundation supports the expansion of the Holistic Health Program to serve more women at the new housing program, Reach Up. The program includes personalized case management, life skills and education opportunities, job training and placement services, health and wellness services, on-site therapy and daily addiction recovery meetings.

Camp Attaway — Award Amount: $20,000

Nurturing the Mind, Body, and Spirit

Camp Attaway nurtures the mind, body, and spirit of children who are at risk because of an inability to manage their emotions and behaviors and provides education and mental health support to family members. The Qlarant Foundation, grant supports the therapeutic summer program serving 28-30 children with complex special needs, education and support for family members, and specialized training of special educators and mental health service providers.

Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center — Award Amount: $30,000

Clearing the Way for Non-English Speaker Health Navigation

Qlarant Foundation’s funding provides free, quality, health navigation and wrap-around services to the non-English speaking community in the Mid-Shore region. These include application counseling for Medicaid and Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, assistance applying for relief or setting up payment plans for medical bills, connecting to primary care providers and specialist referrals, and sight translations of notices from physicians or medical organizations. Wrap-around services include application counseling for SNAP benefits, direct immigration services and representation before USCIS, interpreting services in Spanish and Haitian Creole, school enrollment, employment, and housing applications.

For All Seasons, Inc. — Award Amount: $30,000

Creating a Medication Safety Net

For All Seasons, Inc. is a community-based behavioral health and rape crisis center which provides therapy, advocacy, education, and psychiatric care in a safe environment that nurtures wellness. Qlarant Foundation funds support theOpen Access Refill(OAR)program. The OAR program addresses the critical need for continu-ous medication management. It acts as a crucial safety net for clients, enabling them to access psychiatric medication refills without delay, even when they have missed their appointment.

Grace Center for Maternal and Women’s Health — Award Amount: $5,000

A Safe Haven for Maternal Health

Grace Center for Maternal and Women’s Health provides a safe haven dedicated to improving the health and well-being of women in the community. Qlarant Foundation funds support the HOPE Plus program to strengthen families and reduce intergenerational trauma by providing access to high quality, trauma-informed approaches. The program removes barriers to access services and continuity of care through transportation assistance, flexible scheduling, and interpersonal relationships. It also safeguards the health and safety of newborns and provides access to early prenatal medical services.

Grassroots Health — Award Amount: $30,000

Using Sports to Advance Health Equity

There is a mounting body of evidence indicating that youth of color are more vulnerable to health threats such as HIV, diabetes, asthma, and obesity than their white counterparts. Grassroots Health’s holistic model addresses these challenges and improves adolescent health inequities by supplementing middle school health education with an innovative curriculum and near-peer delivery—mobilizing local NCAA student-athletes to facilitate nutritional, sexual, and mental health programs for 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students. These volunteers use modified sports games to combine physical activity and health education into the same class period.

Helping Up Mission — Award Amount: $20,000

Enhanced Dental Services for People in Recovery

Helping Up Mission provides hope to people experiencing homelessness, poverty, or addiction by meeting their physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs. Qlarant Foundation grant funds support expanding health access and dental care for men and women in recovery. This program seeks to promote access to health care and oral health care to clients served through Helping Up Mission’s Men’s and Women’s Spiritual Recovery Programs(SRP). Additionally, the Client Services department assesses needs to ensure that clients are enrolled in necessary programs.

Talbot County Empty Bowls — Award Amount: $4,000

Striving to Eliminate Hunger

Talbot County Empty Bowls raises awareness and alleviates hunger and food insecurity in Talbot County. Six out of every ten students receive free or reduced meals. 11% of Talbot County residents are food insecure. The Talbot Hunger Coalition expects numbers to rise in 2024 because of the rising cost of food and inflation of other living expenses. The Qlarant Foundation grant funds operating costs and expenses associated with planning and executing the February 2025 Community Gathering Dinner to raise funds to be distributed to local charities focused on alleviating hunger in the community.

There Goes My Hero — Award Amount: $20,000

Helping Those Impacted by Blood Cancer

There Goes My Hero saves lives, provides hope, and helps those impacted by blood cancer. They accomplish this by adding life-saving donors to the bone marrow registry and assisting blood cancer patients and their families through a variety of support programs. They provide services through the Hero Fund, Color the Registry, bone marrow drives, and the Meals for Heroes program. Initially started by volunteers, currently There Goes My Hero has three full-time staff, an intern, and a fully engaged board of directors.

WGP Warriors Against Addiction — Award Amount: $5,000

Providing Health Care for the Uninsured

WGP Warriors Against Addiction provides education, awareness, support and navigation of resources to those who have been impacted by addiction. Qlarant Foundation supports Answered Prayers which fills the basic needs for some of our most vulnerable population.

There are many programs that focus on one specific need or service, Answered Prayers fills the gaps for needs that don’t always fit into a specific category but are necessary for those who suffer from addiction, mental health, and homelessness.