Per Montgomery County: The Montgomery County Anti-Hate Task Force’s Jewish cohort will present their policy recommendations to the task force at a virtual meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m.  The Anti-Hate Task Force, spearheaded by Council President Evan Glass, was formally adopted through a resolution with unanimous support in June. The task force is made up of community and faith leaders working to engage the community and develop recommendations to inform policies that promote safety and combat hate crimes in Montgomery County.

Cohort groups representing the Jewish, Black/African American, LGBTQ+, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Latino/Hispanic and Muslim communities will present their policy recommendations at meetings throughout the fall. Each cohort group may also hold listening sessions to provide an opportunity for the public to engage and provide input.

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County’s Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Resident and Community Food Gardening Grant Program recently presented 10 awards totaling $100,000 in funding to expand resident and community food production capacity.. The awards, ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, represent partnerships in the faith community, urban agriculture, neighborhood associations, academic institutions and community health services.

The funding reflects priorities established in the FY23 County operating budget to increase food security and support initiatives that will expand local food production through home and community farming and gardening. The funded projects will help to promote food sovereignty, healthy living, civic engagement and racial and social justice by creating opportunities for residents to cultivate their own food sources, thereby increasing access to affordable and culturally diverse food. These efforts will contribute to reduced transportation emissions and community resilience in the face of climate-related supply chain disruptions.