Prince George's Proud:
An Update From County Executive Alsobrooks
Dear Prince Georgians:
First, I want to thank everyone who showed up and showed out for National Night Out on Tuesday, August 6. Cities and counties across our country participate in this campaign on the first Tuesday in August, and Prince George’s County did it big this year. We had more than 50 events across our County and even introduced the “Proud Slide” at Hillcrest Heights.
National Night Out seeks to promote positive partnerships between law enforcement and the communities they serve across the nation. In Prince George’s County, we are fortunate to already have strong relationships between public safety agencies and residents due to continued community engagement.
Over the past eight years, we have seen a 50% reduction in crime in Prince George’s County. That is due to collaborative partnerships between our public safety agencies and our community. The only way we will continue on that downward trend is by further strengthening these partnerships that exist in our County. This year, National Night Out provided a way for us to celebrate and solidify these partnerships between law enforcement and our communities.
We also believe that community engagement is extremely important for County Government agencies outside of public safety. That is why my team and staff from our County agencies attended nearly every single event for National Night Out. I’ve always said that you cannot represent people that you don’t know or understand, so you have my commitment that our team will continue to be present at community events across our County.
Related to public safety, Fire Chief Benjamin Barksdale announced that he will retire after serving this community, for the past eight years, with the highest level of professionalism, compassion and integrity. We are so proud of the work he has done and his commitment to the safety and well-being of Prince Georgians. Upon his retirement at the end of October, I am proud to announce that Chief Deputy Tiffany Green will become the Interim Chief of our Fire Department. Chief Deputy Green is a native Prince Georgian and will become the first woman to head the department in Prince George’s County.
I selected Chief Deputy Green for this position because she is simply the most qualified person to take on this role. She has 24 years of combined experience as a career and volunteer firefighter with Prince George’s County. She has taken on leadership roles in the department and has risen through the ranks. Finally, because she is a County native and has spent her entire career with the County, she thoroughly understands the needs of our Fire Department.
I want to thank Chief Barksdale for his service to the citizens and residents of Prince George’s County. He has served our County with distinction and has been a visible fixture in the community since taking on the role. Chief Barksdale is leaving with a strong reputation and we are thankful for his leadership.
Last week we also celebrated the final day of employment for our Summer Youth Enrichment Program (SYEP). This year, we broke records and delivered on our promise to double the size of SYEP and employed more than 6,000 young people. I was happy to have the opportunity to join many of our participants at a celebration we hosted at the Show Place Arena. We are already looking forward to making SYEP even better next summer.
On a final note, I want to encourage every Prince Georgian to attend the Back to School Block Party on Saturday, August 17. We also need your help in our goal to provide 10,000 backpacks with school supplies to students at this event. If you can, please consider donating a backpack or school supplies to help a fellow Prince Georgian that will start school in just a few weeks. More information about the block party and donation drop-off sites can be found on the PGCPS website.
Thank you, Prince Georgians, for your continued community engagement. You make me Prince George’s Proud!
Yours in service,
Angela Alsobrooks
Prince George’s County Executive
Back to School Block Party
 Join our team in Prince George’s County Public Schools at the 9th Annual Back to School Block Party on Saturday, August 17. The event will be held at the Sports and Learning Complex in Landover from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. We are encouraging every Prince Georgian to attend this great event with food, music, prizes and more.
We also need the community’s help in achieving our goal of distributing 10,000 backpacks with school supplies at this event. If you can, please consider donating a backpack or school supplies as part of our “Stuff-A-Bus” challenge. If your child needs a free backpack, you must register online in advance of the event. More information about the block party, the “Stuff-A-Bus” events and registering for a free backpack can be found online here.
Join Us for the Homeowners Conference of the Year!
 Our Commission on Common Ownership Communities is proud to present “Back to Basics"! If you are a homeowner in Prince George’s County and want information on residing in a common ownership community, this is the conference to attend. We look forward to seeing you there!
If you would like to attend, please register online. If you would like more information, please call 301-952-4729.
SYEP Highlight: From Summer Job to Career
County Executive Alsobrooks pictured with Kayla Powell, a new 311 Call Center employee, and Euniesha Davis, Director of the Office of Community Relations.
