In the wake of the U.S. withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, the collapse of the Afghan government, and the Taliban’s takeover, many Afghans are fleeing for their lives. While up-to-date figures are unavailable due to the intense conflict, more than 1 million Afghans remain displaced from their homes due to ongoing violence and frequent natural disasters. We are grateful for our colleagues at Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR) who have compiled a list of actions to support philanthropic response. Maryland Philanthropy Network will continue to post ways in which philanthropy may respond to all that is happening in the world and we urge foundations and individual philanthropists to look into the future of how all of this will change Maryland and what your role may be to relieve suffering and build for our future.

The Baltimore Community Foundation is proud to announce the launch of the Black Philanthropy Circle. The Black Philanthropy Circle is a nonprofit 501(c)3 donor-advised fund focused on charitable giving to nonprofits that directly support Black people and communities in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Founded by a group of more than 30 Black business and civic leaders, the Black Philanthropy Circle was established to cultivate an inclusive philanthropic community, to build the capacity of Baltimore’s Black nonprofits, and to impact Greater Baltimore’s Black community at large.