AIM 2024 Impact Report

Photo: David Choy

2024 was a year of new victories, new relationships, and new horizons of working at the state and local level. We are grateful to all of the leaders from congregations, schools and the community who gave their time, talent and treasure to make all of this possible!

Our Impact in 2024

Statewide Victories

In 2024, AIM strategically organized with PATH and ACT in the Maryland State House to help pass key pieces of legislation for climate equity, affordable housing, and tenants’ rights. Over 400 people were involved in the campaign and over 100 people attended our advocacy days in Annapolis. We achieved recognition from our legislators because of our ability to turn out everyday constituents who are directly impacted by the issues we work on. The new legislation we helped pass will:

  • Allocate millions in funding to help apartments upgrade to cleaner and healthier, gas-free appliances.

  • Increase the availability of affordable housing near transit stations.

  • Help protect tenants from wrongful evictions and excessive security deposits.


Photo: Lizzy Unger

Local Victories

AIM is also involved with many local campaigns. At our action on October 15, Montgomery County Executive Elrich committed to:

  • Expanding the Excel Beyond the Bell after-school program to East Silver Spring Elementary and Waters Landing Elementary for a total of 20 schools with the program.

  • Building a recreation center in Montgomery Village.

  • Hiring a therapist and caseworker for families at Burnt Mills Elementary School.

Photo: David Choy

AIM Expansion

We would like to give a warm welcome to our new member institutions: East Silver Spring Elementary School, Waters Landing Elementary School, Pilgrim United Church of Christ, and Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring!

Photo: David Choy

Campaign Highlights

Climate Justice

AIM’s NO2 testing team are tenant leaders who measure nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in residents' homes emitted by gas stoves and appliances. Together with the Beyond Gas coalition, the team published a report in November showing that over 50% of homes tested in Maryland had unhealthy levels of NO2. Using these findings, the team helps drive our campaigns for clean energy and electrification in apartment buildings. They helped pass the EmPOWER Act of 2024 and are central to our current campaigns for stronger green building standards and the ReNEW Act of 2025. The team has been recognized by the press and received the “Climate Solutions for Congregations” award in October for their climate justice work.

Pre-K Expansion

This year, AIM publicly launched our campaign for universal pre-K, which we have identified as a high-priority need in our listening sessions over the past 2 years. This year, we’ve made important progress.

  • We held a 200-person action in March to identify barriers to pre-K expansion and urge our Montgomery County officials to make progress toward pre-K expansion. 

  • After our advocacy, the Montgomery County Council voted in May to include $1 million for pre-K expansion in the FY 2025 budget.

  • On October 15 at our action with County Executive Elrich, he committed to including $5 million for pre-K in next year’s budget.

  • In our 2025 statewide campaign, we are working with the Maryland State Department of Education and legislators to expand pre-K in community-based settings by removing barriers and red tape.

Photos: David Choy

Statewide Action for a Just Democracy

On Sunday, November 17th, 729 of us from AIM, PATH, and ACT gathered at St. John the Evangelist Church in Columbia for our Statewide Action for a Just Democracy! Everyone in attendance committed to standing in solidarity to support everyone’s basic human rights, and participating in our democracy to make it work for all of us.

We presented the 4 policies we’re advocating for this year in Annapolis– climate (ReNEW Act), housing (Housing Production Targets), renters’ rights (Good Cause Eviction) and pre-K expansion. We gained commitments from the Maryland Comptroller, the Maryland Department of Housing, and 12 State Senators and Delegates to work with us this year on these issues.

Photo: David Choy

Maryland Just Power Alliance

At our Statewide Action on November 17, we announced the Maryland Just Power Alliance, our new statewide collective with AIM, PATH, and ACT! This alliance will enable us to gain more recognition, have a greater influence on statewide policies, and form new partnerships with other statewide organizations.

Photo: David Choy

Leader Spotlights

David Cockrell

Pilgrim United Church of Christ

“I am involved with AIM because I have hope in the future of our community, a sense of unity that we are all one and deserve equality, and faith that grounds me to be of service. As a leader in a congregation that joined AIM this year, I am inspired by AIM’s expertise, passion, and dedication in building alliances throughout our state. I look forward to seeing our goals of universal pre-K, climate justice, and affordable housing come to fruition.”

Lorena Joya

NO2 Testing Team

“Working with AIM this year on NO2 testing and our pre-K campaign, I've learned a lot about the needs of the families in our apartment communities. This has motivated me to focus even more on our campaigns. It's been a positive experience for me to meet with elected officials and share our communities' needs with them. My children are also following my example by participating in AIM.”

Photos: David Choy

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead to 2025, we will continue to organize in an effective way in uncertain political times. We plan to develop leaders within our member organizations and reach out to potential new allies. We will engage in our democracy to make it work for us, as we pursue state-level campaigns with the Maryland Just Power Alliance and continue our local campaigns.

Photo: David Choy

Thank You to Our Donors

AIM is funded by individual donors, grants, and dues from our member institutions.

A sincere thank you to each of our donors in 2024! Your support helps create a more equitable Montgomery County and state.

