Patch Picks: Five Nonprofits In Your Neighborhood

Catonsville has a lot of nonprofit organizations that do great work supporting the needs of the community. We should first give a shout-out to groups like the Catonsville Celebrations Committee, Friends of the Catonsville Library, Catonsville Rails to Trails and Turning Pages that do great work.

Here's a list of some nonprofits or volunteers that Patch wanted to highlight based on recent interviews and conversations. So give this list a read and share your thoughts about a nonprofit that has impacted your life. We'll be sure to highlight the great work they are doing!

1. League of Dreams. Catonsville native Frank Kolarek started this nonprofit roughly seven years ago with the intent to give disabled children more recreational activities. Since then, it has grown into an entire league that pairs able-bodied children and family members with children with disabilities. Teams play starting in the spring in baseball and softball. The group also runs summer clinics. Kolarek was selected as this year's award recipient for public awareness from the Baltimore County Commission on Disabilities. The group is in need of more volunteers and also continues to raise funs for the needs of the program. For more information, contact Kolarek at fkolarek@leagueofdreams.org.

2. Believe in Tomorrow's Children Foundation. Catonsville resident Brian Morrison, Believe in Tomorrow's founder and CEO, started the organization nearly 30 years ago. The organization provides hospital and respite housing services to critically ill children and their families. They have national partnerships with hospitals and health organizations and created the concept of respite housing. The foundation currently maintains five vacation-like properties at the mountains and the beach, critically ill children and their families can use year round, free of charge to escape the stress that overwhelms families facing a child's medical crisis. The organization is in need of financial donations. For more information, go to believeintomorrow.org.

3. Chimes. The international organization has a long history in Maryland and has served residents in the Catonsville area  with developmental disabilities or mental illness for many years. Chimes started in 1947 as Maryland’s first school for children with disabilities and has since expanded to an agency of more than 3,000 employees delivering a wide range of programs, services and supports for 17,000 people of all ages and many levels of ability. Chimes needs advocates to contact state government leaders to let them know that programs supporting people with disabilities are essential and shouldn’t be targeted for budget cuts. To volunteer, go to chimes.org.

4. At the , a group of seniors have been getting together for more than a decade to knit blankets, hats and other items for people in the community. Catonsville resident Mary Nichols heads up the group now and has been involved since 1987. She estimates the members have made thousands of items to donate to hospitals and children. The group currently has 18 total members. Nichols keeps a scrapbook of all of the thank-you cards and notes they have received over the years, which makes it worthwhile, she said.

5. Maryland Food Bank. Patch editors recently volunteered at the organization's headquarters in Halethorpe, which was a tremendous experience. Through about 600 member organizations – soup kitchens, mobile pantries, emergency food centers – every year MFB distributes more than 18 million pounds of food to nearly 450,000 people in Maryland. Last year 3,783 people volunteered to sort and package food, performing almost 21,000 hours of work that represents about $450,000 worth of labor. Volunteers can help sort food in three-hour shifts, which makes it a great opportunity for church or community groups.