Allegany County DSS leads a $95,000 flood recovery response, meet Olivia the new facility dog supporting young trauma victims, and get the full agenda for October's Fall Conference.
Greetings Everyone! As summer comes to a close, I hope this message finds you well and energized for what promises to be an exciting fall for our community-focused network. One of MASSB's signature events is happening in October at Howard Community College. Our annual conference theme, "Rising to the Challenge: Strengthening Local Boards Through Advocacy," could not be timelier, especially as we reflect on all the numerous volunteer efforts throughout this year and the remarkable efforts of Allegany County DSS in the aftermath of the devastating Georges Creek flooding.
This spirit of responsiveness is exactly what we aim to celebrate through the Annual MASSB Conference and the 2025 Lifting Lives Award, which recognizes outstanding community projects. If your board has led or supported a meaningful initiative, I encourage you to submit a nomination and share your success. The conference will also feature dynamic sessions, peer networking, and fresh strategies to strengthen your advocacy efforts. Register soon and together we will continue the work of lifting lives together.
Best,
Tony
Conference Preparation and Round Table Discussion, 12–1pm. Meeting ID: 693 085 8871.
Join Zoom MeetingRising to the Challenge: Strengthening Local Boards Through Advocacy, at Howard County Community College.
Day 1 — 11:00am Welcome: Panel: Advocacy Strategies for Local Boards • Workshop: Advocacy Within the Context of the Legislative Process • Effective Board Management and Website Presence • Dinner & Keynote Speaker: Kathryn Marsh, Special Victims Litigation Expert.
Day 2 — 8:30am Welcome: Panel: Best Practices: Fundraising as a Means for Advocacy • Visuals for Social Media Storytelling • Workshop: Storytelling • 12:00pm Adjourn.
Awarded annually as part of MASSB's October conference, the Lifting Lives Award recognizes projects or initiatives that are innovative or impact the local community in a positive way. Projects may be DSS-led or Board-led, however, board involvement is strongly encouraged. Awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place include a monetary allocation to the winning board's MASSB Foundation account of up to $1,500. Nominate your project today!
Olivia — Facility Dog, Baltimore County Child Advocacy Center & Greater Baltimore Medical Center
Please welcome Olivia! Olivia, a new facility dog supporting the Baltimore County CAC and GBMC's Child Protection Program, offers comfort in a space where many have experienced unimaginable trauma. The 2-year-old yellow lab is more than a companion; she's a lifeline in moments of distress, helping children feel safe, supported, and heard.
Olivia is trained to notice stress cues, such as wringing hands or tapping feet, and has been taught to snuggle or provide pressure to relax the child's nervous system. She can also sit in a chair or hand someone a tissue. It's only been a few months, and Olivia has already made an impressive impact — not just with victims, she has been a huge support to the Emergency Department staff as well.
The CAC and GBMC teams are grateful to Hero Dogs, the Montgomery County-based nonprofit organization that placed Olivia, for allowing the two organizations to co-handle Olivia and support more kids. Founded in 2009, Hero Dogs specializes in placing and training assistance dogs, including service dogs, facility dogs, therapy dogs, and skilled home companions.
Read the Full ArticleAre you confused by MASSB, MASSBF and MASSD? Let us explain!
MASSB is the association of all Advisory Boards. There are 24 boards in all — 23 Maryland counties plus Baltimore City.
MASSBF, the MASSB Foundation, was established in 2007 to give local boards the ability to fundraise as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
MASSD is the association of the 24 DSS Directors. A MASSD member acts as liaison to MASSB, ensuring coordination between the two Associations. The current MASSD Liaison is Howard County's Director, Ms. Geneva Rieu. For ease of communication and coordination, the MASSB Liaison is from the same county as the MASSB President, currently Howard County's Board Chair, Melissa Teitelbaum.
Crabs for a Cause, community partners and agency grants make possible $95,000 in assistance after devastating flooding.
In response to the May flooding event that devastated several communities in the Georges Creek region of Allegany County, the Allegany County Department of Social Services (ACDSS) led a multi-phase, coordinated recovery effort in partnership with local municipalities, state agencies, and nonprofit organizations.
In addition to supporting sheltering, resource coordination, and donation management, ACDSS provided $95,000 in direct community assistance to help impacted residents replace essential household appliances lost in the flood. Funding was made possible through faith-based community partners, agency grants, and proceeds from the Annual Crabs for a Cause Fundraiser supported by MASSB. Essential items provided included:
Additionally, ACDSS funded a well replacement project in the Town of Barton, allowing low-income, medically vulnerable residents to remain safely in their home (final cost pending). Assistance reached households in Westernport, Lonaconing, Rawlings, Barton, Frostburg, Cumberland, LaVale, Oldtown, Midland, and Mount Savage, ensuring resources were distributed across the hardest-hit areas of the county.
Grants up to $2,500 are now available for local boards. The funds are intended to address community needs or kick-start larger initiatives for which boards lack funding. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Apply HereDeveloping or revitalizing a non-profit board can be hard! Experienced MASSB members are available for training or coaching sessions. We are all volunteers so help is free of charge. Reasonable funding for training offered by other organizations such as Maryland Nonprofits is also available. Please e-mail massbftrustee@gmail.com.
Please also email your updated board roster to massbftrustee@gmail.com so we can add your new members to our correspondence. Thank you!
