[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6085658,"mediaKeyId","2902495-df32b1d00ff362b0c094d265ec1f50b2","parentId",2902495,"title","Interfaith Works, board and clients ask council to fund vocational and prevention programs to reduce homelessness","audioSeconds",7500,"startMs",2357000,"endMs",9857000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2902495-df32b1d00ff362b0c094d265ec1f50b2&start=2357&end=9857","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2902495-df32b1d00ff362b0c094d265ec1f50b2/thumbnail_2357000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6085658/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Interfaith-Works-board-and-clients-ask-council-to-fund-vocational-and-prevention-programs-to-reduce-homelessness","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085658-4f9e6fd516925b78592ce2aa694e6f43/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167871&Signature=ICaIEMOJYb-STBf9tMOYCtborsTPrajxexMfj3dvm7n-QKMOqVspDcYtavb8suK8ZU~KNUTYG6EqwkM74jvYR2gR57xrUL-nuCH0XZyPK4~DBS2JiUlaGWBc8Z~t96iX38ZbwGSQvJtpcrcW8p5Cr4oqER1OmYi3PYAc5u8RuKOPs~v5k5tbKbvPsPNoxmbjFqTMP5KKJ8X8No821oYRYny7hUZDL9p6D8drZUyrhKTi~WuzSlw0VCu9t1u7LmYGnSFikD583UVAgFCb~QIM-XQZHB8XfwD1GL-UDwTJDM2Ppq~vVeMYjpc6YyKBgpVDrVi-er27RXcGCiUuGaM3Wg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montgomery County, MD","date","2025-04-09T00:25:49.25Z","article","Interfaith Works, which runs shelters, an essential needs center and vocational programs in Montgomery County, asked the County Council for additional operating support during FY26 budget hearings to expand its vocational services program (VSP) and Connections prevention program.

Deborah Monk, chair of Interfaith Works’ board, said the nonprofit’s vocational services (VSP) went from low completion rates to a 94 percent completion rate after adding paid internships; she requested $430,000 to increase VSP capacity by 15 percent in FY26. Susan Fox, who volunteers with refugee and newcomer families, told the council the Connections program provides short‑term financial boosts (rent, utilities or similar) to keep families in their homes and asked for $580,000 so Interfaith Works could serve an additional 1,150 households.

Board members and supporters framed the request as an investment: combined prevention and employment supports reduce shelter demand and return dollars to the county economy when people regain employment. Tracy Washington Craig, a board member and program participant, said the full Interfaith Works FY26 request totals $1,010,000 and emphasized that the organization is a county partner that responds to emergency referrals from county agencies.

Speakers also asked that Interfaith Works staff receive training to support residents with behavioral health needs in shelters and requested predictable grant contracts so nonprofits can plan multi‑year services. No formal council action occurred at the hearing; the testimony will be considered as part of the FY26 appropriations process.

Ending: Interfaith Works asked the council for increased operating support to expand preventive and vocational services that leaders say reduce homelessness and help residents return to stable employment.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Apr. 7, 2025 - Council Session (7:00)","oneSentenceSummary","Interfaith Works representatives and board members urged the County Council to fund the nonprofit’s vocational services and connections prevention programs in the FY26 budget, saying modest county support would expand capacity and reduce shelter demand.","taxTitle","Montgomery County, Maryland","taxId",3351,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6085662,"Advocates press council for $50 million in emergency rental assistance and expanded homelessness supports",1153,4911000,6064000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2902495-df32b1d00ff362b0c094d265ec1f50b2&start=4911&end=6064","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2902495-df32b1d00ff362b0c094d265ec1f50b2/thumbnail_4911000.jpg","/articles/6085662/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Advocates-press-council-for-50-million-in-emergency-rental-assistance-and-expanded-homelessness-supports","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085662-0bbf352e9d030d266d6d4ae99599cc0a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167871&Signature=Hd7XJBLr63kiY5hGZSpDXA4j4Ssp-TCBM11NFQ4NYDAaJak4GJPLlXLWWIZKX5gUPIKXXXV3Uc8ZtOsPJpimnHuKhZysLfjtK7ZFdlMcV7wWnWp6WW5wmHaGixJPCfxRPif9-Fittza8DqTTKhaGP9d~HZonbp5ILI-zCFfL1OKOTBnJR07Thn6QTZ6O~M0QpHlJdw2FRj-BQah7Dy4ShZGWYGCpiZm3tWW7eEspVeWfdmH7Wz50f0r8OVQMIzOvGEIKgC1UBH792fDGhrnOPeI2UcJQHMkSBVvv8tdHTFURkquV5m5tTjm0qpGKPtmGKanIpNRsp40r7udEgnLkkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Housing advocates and residents urged Montgomery County leaders to allocate tens of millions of dollars for emergency rental assistance, rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing and storage for evicted families during FY26 budget hearings.

