Montgomery County Faith Community Advisory Group

Happy Lunar New Year and Black History Month! Today is both Lunar New Year and the first day of Black History Month. Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays in Asian countries and cultures. It is a time of family togetherness, good food, and good spirits. This year is going to be the Year of the Tiger. The Tiger represents bravery, strength and warding of evil. The FCAG wishes everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year! Black History Month will take place until the end of February, and is an important time way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora.   Montgomery County Public Libraries will several programs in observance of Black History Month. All programs are free and offered virtually, and you can learn more by visiting their website. FCAG's Public Meeting on the Montgomery Thrive 2050 Plan   Learn more about the Faith Community Advisory Group and the Montgomery Thrive 2050 plan by joining us for this public meeting on Monday, February 7th at 7:30 pm.   This event is open to all in the faith community and Montgomery County, and feel free to share this event with anyone who may be interested in attending.   Our guest speakers on Montgomery Thrive 2050 will be Khalid Afzal, Special Projects Manager, Montgomery County Planning Department and Jane Lyons, Maryland Advocacy Manager, Coalition for Smarter Growth.   This event will be virtual, and please be sure to register in advance by clicking here. Montgomery County Launches Online Form for Community Organizations to Request COVID-19 Rapid Test Kits     To ensure equitable distribution of COVID-19 rapid test kits, Montgomery County is distributing kits to community organizations to redistribute to our most vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations across the County.    Organizations who serve residents unable to visit a COVID-19 testing site or pick up a testing kit through the public distribution happening through Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) -- including residents who are homebound, residents with mobility issues, the underserved, and others -- can fill out a form online to request kits. This form is intended to be filled out only by organizations who have the capacity and the means to pick up and redistribute kits to the target populations. Please note, supplies are limited.   Nominate Volunteers for County Awards Act Before March 11 Deadline!   Nominations are now open for the Montgomery Serves Awards, our county's highest honor for volunteer service. This prestigious annual awards program is coordinated by the Volunteer Center and recognizes volunteer efforts in the following categories:   ·    Neal Potter Path of Achievement Award, for lifetime service by residents age 60 and up; ·    Volunteer of the Year Award, for an individual, in recognition of volunteer service performed in 2021; ·    Youth Volunteer of the Year Award, for a volunteer age 18 or younger who served in 2021; ·    Group Volunteer of the Year Award, for a group or team of two or more people who volunteered together on the same project(s) in 2020; ·    Business Volunteer of the Year Award, for community service by a business in 2021.   To nominate deserving volunteers, complete the appropriate online nomination forms linked above no later than Friday, March 11 at 5 pm. Join MoCo ~ Hopes & Homes Facebook Group For Ways To Support Local Afghan Newcomers   MoCo ~ Hopes & Homes is a group of caring, selfless souls looking to support Afghan Refugee neighbors, who have fled for their lives and left their professions behind. They now find themselves in temporary homes and the aim of this group to help them into their permanent housing in MoCo during these challenging times. This group will share updates and ways in which you can support newcomers in our area.   Join here.

 

Faith Community Advisory Group | 12900 Middlebrook Drive, Germantown, MD 20874