I first connected with CHEER in February of this year; I submitted a brief volunteer application online. Some months before that I meet John Brill, CHEER’s Community Empowerment Coordinator. John seemed like a great (and genuine) person and CHEER seemed like an organization that was doing work that really mattered. It turns out that CHEER, quite unsurprisingly, is doing work that really matters. One of the things that drew me to CHEER was the strong focus on community engagem

We can restart from the pandemic to create a more equitable community. The COVID-19 pandemic and all the economic and social turbulence of the recent past has exposed the pervasive inequality that exists in American society. Evidence of it is everywhere, even here in our own Takoma Park and Long Branch communities. Although the pandemic has affected everyone, for many of the less privileged it has shown up more harshly in the form of unemployment, food insecurity, the prospec

The coronavirus crisis continues. The virus is still working its way through our community. People are still getting sick and some are dying. Irrespective of how Maryland’s phased reopening progresses, COVID-19 and its repercussions will remain prominent issues for the foreseeable future. In that context, CHEER’s continued engagement with community members in the Takoma Park and Long Branch areas is vital. Building upon previous calls and outreach during this difficult time,