The most important successes of this year's Summer Youth Enrichment Program involved the young people who were positively impacted by the program. One of those individuals was Kayla Powell.
Kayla came to one of our outreach events for SYEP recruitment and approached the County Executive, saying she needed help after dropping out of college and didn't want to get lost in the system. She received a 6-week SYEP position in our 311 Call Center, and after working hard all summer, was offered full-time employment at the Call Center. The Office of Community Relations is even working with Kayla and Prince George’s Community College to get her enrolled in classes.
Kayla started work full-time at our Call Center on Monday, August 5, 2019. If you call 3-1-1, she might be the person who takes your call. You can watch a news story about Kayla and SYEP from ABC7 here.
SYEP Highlight: Closing Celebration at the Show Place Arena
County Executive Alsobrooks speaks to SYEP participants at the closing celebration.
On Friday, August 2, 2019, the Summer Youth Enrichment Program (SYEP) hosted an event at the Show Place Arena to celebrate the final day of employment for our participants. The County Executive gave words of encouragement to youth in attendance, and they were able to see performances by dance group Beat Your Feet and DMV rapper Adé.
SYEP celebrated many successes this year, including receiving more than 10,000 applications for the program, doubling the number of jobs from 3,000 to more than 6,000, and nearly doubling the number of employers participating from 126 to 250. The significant expansion of the program showcased the County's commitment to investing in our young people today so they can become the leaders of tomorrow.
County Executive Thanks Interns for their Service
County Executive Alsobrooks pictured with staff and the 5 summer interns for her office.
County Executive Alsobrooks took some time to sit down with the summer interns that worked in her office, getting to know each of them a bit more and thanking them for their service with the Prince George's County Government. Each intern told the County Executive about their summer internship experience and had the chance to ask her questions about the responsibilities of serving as County Executive.
In the County Executive's Office, interns were assigned to work with one of several departments, including communications, legislative affairs, community engagement and government operations. They worked on several projects, one of which involved a formal presentation and proposal to Chief Administrative Officer Major Riddick. We are thankful for their service this summer on behalf of the citizens and residents of Prince George's County.
County Executive's Office Forms African Diaspora Advisory Board
County Executive Alsobrooks pictured with members of the African Diaspora Advisory Board.
In an effort to ensure that all communities are represented in our County Government, County Executive Alsobrooks formed the African Diaspora Advisory Board within her office. This board is one of several boards that the County Executive's Office has formed over the last several months to ensure various communities and issues are represented within her administration.
The goal of this board is to advise the County Executive on issues and concerns relevant to the African Diaspora community in Prince George's County. Additionally, board members will assist with outreach to ensure that members of the African Diaspora community are aware of County Government resources and events available to our residents. The other boards formed by the County Executive's Office have similar goals for the respective communities that they represent.
VIDEO: SYEP Interns at the Office of Information Technology
 Many of our Summer Youth Enrichment Program (SYEP) participants worked in the Prince George's County Government. Take a look at what SYEP interns at our Office of Information Technology were up to this summer. You can view the video by clicking on the photo above or by clicking here.
IN THE NEWS: PGCPS Launches First in the State Apprenticeship Program
 This summer, 20 students in Prince George's County Public Schools took part in a brand new apprenticeship program launched by our school district. This program will continue training these 20 students throughout the next school year, and all 20 will be hired by the school district upon graduation or placed with industry partners. You can read more about the program being described as the first in our state here.
IN THE NEWS: Prince George’s County Selects Its First Woman Fire Chief
 On Tuesday, July 30, 2019, County Executive Alsobrooks announced that Chief Deputy Tiffany Green would become the Interim Fire Chief later this year. She will be the first female Fire Chief in the Department's history. Watch a recap of the announcement here.
Human Relations Commission and Office of Veterans Affairs Form Joint Task Force
Dr. James Dula, Office of Veterans Affairs, meets with Ms. Renée Battle-Brooks, Human Relations Commission.
