July 12 - July 18, 2018
Officials Join First Baptist Church of Glenarden to Dedicate New Community Family Life Center and Solar Field
LEED-Certified Center and Solar Field A First for Faith-Based Properties
By PRESS OFFICER
First Baptist Church of Glenarden
UPPER MARLBORO, MD—Maryland Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford, Maryland State Senator Doug J.J. Peters and Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker were among the elected officials who joined more than 1,000 community leaders, partners, residents and members for the dedication of First Baptist Church of Glenarden’s newly constructed Family Life Center on Saturday, June 23, 2018.
The 63,000-square-foot, $24 million building will fill a void for recreation and fitness space in the community. “This is what God has ordained you to do, to build a facility like this that the community has been asking for,” said County Executive Baker during Saturday’s ceremony.
The center—which consists of three full-size basketball courts, two activity/
practice rooms, a 1/8-mile walking track circuit, a fitness room, a multi-purpose room and a vending and concession area—will be the site of basketball league tournaments, after-school camps, basketball and volleyball camps, and fitness classes. The building will also host wellness activities, discussions and demonstrations; its unique “gymnatorium” design features concentrated seating for more than 3,100 people, a platform for performances and presentations, and a million-dollar audiovisual system.
“Our new Family Life Center is the latest endeavor in our church’s community outreach efforts,” said Pastor John K. Jenkins Sr., Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Glenarden. “We are excited to provide a facility for use by the community.”
The church designed the facility with not only the community in mind, but also the environment. The eco-friendly Family Life Center features indoor and outdoor LED lighting, a roof made of a heat-deflecting polymer material to reduce the use of air conditioning, and ground-level plant beds (bio-retention structures) designed as a water quantity and quality control system.
The ribbon-cutting also included the church’s new solar field, which will generate 50 percent of the energy used by the adjacent 205,000-square-foot Worship Center. The solar field, developed by Sun Trail and IGS Solar, is the nation’s first of this magnitude on a faith-based property.
“We are stewards of the earth,” said IGS Solar President and CEO Scott White at the dedication ceremony. “Thank you for setting the example and understanding the importance of sustainable energy.”
The Family Life Center is located at 600-J Watkins Park Drive in Upper Marlboro and will officially open to all on August 1. It offers affordable membership rates, with free admission for children/youth ages 17 and younger and seniors ages 60 and older. The public can learn more online at www.fbcgfamilylifecenter.com, or at one of several upcoming open houses: July 14 (9:00 AM–12:00 noon); July 19 (6:00 PM–10:00 PM); and July 21 (9:00 AM–12:00 noon).
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DHCD and Redevelopment Authority Launch New Home Buyer Assistance Program
By PRESS OFFICER
PG County Government
Largo, MD—The Prince George’s County Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and the Redevelopment Authority of Prince George’s County launched a new homebuyer assistance program on July 2, 2018 called the Prince George’s County Purchase Assistance Program or PGCPAP. PGCPAP provides first-time homebuyers with a loan for up to $15,000 to use for down payment and closing costs toward the purchase of their new home. The loan is a 0% interest deferred payment loan that the purchaser must pay back in full when the home is sold, transferred or ceases to be the primary residence of the buyer(s), regardless of the length of residency. The program is managed by the Redevelopment Authority of Prince George’s County.
“We are very happy to be able to offer a second purchase assistance program for first-time homebuyers or for those potential home buyers who have not owned a home in the last three years,” says Eric C. Brown, Director of the Prince George’s County DHCD. “Most times, the hardest thing to do when thinking about buying a new home is coming up with the down payment and closing costs. This new program helps to bridge the gap and assist home buyers with the up-front costs needed to buy a home.”
If a buyer is a police officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff, classroom teacher, nurse, firefighter or emergency medical technician (EMT), they could be eligible for an additional $5,000 based on their need and income. This would bring the total loan amount up to $20,000. Eligible properties include: resales, foreclosures, short sales and new construction. The purchase price limit is $462,000 for both resale and new construction.
Among other qualifications, potential home buyers must work with a certified participating lender, have an executed sales contract and attend an “in-classroom” 8 hour counseling course by a HUD certified Housing Counseling Agency. For additional information, please visit the Prince George’s County Purchase Assistance Program website: https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/2965/Purchase-Assistance-Program
There is still $500,000 available for the existing home buyer assistance program, Pathway to Purchase. For details and qualifications for the Pathway to Purchase Program, visit: https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/2598/Pathway-to-Purchase. Interested persons can also call 301-883-5456 for additional information on both programs.
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Hogan Administration Announces Nearly $20 Million in Grants to Local Management Boards
Grants to Provide Economic Opportunities for Maryland’s Struggling Children, Youth, and Families
By PRESS OFFICER
Office of the Governor
ANNAPOLIS, MD (July 5, 2018)—The Hogan administration announced $19.6 million in statewide grant awards to Maryland’s Local Management Boards. Located in all 23 counties and Baltimore City, the Local Management Boards (LMBs) bring together resources at the local level to strengthen services to children, youth, and families. These non-competitive grants will fund more than 120 child- and family-focused community-based programs in Fiscal Year 2019.
