A Note from the Staff Senate Communications Officer

Dear Fellow UMB Staff,

It's hard to believe that 2023 is coming to a close. I want to thank you all for engaging with the Staff Senate this semester - whether attending a monthly meeting, donating to one of our holiday drives, or simply reading this newsletter.

It takes the collective contributions of us all to maintain a university culture rooted in our core values. As we begin making both personal and professional New Year's resolutions for next year, I encourage you all to think about how you can integrate UMB's core values into your goals for 2024.

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season, and a safe and restful break.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Main
UMB Staff Senate Communications Officer

CEC Christmas Store Donations Requested

The Office of Community Engagement, University of Maryland Medical Center, the Foundry Church, and UMB Staff Senate are seeking donations of toys or cash for The Christmas Store, to be held Dec. 15 and 16 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Please join us in our effort to make this holiday season a special one for the families of West Baltimore! Here’s how you can help:

• Help us reach our 2,000-toy goal!
  • Make a donation or purchase an item from our Amazon Registry or Target Registry
• Gift your time. We need volunteers to make the Christmas Store a success. Shifts available:
  • Thursday, Dec. 14 from 5 – 8:30 p.m. (set-up)
  • Friday, Dec. 15 from 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, Dec. 16 from 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Thanksgiving Drive Recap

On behalf of the Staff Senate Community Outreach Committee, UMB's Office of Community Engagement, the University of Maryland Medical Center's Community Health Team, and WJZ-TV, thank you for your recent participation in our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.

We are happy to share that our combined efforts raised $17,690, and 960 families in West Baltimore received a frozen turkey over the Thanksgiving holiday.

A special thank you to Shoppers, Hungry Harvest, and to all the volunteers who helped create and distribute food to our community members.

To learn more about this year's impact, check out the UMB news story at this link.

Make Giving Easier with Recurring Giving

To set up recurring giving to Staff Senate community initiatives through payroll deduction, visit the Login to Give page. For Fund Name, select Other and enter: Staff Senate Community Outreach Fund

Even a few dollars every pay period adds up to assist our community members!

Save the Date: 2024 MLK and Black History Month Celebration on Feb. 6

The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) will hold its Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month 2024 celebration on Feb. 6, noon to 1:30 p.m., at MSTF Leadership Hall, with a reception/light lunch to follow in the atrium outside the auditorium. The keynote speaker will be Fatima Goss Graves, JD, a nationally recognized leader in the fight for gender justice and an expert in law, policy, and culture change.

Registration will open soon. Please check The Elm website and The Elm Weekly newsletter in the coming weeks for the registration link.

Holiday Preparedness - Safety and Sustainability

Here are a few tips from Public Safety and the Office of Sustainability to ensure you are ready for the upcoming holiday break:

• Secure your office door; if you don't have an office, secure items in a desk with a key or take them home
• Make sure your One Card has the proper building access during break
• Be aware of your surroundings; put phones and headphones away when walking outside, walk in groups if possible, and stay on well-lit roads
• Power down and unplug devices before leaving; if you have a power strip, switch it to the "Off" position
• Turn off lights in your space and common areas if you're the last person to leave (bathrooms, kitchens, conference rooms, etc.)
• Keep blinds open in south-facing windows; shut blinds in all other windows