Montgomery County, Maryland - News Release May 5, 2010

Marriott Spirit to Serve Awards Honor Schools,
Individuals, Groups for Community Service

Eight Montgomery County individuals, groups and community-minded schools will be honored for their contributions to the Montgomery County community as recipients of the 2010 Marriott Spirit to Serve Community Service awards to be presented on May 6 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. Marriott International donates $500 to the charity of each of the honorees' choosing. The annual event is managed by the Montgomery County Volunteer Center and sponsored by Marriott International. Awards will be presented by Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, County Council President Nancy Floreen and Stephen Zagami, representing Montgomery County Public School Superintendent Dr. Jerry Weast. Marriott Executive Vice President Stephen Marriott will give brief remarks. Individual and Group Awards will be presented to:

MoverMoms is a homegrown group of more than 150 dynamic mothers and their kids who are making a positive difference in Montgomery County beyond their neighborhoods and children’s schools. In 2009, “The Moms” ran short-term volunteer projects in a wide range of areas in order to help fill the needs of many different local, national and international organizations. They also initiated their own volunteer projects in response to crises, such as raising $800 for Partners in Health, a group that provides medical care to Haitian residents. The group began in the winter of 2007 when a small group of moms cooked dinner for families of seriously ill children at The Children’s Inn at NIH in Bethesda. They enjoyed the experience and decided to make volunteering a part of their daily lives. MoverMoms projects include: working at numerous men’s and women’s shelters; assisting the Manna Food Center, participating in many charity events to raise funds for MS, breast cancer, and Juvenile Diabetes, and organizing a massive collection drive of Halloween candy for US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Bethesda Magazine January/February 2010

MOVED TO HELP

By Ellen Ryan MICHAEL VENTURA

Long before the awards and the recognition and the national media attention, Rebecca Kahlenberg was just trying to perk up her social life.

In 2006, the freelance writer and mother of four invited a few fellow Bethesdaarea mothers out for a “fun Friday” monastery tour, followed by other outings. The next year, she mentioned serving dinner at the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health, where families can stay while their children undergo treatment for serious illnesses. The other moms thought volunteering there might be a good outing. So Kahlenberg approached the folks at the Children’s Inn. Great, they said: Please bring dinner for 85 people...

Gazette.Net, Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Help for Haiti

MoverMoms, a Bethesda-based community service group for moms and kids, raised nearly $800 for Haiti earthquake victims during a bake sale fundraiser in Bethesda. The proceeds benefit Partners in Health, a group that provides medical care to residents of Haiti. Adults and children pitched in, whipping up brownies, cupcakes, cookies, scones and fudge. Moms helped organize while kids sold their wares to passers-by. Oftentimes, they were taken by surprise by the outpouring of support, according to MoverMoms president Rebecca Kahlenberg. "I was so impressed with the generosity of total strangers — people who saw us standing on the street corner and came over, not necessarily wanting too much food but eager to donate money. Many people bought just a couple of small baked items and gave a $10 or $20 bill," Kahlenberg said in an e-mail.

Montgomery Volunteer Newsletter, December 2009

MoverMoms Making A Difference During the Holidays

In 2007 Rebecca Kahlenberg and Heidi Bumpers came up with an idea - why not find a way to help Moms and their kids volunteer together? Kahlenberg (pictured), the President of MoverMoms, explained that she wanted to "have fun with a purpose rather than just to have fun," when doing activities with the kids. They started MoverMoms and now have 150 members doing two or more group projects a month - mostly down County. This holiday season they'll be doing serving dinner at the Children's Inn and serving breakfast for Bethesda Cares. "I'd love to see the MoverMoms idea spread to other parts of the County, and of course we're always happy to have new members!" MoverMoms has already resulted in an article in the Ladies Home Journal along with receiving one of the Maryland Governor's Annual Volunteer Service Awards. Visit their website at www.movermoms.org or e-mail movermoms@aol.com to get involved and learn more.

Gazette.Net Wednesday, Nov 4, 2009

Bethesda nonprofit gathering treats for the troops

If your sweet tooth is starting to ache from too much Halloween candy, Bethesda-based community service group MoverMoms will take it off your hands. The group is wrapping up its annual Treats-4-Troops candy collection this weekend. The group is collecting donations of wrapped candy, which will be sent to U.S. troops of all faiths in Iraq and Afghanistan at Christmastime.

Drop off sites include:

-7101 Loch Lomond Drive in Bethesda through Saturday

-11110 Candlelight Lane in Potomac through Friday

-9504 Falls Bridge Lane in Potomac through Friday

-7202 45th St. in Chevy Chase through Friday

For more information, e-mail MoverMoms@aol.com or call 301-320-8836.

wtop.com, Nov, 2009

Treats for Troops

Newsclip 1 Newsclip 2

October 2009

Ladies' Home Journal Oct 09

Gazette.Net Wednesday, May 6, 2009

MoverMoms wins Governor's Volunteer Service Award

MoverMoms, a Bethesda nonprofit, was one of several winners of the Governor's Volunteer Service Awards, presented in several categories by the Office of the Governor.

