The Bible says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” We all have our favorite causes, and these are the organizations to which I give my time, talent and treasure – what little treasure I have, anyway! – and therefore my heart as well. If you are moved to offer your support to any of these organizations, please know you have my gratitude. I also hope you’ll learn a little more about me through the causes I embrace. Read on!

Chesapeake Church
http://www.chesapeakechurch.org

When it comes to volunteering and charitable giving, more people give of their time and money to their local church than any other single institution, and I’m no exception. When I first moved here and told my best friend who lives here in Calvert County what kind of church I was looking for – contemporary music, quality children’s ministry and practical, Bible-based messages – he said without hesitation, “You need to go to Chesapeake Church!” The church’s Willow Creek style of worship is what brought me and my family there, but it’s their community outreach – the counseling center, food pantry, Oil Change Day where they offer free basic car maintenance to single-parent and financially strapped families – and our love for the people that keeps us there. Two sayings at Chesapeake Church are etched into my heart: “All people matter to God” – one of our core values - and “The local church is the hope of the world.” We strive to live those words, and that’s why I call Chesapeake Church home.

Matt’s Place
http://www.matts-place.org

Matt’s Place is an inspiring project that illustrates how triumph can come from tragedy. When completed, Matt’s Place will be a gathering place for the youth of our community to connect “in an atmosphere of celebration, fun and friendship.” This youth facility acknowledges the spirit of the apostle Matthew, who threw dinner parties at his home so his friends from all walks of life could meet Jesus. It is named, however, in honor of Matt Bertolaccini, a fun-loving and caring Christian teenager who attended Chesapeake Church along with his family and who lost his life in a tragic accident at the age of 13. His parents, Steve and Debbie, have turned their great loss into victory through their continued dedication to the children of our church, and their family sets a Godly example that has challenged and inspired me beyond words. Matt’s Place is not only their gift to the community, but also an incredible testimony to a family I dearly love, a family that lives their faith in the God of all comfort every single day.

Southern Maryland College Access Network (SoMD CAN)
http://www.somdcan.org

After the election, I was searching for a way to stay involved in the community I love outside of the political realm, and I focused on organizations that equipped people to seek empowerment over entitlement. I joined the Southern Maryland College Access Network (SoMD CAN) as a member of their board of directors for two reasons. First, their executive director, Sonia Wagner, is a dear friend whose passion for her cause is contagious. Second, I believe empowerment begins with education, and I am particularly attracted to the organization’s objective of equipping low-income, minority and first-generation college prospects in the tri-county area with the tools to pursue post-secondary education, whether it’s college or vocational/technical training. This underserved student population would not typically seek educational assistance of their own initiative. Moreover, SoMD CAN will help any student who is interested in post-secondary education and wishes to take advantage of the organization’s expertise and assistance.

Calvert County Minority Business Alliance (CCMBA)

I’ve been an advocate of small businesses ever since I persuaded the Melbourne City Council in Florida in 1992-93 to change their zoning ordinances to accommodate home-based businesses. At the time, it was a big deal; my efforts were chronicled in the Wall Street Journal and Florida Today newspapers, and in Home and Home Office Computing magazines. Subsequently, my wife and I ran a part-time foreign language translation and interpretation business from our home in Melbourne. My last job in the Bush Administration was with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as a senior executive responsible for the delivery of SBA products and services over the Internet so more entrepreneurs nationwide would benefit. Business ownership is the second step toward empowerment over entitlement, giving people an opportunity to create a better work/life balance and generate wealth for themselves and their families today and for generations to come. That’s why I’m an affiliate member of the Calvert County Minority Business Alliance (CCMBA), which was formed to support the establishment and sustainment of minority-owned businesses. Their president, Dawn Tucker, is an amazing woman entrepreneur who has won recognition for her personal success in business and her contributions to the community, particularly in support of minority and veteran-owned small businesses. I’m a small-business owner wannabe (grin!) but I hope to hang out my own shingle and convert my affiliate membership to a full one someday.

