On Our Own of Frederick County Awarded $192,578 RAMP Grant

Funding will expand bilingual peer pathways to recovery and employment in Frederick's Golden Mile "ENOUGH" area

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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On Our Own of Frederick County has been awarded a $192,578 grant through the Rural Advancement for Maryland Peers (RAMP) program to implement "The Peer Empowerment Partnership: Bilingual Pathways to Recovery and Employment" in partnership with the Spanish Speaking Community of Maryland (SSCM). The project will focus on the "ENOUGH" area of Frederick's Golden Mile economic corridor, strengthening rural access to peer-led recovery supports and workforce pathways, especially for Spanish-speaking individuals and families.

Why it matters

This grant helps expand peer-led recovery services and employment supports in rural communities, with a focus on reaching underserved Spanish-speaking residents in the Frederick area. By partnering with SSCM, the project aims to provide more culturally responsive and bilingual engagement to connect people to vital resources and pathways toward stability, wellness, and opportunity.

The details

On Our Own of Frederick County and SSCM will work to expand peer recovery workforce pathways and employment supports, strengthen bilingual outreach and engagement, increase connection to community-based behavioral health and recovery resources, and concentrate implementation in the Frederick "ENOUGH" area to better reach underserved residents. The project's learnings will also be shared with Maryland's broader peer-led network.

  • The RAMP grant funding began on February 1, 2026.

The players

On Our Own of Frederick County

A peer-led Wellness and Recovery Center serving adults with mental health and substance use challenges through peer support, groups, community connection, and recovery-oriented services grounded in lived experience.

Spanish Speaking Community of Maryland (SSCM)

An organization that works to support and empower Spanish-speaking individuals and families through culturally responsive services, community connection, and advocacy—bridging access to resources that strengthen wellness, stability, and opportunity.

Maryland Department of Labor

The state agency that approved the RAMP grant award and noted the program's goal to help expand the rural peer recovery workforce and enhance access to behavioral health services across Maryland.

Neil Donnelly

The Executive Director of On Our Own of Frederick County.

Maria Herrera

The Executive Director of Spanish Speaking Community of Maryland.

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What they’re saying

“Peer support is built on hope, relationship, and lived experience. This RAMP grant helps us expand bilingual pathways to recovery and employment—so more people can access support that is welcoming, respectful, and grounded in dignity—particularly in communities where the need is high and access can be limited.”

— Neil Donnelly, Executive Director of On Our Own of Frederick County

“This partnership is about truly meeting people where they are—in their language, their culture, and within the realities they navigate every day. By focusing on the ENOUGH area of the Golden Mile, we are intentionally reaching Spanish-speaking families where trust matters most, connecting them to peer support, vital resources, and meaningful pathways toward stability, wellness, and renewed opportunity.”

— Maria Herrera, Executive Director of Spanish Speaking Community of Maryland

What’s next

On Our Own of Frederick County and SSCM will share implementation updates, learnings, and early outcomes as the project launches. Affiliates of On Our Own of Maryland are encouraged to connect with the organizations to collaborate, share best practices, or explore bilingual peer pathway models.

The takeaway

This grant represents a meaningful investment in expanding peer-led recovery services and employment supports in rural Maryland, with a focus on providing culturally responsive and bilingual engagement to underserved Spanish-speaking communities. The project's learnings will help strengthen the broader peer recovery movement across the state.