Standing up for each other
“After watching the inhumane acts of ICE in Minneapolis, including shootings of American citizens, unlawful entry into people’s homes, separation of families and using children as bait, I was so proud of how Howard County responded last week to the threat of ICE in our own community.
We showed up for each other. We showed up for our neighbors because we value humanity and dignity. We value equity and inclusion. And, we value ALL of our residents.”
Read our full statement from our president and CEO, Nikki Highsmith Vernick >>
“The relationship is the intervention.”
We are thrilled that the Horizon Foundation was featured as a case study in Listen to Community, a new initiative led by the Fund for Shared Insight that seeks to engage funders in listening practices that shift power to impacted communities. A project that was about 18 months in the making, we explored the various approaches the Foundation uses in working side-by-side with the community: from our deep community listening in our strategic planning process, to equal community representation on our Planning and Evaluation Committee, to community organizing through our coalitions and fellows.
Though the philanthropic community is an important pillar of society, we do not have all the answers – and if we want to catalyze movements for lasting change, it’s time we share and wield our own power differently. It is not just about the programs or initiatives we launch or how much money we give out in grants that creates the biggest impact in a community; rather, as our staff likes to say, “The relationship is the intervention.”
Check out the full case study videos and blog>>
Action in Annapolis
Support Mental Health Care
The need for quality mental health and substance use care has never been greater, but the state’s proposed budget does not provide enough funding to continue to serve Marylanders in need. We need your help to ensure behavioral health providers can keep up with demand, restore $20 million for school mental health and support Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics. Tell the Maryland General Assembly to support critical investments in our mental health system!
Starter and Silver Homes Act
The Maryland legislature is considering legislation that would make it easier to build townhomes and other smaller size/lower priced homes across the state. In recent years, our housing supply has dropped while prices have skyrocketed. We need to make Howard County and the state of Maryland a place where quality, stable homes that people can afford are widely available. Tell your representatives in the Maryland General Assembly to vote YES on the Starter and Silver and Silver Homes Act!
Coming soon: Birth justice RFP
Every mother should receive respectful, high-quality care; every baby deserves a healthy start. Giving birth should be a time of joy, not fear. Yet Black and Brown women are at a greater risk of complications and even death due to preventable issues rooted in racism.
The Foundation will be releasing an RFP in the coming weeks for organizations to join us in our policy and advocacy efforts to improve maternal and infant health, and to build a movement for birth justice. Stay tuned for more information!
First Thursdays – March 5
We’ve had a great start to our 2026 First Thursdays community conversations and are excited to keep it going! Our next gathering will take place on March 5 at 10 a.m. at the Horizon Foundation’s office.
Please join us and your fellow Howard County residents for connection and community. To join, please RSVP to our Senior Power and Movement Building Officer, Gerardo Benavides, by Monday, March 2. Contact us with any questions!
Staff Picks & Resources: Check out what we’re reading, watching & learning
- Read This If You’re New and Trying to Find Your Way (In These Times)
- Why Keeping Up with Change Feels Harder Than Ever (Harvard Business Review)
- Maybe America Needs Some New Cities (The New York Times)
- Maryland lawmakers ‘disheartened’ by persistent inequities in Black maternal health outcomes (Maryland Matters)
- Making the Case for Equitable Housing (Stanford Social Innovation Review)