Armed Forces Foundation
http://www.armedforcesfoundation.org

My father was a career non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force, and I served in the Air Force myself for more than nine years as an intelligence officer. I am proud of my service to my country, and I stand with our men and women in uniform without apology or reservation. My best friend introduced me to Patricia Driscoll, another remarkable woman – entrepreneur, activist, wife of an Army veteran and mother - who has a heart for our troops and the determination to make their lives better. She is the president of the Armed Forces Foundation, an organization dedicated to the morale and well-being of military members and their families, whether they’re active duty, National Guard, Reserve or retired. They offer a wide array of programs and direct financial assistance and they have been honored by the Department of Defense and the White House for their support of the troops and their families. You will be amazed by the extent of their assistance and the nationwide scope of their efforts. It’s an awesome organization fully devoted to “Serving Those Who Serve.”

Calvert Healthcare Solutions, Inc. (CHCS)
http://www.calverthealthcare.org/

There is no issue that touches more lives and is more challenging than health care. This is a fundamental “kitchen table” issue that affects everyone regardless of race, age, gender, political persuasion – you name it. While politicians argue over the best way to deliver quality health care to as many Americans as possible, especially the uninsured, some people have taken action. Dr. Raymon A. Noble, a medical professional and concerned citizen whose surname is an apt description of his character, established Calvert Healthcare Solutions in 2001 to offer basic medical care to the more than 7,000 Calvert County residents who cannot afford health insurance. He enlisted the help of the medical and business communities and government officials to make CHCS a reality, and it is a model of community activism and partnership to achieve a worthy goal. Dr. Noble is retired from the medical profession but still serves as the treasurer of the organization he founded. He and his wife Phyllis are among the many wonderful people I had an opportunity to meet during my campaign, and my life is further enriched as a result.

Living Out Loud (LoL)
http://www.lolworkshops.com
Sexual assault is one of the most humiliating and degrading crimes that can be committed against a human being. Imagine having the very essence of life taken from you, yet you are still alive. The trauma is intensified by the shame and self-loathing felt by the victims; as a result, only one out of ten sexual assault cases is ever reported. Living Out Loud (LoL) is a collection of workshops designed to bring love, laughter and a sense of community to survivors of sexual assault through improvisational comedy. The founder and creative catalyst for LoL, Andrea Howe, is an accomplished, vivacious woman with whom I worked in a professional capacity while with the U.S. Small Business Administration. She is also a survivor of sexual assault, something I didn’t know until well after our professional relationship had concluded and our friendship began. She is a hero to me, not only because she projects vitality and energy despite what happened to her, but because she is committed to bringing to other survivors the same joie de vivre she exhibits every day.

Citizens for Jessica’s Law in Maryland
http://www.jessicaslawformd.org
This organization is living proof of the power of a few determined individuals to bring about change. Jerry Norton, the organization’s founder, sought me out soon after I announced my candidacy for the state Senate and challenged me to join him and his dedicated team in their fight to implement Jessica’s Law in Maryland. The law is named after Jessica Lunsford of Florida, a 9-year old girl who lost her life to a convicted child sex offender who’d been released from jail far too soon. While the law, first enacted in Florida, has been adopted by a majority of the states, Maryland’s General Assembly resisted calls for tougher child sex offender laws, citing issues with mandatory minimum sentences. Joan Harris, an attorney in Anne Arundel County, joined forces with Jerry to compel the passage of a child sex offender bill in the 2006 special session, but there was still more work to be done since the bill fell short of the standards set by Jessica’s Law. Despite the re-election of a legislature perceived as generally hostile to the tougher penalties of Jessica’s Law, Citizens for Jessica’s Law in Maryland spearheaded a coalition of political organizations, media and everyday citizens to flood the phone lines, e-mail queues and mailboxes of the legislators who were blocking the tougher bill’s passage. This incredible grass-roots effort resulted in the overwhelming passage of the bill; the House of Delegates was unanimous in its support while in the Senate, only three of the 47 senators voted against its passage. Even the bill’s most visible opponent, Delegate Joe Vallario of Prince George’s County, stood up in the House chamber and expressed his support for the bill! Rest assured that Jerry and his organization will continue to be vigilant in ensuring our laws protect our children from those who would do them harm, and the three senators who voted against the most recent bill will definitely hear from them in the next election.