WashingtonCountyNonprofits.org is designed to celebrate the nonprofits in our community. The idea is to promote collaboration, cooperation, to encourage partnerships, joint ventures and meaningful connections.

The vision for WashingtonCountyNonprofits.org to provide support, visibility and shared resources for individuals and organizations in the Greater Hagerstown area.

Nonprofits are vital to our community. They enrich our lives and have an immeasurable impact on our county's social vitality, economic development and the very quality of life here in Washington County.

It's easy to count the number of nonprofits in our community—some 642 to be exact (source: Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations)—and the number of individuals those organizations employ (well over 6,000)—but it is much harder to measure the impact they have on our daily lives.

For example, our children may be enrolled in afterschool day programs at Girls, Inc. or the many branches of the Girls and Boys Club, they play soccer or baseball in area youth leagues, we swim at the YMCA and take exercise classes there, we listen to the sounds of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra at the Maryland Theatre, or enjoy a performance of the Potomac Youth Ballet. We may listen to National Public Radio on our way to work, take in an exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts or the Arts Council downtown. Still others are served by our local shelters, receive food and heating assistance, job training and counseling—and still more are treated at the Washington County Hospital—yet another nonprofit in our area.

And let's not forget about civic involvement. Nonprofits bring people together to work on common problems, providing room for innovation and involvement, the sharing of ideas and a passion for building a better community.

So welcome to WashingtonCountynonprofits.org! Look to us to post news of your upcoming events, fundraisers, sports schedules, volunteer opportunities, board and job openings; for exchanging ideas on volunteer recruitment, job descriptions—you name it. We have the expertise here in Washington County. Join in.