About WUMCO

Who we are, what we do, and why we do it.

Our History

In the late 1960’s, two dear friends, Jane Stearns and Beulah Harper, joined forces to provide food and rides to those in need in the Western Upper Montgomery County. From this humble start a small non-profit, WUMCO Help, grew. Financial assistance services were added, the pantry was housed in a large garage, and the office pre-empted the living room of the home of Jane and her husband Fred. The organization continued to grow, was incorporated and received non-profit status from the IRS.

Jane Stearns was a truly remarkable lady with a heart of gold! After the death of Beulah Harper, Jane continued to serve the community and expand the services that the organization provided. She also served as secretary of the local NAACP chapter for 25 years and volunteered at her church. Jane never accepted any compensation for her service as Executive Director of WUMCO, nor did she ask for rent or reimbursement for the high electric bills that she paid due to the WUMCO freezers and computers housed in her dwelling. For over 50 years Jane was the heart and face of WUMCO. Jane passed away on August 12, 2019. She leaves a lasting legacy in WUMCO and we aim to continue to serve the community with her dedication, spirit, and love.

Our Mission and Purpose

WUMCO’s guiding values include welcoming everyone in our community with dignity and kindness, being an effective and trusted resource, and working together with our neighbors to strengthen our community.

What We Do

WUMCO Help seeks to improve the quality of life for the most vulnerable residents of Western Upper Montgomery County by providing them with direct assistance to meet their basic needs, connecting them to other resources, and advocating on their behalf with the goal of helping them achieve and maintain self-sufficiency.

Who We Are

WUMCO is governed by a board of ten directors from our service area who oversee the staff, policies and programs. Day-to-day activities are handled by Executive Director Katie Longbrake and other staff. All services are based on validated financial need without consideration to client’s race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental condition or political preferences.

Join Us

We gratefully accept gifts of real property, in-kind gifts, and other non-cash donations that we can truly use. Please contact the WUMCO Help office, 301-972-8481 or at info@wumcohelp.org, to discuss any possible such gift. The staff will determine if the offered items are needed and if we have space for them, and if necessary, consult with the Board of Directors Executive Committee for further guidance.

Our Videos

Take a look at what people are saying about WUMCO! We have a great community and are proud to serve them. Hopefully, these videos will show you why we think Upper Montgomery County is such a great place to live. Get involved in WUMCO, support others and take out a membership, make a donation of cash or food, or become a volunteer! All of the above would be great!

Watch Our Videos

Funders & Partners

Funders

WUMCO’s program funders allow us to provide increased access to local health and wellness opportunities to our community.

Montgomery County DHHS

Healthcare Initiative Foundation

MCAEL

Partners

WUMCO’s valuable partners join us in working directly within our community by providing local health and wellness interventions.

Mobile Health Clinic

Care for Your Health

Our Staff

WUMCO’s daily operations thrive thanks to the dedication and expertise of our incredible team! At WUMCO, we believe passion is vital to our mission, but it takes a truly special individual to make a meaningful impact on the lives of our community members. The remarkable support and commitment of our staff are essential to driving our mission forward.

Katie Longbrake

Executive Director

Katie Longbrake is the Executive Director of WUMCO Help.

Patricia Brown

Assistant Executive Director

Patricia is a retired public school teacher, and a resident of Barnesville, MD for 25 years.

Melissa Widenhofer

Community Health Manager

Melissa manages health and wellness programming and performs grant writing and grants management.

Ana Paula Bettinger

Community Resource Coordinator

Ana Paula helps to connect our community, especially Spanish speakers, with various resources, including English as a second language program for adults.

Nancy Kasner

Bookkeeper

Nancy has been a resident of Poolesville for over 30 years.

Our Board

WUMCO simply could not operate without the input of our valued board members. Each board member brings with them a wealth of knowledge, experience, and expertise in various fields that are critical to the success of out mission.

From left to right: John Smith, Jane Doe, Jack Johnson, Jill Brown, James Miller, Jennifer Davis, Joe Wilson, Jessica Martinez, Jake Anderson, Julie Taylor, Jason Thomas, Jenna White, Jordan Harris, Jamie Clark, Jesse Lewis.