Thankful for you, HoCo
We are so grateful for our Howard County community. This year, we launched our new strategic plan and were fortunate to engage with so many of you about the work ahead to ensure that everyone in Howard County and beyond can live abundant, healthy lives. We are energized and excited to continue to co-create solutions with all of you, including a new group of amazing grantees we can’t wait to tell you more about soon!
Our commitment to anti-racism work is steadfast – and we know that the stakes are high right now. We are resolved to move forward thanks to the partnership and co-creation we are doing with this wonderful community. It is so important right now for philanthropy to act boldly and intentionally to ensure racial justice and health equity for everyone. We are grateful to all of you for being in this work with us.
From all of us at the Horizon Foundation, we wish you and your loved ones a happy, healthy Thanksgiving.
HCPSS Taste Test Night
Thank you for helping us make school food better! We had an awesome night with the Howard County Public School System at its first Taste Test Night! Thank you to our Healthier Choices Coalition and all of the parents and students who came out to sample and rate current and future menu items.
This work to make our school meals better and healthier will support all of our kids – including kids of color and low-income families who rely on school meals as primary sources of nutrition. Let’s keep working together to fight food insecurity in Howard County and help all of our kids be healthy and succeed!
Not able to make it to the event? More Taste Test Nights will be coming in the future! In the meantime, you can catch up by checking out the coverage in The Baltimore Banner, The Baltimore Sun and WMAR.
Here, there, everywhere!
The past month has been a whirlwind for the Horizon staff! Our team attended and presented at the GIH Health Policy Exchange, witnessed Governor Moore’s signing of the AHEAD model, connected with fellow public health professionals at the American Public Health Association’s Annual Meeting, witnessed the launch of the Howard County Medical Center’s expanded behavioral health unit and more! It has been inspiring and energizing to connect with so many great leaders and organizations working tirelessly to fight inequities in our health care system and make good health achievable for everyone.
First Thursdays – December 5th
Thank you to everyone who has been participating in our First Thursdays community conversations. It is deeply rewarding to connect with so many of you about health equity issues facing our community.
Please join us on December 5 at 10 a.m. at the Horizon Foundation’s office for a guided conversation and connection with your fellow Howard County residents. We plan to discuss the upcoming FY2026 county budget process and how community organizations and residents can participate. Sign up information for the upcoming hearing can be found here.
If you would like to join December’s discussion, please RSVP to our Policy & Community Engagement Director, Jennifer Holland, by Monday, December 2.
Staff Picks & Resources
Check out what we’re reading, watching & learning
- Communication in a New Era of Social Change (Stanford Social Innovation Review)
- The Measure Podcast – Marcus Walton (Equal Measure)
- Policy Engagement by Shelley Hearne, Keshia Pollack Porter and Katrina Forrest
- Inherited Homes Are Most Likely to Be Poor Quality, Compounding Racial Wealth and Housing Gaps (Urban Institute)
- Grieve, Connect, Act, Reflect, Correct. (Repeat) (Throughlines with Deepa Iyer)
