My name is Angela Clemente and I'm 14 years old. I am Mexican-American and I speak both English and Spanish. I was born in the U.S.A but growing up I only learned to speak Spanish. English was never spoken in my household because neither of my parents knew how to speak it. When I started school at 5 years old, it was a bit difficult or should I say it was extremely difficult! I didn't know what everyone was saying and I felt left out even when everyone tried to involve me in

Ana Silvia Galeano began volunteering with CHEER in June 2019. In looking for an opportunity to be involved with the community, Ana responded to a CHEER announcement for an Events Coordinator posted on the Montgomery County Volunteer Center website. Since then Ana has helped the Engagement and Leadership Development Team with multiple events. In particular, she helped with help picnic events with the parent group (CONEXO) at the New Hampshire Estates Elementary School (NHEES

In September 2018, the Audubon Naturalist Society (ANS) approached CHEER to help reach Long Branch community members to become more connected to the Long Branch Stream which feeds into Sligo Creek. Because of CHEER’s connection to the Long Branch neighborhood, CHEER was able to bring dozens of people and a more representative variety of participants to their "What Lives in Long Branch?" events. One of the major events for this program was the Festival Del Rio Anacostia on

Olanike moved to the US from Nigeria seeking asylum. She was diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure and was referred to our Long Branch Healthy Food Access Program by one of our partners, MobileMed. When our community health worker (CHW), Rosemary McCloskey, contacted her initially, we discovered that: she didn’t know much about diabetes, she didn’t have her own transportation, and she was trying to get a job and enroll her children in Medicaid. Olanike had a lot on

In 2018, CHEER conducted listening sessions with residents on Maple Avenue in Takoma Park which stirred interest in bringing residents together to support each other and address pressing concerns. Out of that, Enku Woldmedhin, assisted by a CHEER Community Health Worker, Anthea Levy, organized the Maple Tree Group. With CHEER’s help, the group applied for a neighborhood events grant through Montgomery County. With those funds, the Maple Tree Group organized and hosted a picni

The 2019 Lunch & Learn summer enrichment program was held at Takoma Park Elementary School in partnership with Montgomery County Public Schools TPES and PBES, the camp enrolled 198 students – the highest enrollment yet. The program serves children from local elementary, middle, and high schools. The elementary school children participated in math and reading instruction taught by MCPS teachers. According to pre- and post-tests, 83% maintained or improved their math or reading

The Purple Line, a light rail interconnecting MD suburbs and the Washington DC metro, is currently under construction and will put two stations in the heart of the Long Branch community by 2023. The construction of the Purple Line has a tremendous opportunity to bring improvements to the Long Branch community. But the full benefits of that change will not be realized if we don’t have participation from all segments of the community. Long Branch residents have an urgent nee