“Our administration is committed to ensuring Maryland’s families in need are better equipped to achieve economic stability and have access to greater opportunities,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “These grants enable our network of Local Management Boards to assist thousands of families by providing life-changing resources including anti-hunger initiatives, job readiness programs, and parenting workshops.”
Through an extensive planning process that involved input from hundreds of community members in every jurisdiction, the LMBs identified strategies that will address critical needs for children, youth, and families in their jurisdictions and are aligned with Governor Hogan’s goal of an economically secure Maryland. These awards continue Maryland’s commitment to improving outcomes and positions Maryland as a leader in developing solutions to issues that have far-reaching impacts for children and families in communities across the State.
“The Governor’s Office for Children recognizes and appreciates the unique role of the Local Management Boards in understanding the specific concerns of their communities and developing corresponding programs for children, youth, and families,” said Jaclin Warner Wiggins, acting executive director of the Governor’s Office for Children. “These crucial groups are at the front lines to identify the most pressing needs of our children and their families. We are grateful to be able to fund the many promising programs for the coming year.”
The FY19 programs and strategies proposed by LMBs focus on interventions for some of Maryland’s most vulnerable populations to include families and children impacted by caregiver incarceration, disconnected or “opportunity” youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither working nor attending school, children and youth who are food-insecure, and youth who are experiencing homelessness. These interventions represent new pathways to opportunities and a push for systemic change that will further Governor Hogan’s vision of ensuring an economically secure Maryland for all.
For the full list of grants and programs, visit http://goc.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/ sites/8/2018/06/FY19-LMB-Awards-Press-Release-with-Totals-062818.pdf.
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As Americans Reflect on Independence Upper Marlboro Native Serves Aboard the USS Constitution
By Alvin Plexico
Navy Office of Community Outreach
BOSTON, MA—A 2014 Frederick Douglass High School graduate and Upper Marlboro, Maryland, native celebrated America’s 242nd year of independence as part of a hand-picked Navy crew serving on the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat, the USS Constitution.
Seaman Anansa Wargo serves aboard the 220-year-old Boston-based ship named by President George Washington to honor the Constitution of the United States of America. Famously known as “Old Ironsides,” the Constitution is a wooden-hulled three-masted heavy frigate that originally launched in 1797.
“The Navy is a great opportunity to better myself while serving others,” said Wargo. “My brother is in the Navy, my sister was in the Air Force, my aunt was in the Navy, my father was in the Air Force, and my uncle served in the Marine Corps.”
Her family tradition of military service, coupled with a move as a teenager, helped her prepare for a career in the Navy.
“I moved to Maryland from Pennsylvania when I was 13, which was somewhat of a culture shock,” said Wargo. “This prepared me for the military because it gave me the confidence to be myself.”
Wargo is honored to have been selected to serve on the ship that is rich in history and successfully held off the British Navy in the War of 1812.
“It’s an honor serving aboard this ship because I know that this is where the Navy started, and it’s humbling to be a part of this ship honoring our naval heritage,” said Wargo.
A key element of the Navy’s mission is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, according to Navy officials, and that the nation’s prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the world’s oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the world’s population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea. Just as U.S. Navy ships and submarines do today, Constitution actively defended sea lanes against global threats from 1797 to 1855. Constitution’s victories at sea during the War of 1812 inspired a nation and helped mark the emergence of the United States as a world-class maritime power.
Now a featured destination on Boston’s Freedom Trail, Constitution and crew offer community outreach and education about the ship’s history and the importance of maintaining a strong Navy to hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
Seventy-seven sailors make up the crew aboard Constitution. These sailors routinely interact with the public talking about their jobs, their previous duty stations, Navy rules and regulations and life aboard a Navy vessel.
“I’m extremely proud of my sailors stationed onboard USS Constitution,” said Nath-aniel R. Shick, 75th Commanding Officer of USS Constitution. “We have the opportunity to engage with over half a million people each year here at the Charlestown Navy Yard. Each sailor is hand selected for this command, undergoing a rigorous college level curriculum studying American Naval History in the Age of Sail and building confidence through daily public communication. I could never praise these men and women enough for volunteering their services and pledging their support to our nation.”
USS Constitution, America’s Ship of State, actively defended sea lanes against global threats from 1797–1855. The World’s Oldest Commissioned Warship Afloat, Constitution embodies 220 years of maritime heritage and unwavering service to her country. Now a featured destination on Boston’s Freedom Trail, Constitution and her crew of active duty U.S. Navy sailors offer community outreach and education about the ship’s history and the importance of naval sea power to more than 500,000 visitors each year.
“Serving in the Navy started out as me wanting to live up to family traditions, but it’s turned into me wanting to be the change that I want to see in the world,” added Wargo.
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