Nonprofit Spotlight

Nonprofit Spotlight

Circle of Angels

Moving people from poverty to prosperity 

 The Circle of Angels Initiative, Inc. (the Circle), a Chesapeake Beach-based nonprofit, teams with diverse stakeholders to propel people from poverty to prosperity (P2P). This mission extends both locally and globally with a focus on best practices to prevent risky behavior. It was an early advocate for battering intervention in domestic violence. The Circle promotes entrepreneurship and affordable housing. The organization involves individuals with lived experiences to embody a mantra of “doing nothing about us without us.” When former supporters experienced substantial income reduction during the pandemic, the Circle recruited young people with a YouTube following for support.

In furtherance of its mission, the Circle spearheads an annual community Thanksgiving, convenes the oldest in the nation interfaith Daughters of Abraham, and partners with the National Association of Women Judges to host an annual behind bars conference. Its grant from the Rural Maryland Council provides for personalized text services to schools, farmers, and others in crisis.

One of the Circle’s signature events, the annual Operation Patuxent (OpPAX), commemorates two historic WWII Southern Maryland sites, the Naval Air Station Paxtuxent River and Solomons Naval Amphibious Training Base. Methusaleh Pumphrey, a WWII veteran barred from combat training because of the color of his skin, laid the first wreath and the following year he and former Sen. Bernie Fowler Sr., also a WWII veteran, laid the wreath together.

In 2017, the Circle acted as mentor to the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Calvert Junior Chapter. That year, the chapter was named the NSBE Jr. Chapter of the Year. The Circle was also part of the Calvert's Promise collaborative led by Calvert Crusade (at that time), later named Calvert Collaborative for Children and Youth (CCCY), and was disbanded as a result of the pandemic.

The Circle’s founding director, Roseanna Vogt, is the 2022 Woman of the Year for the Calvert Minority Business Alliance. She was also the 2016 recipient of the Peace Builder Award for the Circle’s work in community and police relations. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Rural Maryland Council.