The Maryland Association of Social Services Boards (MASSB) Foundation is comprised entirely of volunteers who serve on local boards in all 23 counties in the state of Maryland.
For those of you who are not familiar with The Kent CARES Foundation, the local MASSB affiliate, our mission is to provide financial assistance to support at risk families, children and vulnerable adults where no other governmental funding is available. The only money that we receive is from our Kent County neighbors like you. We are anticipating that as the federal stimulus funding and support wanes, the needs of our community will rise. These needs will likely outstrip the typical sources of assistance and thus we need the help from all of us.
Some may be reluctant to donate because of some stigma attached to the Department of Social Services. We would like to clarify some myths:
1. All too often, DSS is thought of as taking people’s children away from their families. The child protective service caseworkers work hard to not only ensure the safety of all our children but work equally as hard to serve the families so that children may remain in an intact and strengthened family. It is remarkable to note that, unlike any other county in Maryland, Kent County Department of Social Services has not removed any children from their homes nor placed any of them in foster care in well over a year.
2. A second myth is that people use DSS instead of looking for jobs. Most of the benefits made available to Kent County residents are to working families when income falls short of their needs. For the last 6 months of 2019 there were 790 Kent County households who had certified applications for the Maryland Energy Assistance program resulting in a lowering of energy bills by over $550,000.00. For the last 6 months of 2019 there was a total of approximately 2,500 Kent County recipients of the Food Supplement program (SNAP) for a total of over $1.5 million.
Our hardworking KCDSS workers carefully evaluate the eligibility of each household, family and child to ensure that only those who are eligible receive these benefits.
Our Kent County neighbors will be needing kindness, strength, courage and assistance.
The MASSB Foundation, working through our local boards, serves thousands of Maryland’s most vulnerable citizens each year. We would like to thank you for the generous support. Please make your checks payable to MASSB Foundation with a memo stating for Kent County and mail them to: The Kent County Dept of Social Services Advisory Board, Box 670 Chestertown, Maryland 21620
Donations can also be received via credit card at www.massbfoundation.org. Please add a note as to which county your donation should be applied. All donations are 100% tax deductible, and because we are an all-volunteer organization, you will have the comfort of knowing that your funds will go directly to those in need.
Thank you for your kindness and your support
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Chris Cummings, Chair MASSB Foundation
Kevin Karpowicz MD, Chair Kent County Dept of Social Services Advisory Board
Correction: In my letter I failed to include that United Way of Kent County has been instrumental in the existence of the Kent County CARES Foundation providing financial support for years and especially in the support of our efforts to maintain a quality Child Advocacy Center in Kent County. Thank you.
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