JEDI Committee


JEDI Committee - DSC Volunteers, Partners & Residents

The mission of the Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) Committee is to promote intercultural understanding and acceptance among DSC Staff, volunteers, and community members by educating, empowering, and creating self-awareness in the context of a global society. DSC will foster an environment of inclusion and equality with fairness, appreciation for individual differences, and respect for all.

In addition to empowering volunteer groups to use their personal skills and knowledge to positively impact their community by fulfilling the DSC’s mission, the DSC plans on developing a community service award program that will acknowledge extraordinary volunteers and help recruit new volunteers or engage community partners.

Project List

  • Continue improving the management of its volunteers, its volunteer application system, and its volunteer training and reward program using Maestro.
  • Extending its volunteer outreach, the DSC proposes to host mixer(s) that will bring the volunteers together to learn about the organization and create an opportunity to enjoy quality time with other DSC volunteers and their families.
  • Create email lists per event, per activity, and interest (Newsletter, etc).
  • Continue hosting the Happy-thon.
  • Apply for Choose Civility as a part of the establishment of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Task Force. 
  • Create merchandise.
  • Organize Pride day, and Juneteenth and create a cultural festival.
  • Create/sponsor free summer camps (depending on grant funding).
  • Sponsor other partners’ activities such as the Sykesville Raiders (this project can fit under Promotion Committee as well).
  • Continue working with the Freedom District Citizen Association to create an online hub of resources for residents.
  • Continue training with the https://members.nonprofitleadershiplab.com/ (Sykesville/Sykes1784!).
  • Apply for https://www.mainstreet.org/mainstreetamerica/mainstreetawards/gamsa.
  • Continue to follow the Word Woman LLC for corporate grant updates.
  • Board/organization diversity training.

Previous Achievements

2022 Achievements
– Creation of a sponsorship program to cast a wider net for volunteer recruitment.

– Preparation of a joint volunteer appreciation event with the Town of Sykesville and long-time Sykesville volunteer Fred Gossage.

– Coordination of board training with BS Corbett.

    2021 Achievements

    – Created an e-newsletter.

    – Officially received the 2020 Best Main Street in America contest.

    – Coordination of the downtown Sykesville Pink Fling.

    – Participation in the Patapsco Greenway project.

    – Recruitment of more volunteers and creation of partnerships with new groups.

    – Dedication of a bench for Donna Box took with an introduction by Mayor Link.

    – Growth of the Board of Directors to 13 members.

    – Creation of a quarterly e-Newsletter (see website home page).

    – 2021 Happy-thon fundraising and organization: 73 children served and over $18,000 fundraised.

    – Successfully applied for the SHARP grant of $10,000 for operations support.

    – Completed Main Street and grants’ quarterly and final reports.


      2020 Achievements

      – Partnered with FDCA, Senator Fry Hester, and Commissioner Rothstein to co-found the Community Organization Active in Disaster (COAD).

      – The DSC created Emergency Food pantries.

      – Entered and won the 2020 Best Main Street in America contest.

      – Successfully applied for the Kahlert Foundation grant of $1,000.

      – Successfully applied for the State OAG-MIP grant of $16,000 towards a small business relief mini-grant program.

      – Successfully applied for a State OAG-TAG grant of $4,000 for a branding and marketing study with Platinum PR.

      – Successfully applied for the Walmart Community grant of $3,000 for the 2020 Happy-thon.

      – Successfully applied for the Impaq International Inc. grant of $1,500 for the 2020 Happy-thon.

      – Successfully applied for the State Nori grant of $25,000 for operations support.

      – Applied for the MD-SERI grant $146,000, granted $73,294.2.

      – Completed Main Street and grants’ quarterly and final reports.

      – Created new partnerships with volunteer groups (e.g. Project Linus).

      – Raised over $16,000 for the 2020 Happy-thon and served 78 children.


      2019 Achievements

      – Recruit event and committee volunteers.

      – Purchase and add content to the Maestro software.

      – Successfully applied for the Impaq International Inc. grant of $1,500 for the 2020 Happy-thon.

      – Raised over $11,000 for the 2020 Happy-thon and served 43 children.

      GET SYKED TO BE YOU

      At DSC, we celebrate diversity and honor the unique qualities that each community member brings. We believe that it's through embracing our differences that we truly thrive and create a vibrant, inclusive environment for all.

      JEDI Committee Chair: TBD 

      JEDI Committee Meetings: 3rd Tuesday of each month, at 6:30 pm, at Barrier-Free.

      Contact us