AIM Allies

Monthly donors who help sustain AIM’s work

  • Linda Blatt Adams

  • Rozina Adhanom

  • Ogechi Akalegbere

  • Michael Amster

  • Thomas Assefa

  • Carol Bloomberg

  • Franca Brilliant

  • Annie Woodley Brown

  • Greg Carr

  • Sadatu Clarke

  • David Cockrell

  • Rebecca Cromwell

  • Yolanda Da Rosa

  • Sharon Doner

  • Ginger Essink

  • Robert Evert

  • Lucile Freeman

  • Mirele Goldsmith

  • Bipul Gonsalves

  • John Gubbings

  • Claudia Greer

  • Meg Harrelson

  • Molly Hauck

  • James Heaney

  • Carolyn Henrich

  • Deedee Jacobsohn

  • Jacqueline Johnson

  • Katherine Juarez

  • Rosemary and William Lawson

  • Jacob Lebowitz

  • Ike Leggett

  • Phyllis Kathy Lerner

  • Mona Levine

  • Laura Loeb

  • Lillian Doherty Luksenburg

  • Paula Martin

  • Karen McManus

  • Stephanie Moore

  • Heidi Mordhorst

  • Rob Nooter

  • Susan O'Callaghan Davis

  • Shana Oshiro

  • Betsy Rakola

  • Alicia Robertson

  • Yolanda de J. Rodrigues

  • Rabbi Michael Safra

  • Judy Saks

  • Donna Sawyer

  • Patricia Scheid

  • Rev. Kristin Schmidt

  • Marla Schulman

  • Lisa Schumaker

  • Margo Smith

  • Leslie Sussan

  • Ann Venton

  • Harley Venton

  • Sylviane Viossi

  • Joshua Weinberg

  • Jacob Wilson

  • David Winfield

  • Katie Zinler

Annual Fund Donors

  • Adenike Adeyeye

  • Jeannie Appleman

  • Thomas Assefa

  • Marion Ballard

  • Janej Baluss

  • Ellen Battistelli

  • Ray Battistelli

  • Maurine Beasley

  • Alex Bell

  • Bill Bennett

  • Mary Bennett

  • Vicki Berman

  • James Berman

  • James Berner

  • Jaqueline Bevacqua

  • Linda Bleadingheiser

  • Peggy Bourg

  • Ann Bradley Olson

  • Myrtle Brown

  • Susan Burnett

  • Barbara Bubb

  • Carlos Camacho

  • Pat Clausen

  • Kevin and Nancy Clark

  • Esther Abibatu Daramy

  • James Davis

  • Maryann Defiore

  • Margery Dimond

  • Hope Dolan

  • James Doyle

  • Jeff Eagan & Nancy Van Meter

  • Jerome Ernst

  • Faye Fager

  • Nancy Ferris

  • Thomas Fleisher

  • Emmanuel and Marilyn Fliegler

  • Holly Foley

  • Annette Forseter

  • Alexa Fraser

  • Joan Fread

  • Lucy Freeman

  • Janet Garman

  • Ellen Ginsberg

  • Joan and Don Griggs

  • Shaun Hardy

  • Sheila Harron

  • Marilyn Hathaway

  • James Heaney

  • Karen Herron & J. Brendan
    Herron, Jr.

  • Lisa Holden-Pitt

  • Kathleen Holmay

  • Giles Hopkins

  • Terri Horn

  • Tanushree Dutta Isaacman

  • Rabbi Marc Israel

  • Debbie Jacobs

  • Robert Jacobs

  • Nancy Janssen

  • Edward Johnson

  • Kenneth Jones

  • John Kolar

  • Roberta Larkin

  • Jeanne Lehning

  • Agnes Leshner

  • Spence Limbocker

  • Jennifer Loiacono

  • Lillian Doherty Luksenberg

  • Jane Lyder

  • Helen Mahylis

  • Elizabeth Malone

  • Fred Marinucci

  • Karen Marks

  • Richard Marks

  • Cynthia Marshall

  • J. Kenneth Marshall

  • Thene Martin

  • Jaime Matyas

  • Harvey Mazer

  • Patty McGrath

  • Lee McNair

  • Constancia Merrill

  • Karen Metchis

  • Susanna Miele

  • Michael Miller

  • Marc Narkus Kramer

  • Ray Nosbaum

  • Jim Olson

  • Lisa Orange

  • Christina Oyawoye

  • Mark Packman

  • Liz Purcell

  • Pamela Queen

  • Rabbi Mark Raphael

  • Gail Riley

  • Stew Remer

  • Priya Raveendran Pillai

  • Alicia Robertson

  • David Rosenblum

  • Jeffrey Rubin

  • Judy Saks

  • William Samuel

  • Andrea Savoye

  • Tony Sarmiento

  • Bill Schauman & Marta Brenden

  • Mary Ann Sestili

  • Carl Shea

  • Don Slater

  • Margo Smith

  • Tap Taplin

  • Betsy Taylor

  • Craig Thornton

  • Patricia Tice

  • Barbara Tomar

  • Deborah Trent

  • Don Tucker

  • Gyr Turshen

  • Debra Van Der Gaag

  • Judy Walser

  • Toby Weismiller

  • Cindy Whitt

  • Tal Widdes

  • Marie Wilson

  • David Winfield

  • Samuel Worthington

  • Steve Yank

Foundations

  • Catholic Campaign for Human Development

  • Charles Hazlehurst Moura Family Foundation

  • Climate + Clean Energy Equity Fund

  • Climate Imperative

  • Green and Healthy Homes Initiative

  • Hazen Foundation

  • Jerry Wilson Memorial Fund

  • Meyer Foundation

  • Presbyterian Hunger Program

  • U.S. Energy Foundation

  • Westmoreland UCC Social Justice and Action Grant

Join Us. Support AIM Today.

Together, we can build a future where everyone belongs and thrives.
Give a one-time gift of $25, $100, $500 – or any amount that’s meaningful to you.
Or, become an “AIM Ally” by signing up for a monthly recurring gift of as little as $5. Your gift makes a difference.