The CC Democratic Club is still doing good in the community and speaking up on important issues.
Here are some of the Club’s latest initiatives:
- March 2022: The Club made two $50 donations in support of the Ukrainian people and their struggle.
Both recipients are verified charities.
$50 went to Razom, at https://razomforukraine.org.
Another $50 went to the World Central Kitchen, at https://wck.org. - December 2021: The CC Dem Club made a $100 donation (from our Good Works Fund) to Carroll County Food Sunday to support their fine efforts in the community. With this gift, the club’s total donations to CCFS now amount to over $500 since 2018. We also made a donation of $100 (again, from our Good Works Fund) to The Shepherd’s Staff, in late December.
- December 4, 2021: Our “Shop Local” event was a rousing success, with about 30 folks – and some distinguished guests – spending time together and visiting various Westminster businesses.
- November 2021: The CC Dem Club signed on as a Coalition Partner for End Medical Debt Maryland.
End Medical Debt Maryland is a statewide coalition of 60+ organizations and community members working together to pass comprehensive medical billing reform, educate Marylanders on their rights as patients, and eliminate barriers to healthcare.
In spring 2021, EMDMaryland successfully passed the Medical Debt Protection Act of 2021 (HB 565 / SB 514) which gave patients new protections against some of the most predatory hospital practices.
Because of this new bill —
– Hospitals cannot put legal claims (“liens”) on patients’ homes over medical debt,
– Hospitals cannot take the wages (“garnish wages”) of patients who qualify for free or reduced-cost care,
– A state agency is required to develop guidelines for hospitals to establish income-based debt repayment plans, so patients can pay down their debts over time in manageable amounts, and
– Hospitals are not allowed to sue patients for medical debt until these guidelines are created (estimated completion date is mid-2022).
But the work continues!
The Club’s signing on is a show your support and continue the fight to expand and extend these protections for Marylanders.
To learn more about more about your rights, about the Coalition and to sign on as an individual coalition supporter, visit their coalition page at: https://actionnetwork.org/groups/emdmaryland - July 2021: The club donated $100 to the Humane Society of Carroll County from our Good Works Fund.
- July 2021: The club held its annual Picnic – our first large in-person gathering SC (Since Covid)! It was a blend of several things we like to think the club does well:
- socializing (great to see so many good Dems!)
- politics (with elected officials and LOTS of candidates – including FIVE gubernatorial candidates! – as speakers)
- activism (we ran a VERY successful food drive)
- philanthropy (we also ran a gift basket raffle to raise money for the Good Works Fund)
- June 2021: The Club recently joined a grassroots-led effort by local and state-level advocacy, civic and faith-based groups by signing on to a letter to influence President Biden to urgently prioritize passage of the For the People Act. The goal of this initiative is to have 500+ groups representing 500,000+ Americans from all 50 states to sign on to this letter to President Biden.
- March, 2021: The Club donated $25 to the Maryland Poor People’s Campaign
- March 2021: The Club donated $25 to the Campaign Against Prejudice
- February 2021: The Club donated $100 to Days End Farm Horse Rescue in Woodbine
- January 2021: The Club donated $250 in memory of Tommy Raskin
- November 2020: The Club held its election year Sign Rally on Monday, November 2 from 6 – 6:30 PM.
- September 2020: Donated $100.00 through our Good Works Fund to The Shepherd’s Staff which serves those in crisis in Carroll County, Maryland
- Fall 2020: Donated $500.00 to the “Get Mitch or Die Trying” fund that donates to Democrats running in top Senate races. This fund splits evenly between Steve Bullock (MT), Sara Gideon (ME), MJ Hegar (TX), Jaime Harrison (SC), John Hickenlooper (CO), Alan Gross (AK), Mike Espy (MS), Jon Ossoff (GA), Doug Jones (AL), Gary Peters (MI), Theresa Greenfield (IA), Raphael Warnock(GA), Barbara Bollier (KS), and Cal Cunningham (NC).
- Fall 2020: GOTV postcard campaign – The Club is in the midst of sending out Get Out the Vote postcards to Carroll County voters. We have so many wonderful volunteers who are writing a great message on these postcards, then addressing, stamping, and mailing them.
- Fall 2020: Sponsoring the Carroll County Democrats Victory Auction. Join the Carroll County Democratic Club in supporting Democratic candidates, values, and progress for all in Carroll County, MD. Proceeds from this auction will go toward efforts to get Joe Biden elected, as well as Democratic candidates up and down the ticket. Let’s have a Blue Wave in Carroll County in 2020! https://go.eventgroovefundraising.com/9c3910.
- July 2020: Contributed $100 through our Good Work’s Fund to Carroll County Food Sunday (CCFS).
“CCFS distributes a weekly, nutritionally balanced grocery package that is predicated on household size and is meant to last 3-4 days. It includes meat, eggs, fruits, vegetables, breads and milk. Over 400 families a week are served at our Westminster, Eldersburg and Taneytown locations.”
Please go to their website – https://ccfoodsunday.org/ – to learn about their hours of operation and to learn how you can help. The need is so great right now for many families, please consider making your own contribution if you are able. - July 2020: Signed on in support of Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative resolution titled “Health Equity Resource Communities Initiative”.
As the Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative states “All Marylanders deserve access to high-quality, affordable health care. However, health inequities based on race, ethnicity, and place of residence persist throughout the state, as shown in maternal and infant mortality rates and other measures. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed these health inequities and highlighted the need to address them and otherwise improve health outcomes in our state. In underserved areas of the state, people with chronic conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, asthma, diabetes, and substance and mental health disorders have worse health outcomes and are less able to get the care and treatment they need.”
Their solution
“HEALTH EQUITY RESOURCE COMMUNITIES
We are advocating for Maryland to create and fund Health Equity Resource Communities to help reduce health inequities. The Communities will provide grants, tax incentives, and health care provider loan repayment assistance to locations in the state with poor health outcomes that contribute to racial, ethnic, and geographic health inequities. They will be modeled after the successful 2012-2016 Health Enterprise Zones Program which successfully increased access to health resources, improved residents’ health, reduced hospital admissions, and created cost savings. Supporting health will help reduce preventable hospital admissions, which will result in lower overall health care costs, including lower insurance premiums for everyone.”
To learn more, to get on to Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative’s mailing list, or to have your organization endorse the Health Equity Resource Communities Resolution, go to http://healthcareforall.com/get-involved/equitycommunities/. - May 2020: Contributed $100 through our Good Works Fund to the Human Services Programs of Carroll County, Inc. (HSP). Their Director of Development was to have been our speaker at the Club’s May meeting which was cancelled due to COVID-19. The Club also participated with an entry titled ”It Takes A Village” in HSP’s 4th Annual Gingerbread Village Festival in November 2019.
HSP’s MISSION:
“HSP gives HOPE, inspires CHANGE, and provides OPPORTUNITY by mobilizing our community in the fight against poverty.”
Hope, change, and opportunity are the driving forces behind everything we do at Human Services Programs of Carroll County, Inc. We believe that with the right support, everyone can embrace hope, make meaningful changes, and take advantage of opportunities that will lead to a fulfilling and self-sufficient life.”
To learn more about HSP and to make a monetary donation during these critical times, please go to https://hspinc.org/.