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County says CDBG funds helped deliver 57,142 Meals on Wheels and rehab three shelters
Summary
Charles County staff told commissioners that $315,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding supported Meals on Wheels — delivering 57,142 meals last year — and awarded rehabilitation funds for Fuller House, Martha’s Place and a domestic violence shelter; officials urged finding long‑term funding.
Charles County commissioners heard a status update on Community Development Block Grant projects Wednesday evening, including a report that CDBG funding helped the county deliver 57,142 Meals on Wheels during the past year and paid for repairs at multiple shelters.
Barbara Farmer, community development supervisor with the county Department of Community Services, said the county applied for $315,000 in March 2025 and was awarded the full amount. She also told the board that the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development recaptured about $2,000,000 in remaining COVID relief funds statewide, which made obtaining and using local awards more urgent.
"Because of this funding, Meals on Wheels was able to successfully prepare and deliver 57,142 meals to our homebound seniors and vulnerable residents right here in Charles County," said Britney Bolen, a nutritionist with the department. Bolen said deliveries provide both nutrition and wellness checks; for some recipients the delivery driver may be the only person they see that day.
Staff reported the county also received $37,500 to supply materials for repairs at the Robert J. Fuller House, and that CDBG/COVID relief funds supported renovations at Martha's Place and the purchase and rehabilitation of a house to shelter victims of domestic violence (referred to in the record as Dales Place). Sandy Washington, CEO of Lifestyles, which operates some of the programs, described removing carpeting, installing new flooring, rehabbing cabinets and adding a computer lab to support workforce training. She said the Fuller House provides a safe, nightly place for at least 20 residents and that children residing in those homes are maintaining high grades.
Farmer noted the county published the hearing notice on 05/01/2026 to meet closing requirements for the federal grant. Speakers praised the benefits of the projects and urged continued investment; county staff emphasized that one‑time CDBG awards are valuable but not a substitute for sustained annual funding.
The public record for the CDBG hearing was closed by motion and the commission ended the hearing by voice vote. No additional action on program funding was taken during the session.