MoverMoms won in the Group category. All the winners were recognized for their commitment to volunteerism and outstanding volunteer efforts at a ceremony held at the Maryland Hall for Creative Arts in Annapolis on April 20.

"We are so honored to receive this wonderful award," MoverMoms president and co-founder Rebecca Kahlenberg of Bethesda, wrote in an e-mail to The Gazette. "It's a real tribute to each person in our group who takes time out of her busy life to help make a difference in the larger community through volunteering."

Kahlenberg accepted the award together with MoverMoms co-founder Heidi Bumpers of Cabin John. Also in attendance were MoverMoms treasurer Joci Spector of Chevy Chase, and MoverMoms Education Committee Chairperson Salma Ali, of Potomac.

Gazette.Net Wednesday, Feb 11, 2009

Two Years of Service

MoverMoms gathered on Feb. 1 to celebrate the moms group's second anniversary and two years of community involvement and activism.

The anniversary celebration was held at member and Bethesda resident Anne Hollander's home and featured guest speaker Del. Jolene Ivey, (D-Dist. 47) of Cheverly, who spoke about how she balances being a state legislator, mother of five and wife of Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey.

The group began in February 2007 when several mothers decided to serve dinner at the Children's Inn at the National Institutes of Health, a home-like setting for families and children to stay while they receive treatment. The group gets together for monthly volunteer projects, a book club, speeches, outings, and other special events.

"It's amazing how much more of a difference we can make in the larger community by working together than if were to just work alone," group founder Rebecca Kahlenberg wrote in a e-mail to The Gazette.

The group comprises about 125 moms of all ages. Kids participate in many of the volunteer projects and activities, which take place around the Washington region.

Gazette.Net Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008

Bethesda charity drive collects ‘Treats for Troops'

Every year when Halloween passed, Rebecca Kahlenberg of Bethesda was left haunted by the specter of a house full of candy.

"As a mom, you want it out of the house, and it's a dilemma what to do with it," Kahlenberg said. "You can only send so much to the office."

So the founder of the Bethesda charity group Mover Moms searched the Internet for a way to get rid of the sugar in a sweet way, and found a West Virginia group called Boatsie's Boxes that sends 20,000 Christmas stockings to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan each year.

Kahlenberg saw the opportunity to make the Halloween season a little bit merrier, and began a Treats for Troops drive last year to get leftover Halloween candy to contribute to the stockings in Boatsie's Boxes.

"It's a really feel-good project, you know, instead of just throwing it away or sneaking it out of your house, you're giving it to a good cause," Kahlenberg said. "In these times of political divide and economic crisis, this is one of those no brainer win-win type things."

Last year the project generated a truckload of candy that Kahlenberg and fellow Mover Mom Cheryl Fisher drove to Boatsie's Boxes headquarters in Wheeling, W. Va. This year, donations might require more room.

"We've got so much candy we're going to try to rent a cargo truck or something," Fisher said.

The group has been collecting candy at four area sites since Sunday, and will continue to accept donations through tonight at 7101 Loch Lomond Drive in Bethesda and 11110 Candlelight Lane in Potomac, and then will drive it to Wheeling Thursday.

Gail Van Vranken, the founder of Boatsie's Boxes, calls the help "a tremendous bonus." Van Vranken assembles the stockings with toiletries, candy and other items to boost morale and show support.

"It saves us a tremendous amount of money," Van Vranken said. "What Mover Moms is doing is just so great because they drive the candy up here for five hours and then they turn around and drive right back."

Washington Post October 31, 2008

Accepting Candy Donations

Stacey Garfinkle

One another note, come Saturday morning, that Halloween loot might truly be a scary amount. If that's the case and you want to lighten the sugar load, try donating some of it.

In Maryland, a local moms' community group called MoverMoms is collecting all kinds of wrapped candy to send to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The group drove a pickup-truck load of sweet stuff to the National Armory in West Virginia last year to give to Boatsie's Boxes. Boatsie's packs the candy in more than 11,000 Christmas stockings that go to soldiers of all faiths in all branches of the military in time for the holidays.

If you're in Maryland, drop-off times and places are:

* Walt Whitman High School (Whittier Boulevard in Bethesda) -- Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

* Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School (driveway on East-West Highway) -- Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
* A home at 7101 Loch Lomond Dr., Bethesda -- anytime from Oct. 31 to Nov. 5.
* A home at 11110 Candlelight Lane, Potomac -- anytime from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4.

Outside of Maryland, you can contact local charities that support the military to see if they are accepting candy donations.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Fall 2008

Easy Spirit Catalogue

The new Fall 2008 Easy Spirit catalogue is in print (sent around the country) and we are highlighed on page 25. This is a real tribute to our joint efforts to make a positive difference in our community - thanks to each of you for being part of it!

