About Germantown, MarylandGermantown is an extremely diverse community (65% minority) with the fastest rate of increased poverty and population in all of Montgomery County. Current estimates predict that the Germantown population is over 100,000 residents, and that approximately 16% of residents have an income less than 200% of the federal poverty level. While some wonderful charitable organizations, such as Manna Food Bank, Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless (MCCH), Interfaith Works and Germantown Help, are working hard to address the growing needs in our community, there is a lot that still needs to be addressed.
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Three things became apparent
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Many residents, businesses and organizations want to contribute time and resources but don't know how to get started.
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There is a growing poverty level in northern Montgomery County that is struggling to fulfill basic needs like food, warm clothing and school supplies.
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Most established charitable organizations aren't based in Germantown and can only do so much on their own.
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How Germantown Coalition started
Tammi and Mike Ginsberg, residents of Germantown since 2001, formed Germantown Coalition in December of 2015 to combat the growing needs in their community. They had a simple premise in mind; what if local residents, businesses and organizations band together to help their neighbors in need? They started out by contacting the elementary school principals in Germantown to determine the needs of their students and families, as well as neighbors, friends and affiliates to see if they were interested in joining together for the cause. The response was overwhelming.
The Germantown Coalition today
As of June 2017, the Germantown Coalition had nearly 250 volunteers including residents, school administrators, coaches, politicians and business owners. Participants are passionate about improving the quality of life for those less fortunate living among them in northern Montgomery County. Volunteers are willing to give their time, energy and/or resources in service to others. By investing in local philanthropy, participants are rewarded with new friendships, community pride and a heart-warming sense of fulfillment from helping others. Knowing that we helped put food on someone's plate, warm clothing on someone's back, address healthcare needs and provide a safe place to live makes every effort we undertake worthwhile.
