Organization Brief
Donations From The Heart, Inc. is a faith-based nonprofit organization serving disadvantaged individuals/families, those classified as low-income, as well as our U.S. military troops and U.S. veterans from all five branches of the armed forces. Since 2011, Donations from the Heart Inc. has served the local community by providing 9 outreach programs and 3 Christian ministry programs to help those in need reach their goals of independence and self-sufficiency. Through our services we have had the opportunity to significantly improve the quality of life for low-income and extremely low-income households in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Montgomery, Howard, Charles, Hartford, Caroline, Frederick, and many other areas within the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Northern Virginia aka the DMV. In recent years, our organization has grown and expanded its reach to meet the needs of vulnerable individuals and families within the military community, including those currently serving at Fort Meade, as well as military veterans. Many of these individuals are suffering with PSTD or other health conditions and are transitioning out of the military due to forced retirement.
OUTREACH
- Food and Clothing Assistance;
- Educational Tutoring- pre-k to 12 grade;
- School supply and backpack distribution;
- Character Development for pre-k to 12 grade for both students and parents;
- Elder Care Assistance-Providing medical devices, such as walkers, canes, portable toilets, air mattresses, and any device needed to increase quality of life our seniors. We also provide prescription assistance and referral service to other agencies that offer home health aide;
- Transportation Assistance for those needing reduced or free cab fare to doctor’s appointments, job interviews, and returning back to work;
- Childcare assistance for returning mothers/fathers that need day care or after-school care;
- Utility assistance for those facing cancellation or interruption of service due to low income or high cost of utilities;
- Rental assistance for those past due on their rent and facing eviction or the possibility of eviction.
- Veterans Services.
CHRISTIAN MINISTRY
- Prayer Request
- Visitation Ministry
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
Overview/Summary of the project/program, including the population it will serve:
DFTH has developed a “Whole Life” approach to support our US Veterans called the Veterans Complete Program (VCP). We have combined all of our outreach programs and services in addition to leveraging many of partnership alliances to help restore the lives of US veterans to independency and self-sufficiency within our local communities.
We recognize that US Veterans play a vital role in supporting our freedoms and have given in ways that only they can. Here at DFTH, we feel that it is our responsibility to give back and build up those that have committed their lives, time, and talents to uphold the freedoms God has made available for us here in the United States of America.
The VCP program addresses the overall needs of our Veterans to ensure that basic necessities are not burdensome during their time of transition and while they are seeking medical assistance and/or counseling. The program allows those that qualify to take advantage of our comprehensive suite of outreach programs, as well as spiritual healing through our 3 Christian ministry services. Other services included are:
Since 2015, DFTH staff has met regularly with the Base Commander at Fort George G. Meade Army Fort to introduce our VCP services to new personnel as the base commanders rotate in and out. We have continuously supported Veterans long prior to Covid-19 and frequently attend to various commander calls to stand in the gap and service those in need within the Armed Forces.
For more than 5 years, we have supported Ft. Meade base housing efforts through partnership with the Corvus Housing Management company. Since Base realignment, many of our troops are now paying close to fair market value rent. This has posed a problem for many troops, especially those that are forced to retire due to service-related injury or illness and are awaiting final determination of their percentage of disability retirement through Veterans Affairs. During this waiting period, many have fallen short in receiving separation pay, which often results in unpaid rent, and in some cases, eviction notices have been sent to many families. DFTH works with Corvus Housing to provide rental assistance to cure these costs when resources are available. Maintaining a home for themselves and their families is a tremendous burden on our Veterans after being forced to retire. Our goal is to remove such burdens, by assisting with curing rental charges, and/or moving the military member when financially feasible away from base housing to a more affordable solution. In such scenarios, we will pay the first month’s rent and security deposit in addition to providing physical relocation services to them utilizing our partner moving company, Two-Men-and-a-Truckat no expense to them.
We have also supplied backpacks to the children of military members living in base housing, as well as to all the middle and high schools located on Fort Meade. We have extended our services to the educators at the schools and informed them of the assistance we can provide to students with learning obstacles by way of free educational tutoring in the areas of reading, writing, and basic math skills.
We recognize that US Veterans play a vital role in supporting our freedoms and have given in ways that only they can. Here at DFTH, we feel that it is our responsibility to give back and build up those that have committed their lives, time, and talents to uphold the freedoms God has made available for us here in the United States of America.
The VCP program addresses the overall needs of our Veterans to ensure that basic necessities are not burdensome during their time of transition and while they are seeking medical assistance and/or counseling. The program allows those that qualify to take advantage of our comprehensive suite of outreach programs, as well as spiritual healing through our 3 Christian ministry services. Other services included are:
- Resume Assistance (critique and writing).
- Leveraging Partners for possible Job Placement/Internships.
- Advocacy Assistance.
- Assistance for military spouses and their children.
- Military Bible stick through Faith Comes by Hearing Ministry (Audio Player).
Since 2015, DFTH staff has met regularly with the Base Commander at Fort George G. Meade Army Fort to introduce our VCP services to new personnel as the base commanders rotate in and out. We have continuously supported Veterans long prior to Covid-19 and frequently attend to various commander calls to stand in the gap and service those in need within the Armed Forces.
For more than 5 years, we have supported Ft. Meade base housing efforts through partnership with the Corvus Housing Management company. Since Base realignment, many of our troops are now paying close to fair market value rent. This has posed a problem for many troops, especially those that are forced to retire due to service-related injury or illness and are awaiting final determination of their percentage of disability retirement through Veterans Affairs. During this waiting period, many have fallen short in receiving separation pay, which often results in unpaid rent, and in some cases, eviction notices have been sent to many families. DFTH works with Corvus Housing to provide rental assistance to cure these costs when resources are available. Maintaining a home for themselves and their families is a tremendous burden on our Veterans after being forced to retire. Our goal is to remove such burdens, by assisting with curing rental charges, and/or moving the military member when financially feasible away from base housing to a more affordable solution. In such scenarios, we will pay the first month’s rent and security deposit in addition to providing physical relocation services to them utilizing our partner moving company, Two-Men-and-a-Truckat no expense to them.
We have also supplied backpacks to the children of military members living in base housing, as well as to all the middle and high schools located on Fort Meade. We have extended our services to the educators at the schools and informed them of the assistance we can provide to students with learning obstacles by way of free educational tutoring in the areas of reading, writing, and basic math skills.