News
LifeStyles to Expand Support for Southern Maryland Families Experiencing Homelessness with $2.5 Million Grant from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos
LifeStyles will use its Day 1 Families Fund grant to serve even more families experiencing homelessness in Southern Maryland and surrounding areas, with the goal of ensuring no child in our community sleeps outside.
Jumping In to Serve: The 40+ Double Dutch Club Waldorf Subclub
The 40+ Double Dutch Club Waldorf Subclub blends fun, fitness and faith to support neighbors in need. Learn how their volunteer work with LifeStyles is making a meaningful impact.
Faith in Action: The Generous Spirit of Terri Pesante-Close
Faith in action defines Terri Pesante-Close. From holiday meals to fundraising galas, her dedication and compassion have helped LifeStyles feed thousands of families and strengthen our community year after year.
A Force for Good: The Many Gifts of Gus Proctor
LifeStyles honors Augustus ‘Gus’ Proctor, a tireless volunteer whose passion, generosity, and leadership continue to inspire Southern Maryland.
Organized, Creative and Full of Heart: Celebrating Volunteer Janet Weedon
Meet Janet Weedon, one of LifeStyles’ lead volunteers at the Waldorf Distribution Center. From organizing donations to spreading holiday cheer, her creativity and compassion make a lasting impact.
More Than a Tour: Congressman Hoyer and Senator Alsobrooks Witness the Heart of Community Service
Congressman Steny Hoyer and Senator Angela Alsobrooks toured LifeStyles of Maryland, meeting volunteers like 11-year-old Charlotte Brown and witnessing firsthand how the nonprofit fights homelessness with dignity, hope and community despite funding cuts.
Hands in the Dirt, Heart in the Mission: The Quiet Dedication of Ray Short
Ray Short’s impact at LifeStyles goes far beyond his service on the Board of Directors. Discover how his hands-on dedication helped shape our shelters, support Southern Crossing, and inspire others through quiet, consistent service.
From Broken to Beautiful: The Grand Opening of Southern Crossing
LifeStyles of Maryland opens Southern Crossing’s North Wing, offering dignity, support, and transitional housing to those in need in Southern Maryland.
A Circle of Service: Honoring the Thursday Crew Volunteers
Meet LifeStyles of Maryland’s Thursday Crew — a dedicated team of volunteers who’ve served together for over five years, showing the power of friendship, consistency, and community impact.
Always in Motion: The Steady Impact of Volunteer Karen Reed
Meet Karen Reed, a devoted LifeStyles volunteer whose quiet dedication and hands-on service inspire everyone around her. Discover the ripple effect of one woman’s impact.
From Taxes to Toy Drives: Linda Carney Lifts Up Southern Maryland
For over 14 years, Linda Carney has volunteered with LifeStyles’ tax assistance program—fighting for every refund, training new volunteers, and making a lasting impact behind the scenes.
7,000 Hours of Kindness: Celebrating Ms. Shirley Smith
Ms. Shirley Smith has given nearly 7,000 volunteer hours to LifeStyles of Maryland—bringing warmth, dedication, and kindness to our St. Mary’s office. Read her inspiring story and learn how you can make a difference too.
LifeStyles Receives $200,000 Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Award Grant
LifeStyles of Maryland has been awarded a $200,000 Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Award grant to complete Southern Crossing, a transformative housing project for those in need. Learn more about how this grant and your votes are making hope happen in Southern Maryland.
LifeStyles Celebrates Major Funding Boost with Congressional Delegation Visit
LifeStyles received a $912,000 funding boost from Congressman Steny Hoyer and Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen. This grant supports upgrades to the White Plains Emergency Shelter and Homeless Day Program, including enhanced security, vital infrastructure repairs, and improved food storage.
Hoyer & Other Leaders Join Our Local Homeless Coalition for a Strategic Discussion
Discover insights from an important discussion including Congressman Steny Hoyer and regional leaders on combating homelessness in Southern Maryland. Explore the challenges, key findings, and collaborative efforts to enact lasting change in our communities.
