Changemaker Challenge 2024 Invests $100K in Local Social Entrepreneurs!

12 BIG ideas for social change in Howard County | 6 that were funded with $100k | ALL that are winners

Changemaker (n) – One who desires change in the world and, by gathering knowledge and resources, makes that change happen.

On May 7, The Horizon Foundation, United Way of Central Maryland, Women’s Giving Circle, and Community Foundation of Howard County hosted The Changemaker Challenge  - a social innovation competition to highlight and award ideas in Howard County, and we are all feeling energized and inspired by our Changemaker Challenge 2024 finalists!

The Changemaker Challenge aims to spark social innovation to address challenges facing our community and we invested $100K to support 6 big ideas for social change in Howard County!

Here are the 2024 Changemaker Challenge Winners:

• $25K - Eudaimonia Project – The Eudaimonia Project is a compassionate initiative dedicated to reshaping the perception of mental health in Howard County, emphasizing a community-driven approach to foster a culture where mental wellness is embraced as an essential aspect of overall well-being.
• $25K - Sacral Roots – Sacral Roots is a certified peer support training and toolkit focused on maternal mental health for anyone affected by a maternal mental health crisis.
• $15K - Luminus Network for New Americans – Luminus seeks to empower up to ten young undocumented immigrant girls or non-binary people in one to two Howard County High Schools seeking to pursue studies in STEM through comprehensive immigration representation and mentorship in pursuit of their educational goals.
• $15K - Community Ecology Institute/Columbia Community Care – The Farming for Food Security initiative improves food security in Howard County by creating a collaborative team of local farms, food assistance programs, and youth community members to distribute fresh and nutritious food to anyone who expresses need.

• $10K WGC Award - Ballet After Dark – Lack of access to proper menstrual products, resources and education are things Black and Brown girls and youth below the poverty line endure. Ballet After Dark’s Big Idea is to launch Periodt! – a peer education fellowship program for girls led by girls and youth.
• $10K Audience Choice Award - Brightminds – Reimagining the Rainbow: Strengthening Community Through Visible and Transparent Support will include, educate, and celebrate topics of interest inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community through a year-long hybrid speaker series run by Howard County Public School System high school students in partnership with local community groups.

Here are the Changemaker Challenge 2024 Finalists:

• HoCo Pride – HoCo Pride hopes to provide an inspiring, powerful program for LGBTQ+ individuals to share and spread their voice through images to help create a more inclusive Howard County.
• Irie Cooking Adventure – Irie Cooking Adventure brings joy to home cooking with a Caribbean-American version of the Mediterranean Diet.
• JustLiving Advocacy, Inc. – Grammy’s KIDS is a community service program, which serves as a resource to promote access to successful development for kids from 6 weeks to 17 years old in early learning education, youth workforce readiness, youth tutoring and youth social activities.
• NonFudgery – NonFudgery aims to become Howard County's premier tech-focused non-profit, empowering educators and youth to excel in an AI-driven future.
• Sobar – Sobar Secure® is a program for bars, restaurants and entertainment venues to help them create a safe, profitable, adult non-alcoholic beverage program that will reduce alcohol consumption and provide options for people in recovery.
• Women’s Art Therapy Support Group – Create an Art Therapy Support Group for Women who meets once a month for 90 minutes to create art and community in a therapeutic environment.

"We are proud and honored to have worked with all of these amazing social entrepreneurs this year" said WGC Chair Jennifer Bodensiek." And in particular, we are excited to have the $10K WGC Award go to Ballet After Dark that is launching "Periodt!" to fight period poverty, something that is very important to the WGC."

 Changemaker is looking for big ideas for social change in Howard County.

We have partnered on the Changemaker Challenge because despite all the strengths of our community in Howard County, we recognize that many pressing problems continue to persist. Fortunately, Howard County has a long history of tireless work by many individuals and organizations that have brought creative solutions to some of these pressing problems. This idea started in Howard County, and was so successful that our partners at United Way have now replicated Changemaker throughout Central Maryland - talk about innovation!

"Our philanthropic community as partnered on the Changemaker Challenge since 2017 and we are proud of our growing, collaborative efforts to invest in social innovation and change in our community" said WGC Executive Director Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz. "4 Changemaker Challenges, 125+ applicants, 40+ finalists, 17 Changemakers, and $250K in awards to date - that's social innovation!" 

We look forward to our next Changemaker Challenge - stay tuned!

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