Show the Love May 11, 2008

MoverMoms

A group of moms in the Washington, D.C. area decided that instead of catching up over lattes at the local Starbucks, they would socialize while also making a positive impact in their community.  So began Mover Moms, a soon-to-be nonprofit organization whose 100+ mom members take part in a wide variety of community service projects, from preparing and serving dinner at a recovering addicts shelter, to manning a cheering station at the Avon Breast Cancer Walk,  to caring for sick and abandoned animals at farms and the Humane Society, just to name a few.  Founder Rebecca Kahlenberg of Bethesda, MDsays, "A lot of moms volunteer in their neighborhoods or at their children's schools, but we're hungry to do this in the larger community in addition to our other volunteering. This is a group of moms with kids of all ages who have fun with a purpose."  Easy Spirit and Honest Tea seem to love the idea of  moms moving the world so much that they have signed on as corporate sponsors. Whole Foods has provided corporate sponsorship for specific projects. For more information, visit www.movermoms.org.

Gazette.Net Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008

MoverMoms celebrateone year of community service

MoverMoms, a group of mostly downcounty mothers who get together to volunteer in the community, celebrated its one-year anniversary on Feb. 3 with a brunch and guest speaker Bethesda resident Betty Bumpers, former first lady of Arkansas, who spoke about her own years of volunteerism. As first lady of Arkansas, she spearheaded an immunization program in her state that became a national model. She also co-founded Every Child by Two, a national immunization program. Following a trip to the former Soviet Union, she launched Peace Links, a grassroots women's organization designed to raise consciousness about the nuclear arms race. Because of her life-long efforts, Bumpers was inducted into the 2005 National Women's Hall of Fame.

In only one year, MoverMoms has grown to more than 100 participants. The group has organized more than 20 community service activities and has more planned. For more information, visit www.movermoms.org. http://www.gazette.net/stories//bethnew14649_32360.shtml

The Bethesda Gazette - November 7, 2007

B-CC senior sets up run to raise funds for diabetes education

Laurie DeWitt⁄The Gazette - Laura Creer of Bethesda, mother of a Walt Whitman High School student, drops off leftover Halloween candy at Whitman for a collection by community service group Mover Moms, which will send it overseas to troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. The group collected tens of thousands of pieces of candy, according to Mover Moms founder Rebecca Kahlenberg.

The Bethesda Gazette - March 21, 2007

New moms group is a bunch of "MOVERS" when volunteering

Stephanie Siegel |

Having fun while also having a positive impact on the community is the goal of a new Bethesda moms group, MOVERS (Moms Volunteering Experiences). The idea for the group was sparked when Bethesda resident Rebecca Kahlenberg and Heidi Bumpers of Cabin John decided to organize a group to serve dinner at the Children's Inn at NIH. When they sent out e-mails to get volunteers to their friends and other groups they were involved with, the response was so positive that Kahlenberg decided to start a group that would regularly volunteer around the community. "I love to do thing with other moms, Kahlenberg said. And it's fun to get lattes or take walks, but this kind of seems like fun with a purpose. A lot of moms volunteer at their kids schools, but I think we're sort of hungry to do this in the larger community, MOVERS held its first event on March 10 volunteering with Books, Bears and Bonnets, a Bethesda nonprofit that packs gift baskets for cancer patients.

About 15 people came out for the event. "There was a lot of energy in the room,�" she said. "We were all feeling that maybe in some tiny way we were part of something larger than ourselves and our own world." While the group is geared toward moms, children and spouses are welcome at some events. "It's a way for us to model for our kids the importance of community service and involvement," Kahlenberg said.

The next MOVERS event is planned for April 9. The group will serve dinner at a homeless shelter in Rockville. And in May, the group will man a cheering station at the Avon Breast Cancer Walk. But the group is looking for other volunteer opportunities. To get more information about volunteering with MOVERS or about setting up a volunteer event with a community nonprofit, e-mail Kahlenberg at rkahlen2@aol.com or call.

Channel 9 - May 1, 2007

Written by 9 NEWS NOW

BETHESDA, Md. (WUSA) -- Students and faculty at Virginia Tech are still very much on our minds and in our prayers. Tuesday night, folks across the Washington area have been collecting food donations to put together little care packages. The goodies will be delivered to students - who are studying this week for final exams. The project is being coordinated by a volunteer group called Mover Moms. They plan to deliver the care packages Thursday.

Gazette Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Bethesda community pitches in for Virginia Tech students

People and Places | Stephanie Siegel

Thousands of Virginia Tech students are taking exams this week fueled by snacks, treats and notes telling them that people care, thanks to moms, school and scout groups and individuals from Bethesda and across the county.

Bethesda resident Rebecca Kahlenberg, founder of the moms group, MOVER MOMS, organized a drive to collect items for care packages to send to Virginia Tech students before their exams.

At the outset of the drive, she hoped to collect 1,000 care packages, but as news of the collection spread through e-mail, flyers and word of mouth, more than twice that number was collected.

"It far exceeded our expectations, '"Kahlenberg said. 'I'm just so happy about that. It just shows how good people are.'"

People from around the county pitched in volunteering to assemble packages, pack up boxes and man a collection point at the Westbard Giant last week.

"It''s really heart-warming, 'said Bethesda resident Amy Hancock while stationed at the collection point. "People are obviously very moved by the tragedy."

The packages filled two cargo vans donated by Rockville-based Enterprise Rent-A-Car to deliver the packages.

Courtesy of Rebecca Kahlenberg
The Potomac Almanac - April 26, 2007