Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is Christmas in April? | What are the Levels of Giving? | How does it work? |

How can I help? | What are the Commitees? | Are there any Recent Awards?

 

What is Christmas in April?

Christmas in April * St. Mary's County is a local affiliate of Rebuilding Together With Christmas in April, a national volunteer organization that, in partnership with the community, rehabilitates the homes of low-income homeowners, particularly the elderly and disabled, so that they may live in warmth, safety, and independence. Like other programs across the country, we also provide help through work on community projects. [Back to Menu]

 

What are the Levels of Giving?

Any company, group, or individual that donates at least $2,500 in funds and/or materials is considered a County Builder and is invited to include their name on the back of the tee shirt. They will also have their name listed here on our Thank You page along with a URL link to their personal web site and a logo if applicable. They must submit their name to Christmas in April before the end of February to get on the back of the tee shirts. The $2,500 includes the sponsorship of a project and advertising on the tee shirt. Any company, group, or individual that donates at least $2,000-$2,400 in funds and/or materials is considered a Community Builder and will have their name listed here on our Thank You page along with a URL link to their personal web site and a logo if applicable. To get listed on a house sponsorship sign, a group or individual has donated at least $1,000 or more in cash and/or new materials. Even when a group or individual donates $2,000 to be a house sponsor, we sometimes receive additional donations of materials and supplies on that project because the project requires more materials. [Back to Menu]

 

How does it work?

Homes are chosen for Christmas in April repairs from applications received prior to the deadline of October 31, 2007 (Applications for 2009 will be available starting in mid-April 2008). Volunteers serving on the House Selection Committee visit each applicant (during the months of October, November, and December); they interview each homeowner; inspect the home; ask for written proof of home ownership and income; and complete a report form. Then the entire committee discusses and prioritizes all applications and makes recommendations to the Christmas in April Advisory Board. A vote is taken by the Advisory Board in late December or early January to accept or reject the recommendations of the Committee. [Back to Menu]

How can I help?

Christmas in April * St. Mary's County is seeking volunteers to assist as: Fundraising Chairperson: An individual who can lead the general fundraising committee, whereby we contact the prior year's financial donors to thank them for their financial assist, and request their assistance for the upcoming year. This individual's suggestions would be welcome in strengthening this committee's work and furthering the outreach to the community. Farm-Life Festival Volunteers: Individuals who can donate either (1) a few hours on a Saturday in September or early October to help with clean-up preparations at the farm where the Festival is being held; (2) help on Saturday, October 11 or Sunday, October 12, in various ways (serving as a Festival guide, patrolling the grounds, helping with children's activities, etc.). Volunteers are offered training opportunities the Saturday prior to the Festival date. Serving on Committees such as Fundraising , Grant Writing , Material , Publicity , and Skilled Trades (see all committees listed below) to give an hour or more a month to helping in promoting the mission and goals of Christmas in April * St. Mary's County. All monetary donations are accepted. Click here to read more about ways to donate. Please see Contact Us for mailing address. [Back to Menu]

What are Our Commitees?

