Each year the First Lady selects a different charity to receive a portion of the proceeds from the MFRW’s First Lady’s Luncheon. This year the recipient was Barstow Acres Children’s Center in Calvert County. Their mission is to provide mental health services to at-risk children and families in a home-like environment through individual, group, family, and couples therapy.
On July 9th, members of the Republican Women Leaders of Calvert joined MFRW President Diana Waterman and First Lady Yumi Hogan to present a check for $2500 to Sonia Hinds, Executive Director of Barstow Acres.
While there, we were given a tour of the facilities and met a wonderful young man, Gabe Stewart and heard his inspiring story. Gabe (in the burgandy shirt in the picture) is now a teacher at Thomas Stone in Charles County. He once received services from the Barstow Center, turned his life around, and now he volunteers there in the summer.