COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EMPOWERMENT THROUGH EDUCATION AND RESEARCH INC

Programs

1. Healthy Long Branch employs community members as community health workers to promote health and access to health care. In FY 2025 CHWs provided case management to 780 residents at the County's Silver Spring hub. This included enrollment help in SNAP, arranging prenatal care for pregnant mothers, providing access to health care and making other referrals as needed. CHEER enrolled 321 households (646 people) in SNAP, 387 households (1,277 people) in Qualified Health Plans or Medicaid, 301 households (454 community members} in free private health insurance, and helped 445 households in other ways. CHWs' partner with local schools to ensure healthy nutrition and fitness for eligible children by providing weekly produce and bi-weekly fitness and nutrition education to youth and their families who screen positive for food insecurity and where the child or parent has a diet-related disease. This food is medicine program served 200 people in FY 2025. During FY25, CHEER transitioned from a food box pickup to a free choice food distribution model where residents shop for nutritious foods at mobile markets located at two local schools and the Farmers Market. This program served about 1,200…

   $258,591 spentof which $280,000 as grants
   43% of program spending

2. Long Branch Thrives: CHEER took on the role of lead partner in the newly formed Long Branch Thrives Coalition. This is a coalition of 31 partners who will use a holistic place based community driven approach to lifting Long Branch children out of poverty. In FY 2025 CHEER facilitated 4 community meetings involving 60 community members to develop a long term plan to improve youth development outcomes.

   $121,722 spentof which $300,000 as grants
   20% of program spending

3. Long Branch Collective Action for Youth: CHEER serves as the lead convener for LBCAY, a multi-year collaborative impact project bringing together community organizations, residents and youth to initiate an agreed-upon common agenda, goals and shared measures. LBCAY's achievements in FY 25 included ongoing community asset mapping; stakeholder convenings with youth; after school programming for middle and high school youth in financial Literacy, college and career readiness, and environmental stewardship; youth leadership opportunities, and regular engagement with families and community. In FY 2025 LBCAY served 160 youth.

   $97,786 spentof which $10,000 as grants
   16% of program spending

4. CHEER's Empowerment and Leadership Development (ELD) approach empowers community groups in underserved and underrepresented neighborhoods by supporting their efforts to organize local events, engage in civic life, and influence public decision-making. In FY25, ELD supported community advocacy on key issues such as public safety, pedestrian safety, and housing. Collaborative community engagement events included. Power in the Park (over 300 participated) which brings programs and resources that support energy savings and efficiency in the Long Branch community. Flower Avenue Together (over 150 participated) which highlights diversity, culture, and community resources in Takoma Park. CHEER also helped raise resident voices through a community led walk (60 participated) to inform officials working on the upcoming Purple Line light rail about pedestrian safety concerns The Long Branch Gardeners share knowledge, experience and the excitement of growing culturally-appropriate food within walking distance of their homes. Gardeners meet twice weekly to plan, plant, maintain and harvest together, while exchanging cooking tips from their respective cultures. This program involved 20…

   $72,903 spentof which $99,531 as grants
   12% of program spending

5. Summer Children and Youth Camps: Camp Piney Branch is CHEER's free summer camp for elementary students that is supported by local teens serving as camp counselors. It served 40 children in the summer of 2024. CHEER also partners with Nature Forward to send Long Branch youth to Camp Woodend's environmental summer camp. This camp served an additional 23 Long Branch children.

   $35,118 spentof which $3,729 as grants
   6% of program spending

6. CHEER acts as the fiscal agent for 3 unincorporated community organizations that organize community events and activities consistent with the goals of the community. These include Power in the Park (a group that organizes an event for the New Hampshire Estates neighborhood), the Maple Tree Group (a group of community leaders serving the Maple Avenue neighborhood in Takoma Park), and Local Maternity Threads which provides used prenatal clothing to expectant mothers in need.

   $10,710 spentof which $10,250 as grants
   2% of program spending

The 6 programs described on its FY2024 Form 990, listed largest first by expense. Program spending in total: $596,830.