Awards and Thank You’s: Whereby we acknowledge the contributions and/or donations given to Christmas in April * St. Mary's through thank you notes and presentations. This committee ranges from one person to a few individuals helping with thank you notes and presentations to thank them for their support. The work of this committee is done “as needed”, with the majority of the thank you notes being typed and mailed in May. Feed a Crew: Searches for groups to provide food for volunteers at one of the sites on Christmas in April day. This is another committee that could have one or two people making telephone calls, “touching base” with groups that have participated in the past, and when necessary, looking for additional groups or individuals to provide meals and/or refreshments at one of the home repair sites. Financial: Members of the Board of Directors who focus on financial planning; setting up and reviewing the Board of Director's long-term accounts: (a) Emergency Fund, and (b) Training Fund. Members of this committee also review the financial statements and annual audit, and make recommendations to the entire Board of Directors. Members of this committee meet on a quarterly basis. Fundraising: This committee is comprised of 4 different subcommittees: (1) Traditional Fundraising, whereby prior year's financial donors are contacted to request financial assistance for upcoming year's project, and outreach to prospective contributors; (2) Annual Golf Tournament sponsored by the CMI General Contractors, Inc., held each spring; (3) Southern Maryland Farm-Life Festival sponsored by Kitty Parlett and the Parlett Family the second week of October; and (4) Wine and Beer Tasting Fundraiser held in November. There is a Farm Life Festival Committee that meets once a month from early Spring through early September, and then meets several additional times from mid-September to early October. John Parlett , Jr. and Darene Kleinsorgen are the co-chairs of this committee. The Wine & Beer Tasting Fundraiser Committee begins preparations in September. It is a short term commitment usually having just one meeting in September, with follow-up telephone calls to past sponsors and co-sponsors inviting their return participation, and help is needed with ticket sales. This fundraiser takes place in early November. Grants: Researches prospective grant opportunities; assists in the completion of grant applications. For an individual who is self-reliant and enjoys searching community resources, including the Internet, for grant opportunities, work on this aspect of Christmas in April * St. Mary's County, Inc., is done when anyone has the time to do so. House Selection: Distributes applications; reviews applications; visits and inspects homes of applications; makes recommendations to the Board. Volunteers are always needed to help “copy/xerox” copies of Christmas in April's Application for Assistance; also assistance is needed between late April through early October in distributing copies of this free application throughout St. Mary's County. Individuals willing to visit homes as part of our House Selection Committee meet in mid-October to divide up the applications, contact the homeowners who applied for assistance, and visit homes. A follow-up meeting of the House Selection Committee is held in December to discuss the selection process and arrive at recommendations to present to the Christmas in April * St. Mary's County Advisory Board. Logistics & Materials: These two committees go hand-in-hand working closely together. Duties include: Training and leading Area Coordinators and House Captains; oversight of logical needs such as trash removal, electrical safety covers for overhead wires, porto-pottys; ordering supplies and materials needed for Christmas in April day; working with Area Coordinators who are assisting their house captains with special needs and special equipment. This committee's work is done each year from late January through April. Additional volunteers are needed during mid- to late-April in helping to separate and number/identify all the materials for multiple home repair projects. We are in need of help with our logistics committee and with materials. Picnic: Plans, orders and/or organizes the food, beverages, and accompaniments for the conclusion of Christmas in April day when the volunteers and the homeowners share an end-of-the-day meal together. The majority of this committee's work is done between February and April each year. Publicity: Committee responsible for the marketing of program's activities. Opportunities to assist with publicity varies from: marketing the mission and needs of Christmas in April through local media to assisting with publicity for various fundraising events including the Southern Maryland Farm-Life Festival. Volunteers are always welcome to provide suggestions in improving our publicity and outreach to the community. We also need help in taking photos on our National Rebuilding Day (last Saturday in April). Schools: Outreach for county's public, parochial, and private schools; assists in answering their concerns and in inviting their participation. Since Christmas in April * St. Mary's County, Inc., welcomes the participation of any youth, ages 14 and above, assisting on our home repair projects, we need volunteers to help us with outreach to youth and schools in our community. Also, there are schools and various youth groups, with students under the age of 14 that help us behind the scenes, providing meals and refreshments for our volunteers, assisting with fundraising, i.e., “penny drives,” “auctions,” and various other fundraising avenues. Numerous times schools and youth groups have assisted our program in publicizing our needs (skilled trade assistance) and distributing our free Applications for Assistance. Skilled Trades: Invites participation from skilled trades organizations, companies, and individuals in the community; works alongside the Logistics and Materials Committee. We welcome the support of any volunteer who wants to help us through phone calls, personal visits, or written correspondence in encouraging further participation of skilled trade volunteers with our program. Special emphasis is given during the months of February, March, and April in reaching out to our skilled trade community. Special Projects: Works with St. Mary's College of Maryland, whereby students, working with other community groups assist in weekend repairs of homes (a) needing immediate, but limited, repairs, (2) works on homes where they are turned down for the regular Christmas in April day due to low volume of work, but accepted as a weekend project, and (3) assists executive director with other duties. Other groups can join in on this committee. We only ask that a member of the group attend our monthly Advisory Board meeting, or respond to our monthly email request for assistance in helping low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners. To get on our email listserv, an individual just needs to email their request to mary.chasen@christmasinaprilsmc.org and they will be added to the Christmas in April listserv. Volunteers: Outreach to individuals and organizations interested in participating through various aspects of our Christmas in April program. Volunteers with computer skills, computer graphic skills, and office skills are also needed.   [Back to Menu]

 

Are there any Recent Awards?