Multiple witnesses associated with Housing Justice Montgomery and other grassroots groups requested $50,000,000 for emergency rental assistance. Ibrahim Alashi, who said he was unhoused for nearly two years and organizes with Housing Justice Montgomery, asked the council to “fund 50,000,000 to help all the 8,732 household asks,” and described families losing possessions on the street. Speakers using different datasets described slightly different household counts: Lukman Safai and others referenced 4,723 households projected to need help in FY26 with an average grant of $10,581 per household; the $10,581 figure also appeared in other testimony.

Aziz Sani (Housing Justice Montgomery) outlined a five‑part funding platform that included $50,000,000 for rental assistance and additional amounts to cover sheltering, permanent supportive housing, moving and storage assistance and retrofit programs. He described these items as foundational to preventing homelessness.

Residents with lived experience described the human impact. Rasheeda Lee, who said she had been in a shelter nine months after job loss, told the council better‑funded housing assistance could have kept her family in their apartment. Lauren Diggins, a working single parent, described unsafe and unsanitary housing conditions at a property she lived in and asked the council to reallocate $3.2 million proposed for sheriffs’ evictions toward housing stability programs.

Advocates also requested $2.4 million for storage assistance to preserve families’ belongings for up to six months after eviction and $150,000 for retrofit programs to make homes accessible for residents with disabilities (testimony identified Rebuilding Together as a nonprofit partner). Numerous speakers tied the request to the loss of federal jobs and anticipated reductions in state and federal funding for residents.

No formal vote occurred at the hearing; the testimony will inform council budget decisions during committee review. Advocates asked the council to prioritize eviction prevention and rapid rehousing to reduce longer‑term costs of homelessness and to preserve families’ stability.","Several speakers representing Housing Justice Montgomery, Housing advocacy groups and residents urged the County Council to fund large-scale emergency rental assistance, rapid rehousing and support services, citing thousands of households at risk of eviction and multiple specific funding requests presented during FY26 budget hearings.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6085667,"Students and staff urge full MCPS funding; career‑readiness evening program and virtual school supporters warn cuts will hurt vulnerable students",3725,3332000,7057000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2902495-df32b1d00ff362b0c094d265ec1f50b2&start=3332&end=7057","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2902495-df32b1d00ff362b0c094d265ec1f50b2/thumbnail_3332000.jpg","/articles/6085667/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Students-and-staff-urge-full-MCPS-funding-careerreadiness-evening-program-and-virtual-school-supporters-warn-cuts-will-hurt-vulnerable-students","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085667-7748522d8381605c62bd73d336a1ca0b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167871&Signature=XNmlvBrQu9WPnFEDIs9Y0c3uyA3y~JQOgHm9twz9qX66D-rBuSh0e9qCJjgAHIZLtepM~7RkTp1MuJvwtE~AZREsQrrK8qYDZfWMm5X-8dxBdA0GNO~hTVwTlKwzRTH7~sOVVTjTt3qS~v8SQ9Pe9jxgBuFh2nk93xTTduE0VED4zghd8wWvsGLeEVcznXysBrIIP13JQ4PGa4XxzaqbBBe8Mth-u18G48KQ3bsm1G3hrVcQbpd765F9MPiGxDXNn-JJvh4iNd0Q4r8g6hNguMdzr-yoj5td1HAc10Seuji4LYxyKXP6FOZMhFrKeitHsDrfITwy1SbjdysFU08LoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Student leaders, parents and educators urged the County Council to fully fund Montgomery County Public Schools’ FY26 operating request and warned that cuts will reduce supports for English learners, evening career‑readiness students and other high‑need groups.

Unani Galetto, a sophomore at Springbrook High School, told the council: “Funding defines the quality of our education.” Several student speakers said their classrooms lack reliable HVAC, space and staff; one said extreme heat forced a school closure. Multiple witnesses singled out the Career Readiness Education Academy (referred to as CREA or GREA in testimony), an evening program for English learners and students who work, which has reportedly lost key staff members.

Tracy Espinosa, a student leader, said CREA “lost 2 of its most fundamental staff members,” including its only full‑time instructional specialist and a parent‑community coordinator. Vivien Urbina said the program had gone from multiple full‑time staff to zero, and that students had lost access to hot lunches, counseling and other supports. Rafi Akbar and other student speakers described CREA as “a stepping stone” that lets students “work during the day and study at night.” They urged the council to fund MCPS so CREA can continue serving students seeking their GED and career credentials.

Separate testimony addressed the county’s decision last year to eliminate the Montgomery Virtual Academy (MBA). Courtney Evans, speaking for the Montgomery Virtual Academy Parent Teacher Coalition, said the district closed MBA to save $5 million and then redirected some students into a blended learning program that she characterized as “isolating, inequitable, and ineffective.” Sterling High (a representative of the Maryland Coalition for Virtual School Access) said nearly 300 students who were enrolled in or applied to MBA have left the district or sought private alternatives, removing per‑pupil funding from MCPS.