The Prince George’s County Human Relations Commission and Office of Veterans Affairs are on a mission to assist workers, veterans, and employers with issues from discrimination to the effects of PTSD in the workplace, as well as help impacted parties successfully resolve conflict. “Our goal is to jointly foster a proactive agenda through outreach and education," says Renée Battle-Brooks, Executive Director of the Human Relations Commission (HRC), the County’s civil and human rights enforcement and education agency.
Dr. James Dula, Office of Veterans Affairs (OVA) Officer, adds, “by serving together we will enhance better understanding for everyone involved as we educate and assist current and returning veterans concerning their rights and responsibilities on the job and in communities.”
OVA provides support and information for veterans and their families in Prince George’s County while the Human Relations Commission investigates complaints of civil rights discrimination. The agencies will collaborate to close gaps in service for veterans and will host joint events for veterans in the near future. For more information, please call the Office of Veterans Affairs at 301-780-8260 or the Prince George’s County Human Relations Commission at 301-883-6170.
Beautification Survey
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We have officially extended the deadline for our beautification survey to this Sunday, August 11. If you didn't have the chance to take our survey over the last two weeks, you now have a few more days to do so. Your feedback will help us as we develop the next stages of our beautification initiative. To complete the survey, please visit the Department of the Environment website here. |
Double Match Money for Maryland Market Money Program in Prince George's County
 In celebration of National Farmers Market Week (August 4-10), the Maryland Farmers Market Association will double the match for the Maryland Market Money Program (MMM) at four farmers markets in Prince George's County. This is due to additional funding provided in the FY 2020 budget proposed by County Executive Alsobrooks and passed by the County Council.
MMM allows residents using federal nutrition benefits to increase their buying power at farmers market, eliminating economic barriers to purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables. For the entire month of August, shoppers using SNAP/EBT will get $2 in MMM for every SNAP dollar spent and get up to $20 in MMM (per customer per week). For shoppers using FMNP, they will receive $2 for every FMNP dollar spent up to double the value of the entire FMNP checkbook.
For more information about participating farmers markets or the Maryland Market Money Program, visit the Maryland Farmers Market Association website here.
Prince George’s County Named One of the Top Ten Digital Counties in the United States
In April, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) applied for the 17th Annual Digital Counties Survey Award. As a result, Prince George’s County was named one of the top ten digital counties in the United States, ranking 4th in the 500,000 – 999,999 population category. The survey, conducted by the Center for Digital Government (CDG) and the National Association of Counties (NACo), identifies the best technology practices among U.S. counties, including initiatives that streamline delivery of government services, encourage open data, facilitate collaboration and shared services, enhance cybersecurity and contribute to disaster response and recovery efforts.
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National Heatstroke Prevention Day
The Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department hosted an awareness event for National Heatstroke Prevention Day.
National Heatstroke Prevention Day was Wednesday, July 31, 2019. Currently in the United States there have been 25 confirmed children who have died as the direct result of being left in a vehicle, and the leading cause was heatstroke.
- On average, every 10 days a child dies from heatstroke in a vehicle. In more than half of these deaths, the caregiver forgot the child was in the car.
- A car can heat up 19 degrees in just 10 minutes, and cracking a window doesn’t help.
- Young children are particularly at risk, as their bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults.
To prevent heatstroke deaths in Prince George's County, our Fire/EMS Department held an awareness event as part of National Heatstroke Prevention Day. The signs they had in place showed how the inside temperature of a vehicle can be significantly higher than the temperature outside.
The Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department, in a nationwide effort to reduce the number of deaths from heatstroke, is encouraging residents to remember to ACT.
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Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving a child alone in a car, not even for a minute. Make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not inside so kids don’t get in on their own.
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Create reminders. Keep a stuffed animal or other memento in your child’s car seat when it’s empty, and move it to the front seat as a visual reminder when your child is in the back seat. You can also place and secure your phone, briefcase or purse in the backseat when traveling with your child.
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Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call and they are trained to respond to these situations
More information about heatstroke and National Heatstroke Prevention Day can be found on the graphic and websites below.
www.safekids.org
www.kidsandcars.org
www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/child-safety
www.safercar.gov
www.acf.hhs.gov
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