Washington Post Documents LifeStyles Efforts to Reach the Homeless During Point-in-Time
The Washington Post joined us this week as we set out across Southern Maryland to engage with homeless individuals and families during the annual Point-in-Time Homeless Survey.
LifeStyles Honored with PepsiCo Foundation’s Smiles in Action Award
LifeStyles of Maryland is proud to announce that we’ve been recognized with a Smiles in Action Award from the PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, Inc.
Corae Young Promoted to Chief Operating Officer
Corae Young has been named LifeStyles of Maryland’s Chief Operating Officer.
The promotion is a recognition of Young’s vital role within the organization and the latest milestone in her tenure with LifeStyles, which began in 2005 as a temporary fill-in while the receptionist was on vacation.
LifeStyles and Heart of Cabi Foundation Host Event at CSM to Empower 40 Southern Maryland Women
The Hearth of Cabi Foundation treated and pampered 40 women selected by LifeStyles of Maryland as deserving recipients. Each woman received five new pieces of clothing, plus accessories.
Annual Point-in-Time Survey Aims to Quantify Homelessness in Southern Maryland
The annual Point-in-Time Homeless Survey began across Southern Maryland on Wednesday, part of a large, nationwide effort that attempts to quantify the numbers of sheltered and unsheltered individuals and families. As part of its Continuum of Care (CoC) application for...
Honoring Xavier Bean and a Life Lost Too Soon
Anyone wishing to donate to the Children’s Miracle Network to purchase a new cardiovascular ultrasound machine, dedicated in honor of Xavier Bean, can learn more and donate here. Our hearts are hurting. Tragedy struck the extended LifeStyles family last week when...
Pre-Diabetes Education Program Teaches Healthy Habits to Prevent Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes changes everything. From the day you receive a diagnosis, it is a life-altering experience. But if you take a proactive approach now, that day may not come. That’s the goal of our Pre-Diabetes Education Program, a weekly class led by our Health &...
Doing Our Part to End the Pandemic with Vaccinations and Testing
A year and a half since the COVID-19 pandemic turned our world upside down, we are still fighting at every level — city, county, state, nation … planet — to come out on the other end. For LifeStyles, the pandemic has affected everything we do. We can’t serve those in...
Maryland Market Money Helps Low-Income Shoppers Access Healthy, Local Foods
Strolling through the La Plata Farmers Market is always a fun experience. The tables are lined up with colorful fruits and vegetables, farm fresh eggs and a lot more. It’s a place to connect with your community and fill your fridge with healthy, local foods. Now, it’s...
Amazon Marks Arrival in Waldorf with $20,000 Donation to LifeStyles
When Amazon opens a facility in a new location, the company often looks to find a local charitable organization to support. The relatively new and little-known program is called Neighborgood, and it’s a way of giving back and thanking the community for welcoming...
Safe Nights Sheltered More Than 100 People Through Winter
The end of March brought the end of the Safe Nights season. With the support of many local churches, organizations and volunteers, LifeStyles provided food and shelter to well over 100 men, women and children during the coldest months of the year. Along the way, many...
Annual Point-in-Time Count is a Critical Outreach Opportunity
The vehicle pulled slowly into the bumpy parking lot, a black plastic trash bag taped across one window, doing the best it could to keep the cold winter air at bay. After parking, a young couple stepped out to find LifeStyles of Maryland Assistant Director Corae Young...
The COVID-19 Pandemic Makes Homelessness Even Harder
If you’ve driven along US-301 in White Plains over the last several days, you may have seen our new billboard. It shows a child, unwashed and wearing dirty clothes, sitting against a concrete wall with eyes staring down. Homeless AND a pandemic? Most of us know how...
Year in Review: Our Community Came Together to Lift Each Other Up in 2020
You could choose a lot of words to describe the year that comes to an end today. Defined by a global pandemic, 2020 changed everything about the way we live. The first words that come to mind to describe this year are negative ones. But after a little reflection, the...
Creating the Change
We are not here to give a handout. We are here to offer a hand up. That philosophy has guided LifeStyles of Maryland for more than two decades. And it’s at the heart of the stories that we’ll share here in our new blog.