United Way Nca & Sen. Alsobrooks Host Get Back on Your Feet Resource Fair

United Way of the National Capital Area (United Way NCA) was proud to co-host the “Get Back On Your Feet” event on March 28 at the College of Southern Maryland’s Hughesville campus.

The resource fair, in collaboration with Sen. Angela Alsobrooks’ office, featured utility providers, credit counselors and improvement resources, debt repair specialists, legal aid representatives, rental assistance specialists, and financial advisors.  

“Our systems already were pretty broken, where if people needed help, you needed to fall off a cliff to get the help. In other words, you had to come with an eviction notice to get help,” Lifestyles of Maryland Foundation CEO Sandy Washington said. “When you’re working every day, and you’re trying to keep your family together, and you know you’re one car payment away or an accident, and then you can’t pay your bills, you’re devastated with an eviction notice.” 

Washington’s perspective highlights the urgency behind the initiative and the need for a strategically coordinated approach. Addressing such complex challenges requires broad community involvement, which is why the event drew immense support from numerous community partners.

Community partners included: College of Southern Maryland; Cedar Point Federal Credit Union; Charles County Water and Sewer; Financial Empowerment Center, Montgomery County; H.O.P.E., Inc.; Lifestyles of Maryland Foundation; SMECO; Southern Maryland Food Bank, and Xfinity.

The event was among the first held within United Way NCA’s expanded presence across Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s Counties. Bringing this work into Southern Maryland means forging strong local partnerships, and the event reflected that collaborative spirit.

“We’re so excited to now be serving the Southern Maryland region. This is a community that loves its neighbors—that helps its neighbors,” Dr. Nicole Cooper, External Affairs and Transformation Officer at United Way NCA, said. “There are many, many ALICE families who are living across all three counties here in Southern Maryland. Those families sometimes go overlooked and underserved. We’re here to close that gap.”

United Way NCA serves households at or below the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) threshold—those with income above the Federal Poverty Level, but below the basic cost of living.

Washington says there is a growing need for social services in Southern Maryland. The Lifestyles of Maryland Foundation typically serves 14,000-15,000 people each year. In 2025, the La Plata nonprofit served 21,000 people.

“Being able to share where the need is greatest and how people can help is important. That’s what they want to know: ‘How can I help?’ With United Way (NCA) being here and being able to direct people to things that are good, that’s going to be very valuable to our community in knowing where to help and how to help,” Washington said.

In addition to Sen. Alsobrooks’ office, representatives from Rep. Steny Hoyer and Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman were also in attendance to assist constituents. 

Together, their presence reinforced a shared commitment to meeting residents where they are and making support easier to find. With United Way NCA expanding its footprint and strengthening partnerships across Southern Maryland, this event marked an important step toward building a more connected, informed, and empowered community. 

To learn more about how United Way NCA is supporting ALICE families across the National Capital Area, explore our programs that helps build a future where everyone can thrive.