2007 John Winters of Winters Heating & Cooling was recognized as a St. Mary's County “Point of Light” at the September 2007 United Way of St. Mary's County Kick-off Breakfast. The entire Winters family have been long-time house captains and participants with Christmas in April * St. Mary's. 2007 CMI General Contractors, Inc., was award the St. Mary's County Chamber of Commerce Award for Community Service (nominated by Christmas in April). 2007 Board members Julia Bohle and Mary Lou Cullison were honored by the St. Mary's Commission for Women for their many accomplishments. 2007 John K. Parlett, Jr., was awarded the Jefferson Award from WBAL, Baltimore TV Station. 2007 Long-time volunteers, Janie Hunter, Christopher Longmore, Mary Ann Longmore, Levi Parker, and Charlie Roach were honored by the St. Mary's County “Maryland You Are Beautiful” awards committee. Board member Abell Longmore was also honored. 2007 Paul Leibe, of The Enterprise Newspaper, highlighted the efforts of five Christmas in April * St. Mary's County “Unsung Heroes”: Marc Hawes, John Petz, John Ward, Nathan (Nate) Baker, and Doug Sanborn . 2006 Howard Thompson was recognized as a St. Mary's County “Point of Light” at the September 2006 United Way of St. Mary's County Kick-off Breakfast. 2006 Long-time volunteers, Darene Kleinsorgen, Ray Norris, Nace Bowman, and Dean Rauh were honored by the St. Mary's County's “Maryland You Are Beautiful” awards committee. 2005 Multiple year house captain, Ken Ritter, was honored by the St. Mary's County Human Relations Commission for his leadership with Christmas in April and other community programs. 2004 Christmas in April * St. Mary's County was honored with a Community Organization Service-Learning Leadership Award presented by the Maryland Student Service Alliance, Maryland State Department of Education. 2004 Al Potts was honored as one of St. Mary's County's “Maryland You Are Beautiful” volunteers for his work with our program. [Back to Menu]

2004 Irvanette W. Hall, long-time supporter, received one of the Human Relations Commission Awards presented by St. Mary's County. 2003 Board member, Howard Thompson, was honored as one of St. Mary's County's “Maryland You Are Beautiful” volunteers for his many years helping Christmas in April * St. Mary's 2003 BAE SYSTEMS was honored by the St. Mary's Co. Human Relations Commission with a corporate award for its support to Christmas in April * St. Mary's and other community groups. 2003 Veridian was honored by the St. Mary's County Chamber of Commerce for its long-time service to Christmas in April, the Chamber, and other community programs. 2002 Christmas in April * St. Mary's received the Historic Preservation Award from the St. Mary's Co. Historic Preservation Committee for the work repairs done on the Drayden School in cooperation with DynCorp, St. Matthew's Church, and St. Mary's County Government. 2002 Board Member Alvin Fenwick was honored by the St. Mary's Co. Human Relations Commission. 2002 Board Member Darene Kleinsorgen honored by the St. Mary's Commission for Women 2001 Christmas in April * St. Mary's was featured in Carver Elementary School's book, One Room School Houses of St. Mary's County 2001 Certificate of Recognition received from the St. Mary's Co. Public Schools 2000 Plaque received from the Maryland Rural Summit recognizing Christmas in April * St. Mary's for Its Outstanding Rural Community Achievement 2000 Bill & Angela Dean received the JC Penney Good Neighbor Award 1999 John K. Parlett, Jr., received the JC Penney Good Neighbor Award 1998 Received the Christmas in April * USA Spread the Spirit Award