On Thursday, close to 100 leaders including representatives from the Governor’s Office for Children gathered at Meritus Park to announce signature investments in the South End of the City of Hagerstown through Governor Wes Moore’s signature policy, the ENOUGH Act. The award originally announced at a press conference with Governor Moore on December 12th, will be overseen by the San Mar Family & Community Services initiative known as Bester Community of Hope.
The kick-off event highlighted the history of the Bester Community of Hope effort focused on prevention and root causes, and the next steps to fill strategic community gaps. It also highlighted the need for a marriage between the needs of downtown economic development and the needs of current families living in the community with a goal to move the South End from “Surviving to Thriving”. The initial award of $3 million, will expand to $6 million in FY26, with additional funding potential the following two years, focused on tackling generational poverty and shifting long-term outcomes for families.
BCOH plans to spend the month of February finalizing contracts with partner agencies and working with partners to recruit staff and residents to join the comprehensive effort. The group will post the initial committee structure, members and leadership table to the community at the end of February and plans to aggressively pursue implementation throughout the Spring. There will be a variety of information and opportunities initially shared through besterhope.org website, social media and other outlets. The initial five areas of focus from the needs assessment include: Housing, Poverty & Concrete Supports, Workforce Development, Mental Health & Substance Use, and Child care. These areas will be targeted within a resident driven framework of neighborhood improvements of the compliment not only services to children and families but addressing the lived environment and spaces that residents live and play. Only about 15% of the grant program will support new staffing, whereas the vast majority of initial funding will go directly towards investments in families, neighborhoods and their identified needs. The initial funding and partner agencies include but are not limited to:
Resident Driven Neighborhood Opportunities – Bester Community of Hope, a San Mar Initiative
- Neighborhood Revitalization Zones – Focused on arts & culture, belonging, environmental and safety improvements. Creating spaces for families.
- Annual Special Events – South End Block Party, Babypalooza, and new signature resident events
- Annual community training and evidence-based practices
- Lead Neighborhood Ambassador
- Six Neighborhood Ambassadors/ 20 hours monthly
- Parent Peer Navigator (2 positions)
- Data & Neighborhood Impact manager
- Neighborhood Partnership Coordinator (core funding)
Housing
- Housing support moving from emergency assistance to home ownership, with a goal of serving existing South End residents to plant roots from renter to owner. Washington County Community Action Council (WCCAC)
- South End Housing Navigator (WCCAC)
Poverty
- ENOUGH Family Subsidy – Incentives for working poor between 125% and 200% of poverty to access financial assistance to support basic needs while pursuing education and workforce development for a sustainable living wage. The initial target is 150 families with focus on childcare, transportation, and food. Consultation from UMD Innovation Institute to blend access to opportunity with accountability metrics.
- After school subsidy to underwrite enrichment clubs for school-age youth in South End; Cash N’ Dreams Scholarships for SHHS
Substance Use Support and Education
- Two Care Coordinators supporting Parents and Youth impacted by Substance Use (Potomac Community Services)
Trauma and Grief
- South End Bereavement Coordinator (Hospice of Washington County)
Concrete Supports
- Mobile Resource delivery vehicle including bright start newborn supplies (WCCAC)
- South End Mobile Resource Coordinator (WCCAC)
- Bilingual Community Worker- 2 positions (Hagerstown Area Religious Council & Asian American Center of Frederick)
- Resource Wagons for Young Families (Children in Need)
- South End Hygiene Supplies for Families (United Way of Washington County)
San Mar Family & Community Services
- ENOUGH Subsidy Manager
- ENOUGH Grant Finance Manager
- Community Solutions Hub data portal – ENOUGH performance measures
Workforce Development & Child Care
Planning two new roles – Processing Coordinator, Business Development Manager to support expanded childcare resources (Partner to be decided)
Interested in learning more and getting involved? Reach out here: connect@besterhope.org
Check out today’s front page story from the Herald Mail Media by Julie Greene: Hagerstown’s South End to Benefit from Millions through Enough Act Anti-Poverty Grant
The Governor’s Office for Children funded this project under award number 2025- ENGH-008. All points of view in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of any State agency.
Photography courtesy of Wertman Photography