Teachers and parents described operational impacts: Amber Lesnevich, a teacher, said supply shortages and staffing increases have forced teachers to spend hours on tasks that reduce time for planning and student assessment; she cited examples of students dropping out because school feels less supportive. Students and family advocates requested the council maintain funding for special education paras, school psychologists, mental health staff, and positions tied to English learners.

No formal action was taken at the hearing; the testimony will be considered during the council’s budget deliberations. Speakers asked council members to preserve educational programs that serve students outside of traditional school schedules and to restore or replace virtual options that previously kept students in MCPS.","Dozens of students, parents and educators testified at the Montgomery County Council FY26 budget hearing asking the council to fully fund Montgomery County Public Schools, highlight staffing losses at the Career Readiness Education Academy (CREA/GREA) and seek restoration or alternatives for the closed Montgomery Virtual Academy.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6085673,"Residents urge council to restore parks and recreation funding, citing maintenance and youth programs at risk",7275,522000,7797000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2902495-df32b1d00ff362b0c094d265ec1f50b2&start=522&end=7797","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2902495-df32b1d00ff362b0c094d265ec1f50b2/thumbnail_522000.jpg","/articles/6085673/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Residents-urge-council-to-restore-parks-and-recreation-funding-citing-maintenance-and-youth-programs-at-risk","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085673-2d4a1f00b06aa6c456f782592c517124/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167871&Signature=Vzg-C5b~Crmsib9-wPwNas1mKelRqzoCShRnrAaMezx-mSZWQYOnjlRhm6fZIn2SDccRiER7hHitL~IgRsoGIVuskLmPGRdajZdUwQz1vNu4cpbCkuByQE2nUc7Qbu9v6giNpTD4BxN7nB~JOudYDxepCmRtpomEpS0s8~td0xRhlE7~Bpu5paMUsVNdk54yonF97HvpoTY~Ddwsh73DuOQJWu-9mqkiGy5nMnB2vU8CnP8myFGdGrmG4QmXNxrOiFZ-IeLBVN9oXUuc~6oYp3tz5xnWWW~B7Ls4cOuWq9FWIdYLouncYjFF35-NPEb4BNkaysI~JJBq0cQdy-UHww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Montgomery County residents told the County Council at a public hearing that proposed cuts to parks and recreation funding would reduce access to maintained fields, after‑school programs, and services that community members rely on.

Mike Ricci, chair of the county Recreation Parks Advisory Board, said the executive’s recommendation “underfunds parks beyond even the most extreme black swan scenarios that the department had contemplated” and urged the council to “fully fund recreation and parks.”

Speakers described parks and rec as core, widely used services that support young people, seniors and volunteers. Lisonbee Gillespie said the department requested “a 7.2 budget increase, but the executive recommended only 3.1,” and she warned that the reduction is larger than for most other county departments. Ray Heinsman, a Forest Glen resident who volunteers on trails, called parks “the places where connections happen,” and John Harding, vice president of Montgomery County Little League, said cuts would “make it impossible for parks to even maintain the current surface and keep fields playable,” affecting more than 4,000 players and families his group serves.

Youth speakers and nonprofit leaders described how recreation programming doubles as workforce development and social support: Hannah Hutton said recreation “doesn’t just fill time. It shapes futures,” citing counselor‑in‑training and teen internship programs; Caden (a Whitman High student) described club mountain‑bike volunteers who build and maintain trails and warned that lower funding would jeopardize trail safety and upkeep.

Supporters asked the council to prioritize operational maintenance (field upkeep, restroom and ADA repairs), staffing and programs that serve high‑use facilities such as Wheaton Regional Park and Germantown fields. Several witnesses noted the parks request is a relatively small share of the county operating budget but has large community impact.

No formal council action or vote was recorded during the hearing; testimony was part of the public record for the FY26 operating budget process. The council’s committee and full‑council work sessions were announced to begin in April and May as part of the budget review schedule.

Many speakers asked the council to restore the department’s full requested increase to maintain current services, while others offered to partner on field improvements or volunteer maintenance. The council will consider these requests during the upcoming work sessions.

Ending: The council’s formal decisions on the FY26 budget will come through committee work sessions and full‑council votes; residents asked that parks and recreation be maintained at current service levels to avoid reductions in field availability, programming and maintenance.","Multiple residents and nonprofit leaders told the Montgomery County Council during FY26 budget public hearings that the county executive’s recommended parks funding is insufficient to maintain facilities, programs and field availability, and asked the council to fully fund the Recreation and Parks Department’s request.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Interfaith Works, board and clients ask council to fund vocational and prevention programs to reduce homelessness

Advocates press council for $50 million in emergency rental assistance and expanded homelessness supports

Students and staff urge full MCPS funding; career‑readiness evening program and virtual school supporters warn cuts will hurt vulnerable students

Residents urge council to restore parks and recreation funding, citing maintenance and youth programs at risk